PV system power loss and module damage due to partial shade and bypass diode failure depend on cell behavior in reverse bias

Adria E. Brooks, Daniel Cormode, Alexander D. Cronin, Elsa Kam-Lum

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

30 Scopus citations

Abstract

Power loss due to partial shade was compared for two types of commercial photovoltaic modules. We also tested both types of modules with bypass diodes removed to simulate diode failure. Modules with uniformly low reverse bias voltage (VBR) cells (of -4V) lost significantly less power compared to modules with high VBR cells (of -15V) when subjected to partial shade. Differences in power loss were even larger when bypass diodes were removed. Associated with higher power loss, we observed several types of degradation on modules with high-VBR cells. A model to simulate power loss in an array due to partial shading that uses VBR as the main parameter was found to be in good agreement with measured power losses in the field.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)9781479979448
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 14 2015
Event42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015 - New Orleans, United States
Duration: Jun 14 2015Jun 19 2015

Publication series

Name2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015

Other

Other42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityNew Orleans
Period6/14/156/19/15

Keywords

  • bypass diodes
  • crystalline materials
  • current-voltage characteristics
  • degradation
  • photovoltaic systems
  • power system protection
  • reverse bias voltage

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials

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