Sevilla-Camacho, P.Y., Robles-Ocampo, J.B., Rodríguez-Resendíz, J., Cruz-Arreola, S. De la, Sánchez-Hernández, F., and Solís-Cisneros, H.I.
• Experimental study of a solar simulator for investigation of photovoltaic modules. • Characterization of a large-scale solar simulator according to ASTM/IEC standards. • Evaluation of design features and components for a large-scale solar simulator. • Analysis of light source, energy source, and mounting structure. • Analysis of reflector geometry, lamp height, and distance between reflectors. The evaluation of photovoltaic devices must be carried out in laboratories under stable conditions of irradiance, spatial uniformity, and spectral mismatch. Large-scale solar simulators are a reliable option for this. Various designs of simulators have been reported; however, more needs to be deepened in their study. In this work, an experimental investigation was conducted in order to explore the relationship between spatial non-uniformity, temporal instability, and the design features and components of a large-scale solar simulator based on metal halide lamps. The evaluation was based on the standard performance requirements of solar simulators, and various parameters were considered, including the geometry of the reflectors, the distance between reflectors, and the height of the lamps. In addition, the forces and deformations of the complete structure of the simulator, as well as the effects of the lamp orientation and the type of electrical supply, were analyzed. Based on the evaluation results of the design features and components, a simulator solar with an illuminated area of 1.7 m x 1.8 m was designed, constructed, and experimentally tested. A simulator class C was achieved, covering an area of 0.50 m x 0.50 m. The performance of the solar simulator was validated by experimental tests performed on commercial photovoltaic modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]