Quantitative Comparison of Infrared Thermography, Visual Inspection, and Electrical Analysis Techniques on Photovoltaic Modules: A Case Study

Leonardo Cardinale-Villalobos, Carlos Meza, Abel Méndez-Porras and Luis D. Murillo-Soto
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Leonardo Cardinale-Villalobos: Electronics Engineering School, Instituto Tecnologico de Costa Rica, Cartago 159-7050, Costa Rica
Carlos Meza: Electronics Engineering School, Instituto Tecnologico de Costa Rica, Cartago 159-7050, Costa Rica
Abel Méndez-Porras: Computer Engineering Department, Instituto Tecnologico de Costa Rica, Cartago 159-7050, Costa Rica
Luis D. Murillo-Soto: Electromechanic Engineering School, Instituto Tecnologico de Costa Rica, Cartago 159-7050, Costa Rica

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: This paper compares multiple techniques to detect suboptimal conditions in the PV system. Detection of suboptimal conditions in the PV system is required to achieve optimal photovoltaic (PV) systems. Therefore, maintenance managers need to choose the most suitable techniques objectively. However, there is a lack of objective information comparing the effectiveness of the methods. This article calculates and compares the effectiveness of Infrared thermography (IRT), visual inspection (VI), and electrical analysis (EA) in detecting soiling, partial shadows, and electrical faults experimentally. The results showed that the VI was the best at detecting soiling and partial shading with 100% of effectiveness. IRT and EA had an effectiveness of 78% and 73%, respectively, detecting the three types of conditions under study. It was not possible to achieve maximum detection using only one of the techniques, but that VI must be combined with IR or EA. This research represents a significant contribution by achieving an objective comparison between techniques for detecting suboptimal conditions, being very useful to guide PV system maintainers and designers of fault detection techniques.

Keywords: solar PV system; fault detection performance; partial shading; soiling; electrical faults; thermography; electrical analysis (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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