An Integrated, Multi-Physics, Multi-Scale Modeling Capability for Photovoltaic Stressors and Failures

DuraMAT utilizes computational simulation to examine the effects of mechanical, thermal, and electrical environments on photovoltaic (PV) module packaging integrity at various scales, from tabbed cells to mini-modules to full modules.

Our models enable insights into how difficult-to-measure damage mechanisms are driven by environmental conditions and help to quantify sensitivities to module design parameters.

Project areas include development of material and physics models to enable higher-fidelity, finite element model predictions; and development of computational failure criteria to enable models to predict where and under what conditions to expect module damage. To validate simulation predictions, computational models of the mini-modules undergoing the combined accelerated stress testing (C-AST) protocol will be developed and compared against observations from their experimental counterparts when exercising relevant physics.

Core Objective

Multi-Scale, Multi-Physics Modeling

Location

Sandia National Laboratories

Applications

Multi-physics simulations can help to quantify how coupled effects lead to module damage, such as the severity of an electrical defect needed to create a hot spot, and the thermal-mechanical impact of localized heating. Simulations may also be used for sensitivity analyses, to understand how material or design changes could reduce the driving forces for cell cracking.

Availability

Insights from this capability including material models, methodologies, and other observations are published in academic journals and are generalizable to most simulation codes. Sandia’s SIERRA simulation code may also be available under negotiated agreements.

References

Joseph Meert, Michael Owen-Bellini, Peter Hacke, James Hartley, "Computational Modeling of Photovoltaic Mini-Modules Undergoing Accelerated Stress Testing". IEEE 47th Photovoltaics Specialists Conference. Virtual. June 15 - August 21, 2020.

Nick Bosco, James Hartley, Martin Springer,“Multi-Scale Modeling of Photovoltaic Module Electrically Conductive Adhesive Interconnects for Reliability Testing”. IEEE 47th Photovoltaics Specialists Conference. Virtual. June 15 - August 21, 2020.

James Hartley, Michael Owen-Bellini, Thomas Truman, Ashley Maes, Edmund Elce, Allan Ward, Tariq Khraishi, Scott Roberts, "Effects of Photovoltaic Module Materials and Design on Module Deformation Under Load". Journal of Photovoltaics. Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 838-843. 2020 10.1109/JPHOTOV.2020.2971139

Contact

To learn more about this project, contact James Hartley.

A heat map image showing von Mises Stress [Mpa]

Thermal-mechanical analysis of a mini-module undergoing the Combined-Accelerated Stress Testing protocol. Comparing experimental observations against simulation predictions allows models to be validated while also helping to explain the internal mechanisms behind observed degradation.