Predicting Encapsulation Delamination in Photovoltaic Modules

Description

PV modules are expected to last upwards of 30 years in the field. Modules are subjected to harsh operating conditions and undergo degradation due to UV exposure, temperature cycling, and humidity. The critical fracture energy, GC, is the amount of energy the module can absorb before failure, and characterizes the module’s resistance to delamination. A novel predictive model for simulating the change in the PV module’s GC over field aging times has been developed by incorporating the degradation reactions in a rigorous fracture mechanics framework. To characterize the change in the fracture energies and mechanical properties of field and lab aged PV modules delamination and nanoindentation mechanical tests have been performed corroborating the implemented model. Current work deals with the generalization of the model to allow for efficient development and screening of novel encapsulation materials such as polyolefin elastomers.

Period	27 Apr 2023
Event type	Guest talk
Location	AustriaShow on map