UV Test Chamber

Specification of the new equipment

• Chamber: 5400×1600 mm, brand: ZEALWE
• Heat exchanger: 1.2 m, ZEALWE
• Lamp system: 12 × 2000 W (OSRAM/Alpha-cure)
• EPS (Power Supplies): 12 × S2000-2SC020 (UWET)
• UV Irradiator (A+B): 1 × GCK-6D (OPTPE)
• IPC (Industrial Personal Computer) : ADVANTECH 601L
• Thermocouples: 3 × T-type (OMEGA)

Technical Parameters of sub-components are

UV Lamps

• Spectral range: 280–400 nm (no output <280 nm)
• 280–320 nm energy ratio: 3–10%
• Irradiance intensity: 150–250 W/m²
• Power: 2000 W each, warranty 1000 h

EPS (Electronic Power Supply)

• Input: 480 V AC, 6 A, 47–53 Hz
• Ripple/noise: ≤1%
• Protection: Overcurrent, short-circuit
• Working temp: −5 to 45 °C

UVA Radiometer

• Range: 320–400 nm
• Accuracy: ±5%, Response ≤5 s

UVB Radiometer

• Range: 280–400 nm
• Accuracy: ±5%, Response ≤5 s

Thermocouples

• Range: 0–200 °C, Precision ±2 °C

Chamber Parameters

• Internal size: 5400×1600×1900 mm
• Module temperature: 60–90 °C (±5 °C)
• Light uniformity: ≤15%
• Internal material: Reflective aluminum (0.8 mm)
• External material: Coated cold-rolled steel
• Test hole: Φ50 mm
• Air circulation: Fans below module for cooling3-technical specification of UV.

Industrial Personal Computer (IPC)

• RAM: 8 GB DDR
• HDD: 1 TB
• OS: Windows 10
• Display: DELL IN1940MW

Purpose of UV Chamber

The chamber is designed for UV preconditioning and accelerated aging tests on PV (photovoltaic) modules. It complies with:

• IEC 61215 (MQT 10) – UV preconditioning test for PV modules.
• IEC 61730 (MST 54) – PV module safety qualification.
• IEC 63126 – Extended test standards for durability

With this equipment, we can do:

• UV Preconditioning of Solar Modules
• Accelerated Aging & Material Testing
• Thermal Stress Evaluation
• Research & Development Applications

The UV chamber is primarily designed for PV module testing, but in fact UV accelerated aging is widely applied across industries. Since UV is one of the most destructive natural stressors (causing discoloration, cracking, embrittlement, and others), many fields use it to simulate years of sunlight exposure in days or weeks. It can test any material or component exposed to outdoor sunlight or artificial UV, for example:

• Electrical/Electronics: Insulation, connectors, enclosures.
• Avionics/Aerospace: Composites, windows, adhesives.
• Textile: Outdoor fabrics, uniforms, parachutes.
• Civil: Paints, sealants, façade materials.
• Automotive: Plastics, coatings, dashboards.
• Medical: Plastics, devices, UV sterilization durability.
• Weapons: Polymer parts, optics, coatings, textiles.

Operation of Equipment

UV chamber simulates long-term exposure of PV modules to ultraviolet light, helping evaluate how modules withstand years of sun exposure within a shorter time frame. Steps include:

1. Setup:

• Use the ZW-UVC01-025416 chamber with 12× 2000 W metal halide lamps (IEC-compliant).
• 12 × 2000W Metal Halide UV Lamps (OSRAM/Alpha-cure), individually controlled for irradiance and temperature. Irradiance Range: 150–250 W/m² (280–400 nm).
• UVA & UVB Radiometers for real-time monitoring.
• Thermocouples range is 0–200 °C, ±2 °C accuracy, for temperature monitoring. The designed operating module temperature inside the chamber is 60–90 °C (±5 °C). The thermocouples can read up to 200 °C, but the chamber control system keeps the modules within the 60–90 °C window during UV testing. In the equipment, there are total 3 Thermocouples, T type, OMEGA. These 3 sensors are typically used for Module front surface (control point), Module rear surface, Chamber ambient air
• Data Logging: Windows 10 IPC with recording/export in CSV, Excel, PDF, JPG.
• Automated Shutdown when cumulative irradiation or test duration is reached.

2. Test Strategy:

For test, we need to follow IEC 61215 MQT 10 / IEC 61730 MST 54 / IEC 63126 and Pre-set irradiance value of 150–250 W/m² (UV only). Chamber will maintain 60–90 °C ±5 °C with airflow + cooling exchanger. Other details include:

• Deliver 15 kWh/m² UV dose (280–400 nm) ≈ 25 years of sunlight equivalent.
• Exposure time: 60–100 h depending on set irradiance.
• Record irradiance, module temperature, cumulative dose automatically.

3. Outcome: The outcome of the test is Standard-compliant data for PV modules and materials. and provide test results for certification, warranty claims, and R&D.

What is UV?

UV stands for Ultraviolet radiation. It is a type of electromagnetic radiation that comes mainly from the sun, but also from artificial sources like UV lamps. It has shorter wavelengths than visible light, but longer than X-rays. Human eyes cannot see UV light, but we can often feel its effects (like tanning or sunburn). The electromagnetic spectrum is divided into regions by wavelength. For UV:

• UVA (320–400 nm): Long-wave UV, causes skin tanning, penetrates deeply, and is most abundant.
• UVB (280–320 nm): Medium-wave UV, causes sunburn and skin damage.
• UVC (100–280 nm): Short-wave UV, very harmful, but absorbed by the Earth’s ozone layer (unless artificially generated in lamps).

(nm = nanometer, 1 nm = 1 billionth of a meter)

There are different sources of UV including Natural and Artificial Sources. Natural Source i.e. Sunlight (contains UVA, UVB, but UVC is blocked by the atmosphere). Artificial Sources like Mercury lamps, metal halide lamps, UV LEDs, welding arcs, etc.

Uses of UV

1. Sterilization & Disinfection – UV-C destroys bacteria and viruses (in our equipment UVC is not there).
2. Medical & Cosmetic – Skin treatments, tanning lamps.
3. Forensics – Detecting substances like body fluids.
4. Electronics/Industry – UV curing of inks and adhesives.
5. Solar Testing – As in your uploaded UV chamber, UV is used to simulate long-term sunlight exposure to test durability of materials (solar modules, plastics, coatings, etc.).

Why UV Testing is Important for PV Modules?

Solar panels (PV modules) are installed outdoors for 20–30 years. During this time, they are constantly exposed to sunlight, which contains UV radiation. Even though only about 5% of solar radiation reaching Earth is UV, its high energy photons can cause chemical and physical damage to the materials in PV modules. That’s why international standards (like IEC 61215 – MQT 10) require UV preconditioning tests.

No. of Days Required to Simulate 25 Years:

Step 1: IEC UV dose requirement

As per IEC 61215 (MQT 10) specifies, 15kWh/m2=15,000Wh/m2 UV dose requirement to test the solar panel. this UV dose (280–400 nm) ≈ 25 years of natural exposure. However this is not the exact number! Through field–lab correlation studies, researchers found that 15 kWh/m² (54 MJ/m²) of UV exposure is enough to trigger early-stage yellowing, cracking, or delamination in poor-quality materials. It does not simulate full 25 years — instead, it acts like a screening threshold. Materials that survive 15 kWh/m² without visible/measurable degradation are expected to perform well outdoors. If IEC had chosen true lifetime doses (hundreds to thousands of MJ/m²), chamber tests would take months or even years.

Step 2: Chamber irradiance

Our chamber provides up to 250 W/m² UV irradiance.

• Since 1 W = 1 Wh/h,
• 250W/m2=250Wh/m2 per hour

Step 3: Required time (hours)

Time (hours)=15,000/ 250=60hours

Step 4: Convert to days

If the chamber runs continuously (24 h/day):

Days=24/60=2.5days

Therefore, at 250 W/m² irradiance of UV, it takes about 60 hours which is equal to ≈ 2.5 days (continuous operation) to simulate 25 years of outdoor UV exposure per IEC 61215.

What is the meaning of 1000 W/m² in “Standard Test Condition”?

In photovoltaics, 1000 W/m² means total solar irradiance (all sunlight, across the spectrum, not just UV). It includes

• ~5% UV (280–400 nm)
• ~43% visible (400–700 nm)
• ~52% infrared (>700 nm)

1000 W/m² is the reference irradiance used in PV module testing to rate power output (STC: 1000 W/m², AM1.5 spectrum, 25 °C cell temp). So, 1000 W/m² is not UV alone — it is the full solar spectrum intensity under standard conditions.

In conclusion, the addition of the UV Chamber at ASURE Centre marks a significant step forward in our testing and research capabilities. It enables us to simulate decades of sunlight exposure within days, ensuring the durability and reliability of solar modules and many other materials. Beyond photovoltaics, this facility will also support innovations across multiple industries, helping us contribute to safer, stronger, and more sustainable technologies.