CIGS BASED THIN FILM SOLAR CELLS HAVING SHARED BYPASS DIODES

• US 20120318318A1
• Filed: 06/17/2011
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SoloPower Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Solopower, Inc.
• Inventors: Metin, Burak, Nayak, Deepak, Pinarbasi, Mustafa
• Application Number:
  US13/163,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20120318318A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/244
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0504 specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/34 comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A photovoltaic module comprises a first bypass diode and a first group of solar cells connected to the first bypass diode. The first group of solar cells comprises a first solar cell, a second solar cell connected in series to the first solar cell, and a third solar cell connected in parallel to the first solar cell.

Claims

1. A PV module, comprising:

a first bypass diode; and

a first group of solar cells connected to the first bypass diode,

wherein the first group of solar cells comprises a first solar cell, a second solar cell connected in series to the first solar cell, and a third solar cell connected in parallel to the first solar cell.

2. The PV module of claim 1, further comprising:

a second bypass diode; and

a second group of solar cells connected to the second bypass diode, wherein the second group of solar cells is connected in series to the first group of solar cells.

3. The PV module of claim 2, wherein the second group of solar cells comprises a first solar cell, a second solar cell connected in series to the first solar cell, and a third solar cell connected in parallel to the first solar cell.

4. The PV module of claim 3, wherein the first group of solar cells further comprises a fourth solar cell connected in series to the third solar cell, wherein the first and second solar cells are connected in parallel to the third and fourth solar cells.

5. The PV module of claim 4, wherein the second group of solar cells further comprises a fourth solar cell connected to the third solar cell in series, wherein the first and second solar cells are connected in parallel to the third and fourth solar cells.

6. The PV module of claim 3, wherein the first group of solar cells is arranged in a shingled relationship such that a surface of the second solar cell comprising a terminal of a first polarity contacts a surface of the first solar cell comprising a terminal of a second polarity opposite the first polarity.

7. The PV module of claim 3, wherein the first group of solar cells further comprises a fourth solar cell connected in series to the second solar cell.

8. The PV module of claim 7, wherein the first, second and fourth solar cells of the first group are arranged in a shingled relationship such that a surface of the fourth solar cell comprising a terminal of a first polarity contacts a surface of the second solar cell comprising a terminal of a second polarity opposite the first polarity, and a surface of the second solar cell comprising a terminal of the first polarity contacts a surface of the first solar cell comprising a terminal of the second polarity.

9. The PV module of claim 7, wherein the first group of solar cells further comprises a fifth solar cell connected in series to the third solar cell, and a sixth solar cell connected in series to the fifth solar cell.

10. The PV module of claim 9, wherein the third, fifth and sixth solar cells of the first group are arranged in a shingled relationship such that a surface of the sixth solar cell comprising a terminal of a first polarity contacts a surface of the fifth solar cell comprising a terminal of a second polarity opposite the first polarity, and a surface of the fifth solar cell comprising a terminal of the first polarity contacts a surface of the third solar cell comprising a terminal of the second polarity.

11. The PV module of claim 9, wherein the second group of solar cells is arranged in a shingled relationship such that a surface of the second solar cell comprising a terminal of a first polarity contacts a surface of the first solar cell comprising a terminal of a second polarity opposite the first polarity.

12. The PV module of claim 9, wherein the second group of solar cells further comprises a fourth solar cell connected in series to the second solar cell.

13. The PV module of claim 12, wherein the first, second and fourth solar cells in the second group are arranged in a shingled relationship such that a surface of the fourth solar cell comprising a terminal of a first polarity contacts a surface of the second solar cell comprising a terminal of a second polarity opposite the first polarity, and a surface of the second solar cell comprising a terminal of the first polarity contacts a surface of the first solar cell comprising a terminal of the second polarity.

14. The PV module of claim 12, wherein the second group of solar cells further comprises a fifth solar cell connected in series to the third solar cell, and a sixth solar cell connected in series to the fifth solar cell.

15. The PV module of claim 14, wherein the third, fifth and sixth solar cells of the second group are arranged in a shingled relationship such that a surface of the sixth solar cell comprising a terminal of a first polarity contacts a surface of the fifth solar cell comprising a terminal of a second polarity opposite the first polarity, and a surface of the fifth solar cell comprising a terminal of the first polarity contacts a surface of the third solar cell comprising a terminal of the second polarity.

16. A method of forming a PV module, comprising:

interconnecting a plurality of solar cells into a first group of solar cells, wherein the first group of solar cells comprises a first solar cell, a second solar cell connected in series to the first solar cell, and a third solar cell connected in parallel to the first solar cell; and

connecting a first bypass diode to the first group of solar cells.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

interconnecting a plurality of solar cells into a second group of solar cells, wherein the second group of solar cells comprises a first solar cell, a second solar cell connected in series to the first solar cell, and a third solar cell connected in parallel to the first solar cell, and wherein the second group of solar cells is connected in series with the first group of solar cells; and

connecting a second bypass diode to the second group of solar cells.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first group of solar cells further comprises a fourth solar cell connected in series to the third solar cell, wherein the first and second solar cells are connected in parallel to the third and fourth solar cells, and wherein the second group of solar cells further comprises a fourth solar cell connected to the third solar cell in series, wherein the first and second solar cells are connected in parallel to the third and fourth solar cells.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first group of solar cells further comprises a fourth solar cell connected in series to the second solar cell, a fifth solar cell connected in series to the third solar cell, and a sixth solar cell connected in series to the fifth solar cell, and wherein the second group of solar cells further comprises a fourth solar cell connected in series to the second solar cell, a fifth solar cell connected in series to the third solar cell, and a sixth solar cell connected in series to the fifth solar cell.

20. A photovoltaic module comprising:

a first group of solar cells connected together so that each solar cell of the group increases the voltage output of the first group in response to receiving sunlight;

a second group of solar cells connected together so that each solar cell of the group increases the voltage output of the second group in response to receiving sunlight wherein the first and second groups are connected so that the voltage output of the module is the greater of the voltage output of the first or second group; and

a bypass diode that is connected to the first and second group of solar cells such that the bypass diode inhibits reverse bias of the first or second group of solar cells when one or more cells of the first or second groups of solar cells are reverse biased.

21. The module of claim 20, wherein the cells that comprise first and second groups of cells are connected in series and wherein the first and second group of cells are connected in parallel with each other and with the bypass diode.

22. The module of claim 20, wherein the cells of the first and second solar groups are connected via shingling.

23. The module of claim 20, wherein the cells of the first and second solar cell groups are connected via stringing.