Potential of module arrangements to enhance convective cooling in solar photovoltaic arrays
Not provided.
Energy & Fuels↗
SEARCH · Search NASA
Results for “Photovoltaic array”
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.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Connector system for photovoltaic array
A photovoltaic assembly comprising; (a) at least two photovoltaic components that are adjacent to each other in a first direction, each photovoltaic component comprising (i) a partial recess in communication with the partial recess in an adjacent photovoltaic component and (ii) one or more connector receptors aligned in a second direction which is non-parallel to the first direction; (b) a connector located at feast partially in the partial recess of the photovoltaic component and at least partially in the partial recess of the adjacent photovoltaic component so that the connector connects the photovoltaic component to the adjacent photovoltaic component, the connector comprising: (i) a flexible housing having a first end and a second end; (ii) one or more connection ports at the first end; (iii) one or more connection ports at the second end; and (iv) one more flexible electrical conductors that extend from the one or more connection ports at the first end to the one or more connection ports at the second end; wherein the connector is flexible so that the first end and the second end are movable relative to each other in a plane, out of the plane, or both; wherein the one or more connection ports at the first end and the one or more connection ports at the second end form a connection with the one or more connector receptors of the photovoltaic component and the adjacent photovoltaic component so that the connector electrically connects the photovoltaic component to the adjacent photovoltaic component.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
Grassland carbon-water cycling is minimally impacted by a photovoltaic array
Agrivoltaic systems, whereby photovoltaic arrays are co-located with crop or forage production, can alleviate the tension between expanding solar development and loss of agricultural land. However, the ecological ramifications of these arrays are poorly known. We used field measurements and a plant hydraulic model to quantify carbon-water cycling in a semi-arid C 3 perennial grassland growing beneath a single-axis tracking solar array in Colorado, USA. Although the agrivoltaic array reduced light availability by 38%, net photosynthesis and aboveground net primary productivity were reduced by only 6–7% while evapotranspiration decreased by 1.3%. The minimal changes in carbon-water cycling occurred largely because plant photosynthetic traits underneath the panels changed to take advantage of the dynamic shading environment. Our results indicate that agrivoltaic systems can serve as a scalable way to expand solar energy production while maintaining ecosystem function in managed grasslands, especially in climates where water is more limiting than light.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
Simulated Impact of Shortened Strings in Commercial and Utility-Scale Photovoltaic Arrays
The deliberate removal of photovoltaic modules from a string can occur for various reasons encompassing maintenance, measurements, theft, or failure, reducing that string length relative to others when replacement modules are not available and there are not any viable alternative makes and models that could be inserted. This phenomenon, delineated in our prior experimentally validated research, manifests two significant effects: (1) a shift in the ideal maximum power point and (2) the induction of potentially substantial reverse currents in the shortened strings at open-circuit voltage, VOC. However, the scalability and asymptotic limits of these observed behaviors concerning array size remained undetermined. In this study, we elucidate the operational dynamics of such arrays by manipulating two mismatch-contributing variables in simulated arrays of up to 900 strings: the number of removed modules per string (indicative of the level of mismatch, ranging up to 5) and the quantity of shortened strings (1 to 60). Simulation outcomes underscore that mismatch severity impacts array operation more than the proportion of shortened strings. This research delves into the practical ramifications of operating with shortened strings, including implications for low-irradiance operation and the manifestation of deleterious reverse currents (>35 A in specific cases), emphasizing the need for careful array configuration for optimal performance and safety in these implementations.
Energy & Fuels↗
Photovoltaic array for a power-by-light system
A hybrid-integrated series/parallel-connected photovoltaic diode array employs 10s-to-100s of single-wavelength III-V compound semiconductor photodiodes in an array bonded onto a transparent optical plate through which the array is illuminated by monochromatic light. The power-by-light system receiver enables high-voltage, up to 1000s of volts, optical transmission of power to remote electrical systems in harsh environments.
Vawter, Gregory A.↗
Grassland productivity responds unexpectedly to dynamic light and soil water environments induced by photovoltaic arrays
Abstract Agrivoltaic (AV) systems are designed to coproduce photovoltaic (PV) energy on lands simultaneously supporting agriculture (food/forage production). PV infrastructure in agroecosystems alters resources critical for plant growth, and water‐limited agroecosystems such as grasslands are likely to be particularly sensitive to the unique spatial and temporal patterns of incident sunlight and soil water inherent within AV systems. However, the impact of resource alteration on forage production, the primary ecosystem service from managed grasslands, is poorly resolved. Here, we evaluated seasonal patterns of soil moisture (SM) and diurnal variation in incident sunlight (photosynthetic photon flux density [PPFD]) in a single‐axis‐tracking AV system established in a formerly managed semiarid C 3 grassland in Colorado. Our goals were to (1) quantify dynamic patterns of PPFD and SM within a 1.2 MW PV array in a perennial grassland, and (2) determine how aboveground net primary production (ANPP) and photosynthetic parameters responded to the resource patterns created by the PV array. We hypothesized that spatial variability in ANPP would be strongly related to SM patterns, typical of most grasslands. We measured significant reductions in ANPP directly beneath PV panels, where SM and PPFD were both low. However, in locations with significantly increased SM from the shedding and redistribution of precipitation by PV panels, ANPP was not increased. Instead, ANPP was greatest in locations where plants were shaded in the afternoon but received high levels of PPFD in the morning hours, when air temperatures and vapor pressure deficits were relatively low. Thus, contrary to expectations, we found relatively weak relationships between SM and ANPP despite significant spatial variability in both. Further, there was little evidence that light‐saturated photosynthesis ( A sat ) and quantum yield of CO 2 assimilation (ϕCO 2 ) differed for plants growing directly beneath (lowest PPFD) versus between (highest PPFD) PV panels. Overall, the AV system established in this semiarid managed grassland did not alter patterns of ANPP in ways predictable from past studies of controls of ANPP in open grasslands. However, our results suggest that the diurnal timing of low versus high periods of PPFD incident on plants is an important determinant of productivity patterns in grasslands.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
Report series: finding of effect and mitigation documentation for the mercury solar photovoltaic array and battery energy storage system, area 23, nevada national security site, nye county, nevada
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) proposes to install solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation arrays and an associated battery energy storage system (BESS) for the town of Mercury at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada (Figure 1). The purposes of the development of this facility are to support long-term efforts to modernize Mercury and to provide energy-resilient infrastructure and address climate adaptation needs. Because it is within the boundary of the Mercury Historic District (MHD), it is subject to the terms of the Programmatic Agreement Between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada (hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA). An identification and evaluation report prepared for this undertaking determined that a contributing element to the MHD, the Mercury airstrip (26NY15777), is within the APE (Haynes 2024). The Mercury airstrip was developed following the closure of Camp Desert Rock in 1957 and used until late 1963 or 1964 when the Camp Desert Rock Airport was renovated, and the Mercury Bypass road constructed. The town of Mercury and the immediate surrounding area have been determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) as the MHD (SHPO Resource No. D230) under Criteria A and C for its importance in supporting nuclear testing and scientific research from 1951 through 1992 (Reed 2019). Originally recorded in 2016, 26NY15777 was determined individually not eligible for listing in the NRHP because it lacked sufficient integrity to convey its significance (Palmer 2016). It was subsequently determined in 2018 to be a contributing element of the MHD in an architectural survey of the district (Palmer 2018) and identified in Appendix C of the Mercury PA as a Category I contributing element. However, as per Stipulation IV.B.2, because the airstrip had already been formally evaluated and determined not to be individually eligible for the NRHP in consultation with the SHPO, this categorization was an error. NNSA/NFO reported this to the SHPO in Haynes 2024 and the SHPO concurred on June 11, 2024 (Reed). Accordingly, the airstrip is a Category II Property for the purposes of complying with the Mercury PA. The Mercury airstrip is a historic property for the purposes of compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and subject to the stipulations of the Mercury PA.
25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
Identification and evaluation for the mercury solar photovoltaic array and battery energy storage system, area 23, nevada national security site, nye county, nevada
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in conjunction with the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO), proposes to construct a solar photovoltaic (PV) energy generation array and an associated Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in the town of Mercury at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada. The purposes of the development of this facility are to support long-term efforts to modernize Mercury and to provide energy-resilient infrastructure and climate adaptation needs.
25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
Long-term impact of light- and elevated temperature-induced degradation on photovoltaic arrays
Low levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) has been identified as critical for widespread adoption of photovoltaics (PV) without subsidies. Maintaining decades-long high-energy production is often an under-recognized opportunity in meeting cost goals because component lifetimes are not fully quantified at the time of manufacture. Whereas certain standardized tests minimize risk of early failure, there is little guidance to quantitatively predict degradation (or lack thereof) over decades, based on accelerated tests. In this article, we move toward bridging the understanding between indoor accelerated tests and outdoor performance data, with the goal of predicting energy yield with enough accuracy to inform financial decisions. Light- and elevated temperature-induced degradation (LETID) in p-type Si modules is analyzed in terms of impact on long-term module performance and thus LCOE. A method to predict the progression of LETID, using fixed kinetic constants and a numerical solution to the basic reaction rate equations, is detailed. Predictions are compared against both published data and that new to this study. These data include both indoor accelerated tests and fielded modules. We use the results in financial models to derive LCOE of modules in different climates with varying amounts of LETID, including uncertainty. Cost models based on the predictions indicate that LETID has a significant and climate-dependent impact on LCOE. Finally, we show that - even given the uncertainties identified in the study - these financial calculations can provide useful guidance to quantify risk based on accelerated test results. The analysis serves as an example of developing a predictive approach to PV reliability using physics of failure.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
Switch Location Identification for Integrating a Distant Photovoltaic Array Into a Microgrid
Not Available
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
Edge-Illuminated Monochromatic Photovoltaic Array for Galvanically-Isolated Power-Over-Fiber.
Abstract not provided.
Fortuna, Seth↗
Horizon Profiling Methods for Photovoltaic Arrays
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Braid, Jennifer Lee↗
Analysis of Vertical Bifacial Photovoltaic Array Performance
Agrivoltaics is a developing technology where solar panels are installed within farm fields to get a dual-use out of the same plot of land. There is still much engineering work to do to maximize the electrical output of these arrays without sacrificing too much space or impeding the growth of crops. Vertical bifacial modules have potential for this purpose, and our model examines how much power can be generated with different configurations.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
A fluid-structure interaction solver for investigating torsional galloping in solar-tracking photovoltaic panel arrays
Solar-tracking photovoltaic arrays are susceptible to aeroelastic fluttering during high-wind events. This dynamic fluttering behavior can grow in amplitude until the panels enter an unstable mode known as torsional galloping which can lead to panel failure or total array destruction. To better understand the physics of the torsional galloping phenomenon and to inform the discussion around panel design and recommended panel stow positions during high wind events, a fluid-structure interaction solver composed of a simulated atmospheric boundary layer with simplified panel structural responses was designed. The simulation choices and features of this solver were informed by the geometry and physical properties of an experimental panel array known to exhibit torsional galloping behavior during hind-wind events. Furthermore, these simulations revealed that the torsional galloping instability is driven by a combination of cyclic vortex shedding from the sun-facing side of the panel and the elastic properties of the torque tube linking the panel assemblies. Testing different stow angles across a range of wind speeds indicates that panels are generally more stable when stowed at negative angles where the leading edge is closer to the ground, hypothesized to be due to ground-blocking effects. These results are supplemented by a discussion of stability trends noted during testing and possible implications when considering multi-row array interactions.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
A Fluid Solver for Studying Torsional Galloping in Solar-Tracking PV Panel Arrays
Solar-tracking photovoltaic arrays are susceptible to aeroelastic fluttering during high-wind events. This dynamic fluttering behavior can grow in amplitude until the panels enter an unstable mode known as torsional galloping which can lead to panel failure or total array destruction. To better understand the physics of the torsional galloping phenomenon, and to inform the discussion around panel design and recommended panel stow positions during high wind events, a fluid-structure interaction solver composed of a simulated atmospheric boundary layer with simplified panel structural responses was designed. The simulation choices and features of this solver were informed by the geometry and physical properties of an experimental panel array known to exhibit torsional galloping behavior during hind-wind events. These simulations revealed that the torsional galloping instability is driven by a combination of cyclic vortex shedding from the sun-facing side of the panel and the elastic properties of the torque tube linking the panel assemblies. Testing different stow angles across a range of wind speeds indicates that panels are generally more stable when stowed at negative angles where the leading edge is closer to the ground, hypothesized to be due to ground-blocking effects.
41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗
Infinite photovoltaic solar arrays: Considering flux of momentum and heat transfer
Large scale solar farms supply an increasing amount of the worlds electricity supply. However, high operation temperatures can strongly reduce efficiency and panel lifetime, negatively affecting the levelized cost of energy. In this work, the convective heat transfer coefficient for a utility-scale solar farm is studied with combined thermal and particle-image-velocimetry measurements in a scaled wind tunnel experiment. The measurements confirm the applicability of the scaled experimental setup to study large solar arrays. The velocity measurements indicate the complex flow structure within the solar array, governed by wakes directed upwards due to the orientation of the solar panels.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
Modular, Array-Mounted Photovoltaic Inspection Robot
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Braid, Jennifer Lee↗
In-situ I-V measurement of a module in a PV array
In one respect, disclosed is an in-situ current-voltage (I-V) measurement device for photovoltaic modules in a photovoltaic array, comprising a variable load, wherein the variable load is configured to be connected in parallel with a module, wherein the module is connected in series with at least one other module in a string, such that the module supplies current simultaneously to the string and to the variable load, and wherein the variable load is controlled by a controller, and wherein the controller is configured to shift an I-V operating point of the module, based at least upon varying the variable load.
Gostein, Michael↗