Flexible Photovoltaic Array With Integrated Wiring And Control Circuitry, And Associated Methods

• US 20080099062A1
• Filed: 10/23/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., Solarstrap Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Foster, Matthew, Jensen, Douglas, Port, Jonathan, Armstrong, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,812,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/248
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02008 for solar cells or solar cell modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/048 Encapsulation of modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0504 specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/00 PV power plants; Combinations of PV energy systems with other systems for the generation of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/36 characterised by special electrical interconnection means between two or more PV modules, e.g. electrical module-to-module connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/293 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49355 Solar energy device making

Abstract

A flexible photovoltaic module for converting light into electricity includes a plurality of photovoltaic cells, a wiring harness, and a connection subsystem. The plurality of photovoltaic cells are electrically interconnected to form a positive node for supplying current to a load and a negative node for receiving current from the load. The wiring harness includes a plurality of flexible electrical conductors, each electrical conductor being electrically isolated within the wiring harness. The connection subsystem is operable to selectively connect the positive node to one of the electrical conductors of the wiring harness. A plurality of flexible photovoltaic modules may be connected to form a photovoltaic array.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic array, comprising:

a flexible first photovoltaic module for converting light into electricity, the first photovoltaic module having a positive node for supplying electric current to a load and a negative node for receiving electric current from the load, the first photovoltaic module including a first wiring harness having a plurality of flexible electrical conductors, each electrical conductor being electrically isolated from each other electrical conductor within the first wiring harness, the positive node of the first photovoltaic module being electrically connected to one of the electrical conductors of the first wiring harness, the remaining electrical conductors of the first wiring harness being electrically isolated from the positive and negative nodes of the first photovoltaic module; and

a flexible second photovoltaic module for converting light into electricity, the second photovoltaic module having a positive node for supplying electric current to a load and a negative node for receiving electric current from the load, the second photovoltaic module including a second wiring harness having a plurality of flexible electrical conductors corresponding to the electrical conductors of the first wiring harness, each electrical conductor being electrically isolated from each other electrical conductor within the second wiring harness, the positive node of the second photovoltaic module being electrically connected to one of the electrical conductors of the second wiring harness, the remaining electrical conductors of the second wiring harness being electrically isolated from the positive and negative nodes of the second photovoltaic module, and

the electrical conductors of the first wiring harness being electrically connected to the corresponding electrical conductors of the second wiring harness.

2. The photovoltaic array of claim 1, the positive node of the first photovoltaic module being electrically connected to a first electrical conductor of the first wiring harness, the positive node of the second photovoltaic module being electrically connected to a second electrical conductor of the second wiring harness, the first electrical conductor being electrically isolated from the second electrical conductor.

3. The photovoltaic array of claim 1, the first and second photovoltaic modules each comprising at least one submodule, each submodule comprising a plurality of interconnected photovoltaic cells.

4. The photovoltaic array of claim 1, wherein:

the first photovoltaic module has a first length and a first open circuit output voltage,

the second photovoltaic module has a second length and a second open circuit output voltage,

the first length is different from the second length, and

the first open circuit output voltage is substantially equal to the second open circuit output voltage.

5. The photovoltaic array of claim 1, the first photovoltaic module comprising a control box, the control box connecting the electrical conductors of the first wiring harness to the corresponding electrical conductors of the second wiring harness, the control box being operable to selectively electrically connect the positive node of the first photovoltaic module to any one of the electrical conductors of the first wiring harness.

6. The photovoltaic array of claim 5, the control box comprising a quick-connect wiring connector connecting the conductors of the second wiring harness to the control box.

7. The photovoltaic array of claim 1, further comprising at least one supporting structure for supporting at least one of the first and second photovoltaic modules.

8. The photovoltaic array of claim 7, the supporting structure comprising at least one foam support substantially having a wedge-shaped.

9. The photovoltaic array of claim 7, the supporting structure comprising a metallic frame.

10. The photovoltaic array of claim 7, at least one of the first and second photovoltaic modules comprising fasteners for fastening to the photovoltaic module to the supporting structure.

11. The photovoltaic array of claim 10, the fasteners selected from the group consisting of tape, Velcro, adhesive tabs, straps, snaps, and slides.

12. The photovoltaic array of claim 1, the first photovoltaic module further comprising a first ground wiring harness having a first ground conductor, the negative node of the first photovoltaic module being electrically connected to the first ground conductor, the second photovoltaic module further comprising a second ground wiring harness having a second ground conductor, the negative node of the second photovoltaic module being electrically connected to the second ground conductor, the second ground conductor being electrically connected to the first ground conductor.

13. The photovoltaic array of claim 12, the first and second ground conductors being electrically connected by a ground connection box.

14. The photovoltaic array of claim 1, further comprising an inverter for converting direct current electricity produced by least one of the first and second photovoltaic modules into alternating current electricity.

15. A flexible photovoltaic module for converting light into electricity, comprising:

a plurality of photovoltaic cells electrically interconnected to form a positive node for supplying current to a load and a negative node for receiving current from the load;

a wiring harness including a plurality of flexible electrical conductors, each electrical conductor being electrically isolated within the wiring harness; and

a connection subsystem for selectively connecting the positive node to one of the electrical conductors of the wiring harness.

16. The photovoltaic module of claim 15, the connection subsystem comprising a control box including at least one electrical connector for selectively connecting the positive node to one of the electrical connectors of the wiring harness.

17. The photovoltaic module of claim 16, the at least one electrical connector for selectively connecting the positive node to one of the electrical connectors of the wiring harness being a switch.

18. The photovoltaic module of claim 16, the control box further comprising a current limiting device for limiting the flow of electric current through the plurality of photovoltaic cells.

19. The photovoltaic module of claim 16, the control box further comprising a disconnect switch in electrical communication with the positive node for electrically disconnecting the photovoltaic cells from at least one of the electrical conductors of the wiring harness.

20. The photovoltaic module of claim 16, the control box further comprising an inverter for converting direct current electricity produced by the photovoltaic module into alternating current electricity.

21. The photovoltaic module of claim 16, the control box further comprising a monitoring device for monitoring the performance of the photovoltaic module.

22. The photovoltaic module of claim of 21, the monitoring device being operable to generate performance data of the photovoltaic module and transfer the performance data to a remote location.

23. The photovoltaic module of claim 15, further comprising a ground wiring harness including a ground wiring conductor, the ground wiring conductor being electrically connected to the negative node.

24. The photovoltaic module of claim 15, further comprising a low voltage tap for providing a low voltage power supply.

25. A process for forming a solar power electrical generation system at an installation site, comprising:

disposing a first photovoltaic module at the installation site, the first photovoltaic module including a first wiring harness having a plurality of first electrical conductors and a first control box in electrical communication with the first electrical conductors;

disposing a second photovoltaic module at the installation site proximate to the first photovoltaic module, the second photovoltaic module including a second wiring harness having a plurality of second electrical conductors corresponding to the first electrical conductors, the second photovoltaic module including a second control box in electrical communication with the second electrical conductors;

electrically connecting the second electrical conductors of the second wiring harness to the corresponding first electrical conductors of the first wiring harness using the control box as a connection point;

electrically connecting a positive node of the first photovoltaic module to one of the first electrical conductors of the first wiring harness using a selector switch of the first control box; and

electrically connecting a positive node of the second photovoltaic module to one of the second electrical conductors of the second wiring harness using a selector switch of the second control box.