Led by TÜV Rheinland, numerous experts from the industry have been working for more than two years on technical requirements for switch devices in photovoltaic systems. The results of the PV Firebreaker joint project are now available. This project was carried out by TÜV Rheinland together with its partners E-T-A Elektrotechnische Apparate, Eaton Industries and SMA. The results will now be incorporated into the work of international standardization committees.
Since summer 2013, the experts have been working on requirements to ensure that switch devices in photovoltaic systems function faultlessly throughout the service life of the complete system. The safe function of photovoltaic components plays a decisive role in terms of acceptance and distribution, as well as in the returns generated by photovoltaic systems. "So far, there have been no sufficiently specific technical requirements for switch devices, especially for what are known as modular switches that are installed in such systems. That has changed now that the research project is complete," explains Ralf Martin Müller, business field manager at TÜV Rheinland and project leader. "Together with our project partners, we have identified and analyzed various faults and risks and assessed them in terms of their impact. Appropriate testing requirements have now been derived from the results in order to enable switch device manufacturers to design safe and reliable switches and disconnectors." The results are being prepared for the national and international standardization committees and will be submitted shortly. TÜV Rheinland will give the sector some initial insight into the new test specifications at a conference in Cologne in April.
Laboratory experiments as a basis for results
During the project, researchers assessed the effects of faults and determined the potential stresses on isolating devices, such as reverse currents, voltage doubling at the contacts or transient overcurrents. The faults analyzed include short circuits of the entire string, installation errors due to reverse polarity of the connectors, induced impulse voltage caused by factors such as lightning strikes or asynchronous switching behavior on the part of modular switches.
The technical standards that are currently available do not offer adequate solutions to many of the identified fault risks, as in comparison with the traditional direct-current systems, particular stresses and faults can occur in photovoltaic systems. "We have developed testing programs to recreate the faults. In the individual programs, the switch devices have been tested in accordance with various criteria. We have evaluated the findings that we obtained from these tests and then defined a test method," explains TÜV Rheinland expert Ralf Martin Müller.
Both components from project partners and switch devices available on the market were used in the laboratory tests. In order to examine long-term stress in the field, the experts conducted continuous load tests under various environmental and temperature influences. To ensure that the laboratory experiments can be performed later in an economically viable manner, various faults were grouped into individual test scenarios, for example.
The PV Firebreaker joint project was sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (FKZ 0325596).
TÜV Rheinland and its global network of experts
As an internationally leading testing service provider for the solar industry, TÜV Rheinland is active in numerous fields of research and innovation for the use of solar energy. The company first started laboratory-scale technical testing of solar components back in 1985. TÜV Rhineland's network of experts for the solar industry comprises specialists at seven laboratories worldwide. As the global market leader for the testing and certification of solar systems, TÜV Rheinland operates test laboratories in Bangalore (India), Gyeongsan (Korea), Cologne (Germany), Yokohama (Japan), Shanghai (China), Taichung (Taiwan) and Tempe (USA). Across the world, leading manufacturers of photovoltaic products are among the customers of the independent testing service provider, TÜV Rheinland. Not only are the specialists involved in testing modules and components – they are also developing new test methods, collaborating on R&D projects for the use of solar energy and assisting customers worldwide with the construction of solar power plants.
You can find information about and register for the Safety Requirements for Active and Passive Photovoltaic Components conference online at tuv.li/pv-komponenten.
Since summer 2013, the experts have been working on requirements to ensure that switch devices in photovoltaic systems function faultlessly throughout the service life of the complete system. The safe function of photovoltaic components plays a decisive role in terms of acceptance and distribution, as well as in the returns generated by photovoltaic systems. "So far, there have been no sufficiently specific technical requirements for switch devices, especially for what are known as modular switches that are installed in such systems. That has changed now that the research project is complete," explains Ralf Martin Müller, business field manager at TÜV Rheinland and project leader. "Together with our project partners, we have identified and analyzed various faults and risks and assessed them in terms of their impact. Appropriate testing requirements have now been derived from the results in order to enable switch device manufacturers to design safe and reliable switches and disconnectors." The results are being prepared for the national and international standardization committees and will be submitted shortly. TÜV Rheinland will give the sector some initial insight into the new test specifications at a conference in Cologne in April.
Laboratory experiments as a basis for results
During the project, researchers assessed the effects of faults and determined the potential stresses on isolating devices, such as reverse currents, voltage doubling at the contacts or transient overcurrents. The faults analyzed include short circuits of the entire string, installation errors due to reverse polarity of the connectors, induced impulse voltage caused by factors such as lightning strikes or asynchronous switching behavior on the part of modular switches.
The technical standards that are currently available do not offer adequate solutions to many of the identified fault risks, as in comparison with the traditional direct-current systems, particular stresses and faults can occur in photovoltaic systems. "We have developed testing programs to recreate the faults. In the individual programs, the switch devices have been tested in accordance with various criteria. We have evaluated the findings that we obtained from these tests and then defined a test method," explains TÜV Rheinland expert Ralf Martin Müller.
Both components from project partners and switch devices available on the market were used in the laboratory tests. In order to examine long-term stress in the field, the experts conducted continuous load tests under various environmental and temperature influences. To ensure that the laboratory experiments can be performed later in an economically viable manner, various faults were grouped into individual test scenarios, for example.
The PV Firebreaker joint project was sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (FKZ 0325596).
TÜV Rheinland and its global network of experts
As an internationally leading testing service provider for the solar industry, TÜV Rheinland is active in numerous fields of research and innovation for the use of solar energy. The company first started laboratory-scale technical testing of solar components back in 1985. TÜV Rhineland's network of experts for the solar industry comprises specialists at seven laboratories worldwide. As the global market leader for the testing and certification of solar systems, TÜV Rheinland operates test laboratories in Bangalore (India), Gyeongsan (Korea), Cologne (Germany), Yokohama (Japan), Shanghai (China), Taichung (Taiwan) and Tempe (USA). Across the world, leading manufacturers of photovoltaic products are among the customers of the independent testing service provider, TÜV Rheinland. Not only are the specialists involved in testing modules and components – they are also developing new test methods, collaborating on R&D projects for the use of solar energy and assisting customers worldwide with the construction of solar power plants.
You can find information about and register for the Safety Requirements for Active and Passive Photovoltaic Components conference online at tuv.li/pv-komponenten.
