ANALYSIS OF MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC

MODULE ENCAPSULATION

S.L.R. Santos Júnior, A. Moehlecke and I. Zanesco

Solar Energy Technological Nucleus – NT-Solar
Faculty of Physics – Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul – PUCRS
Av. Ipiranga 6681, Prédio 96A – Porto Alegre – RS – Brazil – CEP 90619-900
FAX: 55-51-3320 3616 – e-mail: silvio.reis@pucrs.br, moehleck@pucrs.br, izete@pucrs.br

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this paper is to present an experimental comparison of PV module prototypes
concerning different accelerated tests. The prototypes were submitted to salt spray corrosion test, thermal cycling
test, thermal cycling followed by humidity and freezing test, ultra-violet and outdoor exposure test. The tests follow
the Brazilian Labeling Program, the IEC 61215 and the IEC 61345 standards. The prototypes were optically and
electrically characterized before and after each test. By the reflectance analysis of different regions of the prototypes,
no delamination or discoloration processes were observed after the tests. Degradation of the electrical characteristics
of the prototypes were observed, with 60 % approval in the salt spray test, 75 % in the exposition to ultraviolet
radiation test, 50 % in the external exposition test, 75 % in the thermal cycle test and 75 % in the thermal cycle
followed by humidity and freezing test. Concerning edge seal, we observed that tape presented the best results for
most tests, with exception to the outdoor exposure test.
Keywords: PV module, encapsulation, qualification and testing

1 INTRODUCTION soldering, 3) lamination and 4) accelerated tests. I-V

A pilot plant was established at Pontifical Catholic
University of Rio Grande do Sul to research cost
effective technologies for industrial processes of silicon
solar cells and modules. One studied subject has been the
cost reduction of solar cell processing by using low cost
chemicals and gases [1]. However, the cost of solar
electricity also relies on the reliability of the module
which is associated to the solar cell technology and the
materials used for encapsulation [2], [3].
The goal of this paper is to present an experimental
comparison of module prototypes concerning different
accelerated tests. Two kinds of prototypes were
fabricated: prototype A, with a cell near the edge,
simulating the worst situation for moisture ingress
through the edges and prototype B, simulating an internal
cell, that is, far away from the edge. Figure 1 presents
both prototypes. They were submitted to salt spray
corrosion test, thermal cycling test, thermal cycle
followed by humidity and freezing test, ultra-violet and
outdoor exposure test. The tests follow standards of the
Brazilian Labeling Program (PBE), Photovoltaic Energy
Systems and Equipments, National Institute of
Normalization, Metrology and Industrial Quality
(INMETRO) [4] and the 61215 and 61345 standards of
International Electrotechnical commission (IEC) [5], [6].
The prototypes were optically and electrically
characterized before and after each test.
2 SAMPLE PROCESSING
Cz-grown silicon solar cells were used to produce the
prototypes. The cells have an n+pn+ structure with a
metal grid (Ag on the front and Ag/Al on the rear face)
deposited by screen-printing and titanium dioxide as
antireflection coating (ARC). The efficiency is of around
13% under standard conditions (100 mW/cm2, 25 ºC,
AM1.5G). The devices have a pseudo-square area of 80
mm x 80 mm, obtained from 4” round wafers. Every cell
was electrically characterized after 1) processing, 2) tab
characteristics after steps 1 and 2 were measured in a sun
simulator, with a thermostatic holder (25 ºC). After the
lamination, an I-V curve of each cell was obtained at
outdoor conditions with cloudless days and it was
corrected to standard conditions by measuring the
operation temperature of the prototypes and the solar
irradiance. The temperature of the encapsulated cells was
measured by attaching PT100 sensors under the cells.
Figure 1: Prototypes used to evaluate encapsulation
materials. Prototype A represents the worst case for
moisture ingress through the edges.
Lamination was carried out in an industrial laminator
by using commercial materials: 1) ethylene vinyl acetate,
slow cure; 2) backsheet, based on combination of
Tedlar®+PET+Tedlar®, and 3) glass. An aluminium
frame was attached to the laminated glass+cells and two
approaches were used to seal the edges: adhesive tapes
and silicones, both utilized in commercial PV modules
approved in the IEC 61215. Fifty prototypes were
fabricated. In Figure 2 the sequence for assembling and
testing prototypes is schematically represented.
Spectral reflectance was measured in two points on
the front face of the module (on glass+EVA+Tedlar and
on glass+EVA+ cell areas) and at the rear face of the
module. Figure 3 illustrates the circles where the spectral
reflectance was measured. This parameter was used to
investigate optical degradation of encapsulating materials
or reaction between ARC and EVA.

Figure 2: Prototypes production and characterization
steps.
(a)
(b)
(c)
Figure 3: Reflectance from different regions of the
prototypes: (a) glass+EVA+backsheet, (b) glass+EVA+
solar cell and (c), backsheet, measured on the rear face.
3 TESTS
As mentioned in the previous section, tests follow the
IEC 61215, IEC 61345 and PBE/INMETRO standards.
The aim of each test is: 1) thermal cycling: verify the
ability of the module to withstand thermal mismatch,
fatigue and others stresses caused by repeated changes of
temperature; 2) humidity freeze: to verify the
performance of the module after being exposed to high
temperatures and humidity followed by sub-zero
temperatures; 3) salt mist: to determine the resistance of
the module to corrosion from salt mist; 4) ultra-violet
(UV) test: useful for evaluating the UV resistance of
materials; 5) outdoor exposure: to supply a preliminary
assessment of the behaviour of the module after an
irradiation of at least 60 kWh/m2. Figure 4 presents a
schematic diagram of the tests that were carried out.
Figure 4: Performed tests.
4 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Thermal cycling test
Four samples were used in this test. One sample
presented a change in the external surface of the glass
sheet, showing white stains that we could not remove
with water or isopropyl alcohol. The polished appearance
of the glass was modified. Reflectance measurements
were not performed after this. Three samples presented
power losses of less than 4%. In the not approved
sample, silicone was used to seal the edges.
4.2 Thermal cycling + humidity freeze test
Eight samples were submitted to this test. One
presented delamination over a busbar of the cells and
four samples showed white stains similar to the ones
mentioned in the above section. Reflectance of glass+
+EVA+backsheet from those samples was increased,
mainly for wavelengths longer than 700 nm. All samples
presented higher reflectance after the test. Six modules
were approved in the test, with 3 % maximum power
loss. One sample presented an increase in efficiency that
we attributed to errors in the experimental set-up used to
obtain the I-V curve before or after the test. Only one
device showed strong fill factor reduction, from 0.71 to
0.52.
4.3 Salt mist corrosion test
Ten prototypes were analyzed. The cells and the
laminating sheets did not present any significant visual
defect. However, we observed an increase of 2 % in the
average reflectance of several samples, pointing out the
start of a delamination process or glass surface
modification. No changes in the reflectance spectral
behaviour were observed. Considering power loss, six
samples were approved. The prototypes with higher
reflectance after the test presented the highest power
degradation, up to 21 %. Among the six approved
samples, four had their edges sealed with tape and two
with silicone. These losses were caused by the moisture
or salt solution intrusion through the lamination edges or
electrical contacts (also sealed with silicone specific for
PV modules).
4.4 Ultra-violet test
The prototypes were exposed to ultra-violet
irradiation following the IEC 61345 in a weathering
chamber, maintaining the samples at 60 ºC. Minimum
irradiance was 7.5 kWh/m2 in the wavelength range
between 280 nm and 320 nm and 15 kWh/m2 in the
wavelength range between 320 nm and 400 nm. The
irradiation is equivalent to 205 days of outdoor exposure
to solar radiation [7]. After irradiating the frontal face of
the module, the rear face was submitted to an irradiation
of 10 % of the above values.
Twelve prototypes were tested: six of type A and six
of type B, half of each sealed with silicone and half with
adhesive tape.
Visual inspection and optical characteristics Figure 5: Percentage of prototypes approved in each test.
performed after the irradiation did not show any Legend: blue, all prototypes; red, prototype A, orange,
degradation of the cells or encapsulating materials. All prototype B; green, prototypes with edges sealed by
the samples A presented power loss of less than 5%. Four tapes; yellow, samples sealed with silicone.
samples B were not approved. The degradation presented
in prototypes B resulted in a power reduction of up to
17.3 %. 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

4.5 Outdoor exposure test
Twelve samples were installed on a surface sloped
48º to the horizontal, facing north, in Porto Alegre,
Brazil, latitude = -30º and subjected to 76.2 kWhm-2 of
global irradiation from 07/07/2008 to 28/07/2008.
No changes were observed in the appearance of the
modules. Spectral reflectance presented slightly higher
values, but still in the range of accuracy of the
spectrophotometer plus experimental error.
Electrical performance of the prototypes, measured
before and after the test, showed that seven samples were
approved, four of them presenting a power enhancement
after the test. This is attributed to errors in the approach
used to measure the temperature of the samples and to
correct the I-V characteristics for NOTC conditions.
Samples B showed the worst performance after the test,
with only one approved. There was no difference
between samples sealed with silicone or tapes.
4.6 Summary of results
Figure 5 summarizes the results of the tests. Worst
results were found from prototypes B, with only one
approved in the outdoor exposure test. Samples with
tapes as edge seal presented better results, achieving 100
% approval after the thermal cycling and the thermal
cycling+humidity freeze tests and 75 % after the salt mist
one.
5 CONCLUSIONS
The financial support by the Brazilian financing
agency FINEP (Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos),
CEEE (Companhia Estadual de Energia Elétrica),
ELETROSUL (Eletrosul Centrais Elétricas S. A.) and
PETROBRAS (Petróleo Brasileiro S. A.) is gratefully
acknowledged. The authors thanks Dr. Roberto Zilles for
his support in the performing thermal cycling and
thermal cycling+humidity tests at IEE-USP.
REFERENCES
[1] A. Moehlecke and I. Zanesco. 22th European
Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, (2007), 1772.
[2] M. Vázquez and I. Rey-Stolle, Progress in
Photovoltaics: Research and Applications 16 (2008) 419.
[3] M. A. Quintana, D.L. King, T.J. McMahon and C.R.
Osterwald, 29th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists
Conference, (2002) 1439.
[4] M.A. Galdino, J.H. Lima, A. Novgorodcev, R. Zilles,
I. Zanesco, A. Moehlecke, A Krenzinger, A.F. Orlando.
20th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference,
(2005), 3199.
[5] International Standard IEC 61215. Crystalline Silicon
Terrestrial Photovoltaic Modules – Design Qualification
and Type Approval (1993).
[6] International Standard IEC 61345. UV test for
photovoltaic (PV) modules (1998).
[7] M.D. Kempe, 33rd IEEE PV Specialists Conference
(2008).

Before starting a PV module production, it is worth

evaluating the materials and techniques used for PV
encapsulation in order to verify their ability to withstand
the qualification tests. Most of these tests requests only
one or two modules. However, we observed that first
batches may produce scattered results and efforts have to
be made to determine the acceptable and reliable number
of samples for each test.
Spectral reflectance measurements, used in this work
as a tool to identify delamination or discoloration
processes, were useful in the salt mist test, when higher
reflectance appeared in the samples that were not
approved taking into account power loss criteria.