Studies On The Fire Behaviors And Spread Rules Of Flexible CIGS Photovoltaic Panels

In recent years,as a form of solar energy utilization,building integrated photovoltaic(shortened to BIPV)system has been widely developed and used.In BIPV system,different types of photovoltaic panels can be combined with buildings,and flexible CIGS photovoltaic panels are gradually used in BIPV system on account of their high photoelectric conversion rate,flexibility and light weight.However,some fire hazards exist when flexible CIGS photovoltaic panels are applied to the surface of buildings,and when buildings catch fires,those panels are very likely to be ignited,which will not only exacerbate the fire spread of buildings but even pose a threat to people’s lives.In this paper,full-scale combustion experiments are carried out on flexible CIGS photovoltaic panels.Taking it consideration that the panels can be combined with any surface of the building and the uncertainty of ignition source,the experimental platforms for combustion characteristics of flexible CIGS photovoltaic panels with different inclinations and different locations of ignition source are built,and the effects of different inclinations with 0°,30°,45°,60°,90° and different locations of ignition source with bottom and central ignition source on fire behavior and spread rules of flexible CIGS photovoltaic panels are analyzed according to characteristic parameters of fire such as the length of fire,the length of pyrolysis zone,the inclination fire,the height of fire and the area of flame,as well as characteristic parameters of the combustion of panels such as the change of weight,the concentration of smoke and the temperature on the surface of panels.The studies find that in the given experiment conditions,heat penetration occurs in all panels,and the combustion of the panel produces molten droplets.The inclination has an effect on the fire behavior of flexible CIGS photovoltaic panels,and the speed of fire spread increases gradually with the increase of inclination.The flame will not spread to the whole panel with inclination of 0° no matter the location of ignition source,and the molten droplets produced by the panel in vertical position can produce the pool fire under the panel,which aggravates the fire hazards of fire spread.Compared with bottom ignition source,when the ignition source is placed at the center of the panel,the upward fire spread has little effect on the unburned area of the panel below the ignition source,but however,due to the combustion characteristics of the panel,when the panel with inclination of 45° is ignited with central ignition source,the weak flames spread downward along both sides of the panel,which causes the upward fire spread occur again.The research of this paper provides solid theoretical and technical supports for developments and safe applications of BIPV industry.