Title:	New Findings in Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting of PV Installations
Author(s):	U. Muntwyler
Keywords:	Photovoltaic (PV), Connector, Fire Prevention, Cross Interoperability, Silicon Particles
Topic:	Operation, Performance, Reliability and Sustainability of Photovoltaics
Subtopic:	Sustainability and Recycling
Event:	32nd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
Session:	5DO.15.4
Pages:	1764 - 1767
ISBN:	3-936338-41-8
Paper DOI:	10.4229/EUPVSEC20162016-5DO.15.4
Price:	0,00 EUR
Document(s):	paper

Abstract/Summary:

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Fire prevention of PV installations is a key research field of the PV Laboratory of the Berner Fachhochschule1. In a comprehensive research project of TÜV-Rheinland (with participation of the PV laboratory of the Berner Fachhochschule) a certain number of fire incidents with and on PV installations had been reported. In the state of Berne, the state owned insurance company “Berner Gebäudeversicherung GVB” started together with the PV Laboratory a three year research project on the topic. The research should lead in practical advices for the firemen and their instructors in the state of Berne2. Investigations about the cross interoperability of PV connectors showed that this creates a serious quality problem in PV installations3. Through fires on farm houses with roof integrated PV installations, we got aware that, after a fire, a serious amount of silicon particles will be spread other a wide area in the direction of the wind. We investigated the process and analyzed all the particles and their impact on the farmers land. We investigated several aspects of this process and how he has to be treated to avoid problems for the farmer and his animals.