Surface Temperature Of A Solar Array Under Simulated Failure Modes In Orbital Conditions

Peter Papula; Carole Stowell

doi:10.1117/12.946132

20 March 1985 Surface Temperature Of A Solar Array Under Simulated Failure Modes In Orbital Conditions

Peter Papula, Carole Stowell

Proceedings Volume 0520, Thermosense VII: Thermal Infrared Sensing for Diagnostics and Control; (1985) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.946132
Event: 1984 Cambridge Symposium, 1984, Cambridge, United States

Abstract

A characteristic piece of a solar array herein referred to as a Q-board was placed in a cryogenically cooled vacuum chamber with exposure to radiation from a solar simulator and subjected to a series of test conditions. The test conditions simulated failure modes which caused certain rows of the cells to be reverse biased. As a result of these test procedures, some of the cells on the solar array increased in temperature. Surface and bulk temperatures were monitored and periodic solar cell performance curves generated to evaluate degradation of the cells, if any, during the test. The bulk temperatures were measured by thermocouples bonded to the Q-board. The surface temperatures of the Q-board were monitored through a heated Potassium Chloride (KC1) cha bet viewing port by an AGA780 thermovision unit and digitally recorded. Since the array had an emmissivity of less than 1, (c -.8) and could only be viewed by the detector through the heated KC1 window, it was necessary to calibrate the detector using a blackbody radiation viewed through an intervening KC1 window. Compensations were made to account for the radiative and reflective contribution from the KCL window. Correlation of the measured temperatures to the theoretical or predicted values are discussed as well as the method used to calibrate the AGA detector and compensations made.

Citation Download Citation

Peter Papula and Carole Stowell "Surface Temperature Of A Solar Array Under Simulated Failure Modes In Orbital Conditions", Proc. SPIE 0520, Thermosense VII: Thermal Infrared Sensing for Diagnostics and Control, (20 March 1985); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.946132

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