V.E. Lashkaryov Institute of Semiconductor Physics NAS of Ukraine
National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

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Measuring Equipment for Flash Characterization of Photovoltaic Modules

№41 Department of Physical and technical bases semiconductor fotoenerhetyky
   Anatoliy P. Gorban

 

Measuring equipment is intended for testing photo-technical parameters of photovoltaic modules having peak electrical power up to 320 Watt in standard pulse illumination conditions (AM0, AM1.5, natural solar and pulse artificial sunlight). It is developed for use in the Centre for solar cell and photovoltaic panel testing of the V.E. Lashkarev ISP NAS of Ukraine.
Area of application - terrestrial and space photovoltaic power engineering.
Created by the V.E. Lashkarev ISP NAS of Ukraine scientific specialists, measuring equipment for flash characterization has no analogues in Ukraine. Patent protection of novel technical and technological solutions created during the equipment development is under consideration.

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Measuring Equipment for Flash Characterization of Photovoltaic Modules

Component parts of the designed apparatus.
- Pulse sunlight simulator fabricated on the base of low-pressure flash xenon lamp.
- Automated system performing measurements and electronic treatment of module parameters.
- Data-transmitter unit for determination energetic illumination density and environmental temperature in the region of photovoltaic module arrangement.
- Software for high-speed module test management and mathematical processing of the received results.
- Personal computer, printer.


Functional features of the designed apparatus.
During single light flash designed apparatus performs:
- Determination of current and voltage values in a variety of points of module V-I curve under illumination (LVAC).
- Measurement temporary instability of energetic illumination density at the surface of photovoltaic module.
- Measurement spatial distribution of energetic illumination density within the surface of photovoltaic module.
- Measurement of an environmental temperature in the region of photovoltaic module arrangement.
- Definition of a short circuit current, open circuit voltage, output electrical power, photovoltaic module efficiency.
- Processing measurement results by a definite algorithm.
- Representation the results of photovoltaic module testing on a screen of monitor and in protocols of standard form.

Specifications.
- Measurement ranges of a voltage, generated by a module: 0... 40V.
- Measurement ranges of a current, generated by a module: 0... 4 A, 0... 8А.
- Duration of the measurement process: up to 4 ms.
- Energetic illumination density within the surface of photovoltaic module:  ≤ 1500 Вт/м2.

Relative reduced errors of photo-technical measurements:
- Current strength value:  ±1.0 %;
- Voltage value:  ±0.3 %;
- Maximal electrical power value: ±2.0 %;
- LVAC fill-factor value: ±3.0 %.
- Efficiency value: ± 5.0 %.