Photovoltaic module and method for producing same

• US 6,369,316 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Isovoltaic AG (Constantia Industries AG), Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V., Isovolta Osterreichische Isolierstoffwerke AG
• Inventors: Moosheimer, Ulrich, Langowski, Horst-Christian, Plessing, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAMOND, ALAN D
• Application Number:
  US09/485,682
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 136/244, 136/251, 136/256, 136/259, 257/433, 438/64, 438/66, 438/85, 156/285
• US Class Current: 136/251
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10018 comprising only one glass sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10788 containing ethylene vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/40 having particular optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/12 Photovoltaic modules
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/304 comprising vinyl halide (co)polymers, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/322 comprising halogenated polyolefins, e.g. PTFE
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/08 characterised by added members at particular parts layer formed of separate pieces of material which are juxtaposed side-by-side B32B3/14, B32B3/18
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 39/00 Layout of apparatus or plants, e.g. modular laminating systems
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/048 Encapsulation of modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A description is given of a photovoltaic module (1) in the form of a laminate, which as the core layer exhibits a solar cell system (2) and encapsulation materials (3, 3′) applied on both sides of the latter. According to the invention, at least one encapsulation material layer (3′) consists of a sealing layer (4′) and a barrier layer (6), which consists of a plastic film or a plastic film composite, and on which an inorganic oxide layer (7) separated out to the vapor phase is present.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic module in the form of a laminate, which as the core layer exhibits a solar cell system and encapsulation materials applied on both sides of the latter, wherein at least one encapsulation material layer comprises a sealing layer and a barrier layer, and that the barrier layer comprises a plastic film or a plastic film composite, which exhibits an inorganic oxide layer separated out of a vapor phase by physical vapor deposition and said sealing layer is arranged between said solar cell system and said barrier layer.

2. A photovoltaic module according to claim 1, wherein the inorganic oxide layer contains the elements aluminum or silicon, and is present in a thickness of 30 to 200 nm.

3. A photovoltaic module according to claim 1, wherein the inorganic oxide layer is permeable to light beams in the visible light wave range and near UV wavelength range, while it absorbs said beams in the UV wavelength range at shorter wavelengths.

4. A photovoltaic module according to claim 1, wherein the sealing layer consists of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA).

5. A photovoltaic module according to claim 1, wherein the sealing layer consists of ionomers.

6. A photovoltaic module according to claim 1 wherein the plastic film on which the inorganic oxide layer is deposited consists of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or ethylene tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE).

7. A photovoltaic module according to claim 1 wherein the inorganic oxide layer faces the solar cell system and directly contacts the adjacent sealing layer.

8. A photovoltaic module according to claim 1, wherein the inorganic oxide layer faces the solar cell system and contacts the adjacent sealing layer via a primer coat.

9. A photovoltaic module according to claim 1, wherein the inorganic oxide layer is enveloped on both sides by plastic films or composites, wherein at least one plastic film or plastic film composite acts as the barrier layer.

10. A photovoltaic module according to claim 9, wherein the inorganic oxide layer contacts the plastic films or composites via an adhesive layer and/or a hybrid layer comprised of organic/inorganic networks.

11. A photovoltaic module according to claim 1, wherein the inorganic oxide layer consists of SiOx, wherein the atomic ratio of silicon to oxygen x ranges from 1.3 to 1.7.

12. A procedure for manufacturing a photovoltaic module according to claim 1, comprising:

a) providing a plastic film or plastic film composite with an inorganic layer separated out of the vapor phase by physical vapor deposition, laminating said plastic film or plastic film composite provided with said inorganic layer with sealing layers in order to form encapsulating materials,

b) forming a module stack out of the solar cell system and the encapsulation materials in such a way that the sealing layers envelop the solar cell system on both sides,

c) introducing this module stack into a loading station of an arrangement in which it is kept at a temperature below the softening point of the sealing layers,

d) transporting the module stack to a vacuum laminator, which is evacuated, and in which the module stack is heated to the softening point of the sealing layers, and

e) after the vacuum laminator has been ventilated without recooling, transporting the composite formed out of the module stack into a hardening furnace, in which the sealing layers are cured, so that a laminate in the form of a photovoltaic module is formed, which is removed after recooling.