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Results for “Module Reliability”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Fatigue-Like Behavior of Silver Metallization Gridlines and Proposed Damage Mechanics Model

In this work, we present a novel method to evaluate the fracture and fatigue-like behavior of crystalline silicon PV cell metallization. Initial results demonstrate that silver metal gridlines are capable of bridging a ~10–20 µm gap prior to becoming electrically open and do demonstrate fatigue-like behavior under cyclic straining conditions. This later phenomenon was well fit with a traditional power law equation for high cycle fatigue and enabled the development of a damage mechanics model for gridline failure.

41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗
DOE OSTI2013

In-Vessel Coil Material Failure Rate Estimates for ITER Design Use

The ITER international project design teams are working to produce an engineering design for construction of this large tokamak fusion experiment. One of the design issues is ensuring proper control of the fusion plasma. In-vessel magnet coils may be needed for plasma control, especially the control of edge localized modes (ELMs) and plasma vertical stabilization (VS). These coils will be lifetime components that reside inside the ITER vacuum vessel behind the blanket modules. As such, their reliability is an important design issue since access will be time consuming if any type of repair were necessary. The following chapters give the research results and estimates of failure rates for the coil conductor and jacket materials to be used for the in-vessel coils. Copper and CuCrZr conductors, and stainless steel and Inconel jackets are examined.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Nishati Prototype 72-Cell Endurance Modules (Test Report)

US Manufacturer Nishati provided three prototype, 72-cell photovoltaic modules to Sandia for characterization under the US Department of Energy Small Business Voucher program. Nishati is developing the Endurance © product to address the stringent requirements associated with PV system installations sited near airports and military bases. These prototype modules are uniquely constructed of a polymeric matrix and an internal honeycomb structural element. Target features of the module design are reduced reflectivity from the front surface and reduced weight. Sandia applied a variety of in-house characterization methods to these modules with the goal of validating performance and identifying any areas for improvement. Reflectance testing revealed extremely low specular reflection, dramatically surpassing the performance of industry standard PV panels. Electrical performance testing validated performance in line with expectations for similar size and power class modules. Complimentary to reflection testing, outdoor angle of incidence testing indicated performance far exceeding expectations for industry standard PV panels. It is possible that the extremely low reflectance properties of these modules will convey an advantage in annual energy production in comparison to industry standard modules. Detailed performance modeling and experimental field validation would be required to verify this possible advantage. During the course of this testing, no obvious deficiencies in this module design were discovered. It is recommended that Nishati and Sandia proceed to the final Task associated with the SBV award. This final task will involve fielding modules at Sandia for reliability and energy production validation.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

CEBAF SRF Performance during Initial 12 GeV Commissioning

The Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) energy upgrade from 6 GeV to 12 GeV includes the installation of eleven new 100 MV cryomodules (88 cavities). The superconducting RF cavities are designed to operate CW at an accelerating gradient of 19.3 MV/m with a Q L of 3×10 7 . Not all the cavities were operated at the minimum gradient of 19.3 MV/m with the beam. Though the initial 12 GeV milestones were achieved during the initial commissioning of CEBAF, there are still some issues to be addressed for long term reliable operation of these modules. This paper reports the operational experiences during the initial commissioning and the path forward to improve the performance of C100 (100 MV) modules.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Degradation of Silicone Encapsulants in CPV Optics: Preprint

High efficiency multijunction solar cells in terrestrial concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules are becoming an increasingly cost effective and viable option in utility scale power generation. As with other utility scale photovoltaics, CPV modules need to guarantee operational lifetimes of at least 25 years. The reliability of optical elements in CPV modules poses a unique materials challenge due to the increased UV irradiance and enhanced temperature cycling associated with concentrated solar flux. The polymeric and thin film materials used in the optical elements are especially susceptible to UV damage, diurnal temperature cycling and active chemical species from the environment. We used fracture mechanics approaches to study the degradation modes including: the adhesion between the encapsulant and the cell or secondary optical element; and the cohesion of the encapsulant itself. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of materials degradation under elevated stress conditions is critical for commercialization of CPV technology and can offer unique insights into degradation modes in similar encapsulants used in other photovoltaic modules.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

FY 2019 DuraMAT Annual Report

This report summarizes the progress and successes of the Durable Module Materials Consortium in FY 2019.

41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗
DOE OSTI2021

DuraMAT (Durable Module Materials Consortium) Annual Report FY 2020

The Durable Module Materials Consortium (DuraMAT) launched in November 2016 with five years of funding as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Materials Network. DuraMAT is a multilab consortium, led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia), with SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) as core research labs. DuraMAT’s overarching goal is to discover, develop, de-risk, and enable the rapid commercialization of improved materials, designs, predictive tests, and models for PV modules that increase performance, extend lifetime, and enable new applications. We work in partnership with our 15-member Industry Advisory Board and the technical management team in DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office. This document describes DuraMAT activities in FY20.

41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Laser Welded Edge Seals for Glass/Glass Modules

Polymers used in module construction are often involved in degradation mechanisms and hamper recycling. This project explores femtosecond (fs) laser welding of glass/glass modules to enable polymer-free modules. We are utilizing the knowledge base of the industrial laser community to apply glass/glass fs laser welding technology to solar modules. Experimentally measured stress intensity factors for glass welds are input into a COMSOL model of a full-size module to test weld failure under static loading. If successful, fs laser welding could enable modules that are polymer-free that will extend module warrantees, allow hermetically sealed glass/glass modules for moisture-sensitive semiconductors, and improve module recyclability.

COMSOL finite element model↗
DOE OSTI2022

Overall Performance Losses and Activated Mechanisms in Double Glass and Glass-backsheet Photovoltaic Modules with Monofacial and Bifacial PERC Cells, under Accelerated Exposures

Commercial PV modules have various packaging choices nowadays, which influence their long-term reliability. This study compared the degradation behaviors of sixteen module variants from two brands with varying encapsulant materials (EVA or POE), encapsulant types, module architectures (GB or DG), and cell types (monofacial or bifacial) using null hypothesis testing to determine statistical significant findings. The modules were exposed for 2,520 hours under two accelerated exposures: modified damp heat (mDH) and modified damp heat with full-spectrum light (mDH+FSL). For both brands, two DG module variants with UV-Cutoff rear encapsulant are found to have significantly lower average power loss than the module variants of EVA+GB with opaque rear encapsulant after each accelerated exposure. Metallization interconnect corrosion is identified as the primary degradation mechanism. Furthermore, unsupervised hierarchical clustering finds that the degradation behaviors of modules from one brand with a more strict manufacturing quality control depends on module architectures only.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

New features of the ECH control system on DIII-D and impact of power modulation on collector loading

In order to increase the reliability and improve the availability of electron cyclotron heating (ECH) and current drive during a plasma shot, an adaptive gyrotron command generator has been designed and implemented in all gyrotron systems on the DIII-D tokamak. This adaptive real-time generator is able to detect imminent faults, including gyrotron body overcurrent faults that can develop in a few microseconds, block faults, and restart RF generation within 10–30 ms, faster than the DIII-D energy confinement time. The adoption of this adaptive generator has substantially improved the performance of a depressed-collector gyrotron with recurrent body current faults, and has assisted the ECH system to achieve a record reliability of 95% during the last experimental campaign. The impact of power modulation on the collector loading of a depressed-collector gyrotron has been experimentally studied using calorimetry and collector maps taken by a diagnostic developed in-house. While lowering the modulation duty cycle kept the collector power constant as a result of low beam-wave efficiency during the modulation low state, an observed power redistribution inside the collector increased the peak collector power density, which reached levels above the manufacturer power density limit for low duty cycles.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

NREL Photovoltaic Research -- Extensive Capabilities and Experience Under One Roof

NREL's high-impact photovoltaic successes in fundamental research, advanced materials and devices, and technology development contribute to: 1) boosting solar cell conversion efficiencies, 2) Lowering the cost of solar cells, modules, and systems, and 3) improving the reliability of photovoltaic (PV) components and systems.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Enabling reliability assessments of pre-commercial perovskite photovoltaics with lessons learned from industrial standards [Enabling reliability of pre-commercial perovskite photovoltaics with lessons learned from industrial standards]

Here, photovoltaic modules are expected to operate in the field for more than 25 years, so reliability assessment is critical for the commercialization of new photovoltaic technologies. In early development stages, understanding and addressing the device degradation mechanisms are the priorities. However, any technology targeting large-scale deployment must eventually pass industry-standard qualification tests and undergo reliability testing to validate the module lifetime. In this Perspective, we review the methodologies used to assess the reliability of established photovoltaics technologies and to develop standardized qualification tests. We present the stress factors and stress levels for degradation mechanisms currently identified in pre-commercial perovskite devices, along with engineering concepts for mitigation of those degradation modes. Recommendations for complete and transparent reporting of stability tests are given, to facilitate future inter-laboratory comparisons and to further the understanding of field-relevant degradation mechanisms, which will benefit the development of accelerated stress tests.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗