Solar Simulator Liquid Cooling for Prolonged Photovoltaic Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solar simulator apparatuses suffer from overheating issues due to inadequate thermal control, particularly during prolonged tests, which compromises the accuracy and quality of photovoltaic panel, string, or cell testing.
Innovation Solution
A solar simulator apparatus with a first liquid cooling unit for the LED lighting unit and a second air cooling unit for the object, featuring a modular heat extraction device and air conditioning system, maintains optimal temperature control and efficient heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If LED boards are used to generate artificial light for prolonged testing, then the testing duration can be extended, but the LED boards overheat and compromise test quality
Solution Approach 1:
A water-cooling plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the LED boards and the test object. The cooling plate with internal water channels acts as a thermal mediator that extracts heat from the LED boards through conduction, allowing prolonged operation without temperature buildup that would compromise test quality
Solution Approach 2:
A hydraulic cooling system using water circulation is implemented. The water flows through channels in the cooling plate, absorbing heat from the LED boards through thermal conduction and convection, enabling continuous operation while maintaining LED boards within safe temperature ranges
2Power
If LED lighting is used to illuminate photovoltaic objects, then the objects generate current and heat, but inadequate heat dissipation causes gradual overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The water-cooling plate serves as a thermal intermediary between the LED boards and the test object. It selectively manages heat transfer by cooling the LED boards while allowing controlled thermal conditions for the photovoltaic object, enabling current generation without excessive temperature rise that would affect test accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the thermal parameters of the testing environment by actively controlling the temperature of the LED boards through water cooling. This parameter control ensures that the illumination source maintains stable characteristics while the test object operates within appropriate temperature ranges for accurate photovoltaic testing
3Temperature
If passive thermal control with finned dissipation surface is used, then some heat dissipation is achieved, but sufficient cooling efficiency is not guaranteed for prolonged tests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive air-cooling fins with an active hydraulic cooling system. Water channels are integrated into the cooling plate, providing forced convection heat transfer that significantly outperforms passive radiative and convective cooling, ensuring reliable temperature control even during multi-day continuous testing operations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables continuous, prolonged testing without LED overheating, ensuring accurate and reliable results by maintaining the LED emissive capacity and object temperature within optimal ranges.
Implementation Method 1
a first liquid cooling unit for the LED lighting unit and provided with both a heat extraction device in contact with the lighting unit
Implementation Method 2
a connected cooling device outside the containing structure
Implementation Method 3
a second air cooling unit for the object
Implementation Method 4
The individual LEDs of each board are capable of emitting beams of light at different wavelengths in order to determine an overall radiation as similar as possible to the natural solar spectrum
Implementation Method 5
the object of the test, be it a photovoltaic panel, string or cell which, when illuminated by the radiation produced by the LEDs, generates current
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~3b
AI summary
Solar simulator apparatus (10) to perform a test on at least one object (O), comprising: a containing structure (11) having an internal operating space (12) in which there is defined an irradiation chamber (13) equipped with a lighting unit (14); a rest plane (15) associated with said containing structure (11) and configured to support said object (O), said rest plane (15) being able to be selectively positioned facing said lighting unit (14).