Module optical analyzer: Identification of defects on the production line

Computer vision algorithm for relative misalignments estimation in CPV modules

“…Many causes can produce misalignments in CPV. For a module based on Fresnel lens parquet as POE and receivers with SOE, formed by several optics-cell units series or parallel connected, the most common defects encountered are [3]:  The positioning of the receivers (referred to as the assembly comprising the solar cell and SOE).…”

Why are acceptance angle of P<inf>m</inf> and I<inf>sc</inf> different in spite of uniform illumination onto concentrator solar cells?

“…Although they were successful in specific product designs, systematic solution, especially in keeping or expanding acceptance angle of modules have not been done in the past. Our approach is to modify the Monte Carlo simulation that was originally developed for analysis of module performance deterioration by assembles error [10][11]. Although it was originally developed to anticipate module performance with given level of production control, it can be used for analysis of acceptance angle of the module with slight modification.…”

“…It looked like that the deterioration of module acceptance angle came from the difference of the positions of centroid (i.e., pointing vectors) among optics/cell pairs in the module [9]. It was also shown that the deterioration of module acceptance angle also came from difference level of assemble control [10][11]. These two facts implied that the variation of misalignment levels of optics/cell pairs affects behavior of module to off-tracking and it was thought possible to treat by Monte Carlo simulation in general way.…”

Experimental analysis and simulation of a production line for CPV modules: impact of defects, misalignments, and binning of receivers

“…The Module Optical Analyzer (MOA, patent nº EP14717129.2) measures the misalignments between units in a module based on the luminescence inverse method [15,16]. This equipment has been successfully tested in the CPV industry, for example, to evaluate vendor's quality [4], to study module performance with temperature [17], or to tune the assembly production line [8]. A MOA system was installed during the ECOSOLE project to perform a quality control of module misalignments with repeatability of 0.01° and a throughput of 90 MW/year.…”

“…Moreover, the CPV module performance also depends on the accuracy attained in the module assembly which determines the allowed mechanical tolerances for the next manufacturing and installation stages, mainly at the tracker level. In this regard, there are different key points related to module manufacturing that affect the module quality and thus determine its efficiency, among them, the attaching of the secondary optical element (SOE) to the cell, the positioning of the receivers (referred to as the assembly comprising the photovoltaic solar cell, the substrate to which it has been attached also named cell carrier, and the SOE) on the back plate [4], or the attaching and alignment of the parquet of primary optical elements (POEs) to the module chassis [5].In the framework of the European ECOSOLE project, which has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Program, a CPV module, an inverter and a tracker have been designed and manufactured …”