Sequential and combined acceleration tests for crystalline Si photovoltaic modules

The sequential combination test for photovoltaic modules is effective for accelerating degradation to shorten the test time and for reproducing degradation phenomena observed in modules exposed outdoors for a long time. The damp-heat (DH) test, thermal-cycle (TC) test, humidity-freeze (HF) test or dynamic mechanical load (DML) test is combined for the test modules. It was confirmed that chemical corrosion degradation or physical mechanical degradation is reproduced by the combination of the above tests. Cracks on the back sheet and delamination, often observed upon outdoor exposure, were well reproduced by the combination of DH and TC tests and TC and HF tests, respectively. Sequential DH and TC tests and DML and TC tests accelerated the degradation. These sequential tests are expected to be effective in reducing the required time of indoor testing for ensuring long-term reliability. (C) 2016 The Japan Society of Applied Physics