JPH0511031A - Apparatus for measuring output of photovoltaic element - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To scan and measure the output voltages of a plurality of solar cell elements formed on a glass substrate, to measure the output voltage of every solar cell element in real time, and to display the voltage for every matrix at the same time. CONSTITUTION:A prober 1 receives the electric signals which are generated by the application of light in solar cell elements through conducting contact pins 11 and 12. A contact-point output board 2 has circuits for taking out the output voltages of the intended solar cell elements out of the received electric signals. The light is applied on a plurality of solar cell elements and the scanning measurement is performed for every matrix. The electric signal from the output terminal of the solar cell element is generated at the conducting contact pin. Therefore, the electric signal is inputted into the contact-point output board for every matrix through a lead wire. In the contact-point output board, the received electric signal is selected, and the signal is outputted as the output voltage signal of the solar cell element. The output voltage values of a plurality of the solar cell elements are displayed at the same time of the measurement for every matrix.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention mainly relates to an output measuring device of a photovoltaic element such as a solar cell and an optical sensor, and more particularly to measuring an output voltage of a plurality of thin film type solar cells formed on a glass substrate. Regarding evaluation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A plurality of solar cells are usually formed on a glass substrate, and the output voltage of each element is measured as one of the parameters showing the characteristics of the solar cells. Conventionally, in measuring the output voltage of a solar cell, a voltage detector such as a tester has been used to measure the output voltage of each element, and the quality of the solar cell is judged from the measured output voltage.

[0003]

However, the conventional measuring method is to simultaneously measure the output voltage of each element of a plurality of solar cells formed on a glass substrate, or to simultaneously measure the output voltage in a matrix. There was a problem that it could not be displayed for each. An object of the present invention is to provide a photovoltaic element output measuring device capable of scanning and measuring the output voltage of a plurality of solar cell elements formed on a glass substrate. Still another object is to provide a photovoltaic device output measuring device in which the output voltage of each of a plurality of solar cell devices is measured in real time and simultaneously displayed for each matrix.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the photovoltaic element output measuring apparatus of the present invention uses an individual solar cell element formed on a glass substrate to generate an electrical signal generated by light irradiation. And a contact output board having a circuit for extracting the output voltage signal of the solar cell element by scanning and measuring the received electric signal for each matrix from the output terminal of the solar cell element through a conductive contact pin. It is a thing. The contact output board is controlled by a computer and is configured to measure the output voltage values of the plurality of solar cell elements formed on the glass substrate for each matrix. Still others include display means for displaying the output voltage values of a plurality of solar cell elements for each matrix simultaneously with measurement.

[0005]

The prober receives the electric signal generated by the solar cell element by the light irradiation from the output terminal of each solar cell element from the conductive contact pin and transmits it to the contact output board. The circuit of the contact output board is, for example, a micro reed relay R
In this case, the normally open contact S of the micro reed relay R is inserted between each input terminal and output terminal corresponding to the solar cell element of the contact output board. The micro reed relay R operates by a scan signal, and when its contact S is closed, the input / output terminals are connected and the output voltage signal of the solar cell element is output.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a photovoltaic device output measuring apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “output measuring apparatus”) of the present invention. The solar cell is composed of a plurality of solar cell elements formed in a matrix on a glass substrate. The output measuring device is mounted on a glass substrate and is a prober 1 for simultaneously extracting output voltages of a plurality of solar cell elements, and a contact output which is connected to the prober 1 and selectively outputs the extracted output voltages. Board 2, computer 3 that processes the output voltage of each solar cell element taken out through the contact output board 2, and executes evaluation based on the measured output voltage, printer that outputs measurement results and evaluation results 4A, an output device 4 such as a display 4B, and an input device 5 such as a keyboard 5A for inputting the specifications and measurement conditions of the solar cell.

As shown in FIG. 3, the prober 1 is provided with a casing 10 placed on a glass substrate on which solar cell elements are formed. The casing 10 serves as a photovoltaic power of each solar cell element. A pair of conductive contact pins 11 and 12 electrically contacting the positive terminal and the negative terminal for receiving an electric signal and a connector 13 for transmitting the taken electric signal are provided. The conductive contact pin 11 is in contact with the positive terminal of the solar cell element, and is connected to each pin of the connector 13 by the lead wire 14 for each matrix having a plurality of solar cell elements as one block.
Is in contact with the negative terminal and is connected to a predetermined pin of the connector 13 by the common lead wire 15.

The contact output board 2 has input terminals T _IN0 to n corresponding to the number (n) of the conductive contact pins 11 connected to each connector 13 of the prober 1 and one output terminal for this input terminal. It is composed of T _OUT and a switching circuit 21 which selectively connects the input terminal to the output terminal. The switching circuit 21 is composed of, for example, a micro reed relay R, and a normally open contact S of the micro reed relay R is inserted between each input terminal and output terminal. This micro reed relay R operates according to a command (scan signal) from the computer 3, and when its contact S is closed, the input / output terminal is connected and the output voltage signal of the solar cell element is transmitted to O board 3
It is taken in by the computer 3 via 3. 4 x 4
An example of a circuit configuration in the case of 10 sizes is shown. 10 solar cells are arranged in each row so that the output voltage of the solar cells arranged in 4 rows and 10 solar cells arranged in each row can be measured.
Input terminals T _{IN0 to 9} and output terminals T _{OUT of} each column are provided. Then, the micro reed relay R is set to 1 in order to extract the output voltage of the 10 solar cell elements in each row.
It consists of 0 relays R ₀ to ₉ , and each relay R
_{Numerals 0 to 9} are inserted into the circuits of each column and are equipped with relay contacts S ₀ to ₄ which are turned on and off at the same time.

The computer 3 processes the output voltage signal of the solar cell element transmitted from the contact output board 2 and evaluates it, and at the same time, the CPU 30 which outputs the measurement result and the evaluation result. A ROM 31 in which a control program and necessary data are written, a RAM 32 for storing measurement data and evaluation data, and I / O control boards 33, 34 for exchanging data between the CPU and external devices. I / O control board 33
Controls the exchange of data with the contact output board 2,
The I / O control board 34 controls data output to the printer 4A and the display 4B and input data such as measurement conditions from the keyboard 5.

The CPU 30 operates the contact output board 2 according to the size of the matrix of the solar cell elements based on the specifications of the solar cell input from the keyboard and the measurement conditions, and the electricity received from the prober 1 by scanning measurement. The output voltage signal of the solar cell selected from the signals is fetched in a predetermined order, this output voltage signal is processed, and whether or not the measured output voltage value of each solar cell element is within the specified value. It is determined whether or not the result is stored in a memory (RAM), or data output processing such as printing or display is performed. In this output processing, in order to clarify the pass / fail of each solar cell element,
The output voltage value and the result of the pass / fail judgment are output. If the output voltage values of the pass and fail solar cell elements are output in different colors, it will be easier to distinguish the two, and it will be easier to identify the failing solar cell elements on the glass substrate. Is easy to handle.

Next, the output measurement of the photovoltaic element of the above embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 shows a flow chart for output measurement / evaluation and display. The solar cell chip menu is selected by designating a matrix size of a plurality of solar cells to be measured, for example, 4 rows × 10 by inputting from the keyboard 5 (step S1). Then, the computer 3 issues to the contact output board 2 a control command as to how to operate the micro reed relay according to the matrix size of the plurality of solar cells to be measured. Next, after confirming the illuminance of the light source with the illuminance set (step S2), the measurement is started (step S3). In this measurement, the glass surfaces of a plurality of solar cells are continuously irradiated with light, and a scanning measurement (step S4) is performed for each matrix. Since an electric signal from the output terminal of the solar cell element is generated in the conductive contact pin in the prober 1, this electric signal is received by the input terminal T _IN of the contact output board 2 through the lead wire for each matrix. The contact output board 2 transfers the received electric signal from the output terminal T _OUT to the computer 3 as an output voltage signal of the solar cell element through the contact S of the micro reed relay R selectively operated by a command from the computer. The transferred output voltage signal is output-processed and displayed on the display 4B (step S5). Unless the measurement stop interrupt command (step S6) is activated, the routine from step S4 to step S5 is repeated. Further, the computer 3 is performing display display processing for each matrix, and when a voltage of 2V is required at that time, for example, the output voltage value of a plurality of solar cells has reached a specified value (2V). No output voltage is displayed in red.

When the measurement stop interrupt command (step S6) is input, the scanning measurement is stopped. Then, the input of the data number (NO) is displayed on the display. At this time, an arbitrary character or number is input by the keyboard 5 (step 7). Then, the measured output voltage values and yields of the solar cells are displayed on the display (step S8). This display data is the printer 4A
Is printed (step S9). Then, a data saving process is executed according to an instruction from the keyboard and the data is saved in the floppy disk (step S10). Then, it is selected whether or not to measure the output voltage of the next plurality of solar cells (step S11). When the measurement is continued, the process returns to step S3, and when the measurement is not continued, the process ends.

[0013]

As described above, the present invention has the following effects. By using the prober and the conductive contact pin, all of the output voltage can be measured regardless of the size of the plurality of solar cell elements formed on the glass substrate. By processing the output voltage of each solar cell element from the contact output board with a computer, it is possible to simultaneously measure and evaluate the output voltages of a plurality of solar cell elements formed on the glass substrate.
The control program can control the contact output board, and can also measure the minority factor in evaluating the output characteristics of the solar cell. Since the conventional measurement for each element, which is a defect, is excluded, it is suitable for evaluation of output characteristics of a solar cell in an industrial solar cell manufacturing process.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a photovoltaic device output measuring apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a connection configuration of a prober and a contact output board.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a prober, and FIG.
Is a perspective view, and FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along the line AA.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a contact output board.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of device control for measuring the output of a photovoltaic element.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 prober 2 contact output board 3 computers 4 Output devices (printer, display) 5 Input device (keyboard) Printer 11,12 Conductive contact pin 13 connectors

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A prober for receiving an electrical signal generated by light irradiation of a plurality of solar cell elements formed on a glass substrate from a conductive contact pin from an output terminal of each solar cell element, and the received electrical signal. And a contact output board having a circuit for extracting and measuring the output voltage signal of the solar cell element for each matrix by scanning measurement. 2. The light according to claim 1, wherein the contact output board is controlled by a computer, and the output voltage values of a plurality of solar cell elements formed on a glass substrate are measured for each matrix. Electromotive element output measuring device. 3. The photovoltaic element output measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the output voltage values of the plurality of solar cell elements for each matrix simultaneously with measurement.