Mitigation techniques for arcing on space solar panels-results from ISRO

Space solar panels are prone to differential charging between solar cell coverglass and the interconnect between solar cells, resulting in primary arcs lasting for microseconds which are mostly harmless by themselves. However, if the arcs are fed by the power from the illuminated solar array, they can have serious consequences like burning and shorting of the array elements resulting in power loss. ISRO Satellite Centre has used various techniques like increasing the gap between strings and grouting of the solar array to mitigate the effect of arcs. This paper gives the results obtained in the tests carried out by ISRO on the effectiveness of these techniques and compares the results with the results obtained by others working in the field.