On-site Detection and Quantifying Cracks in Solar Panels using Thermal Imaging and Electroluminescence Testing
Solar panels or the electronic modules are sensitive, during activities causing loading stress such as transportation, causing output power to drop, over long term these micro cracks are a real loss for any project that involves solar panels. Two methods are used in this project
2025-06-28 16:34:19 - Adil Khan
On-site Detection and Quantifying Cracks in Solar Panels using Thermal Imaging and Electroluminescence Testing
Project Area of Specialization Electrical/Electronic EngineeringProject SummarySolar panels or the electronic modules are sensitive, during activities causing loading stress such as transportation, causing output power to drop, over long term these micro cracks are a real loss for any project that involves solar panels.
Two methods are used in this project to find out the cracks in solar panels, i.e. Electro luminescence (EL) testing (the coventional method) and thermal imaging.
EL method is a complicated method which requires dark room for the on-site testing. Construction of dark is not possible on each site.
Thermal imaging allows us to determine the intensity of these microcracks. Thermal imaging, in this project involves images can only relay on temperature of the solar panels. The thermal images acquired are processed in such a way that the temperature of cracks are obtained. At the end we will link these two methods in such a way that different level of cracks that are evaluated through EL images will be assigned their corresponding level of crack present in thermal images.
This project is a practical requirement for the solar industry and we are working with ASURE centre- NED University (having only PV testing Lab), all the guidance are provided by them.
Project ObjectivesFollowing are the objectives of this project:
- To perform Electroluminescence test on 3 monocrystalline solar panels in dark room using Infrared (IR) camera.
- To acquire thermal images of same solar panels used for EL testing using Fluke thermal imaging camera.
- To extract all cells of solar panels and perform image processing using Matlab for both EL and thermal images.
- To determine the level or intensity of cracks on each solar panel and quantifying them for both EL and thermal images.
Solar panels are made of solar cells and glass, they are sensitive and they can be damaged during loading stress such as transportation, causing output power to drop. Over long term, these micro cracks are a real power loss for any project. Two methods are used in this project which is Electro-luminescence (EL) testing and Thermal imaging.
Thermal imaging allows us to determine the intensity of these microcracks. Thermal imaging, in this project involves images can only relay on temperature of the solar panels. modules the thermal images acquired are processed in such a way that the temperature of cracks are obtained.
At the end we will link these two methods in such a way that different level of cracks that are evaluated through EL images will be assigned their corresponding temperature through thermal testing.
Benefits of the ProjectDirect Beneficiary:
Solar Sytem Industry:
Up to now there is no statistical information
on the distribution and the frequency of occurrence of micro cracks in the PV modules in literature. Our software can close this gap and provide a statistic of cracks in PV
modules. Solar Sytem Industry of Pakistan can benefit from it by checking the distribution and frequency of cracks in solar panels at different stages of production. Ultimately, the solar panels produced by using our software will be of better quality and free from cracks.
Residential consumer:
When a residential consumer purchases PV panels it is difficult for him to detect the quality of panels. Our software can help residential consumer in future power loss assessment and the development of crack inhibiting PV module concepts.
Commercial consumer:
Cracks in solar cells are a genuine problem for commercial consumers as they are hard to avoid and, up to now, basically impossible to quantify in
their impact on the efficiency of the module during its
lifetime.
As the module ages and is subjected
to thermal and mechanical stresses cracks may be
introduced. A repeated relative movement of the cracked
cell parts may result in unacceptable level of cracks which result in complete separation, thus
resulting in inactive cell parts.
If commercial consumers use our software they can discard the solar panels that are no more use because of presence of unacceptable level of cracks.
Indirect Beneficiary:
Country: e-waste:
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), a leading energy agency, projected that up to 78 million metric tons of solar panels will have reached the end of their life by 2050, resulting in about 6 million metric tons of new solar e-waste annually. If crack free panels are produced at the time of production then e-waste can be reduced.
A common Human being:
The e-waste produced by PV panels only pollute environment. This software will help to reduce e-waste therefore, it will also reduce pollution which is concern of a common human being.
PSQCA:
In order to support good scientific practices and
to encourage the development of visual inspection
methods, we devised a software. This software can be used by PSQCA to ensure that the panels being supplied to the market have acceptable level of cracks.
Custom Department:
Panels imported must be of best quality. If such panels are not checked then they will be supplied to the customer and will only build up e-waste. This software can help custom department to avoid supply of defected PV panels and build up of e-waste.
Technical Details of Final DeliverableEL images fed into the software will be segmented to extract a single cell of PV panel. This image of cell will be processed by the software to achieve intensity and cracked region of a cell. This cracked region will be processed to determine the nature of modes of crack. Eack mode of crack will then be linked with a temperature. Now we have values of temperature that correspond with the modes of cracks.
Thermal images of solar panels installed at any location can now be fed into this software. These images have information of temperature. This information includes temperature values present at each part of a PV panel. First of all the images will be segmented to obtain a single cell. The temperature values of each cell will be compared with the temperture values obtained after processing EL images. After comparasion we can now pin point the cracked region and intensity of this cracked region present in each cell of the PV panel whose thermal images we have fed into the software.
Finally, we will produce an easy to use software that will first take input of thermal images from user then it will segment it to obtain individual cell of a solar panel and will give an output to the user. This output will include total cracked region and intensity cracked region present in each cell of a solar panel.
Final Deliverable of the Project Software SystemCore Industry Energy Other IndustriesCore Technology OthersOther TechnologiesSustainable Development Goals Affordable and Clean Energy, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Responsible Consumption and ProductionRequired Resources| Item Name | Type | No. of Units | Per Unit Cost (in Rs) | Total (in Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total in (Rs) | 68000 | |||
| Thermal Imaging Sensor | Equipment | 1 | 20000 | 20000 |
| Current Controlled Power supply | Equipment | 1 | 15000 | 15000 |
| Filters for Image Processing | Equipment | 1 | 5000 | 5000 |
| Paper Rim for report | Miscellaneous | 4 | 800 | 3200 |
| Printing | Miscellaneous | 1000 | 5 | 5000 |
| Binding | Miscellaneous | 4 | 250 | 1000 |
| Overheads | Miscellaneous | 1 | 800 | 800 |
| Temperature Sensors | Equipment | 1 | 9000 | 9000 |
| Night Vision Test kit for EL Testing | Equipment | 1 | 9000 | 9000 |