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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 667 records · Page 37
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Electrical research on solar cells and photovoltaic materials

A systematic study of the properties of various polymer pottant materials and of the electrochemical corrosion mechanisms in solar cell materials is required for advancing the technology of terrestrial photovoltaic modules. The items of specific concern in this sponsored research activity involve: (1) kinetics of plasticizer loss in PVB, (2) kinetics of water absorption and desorption in PVB, (3) kinetics of water absorption and desorption in EVA, (4) the electrical properties at PVB as a function of temperature and humidity, (5) the electrical properties of EVA as a function of temperature and humidity, (6) solar cell corrosion characteristics, (7) water absorption effects in PVB and EVA, and (8) ion implantation and radiation effects in PVB and EVA.

Orehotsky, J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Chemical bonding technology

Primers employed in bonding together the various material interfaces in a photovoltaic module are being developed. The approach develops interfacial adhesion by generating actual chemical bonds between the various materials bonded together. The current status of the program is described along with the progress toward developing two general purpose primers for ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), one for glass and metals, and another for plastic films.

Plueddemann, E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Water permeation and electrical properties of pottants, backings, and pottant/backing composites

It is reported that the interface between plastic film back covers and ethylene vinyl acetates (EVA) or polyvinyl butyral (PVB) in photovoltaic modules can influence water permeation, and electrial properties of the composites such as leakage current and dielectric constant. The interface can either be one of two dissimilar materials in physical contact with no intermixing, or the interface can constitute a thin zone which is an interphase of the two materials having a gradient composition from one material to the other. The former condition is described as a discrete interface. A discrete interface model was developed to predict water permeation, dielectric strength, and leakage current for EVA, ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA), and PVB coupled to Tedlar and mylar films. Experimental data was compared with predicted data.

Orehotsky, J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Orientation of Space Station Freedom electrical power system in environmental effects assessment

The orientation effects of six Space Station Freedom Electrical Power System (EPS) components are evaluated for three environmental interactions: aerodynamic drag, atomic oxygen erosion, and orbital debris impact. Designers can directly apply these orientation factors to estimate the magnitude of the examined environment and the environmental effects for the EPS component of interest. The six EPS components are the solar array, photovoltaic module radiator, integrated equipment assembly, solar dynamic concentrator, solar dynamic radiator, and beta gimbal.

Lu, Cheng-Yi↗
NASA NTRS1992

Results of thermal vacuum tests for the PASP Plus flight panels

The PASP+ experiment is collection of 16 individual cell strings on 12 different photovoltaic modules, representing a wide variety of cell and array technologies, which will be launched from a Pegasus in early 1993. The main objectives of the experiment are to obtain environmental interaction data between the modules and the space plasma; and to obtain radiation damage data on the newer types of cells. The orbit will be about 1050 nautical miles by 190 nautical miles with an inclination of 70 degrees. During late June and early July of this year, we took the PASP+ panels with all 12 modules and the flight controller to Boeing for a series of thermal vacuum tests. The main objectives of these tests were to verify the thermal balance model of the space experiment; to obtain good data for temperature coefficients of the various modules; and to have an 'end-to-end' test of the modules and controller. We will present data on the module temperatures and the measured temperature coefficients. We shall discuss the limitations of the test setup and some of the assumptions that were made. We shall also present some module performance as a function of temperature.

Guidice, Don↗
NASA NTRS2004

Reconditioning of Batteries on the International Space Station

Primary source of electric power for the International Space Station (ISS) is the photovoltaic module (PVM). At assembly complete stage, the ISS will be served by 4 PVMs. Each PVM contains two independent power channels such that one failure will result in loss of only one power channel. During early stages of assembly, the ISS is served by only one PVM designated as P6. Solar arrays are used to convert solar flux into electrical power. Nickel hydrogen batteries are used to store electrical power for use during periods when the solar input is not adequate to support channel loads. Batteries are operated per established procedures that ensure that they are maintained within specified temperature limits, charge current is controlled to conform to a specified charge profile, and battery voltages are maintained within specified limits. Both power channels on the PVM P6 have been operating flawlessly since December 2000 with 100 percent power availability. All components, including batteries, are monitored regularly to ensure that they are operating within specified limits and to trend their wear out and age effects. The paper briefly describes the battery trend data. Batteries have started to show some effects of aging and a battery reconditioning procedure is being evaluated at this time. Reconditioning is expected to reduce cell voltage divergence and provide data that can be used to update the state of charge (SOC) computation in the software to account for battery age. During reconditioning, each battery, one at a time, will be discharged per a specified procedure and then returned to a full state of charge. The paper describes the reconditioning procedure and the expected benefits. The reconditioning procedures have been thoroughly coordinated by all affected technical teams and approved by all required boards. The reconditioning is tentatively scheduled for September 2004.

Hajela, Gyan↗
NASA NTRS2004

Space Station Power Generation Investigated in Support of the Beta Gimbal Anomaly Resolution

The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest and most complex spacecraft ever assembled and operated in orbit. The first U.S. photovoltaic module, containing two solar arrays, was launched, installed, and activated in early December 2000. After the first week of continuously rotating the U.S. solar arrays, engineering personnel in the ISS Mission Evaluation Room observed higher than expected electrical currents on the drive motor in one of the Beta Gimbal Assemblies (BGA), the mechanism used to maneuver a U.S. solar array (see the on-orbit photograph). The magnitude of the motor currents continued to increase over time on both BGAs, creating concerns about the ability of the gimbals to continue pointing the solar arrays towards the Sun, a function critical for continued assembly of the ISS. The BGA provides two critical capabilities to the ISS: (1) transfer of electrical power across a rotating joint and (2) positioning of the solar arrays. A number of engineering disciplines convened in May 2001 to address this on-orbit hardware anomaly. Over the course of a year, many scenarios were developed and used. Only two are discussed here: parked arrays and dual-angle mode.

Delleur, Ann M.↗
DOE OSTI2016

Nano-based PCMs for building energy efficiency

Thermal storage using phase change materials (PCMs) is seen as a viable method for improving the energy efficiency of buildings. PCMs have been used in building applications in various forms PCM slurries in heat exchangers, macro- or microencapsulated PCMs in building envelopes, bulk PCM for modulating photovoltaic temperatures, etc. In the last decade a new class of PCMs, called nano-enhanced PCM (or nanoPCM), has been extensively investigated with the goal of improving the heat transfer and thermal storage properties of PCMs. NanoPCMs can primarily be categorized as nano-encapsulated PCMs and nanoparticle-PCM composites. The former are nano-sized capsules in which the PCM forms the core and is surrounded by a high-conductivity membrane or shell. The latter consist of PCM supported within nanostructures or nanoparticles dispersed in PCMs. This article reviews the current state of nanoPCM synthesis and characterization of their heat transfer and thermal storage properties. Further, a critical review of nanoPCM applications and their potential energy benefits is performed. Nano-enhanced PCMs exhibit higher thermal conductivities than regular PCM. However, whether the higher conductivity is desirable in all applications and if the property enhancements are worth the cost and effort needed to create nanoPCMs are questions that still need to be answered.

nano-encapsulated PCM↗
DOE OSTI2018

PERFORMANCE MODELING OF A NOVEL “SMART” MAGNETIC PARTICLE-EMBEDDED PCM LAYER FOR THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Developing stable and environmentally friendly phase change materials (PCM) has been an active area of research due to many applications, such as industrial energy storage system, cooling/heating applications in buildings, and thermal management for electronics equipment as well as for batteries and photovoltaic modules. However, previous studies confirmed that most PCMs suffer a serious disadvantage of low thermal conductivity. A novel design of PCM layer is investigated here for thermal management application. The novel PCM layer is comprised of a PCM and magnetic particles coated on the shell. When a magnetic field is applied in the thermal management system, due to the magnetic of the particles, PCM layer are attached to the heat source to absorb heat, which significantly improves the heat transfer between PCM and the heat source. The melting temperature of the PCM and Curie temperature of the magnetic particles are carefully selected to optimize the performance and to ensure materials compatibility. A numerical study is conducted to reveal the heat transfer and performance improvement of the PCM layer comparing to the conventional PCMs.

Zhang, Mingkan↗
DOE OSTI2020

Methods and systems for determining soiling on photovoltaic devices

An aspect of the present disclosure relates to radiating light on to a front surface of a glass pane comprising a first surface and a second surface defining a thickness between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the first surface is substantially parallel to the second surface; detecting a transmittance of the light through the glass pane; comparing the transmittance through the glass pane to a reference transmittance value corresponding to a clean reference glass pane; and determining, using the transmittance and the reference transmittance, a soiling metric of a photovoltaic module.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Spatiotemporal Modeling of Real World Backsheets Field Survey Data: Hierarchical (Multilevel) Generalized Additive Models: Preprint

Assessing photovoltaic module backsheet durability is critical to increasing module lifetime. Lab based accelerating testing has recently failed to predict large scale failures of widely adopted polymeric materials. Field surveyed data is critical to assess the performance of component lifetime. Using a documented field survey protocol, 13 field surveys where conducted. Each measurement is encoded with it's spatial location in respect to the other modules. By combining field survey data on degradation predictors with real time satellite weather data, data-driven predictive models of backsheet degradation were trained. LOESS models were constructed to investigate the spatial dependence of measurements. It was found that micro-climatic effects like treelines, ground surface changes, and elevation changes effected the magnitude and variance of the measurements. A GAM model was created to predict the value of degradation based on measured predictors. The model includes variables on the climate of the system and the location of each measurement in the PV mounting structure. The model performed well with an adj:R2 of 0:95 for yellowness index prediction. The model was cross-validated using k-folds.

backsheet↗
DOE OSTI2023

Tunable negative coefficient thermal expansion materials and composites

The present disclosure is directed to variable composition ceramics. Zr (2−x) Hf (x) WP 2 O 12 and Hf 2 WP 2 O 12 exhibit large negative thermal expansion that is linear over a large temperature range up to at least 900° C., These new ceramic material particles may be mixed with polymers to make a composite suitable for use in backsheets for photovoltaic modules or in other applications. The thermal expansion coefficient of the composite can be tailored to match that of the solar cell in order to reduce stress resulting from daily thermal cycling.

Gordon, Margaret Ellen↗
DOE OSTI2026

Robotics for Energy Infrastructure Construction on Earth and Beyond: Pilot Study Exploring Level 3-4 Semi-Autonomous Installation of a Reduced-Scale Photovoltaic Power Plant Prototype: Preprint

There is a growing need to build energy infrastructure at massive scale on both Earth and in space. On Earth, increasing electricity demand from applications such as AI data centers is driving rapid expansion of power systems, while in space, long-duration missions such as lunar operations require reliable and resilient energy infrastructure that can be deployed quickly. These needs outpace the capabilities of conventional construction methods. Robotic construction offers a path to faster, lower-cost, and more consistent deployment, yet most existing approaches focus on automating individual tasks rather than end-to-end assembly. The Industrialized Construction Innovation (ICI) team at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), in collaboration with the Colorado School of Mines, has been investigating robotics and automation strategies for rapid end-to-end energy infrastructure construction. This paper presents a pilot study demonstrating level 3-4 semi-autonomous, end-to-end robotic assembly of a reduced-scale photovoltaic power plant prototype under terrestrial conditions. The approach combines hardware redesign of photovoltaic components for robotic compatibility, discrete-event and physics-based robotic simulations in synthetic environments, and sim-to-real deployment to execute end-to-end robotic assembly of[NM1.1][NM1.2] tracking components, structural members, photovoltaic modules, and embedded electrical connections. The pilot identifies key limitations like tolerance management, perception and localization, end effector capability, fastening methods, and multi-physics simulation fidelity, that must be addressed to enable end-to-end robotic assembly of full-scale energy infrastructure. The study highlights how these insights inform scaling strategies for terrestrial energy infrastructure and adaptation to unstructured and extreme environments, including off-world scenarios such as robotic assembly of vertical tall lunar towers.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Detection and Localization of Damaged Photovoltaic Cells and Modules Using Spread Spectrum Time Domain Reflectometry

The operating efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) plants can be improved if damaged or degraded modules can be detected and identified. Currently, string-level power electronics can detect problems with modules or cabling but not locate them, which would facilitate addressing these issues. Here, we investigate the ability of spread spectrum time domain reflectometry (SSTDR) to both detect and locate/identify damaged cells and modules within a series-connected PV string. We tested the ability of SSTDR to detect and locate single-cell mini-modules and full-sized PV modules, which were intentionally damaged by impacts with a hammer (breaking the glass and damaging the silicon below) or by cutting through some or all busbars. Damage to the glass and silicon of cells was detected and located within a small string of minimodules. Busbar damage was detectable only if an open was created by cutting through all intercell busbars. Furthermore, physical impact damage to the glass and silicon of a full-sized PV module could be detected, but further development of signal processing is needed to achieve localization of such damaged modules within a string.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

End-of-Life Management of Photovoltaic Panels: Trends in PV Module Recycling Technologies

Photovoltaic (PV) technology is one of the most promising technologies for improving energy security and mitigating climate change. The PV market is growing rapidly, and further market expansion is expected all over the world. In addition to its positive impacts on energy security and climate change, PV technology is also among the most environmentally friendly technologies of all energy and electricity generation technologies, particularly when evaluated from a life-cycle viewpoint, including end-of-life management. This means that proper end-of-life management is an indispensable issue for 'clean' energy technologies. All technologies eventually degrade to where they enter their end-of-life stage, eventually requiring replacement. PV modules have a useful lifespan of approximately 30 years. With PV deployment increasing exponentially, the number of PV modules that reach the end of useful life will also greatly increase after the time lag of operation, accumulating proportionately as waste. A report published by International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA PVPS) Task12 and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in 2016 projected waste PV modules globally to amount to 1,7-8,0 million tons cumulatively by 2030 and to 60-78 million tons cumulatively by 2050. Generally, sustainable waste management offers opportunities known as the 3Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle. When a product cannot be repaired or reused, recycling is the next preferable option before disposing as waste. In anticipation of the large volume of waste PV modules, and to retain PV's position as a clean energy technology, PV module recycling has become an important emerging topic, and various discussions and activities have been conducted and developed by governments, organizations, and companies. (Discussions on the topic of PV module reuse are considered to be less mature.) The EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive revised in 2012 (2012/19/EU) addresses the waste management of all electronics, including waste PV modules, in the EU member states. It requires 75%/65% (recovery/recycling rate) of waste PV modules by mass to be recycled through 2016, then increases to 80%/75% through 2018 and to 85%/80% thereafter. In addition to such a regulatory scheme, it is obvious that recycling technologies must be available to meet the increasing requirements of WEEE. Available recycling facilities that treat PV modules can meet current WEEE requirements; additional research and development (R&D) is required to meet subsequent WEEE requirements at reasonable cost. This report aims to provide an international survey of trends related to the development of PV module recycling technology from the perspective of both the private and public sectors. For the private sector, we review patents, as patent filing has been increasing since 2011. For the public sector, we review R&D plans and investments made by many countries active in PV module recycling technology development. Because it takes a long time to develop and commercialize new technologies, we hope that this report will accelerate technology development through transparent sharing of status and insight pertaining to the development of PV module recycling technologies. Managing end-of-life PV modules to recover valuable materials that can displace virgin ones is an important step toward meeting the challenge of sustainabiliy.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗