Impact of cracks in solar array on output power of stratospheric airship

Abstract

As the only energy source for stratospheric airships, the output of photovoltaic arrays determines the achievement of energy balance and affects the long-term station-keeping capability for airships. This article studies the influence of cracks caused by thermal stress and other external forces on the output of photovoltaic arrays of stratospheric airships under different conditions. The relationship between the failure extent and output characteristics of cracked modules was analyzed, and a simulation method for cracked modules was proposed. The solar irradiation model of curved arrays was established. The damage characteristics of several common photovoltaic array configurations were studied through simulation and the TCT configuration has the best performance under cracked conditions. Based on the above analyses, the influence of factors such as flight direction and crack locations on the output of airship curved arrays was studied. The results indicate that when the highest irradiated modules within the row with the lowest irradiation of the TCT configuration are cracked, the power loss of the array is the highest. Combined with the irradiation distribution of the hull, structural strengthening should be carried out on the modules at the four corners of the airship array to reduce the impact of cracks.