Search

Photovoltaic (PV) fault detection is crucial because undetected PV faults can lead to significant energy losses, with some cases experiencing losses of up to 10%. The efficiency of PV systems depends upon the reliable detection and diagnosis of faults. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques has been a growing trend in addressing these issues. The goal of this systematic review is to offer a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in AI-based methodologies for PV fault detection, consolidating the key findings from 31 research papers. An initial pool of 142 papers were identified, from which 31 were selected for in-depth review following the PRISMA guidelines. The title, objective, methods, and findings of each paper were analyzed, with a focus on machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) approaches. ML and DL are particularly suitable for PV fault detection because of their capacity to process and analyze large amounts of data to identify complex patterns and anomalies. This study identified several AI techniques used for fault detection in PV systems, ranging from classical ML methods like k-nearest neighbor (KNN) and random forest to more advanced deep learning models such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). Quantum circuits and infrared imagery were also explored as potential solutions. The analysis found that DL models, in general, outperformed traditional ML models in accuracy and efficiency. This study shows that AI methodologies have evolved and been increasingly applied in PV fault detection. The integration of AI in PV fault detection offers high accuracy and effectiveness. After reviewing these studies, we proposed an Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based method for PV fault detection and classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thickness of the indium tin oxide (ITO) layer is a critical parameter affecting the performance of solar cells. Traditional measurement methods require sample collection, leading to manufacturing interruptions and potential quality issues. In this paper, we propose a real-time, non-contact approach using deep learning and optical interference phenomena to estimate the thickness of ITO layers in solar cells. We develop a convolutional neural network (CNN) model that processes microscopic images of solar cells and predicts the ITO layer thickness. In addition, mean absolute error (MAE) and mean squared error (MSE) loss functions are combined to train the model. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in accurately estimating the ITO layer thickness. The integration of computer vision and deep learning techniques provides a valuable tool for non-destructive testing and quality control in the manufacturing of solar cells. The loss of the model after training is reduced to 0.83, and the slope of the test value in the scatter plot with the true value of the ellipsometer is approximately equal to 1, indicating the high reliability of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste disposal remains a challenge due to land availability, and environmental and health issues related to the main disposal method, landfilling. Combining computer vision (machine learning) and robotics to sort waste is a cost-effective solution for landfilling activities limitation. The objective of this study was to combine transfer and ensemble learning to process collected waste images and classify landfill waste into nine classes. Pretrained CNN models (Inception–ResNet-v2, EfficientNetb3, and DenseNet201) were used as base models to develop the ensemble network, and three other single CNN models (Models 1, 2, and 3). The single network performances were compared to the ensemble model. The waste dataset, initially grouped in two classes, was obtained from Kaggle, and reorganized into nine classes. Classes with a low number of data were improved by downloading additional images from Google search. The Ensemble Model showed the highest prediction precision (90%) compared to the precision of Models 1, 2, and 3, 86%, 87%, and 88%, respectively. All models had difficulties predicting overlapping classes, such as glass and plastics, and wood and paper/cardboard. The environmental costs for the Ensemble network, and Models 2 and 3, approximately 15 g CO2 equivalent per training, were lower than the 19.23 g CO2 equivalent per training for Model 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]