In-situ fast thermal detection method for large-scale photovoltaic field under shading conditions

摘要

PV power plants are subjected to faults and failures and typically requires fast and precise diagnosis. For large scale PV plant, fault diagnosis is expensive due to shutdown periods and maintenance cost. In this paper, a cost-effective method has been proposed for partial/permanent shading conditions detection using thermal signatures. The simulation was conducted using the COMSOL program. Results show that there are distinctive temperature variation signature at different shading degrees. The thermal simulation results are further validated experimentally by utilizing an array of temperature sensors. In addition, PV module terminal voltage output vary proportionally to the imposed shading level. A variation of 2 to 3 °C degrees per 20% shading level increment has been recorded.