HAIL RESISTANT PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES

• US 20130199607A1
• Filed: 08/07/2012
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: GARREAU-ILES, ANGELIQUE GENEVIEVE LUCIE
• Application Number:
  US13/568,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20130199607A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/256
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 123/0853 Vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 123/0853 Vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/048 Encapsulation of modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/049 Protective back sheets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A photovoltaic module comprising a front sheet, a front encapsulant layer, at least one photoactive cell having a frontface and a backface, and a backing sheet, wherein the backface of the photoactive cell is in direct contact with the backing sheet.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic module comprising a front sheet, a front encapsulant layer, at least one photoactive cell having a frontface and a backface, and a backing sheet, wherein the backface of the photoactive cell is in direct contact with the backing sheet and the backing sheet has a Young'"'"'s modulus of from 15 to 200 GPa when measured according to standard ISO 527 at a temperature of 23°

C. at a relative humidity of 50%.

2. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the backing sheet is made of glass, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, fluoropolymer, epoxy resin, acrylate polymer, glass fiber reinforced polymer, carbon fiber reinforced polymer, asbestos, ceramic, or a combination thereof.

3. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the front encapsulant layer is made of an ethylene with vinyl acetate (EVA) or an ionomer.

4. The photovoltaic module of claim 2, wherein the front encapsulant layer is made of an ethylene with vinyl acetate (EVA) or an ionomer.

5. The photovoltaic module of claim 1, wherein the front sheet is made of a polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), an ethylene tetrafluorethylene (ETFE) polymer, a perfluoroalkoxy vinyl polymer (PFA) or an FEP copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and hexafluoropropylene (HFP)), or a combination thereof.

6. A process for the manufacture of a photovoltaic module comprising the steps of:

(a) assembling a stack by

i. placing at least one photoactive cell on a backing sheet having a Young'"'"'s modulus of from 15 to 200 GPa when measured according to standard ISO 527 at a temperature of 23°

C. at a relative humidity of 50%, such that the at least one photoactive cell and the backing sheet are in direct contact to each other,

ii. placing a sheet of front encapsulant on top of the at least one photoactive cell, and

iii. placing a front sheet on top of the front encapsulant sheet,

(b) consolidating the so assembled stack in a laminating device by

i. heating the stack to a temperature of 100 to 180°

C.,

ii. subjecting the heated stack to a mechanical pressure in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the stack by decreasing the ambient pressure in the laminating device to 300 to 1200 mbar, and

iii. cooling the stack to ambient temperature and releasing the mechanical pressure by reestablishing atmospheric pressure in the laminating device.