{"title":"Development of a characterization technique to effectively detect latent insulation defects in the field-deployed PV modules","authors":"E.R. Anagha , S.V. Kulkarni , Narendra Shiradkar","doi":"10.1016/j.solmat.2025.113761","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>—Backsheet defects in field-deployed photovoltaic (PV) modules can cause inverter tripping and electrical hazards. In this paper, it is shown that certain backsheet defects can be latent and are likely to be missed by variants of dry/wet insulation resistance tests if they are applied to field-deployed modules. These latent defects can be difficult to detect visually, can show seasonality, and also pose a challenge in identifying safe modules for potential reuse applications. A new characterization test is developed that can accurately identify the latent insulation defects in field-deployed modules that currently cannot be reliably captured by any of the available tests in PV module qualification/safety standards. Detailed Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations are performed to explain the fundamental working principles for the new test, and results of applying it on good as well as defective modules are presented. It is shown that the new test is significantly more effective than a variant of the typically used dry insulation resistance test in identifying latent insulation defects. The test is developed in such a way that it provides a reasonably high throughput and has the potential to become a benchmark test for detecting latent defects in the insulation of field-deployed PV modules.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":429,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 113761"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0927024825003629","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENERGY & FUELS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
—Backsheet defects in field-deployed photovoltaic (PV) modules can cause inverter tripping and electrical hazards. In this paper, it is shown that certain backsheet defects can be latent and are likely to be missed by variants of dry/wet insulation resistance tests if they are applied to field-deployed modules. These latent defects can be difficult to detect visually, can show seasonality, and also pose a challenge in identifying safe modules for potential reuse applications. A new characterization test is developed that can accurately identify the latent insulation defects in field-deployed modules that currently cannot be reliably captured by any of the available tests in PV module qualification/safety standards. Detailed Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations are performed to explain the fundamental working principles for the new test, and results of applying it on good as well as defective modules are presented. It is shown that the new test is significantly more effective than a variant of the typically used dry insulation resistance test in identifying latent insulation defects. The test is developed in such a way that it provides a reasonably high throughput and has the potential to become a benchmark test for detecting latent defects in the insulation of field-deployed PV modules.
期刊介绍:
Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells is intended as a vehicle for the dissemination of research results on materials science and technology related to photovoltaic, photothermal and photoelectrochemical solar energy conversion. Materials science is taken in the broadest possible sense and encompasses physics, chemistry, optics, materials fabrication and analysis for all types of materials.