How to distinguish the quality of solar glass

What are the characteristics of glass for solar applications?

For solar applications the main attributes of glass are transmission, mechanical strength and specific weight. Transmission factors measure the ratio of energy of the transmitted to the incoming light for a specific glass and glass width. Ratio of the total energy from an AM1-5 source over whole solar spectrum from 300 - 2,500nm wavelength.

How to test the quality of glass?

There are various ways to test the quality of glass, and below are two common tests: What Is Glass Density Test? The glass density test is a quick and easy way to indirectly detect unexpected changes in the glass composition, due to mistakes in the raw materials batch and mixing process.

Why is patterned glass used in crystalline solar modules?

In the production of crystalline solar modules pat-terned glass substrates are used in lieu of bare glass. Patterned glass increases the amount of incoming sunlight. Common optical inspection systems for quality assurance and process control are mostly designed for unstructured glass.

Why do solar panels need to be inspected?

Especially critical are those defects that occur at the edges of the glass sheets – an area usually not covered by standard vision systems. Micro-cracks and chips of the solar glass panels are a major cause of glass breakage and their detection is important for assuring highest quality standards.