Optimizing the Spatial Nonuniformity of Irradiance in a Large-Area LED Solar Simulator

Alaa Al-Ahmad (), John Holdsworth (), Benjamin Vaughan, Warwick Belcher, Xiaojing Zhou and Paul Dastoor
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Alaa Al-Ahmad: Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, Newcastle 2308, Australia
John Holdsworth: Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, Newcastle 2308, Australia
Benjamin Vaughan: Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, Newcastle 2308, Australia
Warwick Belcher: Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, Newcastle 2308, Australia
Xiaojing Zhou: Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, Newcastle 2308, Australia
Paul Dastoor: Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, Newcastle 2308, Australia

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 22, 1-16

Abstract: The solar simulator has allowed all photovoltaic devices to be developed and tested under laboratory conditions. Filtered xenon arc lamps were the gold-standard source for solar simulation of small-area silicon photovoltaic devices; however, scaling these devices to illuminate large areas is neither efficient nor practical. Large-area solar simulation to meet appropriate spectral content and spatial nonuniformity of irradiance (SNI) standards has traditionally been difficult and expensive to achieve, partly due to the light sources employed. LED-based solar simulation allows a better electrical efficiency and uniformity of irradiance while meeting spectral intensity requirements with better form factors. This work details the design based on optical modeling of a scalable, large-area, LED-based, solar simulator meeting Class AAA performance standards formed for inline testing of printed solar cells. The modular design approach employed enables the illuminated area to be expanded in quanta of ~260 cm 2 to any preferred illumination area. A 640 cm 2 area illuminated by two adjacent PCB units has a measured total emission of 100 mW/cm 2 , with a SNI of 1.7% and an excellent approximation to the AM1.5G spectrum over the wavelength range of 350–1100 nm. The measured long-term temporal instability of irradiance (TIE) is <0.5% for a 550-min continuous run. This work identifies the design steps and details the development and measurement of a scalable large-area LED-based solar simulator of interest to the PV testing community, and others using solar simulators.

Keywords: solar simulator; optical modeling; PV reliability testing; LED (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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