Investigation of the Thermal Gradient Impact on Non-Planar Photovoltaics

The performance of photovoltaics (PV) is highly susceptible to high operating temperatures. Increased material temperature can cause a number of issues ranging from reduced efficiency of electrical power to possible irreparable damage to the PV module materials. The interest to module-integrate maximum power point tracking and other supporting electronics means these elements will be operating the same thermal environment. Therefore, it is vital to have an approach to confidently estimate the thermal environment and thermal stresses expected under any condition. Thermal models are available for PV applications with a traditional planar form factor, but have not been studied for non-planar PV (NP-PV) applications. The temperature profile across a NP-PV surface, module, or array is complicated by the fact that the morphology creates non-uniform insolation. The non-planarity exhibits a dynamic thermal gradient which must be better understood in order to develop an accurate thermal model. This work presents a mathematical approach to investigate the thermal gradient created by the NP-PV geometry. The results present insight into the impact that the thermal gradient may have regarding production and design considerations that must be considered for NP-PV applications, as well as possible potential benefits.