PSI - Issue 41

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2022) 000–000 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2022) 000–000 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect

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Procedia Structural Integrity 41 (2022) 305–316

2nd Mediterranean Conference on Fracture and Structural Integrity Peridynamic Modelling of Propagation of Cracks in Photovoltaic Panels Andrew Premchander 1 * , Islam Amin 1,2 , Selda Oterkus 1 , Erkan Oterkus 1 and Nabil Ahmed Shawky Elminshawy 3 2nd Mediterranean Conference on Fracture and Structural Integrity Peridynamic Modelling of Propagation of Cracks in Photovoltaic Panels Andrew Premchander 1 * , Islam Amin 1,2 , Selda Oterkus 1 , Erkan Oterkus 1 and Nabil Ahmed Shawky Elminshawy 3

1PeriDynamics Research Centre, Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom 2Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt 3Department of Mechanical Power Engineering, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt 1PeriDynamics Research Cent e, Department of Nav l Architec ure, Ocean and Marine Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom 2Department of Naval Ar itecture and Marine Engineering, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt 3Department of Mechanical Power Engineering, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt

© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the MedFract2Guest Editors. © 2022 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the MedFract2Guest Editors. Abstract Photovoltaics (PV) is a method of co verting sol r energy into direct current electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. Cracking in PV panels can cause performance degr dation in PV panels. In this study, a new computational m thodology, peridynamics is utilised to inv stigate the cracking behav our i PV panels. Peridynamics is based on integ o-differe tial equations, and it is a very suitable technique o model crack initiati n and pr pagation. Majority of PV panels are based o silicon sol r c ll technology. Therefore, polycrystalli e material behaviour f silicon is explicitly considered in the model. The n merical fram work can be used to support the design of high-performant, long-lasting and fract r -r sis ant PV panels. The results can also be used to produce practical guidelines aimed to facilitate the decision of PV module rejection due to cracking during production. © 2022 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an ope acces article under CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the MedFract2Guest Editors. Abstract Photovoltaics (PV) is a method of converting solar energy into direct current electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. Cracking in PV panels can cause performance degradation in PV panels. In this study, a new computational methodology, peridynamics is utilised to investigate the cracking behaviour in PV panels. Peridynamics is based on integro-differential equations, and it is a very suitable technique to model crack initiation and propagation. Majority of PV panels are based on silicon solar cell technology. Therefore, polycrystalline material behaviour of silicon is explicitly considered in the model. The numerical framework can be used to support the design of high-performant, long-lasting and fracture-resistant PV panels. The results can also be used to produce practical guidelines aimed to facilitate the decision of PV module rejection due to cracking during production.

Keywords: Polycrystalline Material, Peridynamics, Crack, Photovoltaics Keywords: Polycrystalline Material, Peridynamics, Crack, Photovoltaics

* Corresponding author * Corresponding author

E-mail address: andrewjohnson.p@yahoo.com E-mail address: andrewjohnson.p@yahoo.com

2452-3216 © 2022 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 ) Peer-review under responsibility of the MedFract2Guest Editors. 2452-3216 © 2022 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an ope acces article under CC BY-NC-ND license ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 )

Peer-review under responsibility of the MedFract2Guest Editors.

2452-3216 © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the MedFract2Guest Editors. 10.1016/j.prostr.2022.05.036