TY - GEN
T1 - Effect of spatial temperature uniformity on outdoor photovoltaic module performance characterization
AU - Umachandran, Neelesh
AU - Tamizhmani, Govindasamy
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank SERIIUS (Solar Energy Research Institute for India and the United States) Salt and River Project (SRP) for the funding support of this project.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 IEEE.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Temperature uniformity in a photovoltaic (PV) module is critical to accurately measure module performance parameters and temperature coefficients. In the case of indoor flash solar simulators, a uniform temperature among all the cells within a test module is maintained using a specialized thermal setup or an air conditioned environment. However, maintaining uniform module temperature in all the cells of a module under prevailing uncontrolled outdoor field conditions on clear sunny days has been a challenge. This study quantitatively determines the extent of temperature non-uniformity, and the influence of 'spatial' temperature distribution on the accuracy of module performance parameters and temperature coefficients. An experimental approach to improve temperature uniformity under prevailing field conditions is also presented to obtain outdoor performance data and to possibly improve field performance with less influence of temperature variability. Results indicate that better temperature uniformity and more accurate performance data can be obtained by thermally insulating the inner and outer surfaces of the module frame.
AB - Temperature uniformity in a photovoltaic (PV) module is critical to accurately measure module performance parameters and temperature coefficients. In the case of indoor flash solar simulators, a uniform temperature among all the cells within a test module is maintained using a specialized thermal setup or an air conditioned environment. However, maintaining uniform module temperature in all the cells of a module under prevailing uncontrolled outdoor field conditions on clear sunny days has been a challenge. This study quantitatively determines the extent of temperature non-uniformity, and the influence of 'spatial' temperature distribution on the accuracy of module performance parameters and temperature coefficients. An experimental approach to improve temperature uniformity under prevailing field conditions is also presented to obtain outdoor performance data and to possibly improve field performance with less influence of temperature variability. Results indicate that better temperature uniformity and more accurate performance data can be obtained by thermally insulating the inner and outer surfaces of the module frame.
KW - Insulation
KW - Outdoor
KW - Performance
KW - Temperature
KW - Uniformity
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U2 - 10.1109/PVSC.2017.8366638
DO - 10.1109/PVSC.2017.8366638
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85048459291
T3 - 2017 IEEE 44th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2017
SP - 2005
EP - 2010
BT - 2017 IEEE 44th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2017
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 44th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2017
Y2 - 25 June 2017 through 30 June 2017
ER -