• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.67-75
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• 2015

PV module is conventionally connected in series with some solar cell to adjust the output of module. Some bypass diodes in module are installed to prevent module from hot spot and mismatch power loss. However, bypass diode in module exposed outdoor is easily damaged by surge voltage. In this paper, we study the thermal and electrical characteristics change of module with damaged bypass diode to easily find module with damaged bypass diode in photovoltaic system consisting of many modules. Firstly, the temperature change of bypass diode is measured according to forward and reverse bias current flowing through bypass diode. The maximum surface temperature of damaged bypass diode applied reverse bias is higher than that of normal bypass diode despite flowing equal current. Also, the output change of module with and without damaged bypass diode is observed. The output of module with damaged bypass diode is proportionally reduced by the total number of connected solar cells per one bypass diode. Lastly, the distribution temperature of module with damaged bypass diode is confirmed by IR camera. Temperature of all solar cells connected with damaged bypass diode rises and even hot spot of some solar cells is observed. We confirm that damaged bypass diodes in module lead to power drop of module, temperature rise of module and temperature rise of bypass diode. Those results are used to find module with a damaged bypass diode in system.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.63-71
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• 2016

Installed PV module in field is affected by shading caused by various field environmental factors. Bypass diodes are installed in PV module for preventing a power loss and degradation of PV module by shading. But, Bypass diode is easily damaged by surge voltage and has often initial a defect. This paper propose the electric characteristic variation and the power prediction of PV module with damaged bypass diode. Firstly, the resistance for normal bypass diode and damaged bypass diode of resistance was measured by changing the current. When the current increases, the resistance of normal bypass diode is almost constant but the resistance of damaged bypass diode increases. Next, To estimate power of PV module by damaged bypass diode, the equation for the current is derived using solar cell equivalent circuit. Finally, the derived equation was simulated by using MatLab tools, was verified by comparing experimental data.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.424.2-424.2
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• 2016

Solar cell converts light energy to electric energy. But a solar cell generates low power, PV module is fabricated by connected in series with dozens of solar cell. Owing to solar cell connected in series, power of PV module is influenced by shading or mismatch power of solar cells. To prevent power loss of PV module by shading or mismatch current, Bypass diodes are installed in PV module. Bypass diode operating reverse voltage by shading or mismatch power of solar cells bypass mismatch current. However, bypass diode in module exposed outdoor is easily damaged by surge voltage. In this paper, we confirm characteristics variation of PV module with damaged bypass diode. As a result, power of PV module with damaged bypass diode is reduced and Temperature of that is increased.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.41-47
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• 2016

A bypass diode is connected in parallel to solar cells with opposite polarity. The advantage of using the bypass diode is circumvented a destructive efforts of hot-spot heating in the photovoltaic(PV) module. In addition, it is possible to reduce a energy loss under the partial shading on the PV module. This paper presents a characteristic of photovoltaic module under partial shading condition and with defective bypass diode by using the experimental data. The results of field testing for each photovoltaic modules, when photovoltaic system which is connected power grid is operating, the inner junction-box temperature of shading photovoltaic module is high $5^{\circ}C$ because of difference of flowing current through into bypass diode. And incase of not operating photovoltaic system, the inner junction-box temperature of module with defective bypass diode is greatly higher than partial shading PV module.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.25-26
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• 2007

In this paper, we studied the shadow effect which is one of environmental cause for hot-spot phenomenon on PV by considering electrical effects. We fabricated PV module in case of existence and nonexistence of bypass diode. And maximum output power and thermal distribution was analyzed by shadowing solar cell by increase of 5%. From the results, the PV module's(without bypass diode) maximum output power was reduced by hot-spot gradually. But the PV module's(with bypass diode) maximum output power had no reduction by operation of bypass diode, though solar cell is shadowed more than 60%. The solar cell temperature of PV module(without bypass diode) was $10^{\circ}C$ higher compared to module's one. This is a reason for shortening of durability of PV module.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.127-131
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• 2022

The effect of bypass diodes on the output energy of solar cells was investigated under the condition of partial shading. The maximum power point was estimated using the perturbation & observation algorithm, taking into account the correlation effect between the arrangement and number of bypass diodes. The performance of the bypass diode was tested under the consideration of the partial shading effect and simulated using a Matlab/Simulink.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2008

In this paper, an I-V characteristics of bypass diode has been studied by counting the shading effect in photovoltaic module. The shadow induces hot spot phenomenon in PV module due to the increase of resistance in the current path. Two different types of PV module with and without bypass diode were fabricated to expect maximum output power with an increasing shading rate of 5 % on the solar cell. Temperature distribution is also detected by shading the whole solar cell for the outdoor test. From the result, the bypass diode works properly over 60 % of shading per cell with constant output power. Maximum power generation in case of solar cell being totally shaded with bypass diode decreases 41.3 % compared with the one under STC(Standard Test Condition). On the other hand, the maximum output power of the module without bypass diode gradually decreases by showing hot spot phenomenon with the increase of shading ratio on the cell and finally indicates 95.5 % of power loss compared with the output under STC. Finally the module temperature measured increases around $10^{\circ}C$ higher than that under STC due to hot-spots which come from the condition without bypass diode. It has been therefore one of the main reasons for degrading the PV module and shortening the durability of the PV system.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.577-584
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• 2015

A photovoltaic (PV) system generates electricity by installing a solar energy array; therefore, the photovoltaic system can be easily exposed to external factors, which include environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and radiation. These factors-as well as shading, in particular-lead to power degradation. When there is an output loss in the solar cell of a PV module package, the output loss is partly controlled by the bypass diode. As solar cells become highly efficient, the characteristics of series resistance and parallel resistance improve, and the characteristics of reverse voltage change. A bypass diode is connected in parallel to the string that is connected in series to the PV module. Ideally, the bypass diode operates when the voltage is -0.6[V] around. This study examines the bypass diode operating time for different types of crystalline solar cells. It compares the reverse voltage characteristics between the single solar cell and polycrystalline solar cell. Special modules were produced for the experiment. The shading rate of the solar cell in the specially made solar energy module was raised by 5% each time to confirm that the bypass diode was operating. The operation of the bypass diode is affected not only by the reverse voltage but also by the forward bias. This tendency was verified as the number of strings increased.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.59 no.12
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• pp.2212-2217
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• 2010

Previous studies have been focused on the voltage of Bypass diode and Isc(Short Circuit Current) of the influenced solar cell. The Bypass diode starts working when it gets the reverse applied voltage. Previous studies have only concentrated on Isc of the influenced solar cell and Imp of PV module to explain the bypassing performance. PV module is usually working together with inverter having MPPT(Maximum Power Point Tracking) function for best performance. bypassing point is regulated by MPPT function of inverter. In this paper, simulation results of Bypass diode in PV module have been analyzed to represent the relationship of the bypassing point with the composition of PV module. From the results, the more cells are connected with each string, the earlier bypassing performance happens under the fixed number of strings. As diode groups increase or irradiation decreases, the bypassing performance starts fast.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.1-11
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• 2017

Most PV modules are fabricated by 6 cell-strings with solar cells connected in series. Moreover, bypass diodes are generally installed every 2 cell-strings to prevent PV modules from a damage induced by current mismatch or partial shading. But, in the case of special purpose PV module, like as BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaic), the number of cell-strings per module varies according to its size. Differ from a module employing even cell-strings, the configuration of bypass diode should be optimized in the PV module with odd strings because of oppositely facing electrodes. Hence, in this study, electrical characteristics of special purposed PV module with odd string was empirically and theoretically studied depending on arrangement of bypass diode. Here, we assumed that PV module has 3 strings and the number of bypass diodes in the system varies from 2 to 6. In case of 2 bypass diodes, shading on a center string increases short circuit current of the module, because of a parallel circuit induced by 2 bypass diodes connected to center string. Also, the loss is larger, as the shading area in the center string is enlarged. Thus, maximum power of the PV module with 2 bypass diode decreases by up to 59 (%) when shading area varies from 50 to 90 (%). On the other hand, In case of 3 and 6 bypass diodes, the maximum power reduction was within about 3 (W), even the shading area changes from 50 to 90 (%). As a result, It is an alternative to arrange the bypass diode by each string or one bypass diode in the PV module in order to completely bypass current in case of shading, when PV module with odd string are fabricated.