Photovoltaic modules with a thermoplastic hot-melt adhesive layer and a process for their production

• US 20070131274A1
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bernd Post, Christian Hassler, Eckard Foltin, Gerhard Opelka, Gunther Stollwerck, Jurgen Hattig
• Original Assignee: Bernd Post, Christian Hassler, Eckard Foltin, Gerhard Opelka, Gunther Stollwerck, Jurgen Hattig
• Inventors: Stollwerck, Gunther, Foltin, Eckard, Post, Bernd, Hassler, Christian, Hattig, Jurgen, Opelka, Gerhard
• Application Number:
  US11/656,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20070131274A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/251
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10009 characterized by the number, the constitution or treatment of glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/1077 containing polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/048 Encapsulation of modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0481 characterised by the composition of the encapsulation material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

The invention relates to photovoltaic modules with a specific thermoplastic adhesive layer and the production thereof.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. Process for the production of the photovoltaic modules comprising:

A) at least one outer covering layer on the front side, facing the energy source, of glass or an impact-resistant, UV-stable, weathering stable, transparent plastic with a low permeability to water vapor,

B) at least one outer layer on the reverse side, facing away from the energy source, of glass or a weathering-stable plastic with a low permeability to water vapor, and

C) at least one adhesive layer of plastic between A) and B) in which at least one or more solar cells connected electrically to one another are embedded,

wherein the adhesive layer of plastic C) comprises an aliphatic, thermoplastic polyurethane with a hardness of 75 Shore A to 70 Shore D, and with a softening temperature T_sof of 90°

C. to 150°

C. at an E′

-modulus of 2 MPa (measured according to the DMS-method), which is a reaction product of an aliphatic diisocyanate, at least one Zerewitinoff-active polyol with on average at least 1.8 to not more than 3.0 Zerewitinoff-active hydrogen atoms and with a number-average molecular weight of 600 to 10,000 g/mol and at least one Zerewitinoff-active polyol with an average at least 1.8 to not more than 3.0 Zerewitinoff-active hydrogen atoms and with a number-average molecular weight of 60 to 500 g/mol as a chain lengthener, the molar ratio of the NCO groups of the aliphatic diisocyanate to the OH groups of the chain lengthener and the polyol being 0.85 to 1.2,

wherein said process comprises the step of producing the photovoltaic module in a vacuum sheet laminator or in a roller laminator.

11. A process according to claim 10, wherein a composite comprising a cover sheet or cover film and an adhesive film of plastic, a solar cell string and a composite comprising a film or sheet on the reverse side and an adhesive film of plastic are fed over a roller laminator and thereby pressed and glued to give the solar module.

21. The process according to claim 10, wherein the molar ratio of the NCO groups of the aliphatic diisocyanate to the OH groups of the chain lengthener and the polyol is 0.9 to 1.1.

22. The process according to claim 10, wherein the cover layer A) comprises a sheet or one or more films.

23. The process according to claim 10, wherein the layer B) comprises a sheet or one or more films.

24. The process according to claim 10, wherein the cover layer A) is a film or sheet present in strips, the strips being arranged over the at least one or more solar cells.

25. The process according to claim 10, wherein the at least one or more solar cells embedded in the adhesive layer of plastic C) are arranged in solar cell strings.

26. The process according to claim 10, wherein the solar cell strings are soldered or connected by means of conductive adhesives one after the other in series.

27. The process according to claim 26, wherein electrical connection between the solar cells consists of conductive adhesives which are applied directly to the inside of the adhesive layer of plastic C), in the form of beads, so that the beads fall directly onto corresponding contacts of the solar cells during lamination.

28. The process according to claim 10, wherein a glass film with a thickness of less than 500 μ

m is additionally present in the adhesive layer of plastic C) between the cover layer A) and the at least one or more solar cells.

12. Photovoltaic modules comprising:

A) at least one outer covering layer on the front side, facing the energy source, of an impact-resistant, UV-stable, weathering-stable, transparent plastic which is capable of acting as a barrier to water vapor,

B) at least one outer layer on the reverse side, facing away from the energy source, of glass or a weathering-stable plastic which is capable of acting as a barrier to water vapor, and

C) at least one adhesive layer of plastic between A) and B) in which at least one or more solar cells connected electrically to one another are embedded,

wherein the adhesive layer of plastic C) comprises an aliphatic, thermoplastic polyurethane with a hardness of 75 Shore A to 70 Shore D, and with a softening temperature T_s of 90°

C. to 150°

C. at an E′

-modulus of 2 MPa, which is a reaction product of an aliphatic diisocyanate, at least one Zerewitinoff-active polyol with on average at least 1.8 to not more than 3.0 Zerewitinoff-active hydrogen atoms and with a number-average molecular weight of 600 to 10,000 g/mol and at least one Zerewitinoff-active polyol with an on average at least 1.8 to not more than 3.0 Zerewitinoff-active hydrogen atoms and with a number-average molecular weight of 60 to 500 g/mol as a chain lengthener, the molar ratio of the NCO groups of the aliphatic diisocyanate to the OH groups of the chain lengthener and the polyol being 0.85 to 1.2.

13. Photovoltaic modules according to claim 12 wherein the molar ratio of the NCO groups of the aliphatic diisocyanate to the OH groups of the chain lengthener and the polyol is 0.9 to 1.1.

14. Photovoltaic modules according to claim 12, wherein the cover layer A) comprises a sheet or one or more films.

15. Photovoltaic modules according to claim 12, wherein the layer B) comprises a sheet or one or more films.

16. Photovoltaic modules according to claim 12, wherein the cover layer A) is a film or sheet present in strips, the strips being arranged over the at least one or more solar cells.

17. Photovoltaic modules according to claim 12, wherein the solar cells embedded in the adhesive layer of plastic C) are arranged in solar cell strings.

18. Photovoltaic modules according to claim 17, wherein the solar cell strings are soldered or connected by means of conductive adhesives one after the other in series.

19. Photovoltaic modules according to claim 18, wherein electrical connection between the solar cells consists of conductive adhesives which are applied directly to the inside of the adhesive layer of plastic C), in the form of beads, so that the beads fall directly onto corresponding contacts of the solar cells during lamination.

20. Photovoltaic modules according to claim 12, wherein a glass film with a thickness of less than 500 μ

m is additionally present in the adhesive layer of plastic C) between the cover layer A) and the at least one or more solar cells.