Impact of solar cell failure on the performance of solar arrays in space

Abstract

Space solar power station adopts large-area solar arrays for efficient photovoltaic conversion, making it one of the best solutions to future energy problems. In-orbit failure of solar arrays can affect the service life of spacecraft, thereby it is crucial to comprehend the impact of solar cell failure on the electrical performance of solar arrays and propose appropriate circuit design criteria. The root cause of solar array failure is the degeneration of solar cells. In this paper, power loss caused by an open circuit or short circuit failure of solar cells in pure parallel and series–parallel circuits is described, and it reveals that an open circuit of the cell is more harmful in the pure parallel circuit, while a short circuit in the series–parallel circuit is more detrimental, which causes loss of electrical performance in series and parallel units, respectively. All conclusions have been validated through model calculations and corresponding experiments. The electrical loss is also influenced by the control mode. For the Maximum Power Point Tracking control mode favored by space solar power station, which can significantly increase generated power, application suggestions have been proposed based on the results of cell failure analysis. The research will provide a reference for circuit selection and boundary design for solar arrays, reducing the probability of solar array failure and saving the manufacturing and redeployment costs of space solar power station.