Reliability Comparison of a DC-DC Converter Placed in Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Module Frames

Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) replace traditional building elements with power generating elements through the use of solar cells. One of the targets for this technology is to place the module-level power converter into the photovoltaic module's frame to achieve an integrated system. Temperature is the most influential parameter for a converter's reliability, its damage caused on the components needs to be studied in detail. In this paper, a reliability comparison based on a four-day mission profile has been made in order to assess the most reliable frame position for this converter to be placed in as all of them possess a different temperature profile. The results show that placing the converter in the lateral bottom of the frame is significantly more reliable than the mid or top position. In addition, a lifetime analysis is performed on the converter's dc-link capacitor in order to demonstrate the required methodology. In future work, this can be extended towards other sensitive components when appropriate lifetime models become available. These lifetime estimations can then be combined to achieve an overall BIPV system lifetime assessment.