Inspection ,Testing and
Certification of PV Power
Plants.
Nearly 140 Years of Innovation. TUV (Technical
Uberwachungs Verein )
Your advantage: our experience.
1872
1957
2009
Entrepreneurs take the initiative
and set up the DÜV to ensure the
safety of their manufacturing plants
Commitment to environmental
protection: dust register in Cologne
World‘s largest
photovoltaic lab
2006
1918
2
Activities in the energy
and mining sectors
Joined the
UN Global Compact
1926
1975
First material analysis
laboratory
Medical work
1900
1969
2007
Vehicle inspection and driving
license tests
International product
tests and certifications
Represented on all
continents
18.05.2013
Corporate Presentation
At Home on All Continents.
220 offices in Germany – more than
500 locations in 61 countries.
3
18.05.2013
Corporate Presentation
Sales by Business streams.
4
18.05.2013
Corporate Presentation
TUVR Services for Safety Of Power Plant
TÜV Rheinland has the expertise of testing PV modules, having been in the
solar business for over 30 years. It has a market share over 70 percent, and
has seven PV labs spread across Germany, China, Taiwan, US, Japan (two labs),
and now, India. Its testing focus is on safety, efficiency, quality and durability of
solar systems. TÜV Rheinland’s test laboratory in Electronics City, Bangalore, is
spread over an area of 20,000sqft., including 5,000sqft. outside exposure
testing area. We have invested close to $3 million in setting up the lab,
PV Lab Service
PV modules testing as per
IEC 61730
IEC 61215
IEC 61646
UL 1703
PV Power Plant Service
Grid connected PV System Testing
& Verification IEC/EVS EN 62446
Owner Engineer Service
Lenders Engineer Service
TUV R Services For Safety and
Quality
IEC 61730
• IEC 61730: Photo Voltaic Module (PV) Safety Qualification
•
•Part 1: Requirement of Construction
•
•Part 2 : Requirement for Testing
Testing in Lab
• Visual test
• Accessibility test
• Cut Susceptibility Test
• Ground continuity Test
• Impulse Voltage Test
• Dielectric With Stand Test
•Temperature Test
• Reverse Current overload test
• Module breakage test
• Fire test
6
18.05.2013
Corporate Presentation
Photovoltaic Module Safety Qualification IEC 61730 ed1 2004
Visual
inspection
Performance test
(IEC 61215, IEC 61646
Component tests
Fire
test
Module
breakage test
Dielectric
withstand test
Bypass diode
thermal test
Ground
continuity test
Temperature
test
Accessibility
test
Reverse current
overload test
foil
Partial
discharge test
Test Sequences
Precondition: compliance with
IEC 61215 (ed2 2005), IEC 61646
Cut susceptibility tests
Impulse
voltage test
Accessibility
test
Visual inspection
7
18-May-13
Presentation Title | Author
junction
box
Conduit
bending test
Terminal box
knock out test
Fire Test
• Spread of Flame Test
For Roof top PV Solar as per A,B and C
Class
For A&B class burner rating 325KW and time
period of 10 min
For C class burner rating 325 KW and time
period of 4min
Result : No glowing or burning parts of PV
module fall on test rig
Flame spread not to exceed Class A
1.2M,Class B 2.4M and Class C 3.9M
•
•Burning Brand Test
As per class A or B or C different mass of
wooden brands between( 10 to 2000gms) are
ignited to test if external fires causes PV
modules to burn.
8
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Photovoltaic Module Safety Qualification IEC 61730 ed1 2004
Module breakage test
The impactor bag, filled with lead shot,
weighs approximately 45,5 kg and will be
capable of delivering 542 J of kinetic
energy when swung through a 1,2 m
vertical drop.
The bag is dropped sequentially from a
height of 300 mm, 450mm and 1220mm
from the surface of the module, if no
breakage occurs before.
9
18-May-13
Presentation Title | Author
Photovoltaic Module Safety Qualification IEC 61730 ed1 2004
Cut test:
A blade with a definite weight is moved
over the back side foil of the PV-module..
..subsequently the impairment
of the insulation is measured.
10
18-May-13
Presentation Title | Author
Photovoltaic Module Safety Qualification IEC 61730 ed1
2004
Impulse voltage test and high voltage test:
The PV-module is enfolded with a copper foil.
Impulse voltage : 8000 V
High voltage : 4 x nominal system voltage + 2000 V
Possible defects:
Disruptive discharge from live parts of the PVmodule to the outer copper foil.
11
18-May-13
Presentation Title | Author
Photovoltaic Module Safety Qualification IEC 61730 ed1
2004
Terminal box knockout tests:
• a force of 44,5 N is applied to the
knockout of the terminal box for 1 min.
• after 1 hour the displacement between
the knockout and the box shall be less
than 0,75mm
• a removed knockout shall not leave sharp
edges or cause damage to the box
12
18-May-13
Presentation Title | Author
Hail Impact test
Hail impact test: The PV - module must withstand the impact
of hail stones (weight: 7.5g, size: 2.5cm in diameter) at a
speed of approx. 82 km/h damage free.
13
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
PID – Potentially Induced Degradation (IEC 62804 Draft)
 PID is loss of system power caused due to leakage current at higher voltages.
 Performance loss can be high as 20%
 Caused by temperature and relative air humidity
 To make modules anti PID cell design changes is required in ARC, Cell metallization,
emitter design and doping.
 Testing at 60deg C,85% RH ,1000 V for 96hrs degradation of power output between
initial and final out put should be less than 5%
14
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
TCO - Corrosion
 Caused at edges especially in Thin film modules by reaction of moisture and sodium
present in the glass
 Modules with cells made of a-Si and CdTe with superstrate technology are affected the
most
 Happens in high temp and high humidity conditions
 TCO becomes milky and losses its conducting property and thereby efficiency of module

15
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Risks at PV Power plant systems
 For costumer/operator (Banks, investors, insurances, etc..) AND for Installers/distributors
- Economic risks
- Delivery delay
- Low performance
- Defects and loss of energy yield
- High costs for maintenance, repair or replacement
- Theft, vandalism
- At building integrated PV installations: negative effects on or damage of the structure
of the building
- Safety risks
- Electric shock
- Fire
- Statics
- Danger of falling
- Common accident danger
- Environmental risks
- Storm
- Lightning impacts
- Snow, ice
- Hail
- Rock fall, landslide, earthquake, flooding
- Weather during installation
PV Power plant testing & verification EVS- EN 62446 2010
• IEC/EVS EN 62446 – Grid connected photovoltaic systems – Minimum requirements
for system documentation, commissioning tests and inspection
• 1 ) System Documentation
• 2) Verification as per IEC 60364-6
- Normative references for the above standard:
• IEC 60364 (all parts) - Low-voltage electrical installations
• IEC 60364-6 - Low-voltage electrical installation – Part 6: Verification
• IEC60364 – 7 – 712 - Electrical installations of buildings – Requirements for
special installations or locations – Solar Photovoltaic (PV) power supply systems
• IEC/TR 60755 – General requirements for requirements for residual current
operated protective devices
• IEC 61557 (all parts) – Electrical safety in low voltage distribution system up to
1000 V AC and 1500 V DC – Equipment for testing, measuring or monitoring of
protective measures
• IEC 61730 – 1 – Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification – Part 1:
Requirements for construction
17
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
PV Power plant testing & verification IEC/EVS EN62446
Testing Equipments
6
1. IV curve tracer
1
2. Insulation resistance
tester
2
3. Voltmeter
4. Clamp meter
3
5
5. Switches
6. Infrared Camera
4
18
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
PV Power plant testing & verification IEC/EVS EN62446
•String IV curve
measurement
•Insulation Resistance
testing
•Current, voltage
measurement of the
string
19
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
PV Power plant testing & verification IEC/EVS EN62446
•Thermograph
images taken from
IR camera
20
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Defects that leads to failure
Thermograph images
Module JB failure due to
higher temperature rise at
the interconnection inside
the JB.
21
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Defects that leads to failure
Thermograph Images
Temperature rise at the
interconnection inside
the JB due to lose
connection/improper
crimping of the wire
22
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Defects that leads to failure
Thermograph images
Hot Spot on the
module due to
shading by the
lightning
arrestor
23
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
EL Image
24
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Corrosion on Frame
25
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Examples of Failures
Melting of the JB from inside
due to high temperature at
the interconnection
26
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Junction Box failure
27
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Junction Box and Module Failures
Module failure due to arching
EVA Discolouration
28
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Observed defects in the field
Bad quality modules
Delaminating
Arcing effect Structure failure
between the cells
29
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Module Failure ( Thin Film )
30
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Defects that leads to failure
Broken module
By the vehicle
Movement in the site
31
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Defects that leads to failure
32
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Structure Failures
33
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
OSHA Standard ( Green Job Hazard)
•OSHA has many standards that cover them.
• Falls
• Lockout/Tagout
• Crane and Hoist Safety
• Electrical
• Heat/Cold Stress
• Personal Protective Equipment
34
18.05.2013
Corporate Presentation
IV curve characteristics of the string
35
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Overview Solar Power Plant
 Solar thermal power plants
- Parabolic trough type
- Power tower concept
- Dish sterling type
36
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Solar PV Power Plant Site Layouts
Solar PV Power Plant Site Layouts
Site visuals
39
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Transformer, substation and switchyard visuals
40
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Accreditation for Type and Component Certification for On
shore and Offshore wind turbine
41
5/18/2013
Corporate Communication
Thank you for your attention
B.S.Arun Kumar
TÜV Rheinland India Pvt. Ltd.,
Industrial Services
# 17B, Electronics City, Phase II, Industrial Area, Begur Hobli,
Bangalore 560 100
Tel. # +91 80 30554337; Fax. # + 91 80 3055 4342; M # + 91 9620288804
E-Mail: arunkumar.bs.@ind.tuv.com
www.ind.tuv.com