Properties of PV Cell Fractures and Effects on Performance of Al-BSF and PERC Modules

Cell cracking in PV modules can lead to a variety of changes in module operation, with vastly different performance degradation based on the type and severity of the cracks. In this work, we demonstrate automated measurement of cell crack properties from electroluminescence images, and correlate these properties with current-voltage curve features on 35 four-cell Al-BSF and PERC mini-modules showing a range of crack types and severity. Power loss in PERC modules was associated with more total crack length, resulting in electrical isolation of cell areas and mild shunting and recombination. Many of the Al-BSF modules suffered catastrophic power loss due to crack-related shunts. Mild power loss in Al-BSF modules was not as strongly correlated with total crack length; instead crack angles and branching were better indicators of module performance for this cell type.