IEC 60904-10:2009

Photovoltaic devices - Part 10: Methods of linearity measurement

IEC 60904-10:2009 describes procedures used to determine the degree of linearity of any photovoltaic device parameter with respect to a test parameter. It is primarily intended for use by calibration laboratories, module manufacturers and system designers. The main technical changes with regard to the previous edition are as follows:
- added clause for two-lamp method for Isc linearity;
- removed clause on spectral responsivity nonlinearity because it is not used by any PV testing / calibration group.

Dispositifs photovoltaïques - Partie 10: Méthodes de mesure de la linéarité

La CEI 60904-10:2009 décrit des procédures utilisées pour déterminer le degré de linéarité d'un quelconque paramètre du dispositif photovoltaïque par rapport à un paramètre d'essai. Elle est surtout destinée à être utilisée par les laboratoires d'étalonnage, les fabricants de modules et les concepteurs de systèmes. Les principales modifications techniques par rapport à l'édition précédente sont les suivantes:
- ajout d'un article sur la méthode à deux lampes pour la linéarité Isc
; - suppression de l'article sur la non-linéarité de la réponse spectrale parce qu'elle n'est utilisée par aucun groupe d'étalonnage/d'essai PV.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 16-Dec-2009
• ICS: 01 - GENERALITIES. TERMINOLOGY. STANDARDIZATION. DOCUMENTATION
• ICS: 27.160 - Solar energy engineering
• Technical Committee: TC 82 - Solar photovoltaic energy systems
• Drafting Committee: WG 2 - TC 82/WG 2
• Current Stage: DELPUB - Deleted Publication
• Start Date: 30-Jun-2017
• Completion Date: 18-Sep-2020

Relations

• Revised: IEC 60904-10:2020 - Photovoltaic devices - Part 10: Methods of linear dependence and linearity measurements
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023
• Revises: IEC 60904-10:1998 - Photovoltaic devices - Part 10: Methods of linearity measurement
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 60904-10 ®
Edition 2.0 2009-12
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Photovoltaic devices –
Part 10: Methods of linearity measurement

Dispositifs photovoltaïques –
Partie 10: Méthodes de mesure de la linéarité

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IEC 60904-10 ®
Edition 2.0 2009-12
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Photovoltaic devices –
Part 10: Methods of linearity measurement

Dispositifs photovoltaïques –
Partie 10: Méthodes de mesure de la linéarité

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
M
CODE PRIX
ICS 27.160 ISBN 978-2-88910-325-6
– 2 – 60904-10 © IEC:2009
CONTENTS
FOREWORD.3
1 Scope and object .5
2 Normative references.5
3 Apparatus.6
4 Sample selection .6
5 Procedure for current and voltage linearity test.6
5.1 Procedure in natural sunlight .6
5.2 Procedure with a solar simulator .8
5.3 Procedure for short-circuit linearity from absolute spectral responsivity .9
6 Procedure for short-circuit current linearity from two-lamp method.9
6.1 Background .9
6.2 Apparatus - Light sources A and B .9
6.3 General procedure.9
7 Linearity calculation .10
7.1 Slope linearity determination.10
7.2 Determination of the short circuit current linearity using the two lamp method.11
7.3 Linearity requirements .11
8 Report .11
Bibliography .13

60904-10 © IEC:2009 – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
___________
PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES –
Part 10: Methods of linearity measurement

FOREWORD
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International Standard IEC 60904-10 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 82: Solar
photovoltaic energy systems.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 1998 and constitutes a
technical revision.
The main technical changes with regard to the previous edition are as follows:
a) Added clause for two-lamp method for I linearity.
sc
b) Changed standard deviation as a metric for linearity to percent deviation from linearity. This
was done because a non-linear device can have a low standard deviation and percent
deviation is the quantitative number that matters for the parameter of interest.
c) Removed clause on spectral responsivity nonlinearity because it is not used by any PV
testing / calibration group. For testing real PV devices it is difficult to make this error
significant in the spectral mismatch correction factor while still passing I linearity.
sc
Measuring the responsivity over the entire response range means that the device will
probably fail the temperature linearity near the band edge.

– 4 – 60904-10 © IEC:2009
d) Added a clause to allow short circuit linearity with temperature or total irradiance to be
determined from absolute spectral responsivity measurements. This data is routinely
reported in PTB primary reference cell calibration certificates.
e) Added report clause in compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 requirements.
f) Often the temperature coefficient of short circuit current is very small so measurement
errors can result in percent deviations outside the accepted range. Therefore, the following
text was added to 7.3c): “If the temperature coefficient of short circuit current is less than
0,1 %/K, then the device can be considered linear with respect to this parameter.”
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on Voting
82/582/FDIS 82/589/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard report can be found in the report
on voting indicated in the above table.
A list of all parts of IEC 60904 series, under the general title Photovoltaic devices, can be
found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until the
maintenance result date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
60904-10 © IEC:2009 – 5 –
PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES –
Part 10: Methods of linearity measurement

1 Scope and object
This part of IEC 60904 describes procedures used to determine the degree of linearity of any
photovoltaic device parameter with respect to a test parameter. It is primarily intended for use
by calibration laboratories, module manufacturers and system designers.
Photovoltaic (PV) module and system performance evaluations, and performance translations
from one set of temperature and irradiance conditions to another frequently rely on the use of
linear equations (see IEC 60891 and IEC 61829). This standard lays down the linearity
requirements and test methods to ensure that these linear equations will give satisfactory
results. Indirectly, these requirements dictate the range of the temperature and irradiance
variables over which the equations can be used.
The methods of measurement described in this standard apply to all PV devices and are
intended to be carried out on a sample or on a comparable device of identical technology. They
should be performed prior to all measurement and correction procedures that require a linea
...