Measurement of Photovoltaic Module Deformation Dynamics During Hail Impact Using Digital Image Correlation

作者：James Y. Hartley, Michael Shimizu, Jennifer L. Braid, Ryan Flanagan, Phillip L. Reu · 发表于：IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1109/jphotov.2024.3405377 · 被引用次数：6 · 研究领域：Power Line Inspection Robots、Robotics and Sensor-Based Localization、Space Satellite Systems and Control

Stereo high-speed video of photovoltaic modules undergoing laboratory hail tests was processed using digital image correlation to determine module surface deformation during and immediately following impact. The purpose of this work was to demonstrate a methodology for characterizing module impact response differences as a function of construction and incident hail parameters. Video capture and digital image analysis were able to capture out-of-plane module deformation to a resolution of ±0.1 mm at 11 kHz on an in-plane grid of 10 × 10 mm over the area of a 1 × 2 m commercial photovoltaic module. With lighting and optical adjustments, the technique was adaptable to arbitrary module designs, including size, backsheet color, and cell interconnection. Impacts were observed to produce an initially localized dimple in the glass surface, with peak deflection proportional to the square root of incident energy. Subsequent deformation propagation and dissipation were also captured, along with behavior for instances when the module glass fractured. Natural frequencies of the module were identifiable by analyzing module oscillations postimpact. Limitations of the measurement technique were that the impacting ice ball obscured the data field immediately surrounding the point of contact, and both ice and glass fracture events occurred within 100 μs, which was not resolvable at the chosen frame rate. Increasing the frame rate and visualizing the back surface of the impact could be applied ...