PV modules modelling

Andr Mermoud Institute of the Environmental Sciences Group of energy - PVsyst

andre.mermoud@unige.ch
Institute of the Environmental Sciences / Group of Energy / PVsyst

Objectives
Establish a model for a general simulation program
representing the I/V behaviour of PV modules of any technology in any Irradiance and Temperature conditions

should be established with a minimum of parameters (manufacturer's parameters + few additional ones) We start from the "Standard" one-diode model We try to find corrections for representing measured data

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Methodology
Establishing a model and assessment with outdoor measured data Measurements of I/V characteristics every 10 minutes,
samples in any Irradiance and Temperature (G,T) conditions. Pyranometer measurements of GlobPlane, GlobHor, DiffHor, Cell reference measurements for stability assessment Incidence irradiance on collector, corrected for incidence angle
[Townsend-Beckman]

Choose one I/V characteristics in this sample (around 1000 W/m2)

Establish the parameters of the "One-diode" model

Comparison (Measured - Modelled) values for all measurements

Analysis of the distributions of Pmax, Voc, Isc (not Vmpp, Impp) Graphical distributions according to diverse variables (G, T, time) Using MBD and RMSD as quantitative indicators Adjustments of secondary parameters for optimizing MBD and RMSD

Institute of the Environmental Sciences / Group of Energy / PVsyst

Standard "One diode model"

The PV cell may be represented by the following schema:
I Rs
Photocourant Diode Utilisateur

Iph

Rsh

RL

= Iph

Io [ exp (q (V+IRs) / ( NcsgkTc) ) - 1 ] - (V + IRs) / Rsh Current in the diode Current in Rsh

Photocurrent

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Standard model I/V characteristics

Module I/V Characteristics
0.9

Photocourant
0.8

R shunt
0.7 0.6

Current [A]

FF = (Vmp*Imp) / (Vco*Isc)
0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2

R serie

1000 W/m, 25C Isc, (Vmp,Imp), Vco R shunt

0.1 0.0 0

R serie

20

40

60

80

100

120

Voltage [V]

= Iph

Io [ exp (q (V+IRs) / ( NcsgkTc) ) - 1 ] - (V + IRs) / Rsh

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Parameters of the model

Variables
I V = Module current [A]. = Module voltage [V]. = = = = =

5 Parameters to be determined
Iph Io Rs Rsh g Photocurrent [A], proportionnal to the irradiance F, Diode saturation current, dep. on temperature Series Resistance [W]. Shunt Rsistance [W]. Diode quality factor, normally between 1 and 2.

Constants
q = k = Ncs = Tc = q/kT = Electron charge = 1.602 10-19 Coulomb Bolzmann constant = 1.381 10-23 J/K. Number of cells in series. Effective cell temperature [Kelvin] 26 mV at 300 K

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Parameter determination
For determining the 5 parameters (Iph, Io, Rsh, Rs, g)
The measurement of one I/V characteristics at (Gref, TRef) is sufficient !

3.00

Shell ST40

Rsh is determined by the inverse of the slope around Isc = 0

The equation written at the 3 usual points at STC (or any other (Gref, Tref) conditions) :

2.50

2.00

Current [A]

1.50

Measured caracteristics) Model, RS = 0 Model, RS optimal

1.00

(0, ISC)

(Vmp, Imp)

(Vco,0)

0.50

Model, RS = RSMax Pmax, Isc and Vco

0.00 0 5 10 Voltage [V] 15 20 25

gives 3 equations, leaving one free parameter. We choose to fix Rserie.

Iph, Io and g,

=> For a given value of Rs, it is possible to establish i.e. the full I/V model
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Rseries determination
Sigma Error (Model - Measurements) on Current

Using the measured reference I/V :

=> Dtermination of Rs: The value is easily obtained by minimizing the I (meas. - model) errors.
NB: The errors s (Imodel Imes) are usually lower than 0.4 % of Isc !
Sigma [mA]

70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0 0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

1.60

1.80

Serie resistance [ohm]

With manufacturer's data

Isc, Vco, Imp, Vmp at STC :

- Rshunt estimated using (Isc - Imp) / Vmp slope - Rserie defined using fixed g = 1.3 or 1.35 (corresponds to around half the RsMax) Could be determined by specified apparent Rserie, not reliable.

Beckman: proposes using specified mVco, not reliable.

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Conditions at different (G, T)

The model has been established for reference conditions (Gref, Tref) The photocurrent is proportionnal to the irradiance with slight temperature correction (mIsc in specifications) Iph = ( G / Gref ) [ Iph ref + mISC (TC - TC ref) ]

The diode saturation current Io varies strongly with the temperature

Io = Io ref ( TC / TC ref )3 exp [ ( q eG / g k) ( 1/TC ref - 1/TC ) ]

(where eG = junction gap energy)

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Incidence correction (IAM)

To be applied to incident irradiance, for all technologies. Reflexions according to the Fresnel's laws.

Facteur de correction d'incidence (IAM)

1.2

Usual parametrisation proposed by "ASHRAE":

0.8

0.6

FIAM = 1 - bo (1/cos i - 1)
F IAM = 1 - bo * ( 1/cos(i) - 1 )
( with bo = 0.05 )

0.4

0.2

with i = incidence angle

45 60 75 90

0 0 15 30

Incidence angle []

bo = 0.05 for glass

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Validation of the model

Model established on one measured characteristics (Vmp, Imp, Vco, Isc) => parameters IphRef, Io, g, Rshunt, Rserie
R shunt function of Irradiance

+ Exponential correction on Rsh

2000

Measurements
R Shunt measured [ohm]

(acc. to measurements) RshExp = 5.5 fixed for ~ all modules => Additional parameter Rsh(0)

Parametrization
1500

1000

500

0 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

Irradiance [W/m]

The model is applied on each I/V measured characteristics

The model quality is estimated by indicators on (Pmax, Voc, Isc) m = MBD = S (Val. meas Val. model) / Nmeas s = RMSD = SQRT [ S (Val. meas Val. model)2 / Nmeas ]
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Results on a crystalline module

Pmax Error, Meas - Model vs GlobP 6.0

Pmax Error (Meas-Mod) [W]

0 < Tmod < 80C

4.0 2.0 0.0 -2.0 -4.0 -6.0 0 200 400

Model

"Pure" standard model on Pmax : m = 1.8% s = 1.1% on Vco: m = 1.0% s = 0.9%

600 GlobP [W/m2]

800

1000

1200

Pmax Error, Meas - Model vs GlobP 6.0

Pmax Error (Meas-Mod) [W]

With Rshunt exp. correction on Pmax : m = 0.2% s = 1.2% on Vco: m = 0.4% s = 0.5%

0 < Tmod < 80C

4.0 2.0 0.0 -2.0 -4.0 -6.0 0 200 400

Model

600 GlobP [W/m2]

800

1000

1200

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Results on a CIS module

Pmax Model vs Pmax measured
50 40

(Shell ST40)

With Rshunt correction Errors on 6 years of measurements on Pmax : m = 0.2% s = 1.0% on Vco: m = 0.0% s = 0.9% on Isc: m = 0.5% s = 0.8%

Pmax model [W]

30

20

10

0 < Tmod < 80C

0 0 10 20 30 Pmax measured [W] 40

Model
50
5.0% 4.0% 3.0%

Shell ST40 - CIS

Seasonal effect

Pmpp (Meas - Model) error

2.0% 1.0% 0.0% -1.0% -2.0% -3.0% -4.0% -5.0%

This CIS module obeys quasiperfectly the one-diode model !

Long-term results very stable.

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Low-light performances
These validations against outdoor data indicate that low-light performances are well described (outdoor) by the "one diode" model. In the model, the low-light behaviour is related to: The Series resistance : losses behave as R * I low light efficiency better with "bad" (high) Rserie The shunt resistance: exponential behaviour low light efficiency better with "bad" (low) Rshunt
(with good Rshunt, nothing to gain when decreasing the irradiance)

The low-light efficiency of the model is very often in contradiction with the data produced by the manufacturers.
o o o o How are they measured ? Indoor or outdoor ? Indoor: effect of the filters ? Spectral neutrality ? Outdoor: How are they renormalized to fixed T = 25C ? Outdoor measurements with which irradiance sensors ?

This discrepancy has high implications, and should be understood.

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Temperature behaviour
The temperature coefficient mPmax is a result of the model We can adjust it to manufacturers specifications using a linear correction on the diode ideality factor :
g = gref * mg (Tc Tcref)

Usually mg is very small (< 0.2 %/C)

mVco is also a result of the model Depends on Rserie and also corrected by mg But cannot be adjusted simultaneously with mPmax

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Amorphous modules
3 corrections to the standard model: Rshunt correction more important weight, main contribution Recombination loss in the i layer Spectral correction

SHR-17 (old) - I/V Characteristics

2.5
Ginc = 881 W/m

Measurements Model Max. power

2.0
Ginc = 680 W/m

Current [A]

1.5
Ginc = 501 W/m

For a given I/V characteristics, it is always possible to find model parameters with good match:

errors s(I) < 0.4% of Isc

1.0
Ginc = 329 W/m

0.5

Ginc = 209 W/m

0.0 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0

Voltage [V]

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Amorphous: Rshunt behaviour

SHR-17: R shunt function of Irradiance

Rsh(0)
R Shunt measured [ohm]

1000

Measurements
800

Parametrization

600

400

200

0 0 200 400 600 800 1000

Irradiance [W/m]

Shunt resistance at STC is far lower than for crystalline (higher slope) But very high dynamics: Rsh(0) / Rsh(STC) 12

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Recombination correction
Add a term to the I/V equation
[Mertens et al]
I Rs
Photocourant Recombinaison Diode Utilisateur

Rsh
Iph Irec (Iph, V)

RL

Voc Model vs Voc measured

14.0

13.0

Voc Model [V]

Voc Model [V]

Parameter dmt
Effect on Voc
without corr.

Voc Model vs Voc measured

14.0

13.0

12.0

12.0

11.0

11.0

10.0

10.0

9.0 9 10 11 12 Voc measured [V] 13 14

after corr.

9.0 9 10 11 12 Voc measured [V] 13 14

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Spectral correction
Correction proposed by CREST [Univ. of Loughborough, UK]
Caracterisation of the energetic contents (APE Average Photon Energy) according to air mass and clearness index UF = Utilisation factor: convolution with the spectral sensitivity of each technology (proposed for amorphous only)
Utilization Factor a-Si:H
0.670-0.700 0.640-0.670 0.610-0.640
0.70 0.67 0.64

0.580-0.610 0.550-0.580 0.520-0.550 0.490-0.520 0.460-0.490

UF a-Si

0.61 0.58 0.55 0.52 0.49 0.46 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 4 3 2 1

This correction is based on : the Loughborough climate computed for single amorphous only

Concerns photocurrent
0.8 1 6 5

KTc

Air Mass

Improves s by some few %

May probably be improved for other technologies.

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Results for SHR-17

Pmax Error, Meas - Model vs GlobP 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 -1.0 -2.0 -3.0 -4.0 0 200 400 600 GlobP [W/m2] 800 1000 1200
10% 8%

(tripple Junction)

Pmax Error (Meas-Mod) [W]

0 < Tmod < 80C

Model

Over one year (2009-2010) on Pmax : m = 0.1% s = 2.3% on Vco: m = 0.7% s = 1.0% on Isc: m =-0.1% s = 2.7%

Unisolar SHR-17 Wp

Seasonal effect

Pmax (Meas - Model) difference

6% 4% 2% 0% -2% -4% -6% -8% -10%

Over six years:

s (month) ~ 1.2 % The model should take seasonal annealing effect into account (but how ? which parameters ? )

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6 years

Modules of all technologies

Error on Pmax
-6% Si-mono: Siemens M55, 1 year Si-mono: Atlantis M55, 2.6 years Si-poly: CIS: Kyocera, 5 years Shell ST40, 6 years -4% -2% 0% 2% 4% 6%

Error on Voc
-6% -4% -2% 0% 2% 4% 6%

Error on Isc
-6% -4% -2% 0% 2% 4% 6%

CdTe: First Solar FS267, 1.5 year Si-a:H single: Flexcell, 1 year Si-a:H tandem: EPV-40, 2.5 years

a-Si:H tripple: Unisolar SHR17, 1 year idem, 6 years a-Si:H tripple: Unisolar US32, 2.3 years Microcryst: Sharp NAF121-G5, 7 months

Results of thin film modules (except CIS) affected by seasonal annealing effects which penalize the error on Pmax

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Conclusions
"Standard" one-diode model works well with Crystalline and CIS modules
One full I/V characteristics : completely defined
With manufacturer's data: hypothesis on 2 parameters Rshunt and Rserie

Exponential Rshunt correction required by all technologies

additional parameter Rsh(0) additional parameter dmt

Amorphous, m-crystalline and CdTe require recombination correction Spectral correction for Amorphous and m-crystalline, not for CdTe Outdoor measurements reproduced with 1.0 to 1.6% RMSD for all technol.
excluding annealing effects, not taken into account

Low-light irradiance: discrepancies with indoor and manufacturer's measurements have still to be understood. Results on one measured module - not manufacturer's specifications Dot not confuse "Model accuracy" and "Parameter accuracy" !!!
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