EL Image Analysis of Laboratory Hail Impacted PV Modules
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Presentation for 2024 PVSC 52 on EL images to IV curves
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This work experimentally investigates hail-related failures in Glass/Backsheet and Glass/Glass PV modules with varying ice ball diameters and velocities.
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Polymeric encapsulants are essential materials in photovoltaic modules, protecting sensitive electronics from the environment while providing mechanical integrity to the multilayered assembly. However, these polymeric materials are susceptible to degradation processes driven by the ingress of environmental species, ultraviolet radiation, thermal stresses, and mechanical loading. In this study, we employ a combined atomistic simulation and accelerated aging experimental approach to study the molecular-scale mechanisms of encapsulant degradation. Classical molecular dynamics simulations quantify the diffusion of environmental and degradation species through the polymer matrix, producing composition-specific diffusion coefficients. Reactive simulations characterize activation energy barriers and reaction rate constants for key chemical pathways. In parallel, thermal-desorption analyses coupled with mass spectrometry monitor the emergence and concentration profiles of degradation products under controlled stressor conditions. By integrating simulation and experiment, we establish quantitative correlations between polymer composition, species diffusivity, and chemical reactivity. We anticipate that these relations and quantitative values could serve as high-fidelity inputs to reaction-diffusion models, enabling physics-informed lifetime predictions and guiding the design of more durable encapsulant materials for solar energy applications.
This work will develop modular, open-source model and analysis components including crack detection workflow and parameterization for quantitative inspection of large EL large datasets. These tools will allow users to quickly and accurately assess the extent and types of cracking in their modules. Measured statistical distributions of crack parameters, together with the imposed stress and electrical properties will be used to generate models to predict future crack behavior and power loss.
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Poster for presentation at 2025 Photovoltaics Reliability Workshop, hosted by NREL. Poster serves as a review requirement for project.
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This poster displays computational work on the degradation of EVA encapsulant material for use in solar cells, as a part of the Durable Module Materials Consortium
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