INTA SPASOLAB is a specialized laboratory to perform assessment and qualification tests of photovoltaic assemblies and components for space applications according to ECSS Standards.
In addition, SPASOLAB is also dedicated to Calibration of multijunction solar cells.
MAIN FACILITIES:
SPASOLAB facilities can cover the majority of the test of a solar cell qualification. More relevant facilities are summarized below:
- Electrical performance test facilities:
• Two steady-state multi-light source solar simulators based on xenon short arc light source. Beams of 140 mm and 300 mm respectively.
• Double source solar simulator, with AM0 improved spectrum. Beam of 100 mm diameter.
• Triple source solar simulator. Beam size of 140 mm x 140 mm.
• A four zones solar simulator. Beam size of 250 mm x 250 mm.
• Pulsed solar simulator, for carrying out current-voltage measurements of coupons and solar panels, up to 2 m x 2 m.
• Dedicated instrumentation able to carry out automatized electrical measurements of a solar cell from 15ºC to 150ºC.
• One temperature chamber with a test size up to 200 mm x 210 mm with nitrogen gas inner atmosphere. The adequate combination of this chamber with a simulator allows SPASOLAB to carry out electrical measurements from -170ºC up to 250ºC.
- Environmental Tests facilities:
• High vacuum chamber for UV radiation degradation tests. Vacuum better than 10-5mb. Temperature range from 25ºC to 250ºC. For UV light generation there is available a simulator with an acceleration factor up to 13.
• Photonic irradiation systems with a temperature range between 20ºC and 30ºC and irradiance range between 130 mW/cm2 and 140 mW/cm2. The work surface is 30cm x 40 cm.
• One climatic chamber with an internal volume of 60x56x47 cm3. The temperature range is from -30ºC to 100 ºC and humidity range from 10%HR to 98%HR (not being possible all the combinations). The chambers are fed with water supplied by a water purification system capable to supply water type I (according standard ASTM 1193-91).
- Spectral response measurement equipment
• The laboratory owns a system capable to measure the electrical signal of the samples, under monochromatic light adjustable from 300nm to 1800nm. A set of bias lamps with their corresponding optical filters and lenses, allows to measure spectral responses of multi junction solar cells.
• A cryostat, with a test surface of 100 mm x 100mm. This cryostat can be combined with the spectral response system and allow to carry out measurements at a temperature range of -170ºC to 270ºC.
- Thermo-optical measurements:
• Normal emittance measurement system is carried out in the wavelength range from 3m to 30m.
• Spectrophotometer equipment able to measure optical transmittance, diffuse and specular hemispherical reflectance and solar absorptance (range from 250nm to 2500 nm).
Type:
Service
Available standards (e.g. ASTM, MIL):
ESA ECSS-E-ST-20-08
Project heritage:
ENVISAT-PPF, Meteosat second generation, METOP, Rosetta, STENTOR, etc.
Cleanroom classes (ISO 14644-1):
ISO Class ≤5
ISO Class 6
ISO Class 7
ISO Class 8
ISO Class 9
Keywords:
Photovoltaic, solar cell, AM0, UV radiation, Spectral response.
