Impact of power electronics packaging on the reliability of grid connected photovoltaic converters for outdoor applications

This paper deals with thermal and reliability aspects of converters for grid connected photovoltaic applications (rate power approximately 100 W) which can be integrated into solar modules. The use of these Module Integrated Converters (MIC) promises a reduction of costs due to mass production. It improves behaviour of the whole photovoltaic system, as there is no voltage mismatch caused by shading effects. The electronic components of the MIC are exposed to extreme environmental conditions. Lifetime limiting factors are described. Methods to increase the lifetime of the most crucial components in the MIC, electrolytic capacitors, are described. The presented 1st generation Low Profile MIC with 'optimised design' is capable of running in very high ambient temperatures. This design maximises availability of the photovoltaic system, which consequently leads to a cost reduction of the electrical energy delivered to the grid. Different realisations of how to integrate the designed Low Profile MIC into the solar module are discussed. A detailed thermal simulation is used to optimise the MIC design according to temperature and reliability issues. The models used for thermal simulation are described.