• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.63-68
• /
• 2010

To guarantee life time more than 20 years for manufacturer without stopping photovoltaic(PV) system, it is really important to test the module in realistic time and condition compared to outside weather. In here, we tested PV modules in highly stressed condition compared to IEC standards. In IEC 61215 and IEC 61646 standards, damp-heat, thermal cycle(TC200) and mechanical test are main test items for evaluating long-term durability of PV module in controlled temperature and humidity condition. So in this paper, we have lengthened the test time for TC200 and damp-heat test and increased the loading stress on surface of module. Through this test, we can get some clue of proper the method for measuring realistic life cycle of PV modules and suggested the minimum time for PV test method. The detail description is specified as the following paper.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.325-333
• /
• 2021

A 3 kW grid-tied PV inverter with Gallium nitride high-electron mobility transistor (GaN HEMT) for domestic commercialization was developed using boost converter and full-bridge inverter with LCL filter topology. Recently, many GaN HEMTs are manufactured as surface mount packages because of their lower parasitic inductance characteristic than standard TO (transistor outline) packages. A surface mount packaged GaN HEMT releases heat through either top or bottom cooling method. IGOT60R070D1 is selected as a key power semiconductor because it has a top cooling method and fairly low thermal resistances from junction to ambient. Its characteristics allow the design of a 3 kW inverter without forced convection, thereby providing great advantages in terms of easy maintenance and high reliability. 1EDF5673K is selected as a gate driver because its driving current and negative voltage output characteristics are highly optimized for IGOT60R070D1. An LCL filter with passive damping resistor is applied to attenuate the switching frequency harmonics to the grid-tied operation. The designed LCL filter parameters are validated with PSIM simulation. A prototype of 3 kW PV inverter with GaN HEMT is constructed to verify the performance of the power conversion system. It achieved high power density of 614 W/L and peak power efficiency of 99% for the boost converter and inverter.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.67-75
• /
• 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
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.35-41
• /
• 2007

To demonstrate the desalination system, the demo-plant was scheduled to be installed. The system was planned to use solar thermal collector as heat source and PV as electricity source. For the design of the desalination demonstration system, firstly the solar thermal system would be well designed from the result between the supplied heat into the fresh water generator and the fresh water yield. The generator for demonstration system was chosen as the fresh water generator of the single stage and effect with plate-type heat exchanger using low pressure evaporation method. The test facility for the tests to reveal the relationship between the fresh water yield and the supplied heat flow rate was designed and manufactured. The maximum fresh water yield of two fresh water generators applied in this study was designed as 1.5 Ton/day. The parameters relating with the performance of fresh water generator are known as sea water inlet temperature, hot water inlet temperature, and hot water flow rate. Through the experiments, this study firstly showed detail operation characteristics of the generator and designed the solar thermal system for the demonstration system.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.127-132
• /
• 2020

In this study, single-phase and three-level boost converters applied to the photovoltaic system were compared and analyzed in terms of efficiency and power density according to the input voltage and load conditions. For accurate analysis of efficiency, the losses in each device of the single-phase and three-level boost converters were derived using mathematical equations and simulations by using the PSIM thermal module. Then, the losses were compared with the efficiency confirmed through the actual experiments. Results confirmed that the efficiency and power density can be improved by applying the three-level boost converter to the system according to the selection of the switching frequency.

• Bulletin of the Korea Photovoltaic Society
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.86-91
• /
• 2020

Nepal is among the richest in terms of water resource availability and it is one of the most important natural resources of the country. Currently, 72% of the population is electrified through the national grid system. The power generation mix into the grid is hydro dominated with minor shares generated from solar and thermal (accounts for less than 1%). To achieve sustainable development in the power sector it is essential to diversify power generation mix into the grid. Knowing the facts, the government has a plan to achieve a 5-10% share of power generation from solar and mix it into the grid system. Solar is the second most abundant, prominent and free source of renewable in the context of Nepal. This study mainly focuses on the grid-connected solar system, its importance, present status, government efforts, and its need. It is based on the review of literature, news published in national newspaper online news and international organization's report.

• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.69-72
• /
• 2022

This paper actually investigates the load on major large-scale buildings in the downtown area, examines the economic feasibility of installing PV and ESS in a microgrid target building, and evaluates whether an electric vehicle capable of V2G through two buildings is effective as an economical analysis program (HOMER) was analyzed using. It is economical to install a mixture of ESS rather than using the whole PV, and it is shown that if there is an electric vehicle using the V2G function of EV, there is an economic effect to replace the PV. So that Incentives and policies are needed to replace a large area of PV and utilize the existing parking lot to lead EV as a resource of the microgrid. Currently, P2X technology that stores power as ESS or converts it to other energy to control when surplus renewable energy occurs in large-capacity solar power plants and wind farms, etc. This is being applied, and efforts are being made to maintain the stability of the system through the management of surplus power, such as replacing thermal energy through a heat pump. Due to the increase in electric vehicles, which were recognized only as a means of transportation, technologies for using electric vehicles are developing. Accordingly, existing gas stations do not only supply traditional chemical fuels, but electricity, and super stations that also produce electricity have appeared. Super Station is a new concept power plant that can produce and store electricity using solar power, ESS, V2G, and P2G. To take advantage of this, research on an urban microgrid that forms an independent system by tying a large building and several buildings together and supplies power through a super station around the microgrid is in full swing.

• Clean Technology
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.449-456
• /
• 2014

There has been increasing concerns for the problems of water security in countries, caused by the frequent occurrence of localized drought due to the climate change and uncertainty of water balance. The importance of fresh water is emphasized as considerable amount of usable fresh water is utilized for power generation sector producing electricity. PV power system, the source of renewable energy, consumes water for the every steps of life cycle: manufacturing, installation, and operation. However, it uses relatively less water than the traditional energy sources such as thermal power and nuclear power sources. In this study, to find out the use of water for the entire process of PV power system from extracting raw materials to operating the system, the footprint of water in the whole process is measured to be analyzed. Measuring the result, the PV water footprint of value chain was $0.989m^3/MWh$ and the water footprint appeared higher specially in poly-Si and solar cell process. The following two reasons explain it: poly-Si process is energy-intensive process and it consumes lots of cooling water. In solar cell process, deionized water is used considerably for washing a high-efficiency crystalline silicon. It is identified that PV system is the source using less water than traditional ones, which has a critical value in saving water. In discussing the future energy policy, it is vital to introduce the concept of water footprint as a supplementary value of renewable energy.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2010.11a
• /
• pp.65.2-65.2
• /
• 2010

The aim of this study was to analysis the Heating/cooling performance of Solar Window built in apartments. The solar window is the idea to integrate daylight as a third form of solar energy into a PV/Solar Collector system and allows more control due to the possibility to close the reflectors. However, there can be a conflict between the desire for on one hand daylight and view and on the other hand optimal energy conversion for the PV/Solar Collector system. The process of this study is as follows: 1) The Solar Window system is designed through the investigation of previous paper and work. 2)The simulation program(ESP-r, Therm5.0, Window6.0) was used in Heating/cooling performance analysis. The reference model of simulation was made up to analysis Heating/cooling performance on Solar Window. 3)Selected reference model(Floors:15, Area of Unit:$148.5m^2$) for heating energy analysis, Energy performance simulation with various variants, such as U-value of Solar Window system according to its position and angle. Consequently, When Solar Window system is equipped with balcony window of Apartment, Annual heating and cooling energy of reference model was cut down about 5%~11%.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.49-55
• /
• 2006

The Multipurpose BIPV System(MBIPVS) was evaluated as an effective passive system through analyzing the thermal performance and the efficiency of PV power generation in the previous papers. To achieve the performance better, the operation method should be determined by considering physical conditions in each occasion. Thus, we cheesed the reference operation methods in each season set by the overview of the meteorological data for last 6 years, In-choen, and compared them with the various alternatives that we had made up with for improving thermal performance. The results from adopting various alternatives on MBIPVS showed that the appropriate operational model would be effective to the energy savings ; we could reduce the total loads 1,051.0[kWh] in summer and 108.9[kWh] in winter.