Solar cell module manufacturing method and solar cell module manufacturing apparatus

• US 9,627,567 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2016
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Imada, Naoto, Ogawa, Keisuke, Ishiguro, Tasuku
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Zandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): TYNES JR., LAWRENCE C
• Application Number:
  US15/133,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20160233362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 438 66
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/12 Photovoltaic modules
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/06 characterised by the heating method
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/048 Encapsulation of modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/18 Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a solar cell module (10), said method being provided with: a first step for a first step for manufacturing a laminated body by sequentially stacking and thermocompression-bonding a solar cell (11), sealing material (14), first protection member (12) and second protection member (13); and a second step, which is a step of heating the solar cell (11) of the laminated body, and in which the sealing material (14) is indirectly heated due to a temperature increase of the solar cell (11).

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a solar cell module, the method comprising:

a first step of sequentially layering and thermocompression-bonding at least one solar cell, at least one encapsulant, and at least one protective component to prepare a stack; and

a second step of heating the solar cell of the stack, an increase in temperature of the solar cell indirectly heating the encapsulant.

2. The method for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the second step comprises applying light having a maximum peak wavelength of 1500 nm or less to the stack to heat the solar cell.

3. The method for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 2, wherein the second step comprises applying light using a light source whose illumination intensity of light having a wavelength of 1500 nm or greater is 1% or less of the maximum peak.

4. The method for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 3, wherein light emitted from the light source contains light having a wavelength of 1200 nm or less at a ratio of 99% or greater.

5. The method for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 4, wherein the light source is an LED.

6. The method for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 2, wherein the second step comprises applying light having a maximum peak wavelength of 1500 nm or less to the stack after the curing step, wherein the amount of light applied in the second step is increased as time progresses.

7. The method for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 2,

wherein the second step comprises applying light having a maximum peak. wavelength of 1500 nm or less to the stack,

wherein the stack includes a plurality of solar cells;

and

wherein the second step comprises applying light from the side on which the protective component is located, a high thermal conductivity component being disposed on the protective component to extend across the solar cells, partially covering each of the solar cells.

8. The method for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulant contains a coupling agent.

9. The method for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 1, the method further comprising a curing step of heating the stack entirely after the first step, wherein the second step is performed at least once at a time between the first step and the curing step, during the curing step, or after the curing step.

10. The method for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the second step comprises heating the solar cell to 70°

C. to 200°

C.

11. The method for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the second step is performed under ambient temperature of 20°

C. to 150°

C.

12. The method for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the second step comprises passing a current through the solar cell in the stack to heat the solar cell.

13. An apparatus for manufacturing a solar cell module, the apparatus comprising:

a laminator for sequentially layering and thermocompression-bonding at least one solar cell, at least one encapsulant, and at least one protective component to prepare a stack;

a heating furnace for heating the stack entirely;

a light source for applying light having a maximum peak wavelength of 1500 nm or less to the stack; and

a conveyer for carrying the stack,

wherein the light emitted from the light source selectively heats the solar cell of the stack, an increase in temperature of the solar cell indirectly heating the encapsulant.

14. The apparatus for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 13, wherein the light source is an LED whose illumination intensity of light having a wavelength of 1500 nm or greater is 1% or less of the maximum peak.

15. The apparatus for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 14, wherein light emitted from the LED contains light having a wavelength of 1200 nm or less at a ratio of 99% or greater.

16. The apparatus for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 13,

wherein the conveyer is a belt conveyor having a plurality of supporting portions for carrying the stack, the supporting portions being disposed at predetermined intervals in a longitudinal direction of an endless belt, and

wherein the light source is disposed between a carrier portion and a return portion of the endless belt to apply light to the stack between the supporting portions.

17. The apparatus for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 16,

wherein the stack includes a plurality of solar cells;

and

wherein the supporting portions of the belt conveyor are located at least either on ends of the stack or at positions corresponding to gaps between the solar cells of the stack.

18. The apparatus for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 13,

wherein the conveyer is a roller conveyor having a plurality of carrying rollers that serve as supporting portions for carrying the stack, and

wherein the light source is disposed on a backside of the roller conveyor to apply light to the stack between the carrying rollers.

19. The apparatus for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 13,

wherein the stack includes a glass substrate and a resin film that serve as the protective component, the glass substrate being disposed on one side of the solar cell and a resin film being disposed on another side of the solar cell, the stack being carried by the conveyer with the resin film facing toward the supporting portions, and

wherein the light source applies the light to the stack from the side on which the glass substrate is located.

20. The apparatus for manufacturing a solar cell module according to claim 13,

wherein at least a portion of a wall of the heating furnace is composed of a translucent component, and

wherein the light source is disposed outside the heating furnace to apply the light to the stack in the heating furnace through the translucent component.