Encapsulants for photovoltaic modules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9842951-B2
Application number	US-201414318469-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2014
Priority date	Jun 27, 2014
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A photovoltaic (PV) Module can include a substantially transparent cover, first encapsulant, a solar cell and a second encapsulant. The second encapsulant can be configured to allow thermal communication between the solar cell and a heat sink. Various configurations and methods of making the same are presented.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic (PV) module, the method comprising:
forming a plurality of encapsulant regions on a substantially transparent cover;
spreading the plurality of encapsulant regions on the substantially transparent cover;
placing a first solar cell on the plurality of encapsulant regions;
placing another encapsulant over the first solar cell;
bonding the plurality of encapsulant regions and the another encapsulant to the first solar cell;
forming a backsheet on the another encapsulant;
forming a thermal interface material (TIM) on the backsheet;
forming a heat sink on the TIM; and
forming fins on the heat sink.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein spreading the plurality of encapsulant regions comprises:
placing an edge of an applicator over the substantially transparent cover; and
applying the applicator on the plurality of encapsulant regions.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein placing the edge of the applicator includes placing the edge of the applicator 0.1-2.0 mm away from the substantially transparent cover.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
placing an edge of an applicator a distance away from the substantially transparent cover; and
applying the applicator to the plurality of encapsulant regions, wherein placing an edge of an applicator a distance away from the substantially transparent cover substantially uniformly forms the plurality encapsulant regions with a thickness in a range of 50-500 microns.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying the applicator substantially uniformly spreads the plurality of encapsulant regions.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein applying an applicator comprises applying a blade, a glass blade, a squeegee or a rubber squeegee on the plurality of encapsulant regions.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a plurality of encapsulant regions comprises forming a plurality of silicon lines.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the plurality of silicon lines comprises regularly spacing the plurality of encapsulant regions approximately 1-25 cm apart.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein bonding the plurality of encapsulant regions and the another encapsulant comprises curing the plurality of encapsulant regions and the another encapsulant.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein bonding the plurality of encapsulant regions and the another encapsulant comprises cross-linking the plurality of encapsulant regions and the another encapsulant.

11. A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic (PV) module, the method comprising:
forming a liquid encapsulant in a first direction on a substantially transparent cover;
applying an applicator in a second direction to the liquid encapsulant, wherein the second direction is different than the first direction;
placing a first solar cell on the liquid encapsulant;
forming another encapsulant over the first solar cell;
bonding the liquid encapsulant and the another encapsulant to the first solar cell;
forming a backsheet on the another encapsulant;
forming a thermal interface material (TIM) on the backsheet;
forming a heat sink on the TIM; and
forming fins on the heat sink.

12. The method of claim 11 , applying the applicator includes applying an edge of the applicator approximately 0.1-2.0 mm away from the substantially transparent cover.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein applying the applicator in a second direction substantially uniformly spreads the liquid encapsulant over the substantially transparent cover.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein applying the applicator comprises applying a blade, a glass blade, a squeegee or a rubber squeegee on the plurality of encapsulant regions.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the liquid encapsulant comprises forming a plurality of silicon lines.

16. A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic (PV) module, the method comprising:
forming a plurality of encapsulant regions on a cover;
spreading the plurality of encapsulant regions on the cover;
placing a first solar cell on the plurality of encapsulant regions;
placing another encapsulant over the first solar cell;
bonding the plurality of encapsulant regions and the another encapsulant to the first solar cell;
forming a backsheet on the another encapsulant;
forming a thermal interface material (TIM) on the backsheet;
forming a heat sink on the TIM; and
forming fins on the heat sink.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein spreading the plurality of encapsulant regions comprises:
placing an edge of an applicator over the cover; and
applying the applicator on the plurality of encapsulant regions.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein placing the edge of the applicator includes placing the edge of the applicator 0.1-2.0 mm away from the cover.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
placing an edge of an applicator a distance away from the cover; and
applying the applicator to the plurality of encapsulant regions, wherein placing an edge of an applicator a distance away from the cover substantially uniformly forms the plurality encapsulant regions with a thickness in a range of 50-500 microns.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein applying the applicator substantially uniformly spreads the plurality of encapsulant regions.

Assignees

• Sunpower Corp

Inventors

• Sethi Sunny
• Okawa David

Classifications

• H01L31/055

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/049

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02S40/42

  Cooling means · CPC title

• B32B15/18

  comprising iron or steel {(B32B15/011, B32B15/012 and B32B15/013 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H01L31/0481

  Electricity · mapped topic