Method and System for Evaluation of Solar Cells

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This invention describes a method and system for assessing the quality of solar cells, specifically using a portable system that combines movable light sources and a specialized camera. The light sources can be precisely positioned and their intensity individually adjusted to uniformly illuminate solar cells. A camera, sensitive to the specific wavelengths emitted by working solar cells, then takes a photo, which is analyzed to detect defects or malfunctions. The system can be mounted on unmanned vehicles, like drones, or deployed manually, enabling non-contact, rapid, and automated assessment of solar modules even in the field.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Quality inspection of solar modules during production in factories.
• Field assessment of installed photovoltaic systems for maintenance, damage claims, or sale.
• Automated drone-based inspection of large-scale solar farms for efficient fault detection without manual labor.
• Insurance assessments after storms or damage events to identify malfunctioning or damaged cells.
• Research and development settings to analyze performance or durability of prototype solar cells.
• Deployment on rooftops or hard-to-reach installations for remote diagnostics.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Allows for rapid, non-contact inspection of solar panels, improving safety (no need for electrical disconnection).
• Uniform and adjustable illumination increases assessment accuracy and enables detection of subtle faults like microcracks or inactive areas.
• Highly portable and adaptable—can be drone-mounted, handheld, or fixed, suited for a wide range of environments and installation types.
• Automatable process reduces labor costs and human error, suitable for high-throughput inspections.
• Works outdoors, even on already-installed and hard-to-access panels, and is compatible with both small-scale and large-scale solar arrays.
• Improved defect detection, including difficult-to-find issues like potential-induced degradation (PID) or inactive zones, leading to better maintenance, reduced downtime, and higher yield.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for assessing solar cells comprising one or more light sources (1), wherein: the one or more light sources (1) are fastened to fastening device (2); the one or more light sources (1) are fastened movably on the fastening device (2) and/or a luminous intensity controller (19) is provided, by means of which the luminous intensity of each light source (1) can be varied independently of the luminous intensity of the other light sources (1), and comprising a camera (3), which is fastened to the fastening device (2). The method comprises the following steps: orienting the fastening device (2) with the aid of the camera (3) relative to the solar cells such that the camera axis (9) of the camera (3) runs, to the greatest possible extent, perpendicularly relative to the surface of the solar cells to be assessed; orienting the one or more light sources (1) and/or controlling the luminous intensity of the one or more light sources (1) such that the solar cells to be assessed are illuminated as uniformly as possible; once the light sources have been illuminated as uniformly as possible, taking a photo with the camera (3) of the solar cells that are to be assessed; assessing the solar cells with the aid of the photo. The invention additionally relates to a system for carrying out the method.