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Detection of the voltage distribution in photovoltaic modules by electroluminescence imaging
Author(s) -
Potthoff Torben,
Bothe Karsten,
Eitner Ulrich,
Hinken David,
Köntges Marc
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/pip.941
Subject(s) - voltage , photovoltaic system , solar cell , electroluminescence , reliability (semiconductor) , signal (programming language) , materials science , optoelectronics , electrical engineering , physics , computer science , engineering , power (physics) , nanotechnology , layer (electronics) , quantum mechanics , programming language
We introduce an approach to determine the operating voltage of individual solar cells in photovoltaic (PV) modules by electroluminescence (EL) imaging. The highest EL signal of each solar cell is proportional to its operating voltage. Moreover the sum of all operating voltages equals the externally applied module voltage. Thus the operating voltage of individual solar cells is determined from the measured EL signal. The reliability of this relation is verified by measurements on specially prepared PV modules allowing us to measure the individual operating cell voltage. The experimentally measured cell voltages are deduced with an uncertainty of ±1% from an EL image. Moreover, the operating cell voltages determined from the EL image are used to calculate the module series resistance. Comparing experimentally determined values from the operating cell voltage and the total current flowing supplied to the module with calculated module series resistances using tabulated material and typical solar cell parameters, a very good correspondence is found. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.