Design and characterization of a continuous solar simulator for photovoltaic modules with automatic I-V curve acquisition system

Abstract

This paper presents the development, characterization, and testing of a continuous large-area solar simulator for PV modules with an automatic I-V curve acquisition system and the results of a CIGS PV module over 25 h of light soaking. The simulator was developed to perform the IEC 61215 stabilization test and automatic characterization of PV modules during indoor testing. The equipment records the I-V curves of the PV module at programmed time intervals so that the change in the electrical characteristics of the PV modules can be tracked over time. The test plane has an area of 1.2 × 2 m and an irradiance of 800 W/m2. The simulator was installed in a container and consists of 16 metal halide lamps of 1 kW each. The simulator is characterized by temporal instability, spatial non-uniformity, and spectral mismatch, resulting in CCB classification. The I-V curves of the tested PV module were measured every 30 s, with 200 I-V points per curve. The power change of the tested module occurs mainly in the first 12 min and stabilizes after about 5 h under the conditions selected for the test. The developed device can save significant resources compared to commercial continuous solar simulators. The ability to automatically track changes in PV module electrical parameters during light-soaking tests is presented in detail and provides important information for future work related to the development and characterization of solar simulators of this type.