PV Module Safety and Performance Standard

Requirements in Extreme Environments

NIST/UL Workshop on Photovoltaic Materials Durability

December 13, 2019

Colleen O’Brien, UL
Manifestations of material durability…

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UL Standards Development Addressing PV Market Needs
North American
Leader 2005 – UL 4703 PV Wire
2007 – SU 2579 Low Voltage Fuse Holders
2011 – SU 1699B Arc Fault Protection
2011 – UL 3703 Solar Trackers
2007 – SU 5703 Max Operating Temp 2011 – UL 3730 Junction Boxes
2008 – SU 8703 Concentrator PV Modules 2011 – SU 508i Disconnect Switches
2010 – UL 2703 Mounting Systems 2011 – SU 9703 Wiring Harnesses
2010 – SU 4248-18 Fuse Holders 2012 – UL 4730 Name Plate Rating
2010 – UL 489B Circuit Breakers 2014 – UL 62109-1 Power Converters
1986 – UL1703 PV Modules and Panels 2010 – UL 6703/A Connectors 2016 – UL 61215 Terrestrial PV Modules – series
1999 – UL1741 Inverters and Converters 2010 – SU 98B Dead-Front Switches 2016 – UL 1741SA Advanced Inverter Testing
1999 – SU 1279 Solar Collectors 2016 – UL 9540 Energy Storage Systems and Equipment
2017 – UL 61730 PV Module Safety ( harmonized)
2018 – UL 9540a Thermal Runaway Fire in BESS
2018 – SU 3741 PV Hazard Control

2000 > 2010 > 2020

IEC 61215 Module Type Qualification - Series

IEC 61724 System performance monitoring
IEC 61730-1/2 Module safety
IEC 61853-1/2 Module performance
International Collaborator IEC 62093 BOS design Qualification
IEC 62109-1/2/3/4 Safety of Power Converters
IEC 62446 System commissioning and Inspection
IEC 62509 Battery charge controller performance
IEC 62548 PV array design requirements
IEC 62738 PV plant guidelines
IEC 62804 System voltage durability for modules
IEC 62938 Snow load testing
IEC 62947 Energy performance
IEC TS 60904-1-2 Measurement for Bifacial Modules 3
Safety and Performance Standards For Typical Environments

Possible updates based on:

• IEC 63209-2 Extended-stress testing
• IEC 62790 – Component, Jbox • IEC 62982 extended TC
• IEC 62852 – Component, Connector • C-AST
• IEC 62788-1-7 Encapsulant
• IEC 62788-2 Back/front sheet
• New BiPV: UL 7103
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“Typical Environments” Assumed in PV Standards
Factor Standards Assumption
Air temperature -40ºC to +40ºC
Module temperature -40ºC to +90ºC

Wind load 2400 Pa (minimum test load)

1000 cycles x 1000 Pa dynamic mechanical load

Snow load 2400 Pa (minimum test load)

Corrosivity Mild to moderate
Abrasion resistance Not typically addressed

Hail 25-75 mm hail, 7.53-39.5 m/s

Mounting Fixed roof-mount, fixed or tracking ground-mount

Extreme Environments: High PV Temperatures
Hot climates or configurations that limit cooling

Basic Form of Equation

Tmodule = Irradiance  e(a+bW indSpeed) + Tambient
Empirically determined
Module to Cell Temperature G
Tcell = TModule + 2
T
1000 W / m

Tgg open
Tgg roof
Tgp open
Tgp insulated
Tps open
Extreme Environments: High PV Temperatures Good
model/experiment
agreement

[ref] 104°C (Phoenix)

Model 100%, 101°C (Phoenix)

Model indicates open-rack modules

in field at
Open rack – per 61730
~ 70ºC

Add Safety Margin of 20ºC

• 90°C (matches UL 61730)

Add 20ºC to other constructions

and mountings styles:

• Level 1 ~ Group at 90°-100°C

• Level 2 ~ Group at 100°-110°C

How do we apply Level 1 and Level 2?

Extreme Environments: High PV Temperatures
IEC TS 63126 Original Requirement
Proposal - Level 1
T98% > 70 °C to ≤ 80
Proposal - Level 2
T98% = 70 °C or less T98% > 80 °C to ≤ 90 °C
°C
Standard Test Ref Test Name
module level tests
IEC 61215 MQT 09 +10 °C, (60 ± 10) °C +20 °C, (70 ± 10) °C
Hot-spot endurance test (50 ± 10) °C
MQT 10 UV preconditioning (60 ± 5) °C +10 °C, (70 ± 5) °C +20 °C, (80 ± 5) °C
MQT 11 Thermal cycling test (85 ± 2) °C +10 °C, (95 ± 2) °C +20 °C, (105 ± 2) °C

MQT 18 Bypass diode testing +15 °C, (90 ± 2) °C +25 °C, (100 ± 2) °C
chamber (75 ± 2) °C
Part 1 ISC
Part 2 1.25 * ISC 1.15 * ISC for diode T 1.15 * ISC for diode T
1.4 * ISC for stress 1.4 * ISC for stress

IEC 61730 [Link].3 RTI/RTE/TI min RTI 90 °C min RTI 100°C min RTI 110 °C

MST 22 +10 °C, (60 ± 10) °C +20 °C, (70 ± 10) °C

Hot spot endurance (50 ± 10) °C
MST 37 Material creep test 105 °C no change 110 °C
MST 51 Thermal cycle (85 ± 2) °C +10 °C, (95 ± 2) °C +20 °C, (105 ± 2) °C
MST 54 UV test (60 ± 5) °C +10 °C, (70 ± 5) °C +20 °C, (80 ± 5) °C
MST 56 Dry heat conditioning 105 °C no change 110 °C
component level tests
IEC 62788-1-7 Optical durability IEC TS 62788-7-2 (A4 IEC TS 62788-7-2 (A5
8 IEC TS 62788-7-2 (A3 cond.)
(encapsulant, performance) encapsulants cond.) cond.)

IEC TS 62788-2* Weathering (UV) ageing IEC TS 62788-7-2 (A4 IEC TS 62788-7-2 (A5
BST 9 IEC TS 62788-7-2 (A3 cond.)
(backsheet and frontsheet safety) test cond.) cond.)

IEC 62852 5.2.1 h) Marking, Upper Limit

Temperature (ULT) no requirement 95 °C 105 °C

Range of temperature
IEC 62790 4.2.1 i) (upper ambient
temperature) no requirement 95 °C 105 °C

* - Following publication of IEC 62788-2-1, pass/fail requirements from this document shall be followed.
 Extreme Environments: Wind Load
What governs wind load? Predominantly, three things:

• The site
• The system design
• The mounting system

Typical, flat-plate PV modules with typical frames are not

one of the three governing factors.

Mechanical safety and performance of PV modules would

ideally be addressed in conjunction with mounting system
standards:
• UL 2703 (fixed), 3703 (trackers) – static/uniform
mechanical Load tests, bonding tests
• IEC 62782 DML
 Extreme Environments: Wind Load
Possible improvements to existing standards:
• IEC WG7 project just initiated, UL will participate
• Updates to 2703/3703

Mounting systems – CB verifies/report manufacturer specs:

• Deflections under maximum rated load / torques
• Static pressure coefficients and/or load ratings
• Dynamic response
• Natural frequencies for all modes < ~10 Hz
• Damping ratio for all modes < ~10 Hz
• Dynamic amplification factors

PV modules
• Add nonuniform wind-load test (under consideration in WG2 and WG7)
• Verify allowable deflections and loads – designers then verify compatibility with mounting system
 Extreme Environments: Snow Load

• Use test load of 1.5 x

specified rating

• Also consider draft IEC

62938: non-uniform snow
loading for PV modules
Extreme Environments: Severe Corrosivity
IEC 61701 Salt mist corrosion testing
PV Module – Performance (Dust and Abrasion)

Description Standard Test Elements Pass/Fail Criteria

Standard Test Methods for Abrasion Resistance

ASTM D968-17 Informative Report
of Organic Coatings by Falling Abrasive

Environmental testing -
IEC 60068-2-68
Part 2: Tests - Test L: Dust and sand Informative Report
:1994
Note: more appropriate for sealed enclosures
Dust and Glass in building – Coated glass –
Abrasion DIN EN 1096-2
Part 2: Requirements and test methods for class Informative Report
:2012
A, B and S coatings
• Measurement procedures for materials used
in photovoltaic modules
IEC 62788-7-3 under • Part 7-3 Materials and coatings for
TBD
development photovoltaic modules or similar solar devices:
Abrasion test methods for environment facing
surfaces

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Extreme Environments: Hail

• Module manufacturer specifies desired hail test

conditions (Table 3, IEC 61215)
• UL verifies compliance
• Designer assess site-specific risk of exceeding test
conditions (AHJ, insurance provider, other
stakeholders may require specific level of hail
resistance
• Testing in excess of standard requirements can be
done, if desired
Extreme Environments – “New” Applications
New and innovative products - no existing standards:

Custom review needed to assess safety and performance

requirements, taking into account safety and performance risks
(hazard-based safety engineering, HBSE).

Examples:

Floating PV
• Shock / electric shock drowning
• IP ratings of PV and BOS
• Chronic soiling, heating, shade (IEC TS 63140)
• Site specific cyclic loading, fatigue
• Corrosion
• O&M safety risks
• Reliability of floats and moorings
 Extreme Environments – “New” Applications

PV pavers – sidewalk applications

• Immersion risk, impact on reliability, safety
• Slip risk
• Cyclic compressive loads (high heels)
• Maintenance – shoveling, salt/sand

PV thermal hybrid
• Thermal shock
• Thermal cycling
• Extreme temperatures
• PV integration – mechanical securement, chemical
compatibility, grounding
• Failsafe design in prolonged leak
• Industry demand for field retrofits based on limited or
testing for adding new modules to certifications
Summary - Standards Considerations for Extreme Environments
Factor Extreme Environment Adjustment
Air temperature Increase temperature per
IEC TS 63126
Module Increase temperature per
temperature IEC TS 63126
Wind load Updates needed:
• Assess impact of mounting system (deflections, dynamic amplification)
• Non-uniform load
Snow load 1.5 x load; IEC 62938 (non-uniform)
Corrosivity IEC 61701
Abrasion Reference IEC 62788-7-3 (draft); DIN EN 1096-2-2012; ASTM D968-17
Hail Verify compliance with site requirements or get insurance / modify test
Mounting Custom hazard based assessment needed to determine requirements.
Thank you

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