ASTM E948-15

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation: E948 − 15
Standard Test Method for
Electrical Performance of Photovoltaic Cells Using
1
Reference Cells Under Simulated Sunlight
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E948; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope Determine the Precision of a Test Method
E772Terminology of Solar Energy Conversion
1.1 This test method covers the determination of the elec-
E927Specification for Solar Simulation for Photovoltaic
trical performance of a photovoltaic cell under simulated
Testing
sunlight by means of a calibrated reference cell procedure.
E973Test Method for Determination of the Spectral Mis-
1.2 Electrical performance measurements are reported with
match Parameter Between a Photovoltaic Device and a
respect to a select set of standard reporting conditions (SRC)
Photovoltaic Reference Cell
(see Table 1) or to user-specified conditions.
E1125 Test Method for Calibration of Primary Non-
1.2.1 The SRC or user-specified conditions include the cell
ConcentratorTerrestrial Photovoltaic Reference Cells Us-
temperature, the total irradiance, and the reference spectral
ing a Tabular Spectrum
irradiance distribution.
E1362Test Method for Calibration of Non-Concentrator
Photovoltaic Secondary Reference Cells
1.3 This test method is applicable only to photovoltaic cells
with a linear response over the range of interest. G173TablesforReferenceSolarSpectralIrradiances:Direct
Normal and Hemispherical on 37° Tilted Surface
1.4 The cell parameters determined by this test method
apply only at the time of test, and imply no past or future
3. Terminology
performance level.
3.1 Definitions—Definitions of terms in this test method
1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
may be found in Terminology E772.
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
standard.
3.2.1 cell temperature, °C, n—the temperature of the semi-
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the conductor junction of a photovoltaic cell.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3.2.2 junction temperature, n—synonym for cell tempera-
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
ture.
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
3.2.3 light source, n—a source of radiant energy used for
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
cellperformancemeasurementsthatsimulatesnaturalsunlight.
2. Referenced Documents
3.3 Symbols:
2
3.3.1 The following symbols and units are used in this test
2.1 ASTM Standards:
method:
E490Standard Solar Constant and Zero Air Mass Solar
2
A—cell area, m
Spectral Irradiance Tables
−1
α —temperature coefficient of reference cell, °C
E491Practice for Solar Simulation for Thermal Balance r
2 −1
C—calibration constant of reference cell, Am W
Testing of Spacecraft
C —transfer calibration ratio, dimensionless
E691Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to T
−2
E—irradiance, Wm
−2
E —standard reporting irradiance, Wm
o
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E44 on Solar,
η—efficiency, %
GeothermalandOtherAlternativeEnergySourcesandisthedirectresponsibilityof
FF—fill factor, %
Subcommittee E44.09 on Photovoltaic Electric Power Conversion.
I—current, A
Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2015. Published March 2015. Originally
I —monitor solar cell short-circuit current, A
approved in 1993. Last previous edition approved in 2009 as E948–09. DOI:
m
10.1520/E0948-15.
I —current with respect to SRC, A
o
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
I —reference cell short-circuit current, A
r
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
I —short-circuit current, A
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on sc
the ASTM website. M—spectral mismatch parameter, dimensionless
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E948 − 15
TABLE 1 Standard Reporting Conditions
time. It does not provide for integrating the output power over
Reference Spectral Irradiance Total Irradiance Temperature a given period of time and conditions to predict an energy
−2
Distribution (Wm ) (°C)
output.
Tables G173 Direct Normal 1000 25
5.4 Thistestmethodrequiresareferencecellcalibratedwith
Tables G173 Hemispherical 1000 25
Tables E490 1366.1 25 respect to an appropriate reference spectral irradiance
distribution, such as Tables E490,or G173. It is t
...