Open Fault Detection of Bypass Circuit of PV Module with IR Camera

—Removal of Disturbance by Reflection—

Abstract

Most of the conventional technologies for open fault detection of bypass circuit have difficulty in detecting the open fault position of the bypass circuit of the PV module. The purpose of this research is to develop the detection technology of the open fault position in a string. Since an IR camera is used to detect faults, the reflection on the surface of PV modules have a significant effect on detection. Though the proposed detection technology is useful in a fine day. As for the reflection of fixed objects such as building or utility pole, the reflection effect can be removed. However, detection accuracy of fault position decreases by reflection of a lot of moving small clouds. In this paper, we show the technology to increase the detection accuracy by removing the disturbance caused by moving objects such as small clouds.