Curved photovoltaic tile and manufacturing method therefor

Abstract

A curved photovoltaic tile (100) and a manufacturing method therefor. The method comprises: providing a curved assembly (10), wherein the curved assembly (10) comprises a curved backsheet (11), a first adhesive (12) and a curved cell (13), and the first adhesive (12) connects the curved backsheet (11) and the curved cell (13); and laminating and fixing the curved assembly (10) and a curved panel (20), wherein the shape of the curved assembly (10) is the same as that of the curved panel (20).

Description

Curved photovoltaic tiles and their manufacturing methods

[0001] Priority information

[0002] This application claims priority and benefits to patent application No. 202411535912.9, filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on October 30, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of photovoltaic technology, and in particular to a curved photovoltaic tile and its manufacturing method. Background Technology

[0004] With the increasing prominence of severe issues such as energy shortages and climate emissions, countries worldwide are paying more and more attention to clean, pollution-free renewable energy sources. Solar energy is an inexhaustible and green energy source. Currently, photovoltaic power generation has a wide range of applications, and building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) is gradually becoming a trend, with residential rooftops being the main application area for distributed photovoltaics. Photovoltaic tiles are typically made by laminating tempered glass and solar cells, framing them with an aluminum frame, and sealing the edges with silicone. However, the inventors believe that when flat glass and flat solar cells are laminated to form curved photovoltaic tiles, the solar cells are prone to microcracks, leading to product failure. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art or related technologies.

[0006] Therefore, this application proposes a method for manufacturing curved photovoltaic tiles, comprising:

[0007] A curved component is provided, the curved component including a curved backplate, a first adhesive and a curved battery cell, the first adhesive connecting the curved backplate and the curved battery cell;

[0008] The curved component is stacked and fixed to the curved panel, and the shape of the curved component is the same as the shape of the curved panel.

[0009] In this way, by obtaining a curved component with the same shape as the curved panel, and then stacking and fixing the curved component with the curved panel, the pressure required to stack and fix the curved back sheet, curved solar cells and curved panel to form a curved photovoltaic tile can be reduced, thereby reducing the microcrack phenomenon of the curved solar cells and improving the production yield of the curved photovoltaic tile.

[0010] This application proposes a curved photovoltaic tile, which is manufactured using the above-described manufacturing method.

[0011] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the curved photovoltaic tile according to an embodiment of this application;

[0014] Figure 2 is an exploded structural diagram of the curved photovoltaic tile according to an embodiment of this application;

[0015] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the curved photovoltaic tile according to an embodiment of this application;

[0016] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the manufacturing method of the curved photovoltaic tile according to an embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the manufacturing process of the curved photovoltaic tile according to an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 6 is a schematic flowchart of the manufacturing method of curved photovoltaic tiles according to an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 7 is a schematic flowchart of the manufacturing method of curved photovoltaic tiles according to an embodiment of this application.

[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100, curved photovoltaic tile; 10, curved module; 11, curved back sheet; 12, first adhesive; 13, curved cell; 20, curved panel; 30, planar module; 31, planar back sheet; 32, planar cell; 33, encapsulation layer; 34, solder ribbon; 40, second adhesive. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0022] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this application. However, this application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0023] Please refer to Figures 1-5. The manufacturing method of the curved photovoltaic tile 100 according to the embodiments of this application includes:

[0024] S100, a curved component 10 is provided. The curved component 10 includes a curved back plate 11, a first adhesive 12 and a curved battery cell 13. The first adhesive 12 connects the curved back plate 11 and the curved battery cell 13.

[0025] S200, the curved surface component 10 and the curved surface panel 20 are stacked and fixed, and the shape of the curved surface component 10 is the same as the shape of the curved surface panel 20.

[0026] Thus, by obtaining a curved component 10 with the same shape as the curved panel 20, and then stacking and fixing the curved component 10 with the curved panel 20, the pressure required to stack and fix the curved back plate 11, the curved solar cell 13 and the curved panel 20 to form the curved photovoltaic tile 100 can be reduced, thereby reducing the microcrack phenomenon of the curved solar cell 13 and improving the production yield of the curved photovoltaic tile 100.

[0027] Specifically, the curved photovoltaic tile 100 is a type of roofing tile that converts solar energy into electrical energy. It can be installed on existing roofs or used as a building component, representing a building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) application. The curved photovoltaic tile 100 can be used for flat or vertical installations.

[0028] The curved panel 20 and the curved back plate 11 constitute the outermost layer of the curved photovoltaic tile 100, which can seal, insulate, and protect the curved solar cells 13, thereby improving the mechanical properties of the curved photovoltaic tile 100. The curved panel 20 and the curved back plate 11 can protect the curved solar cells 13 from damage caused by climate change, such as high temperature, low temperature, rain, or hail. They can also protect the curved solar cells 13 from damage caused by collisions during transportation, effectively improving the ability of the curved photovoltaic tile 100 to cope with harsh environments.

[0029] The outer layer material on the back of the curved photovoltaic tile 100 is called the curved backsheet 11, which is a key component of the curved photovoltaic tile 100. The curved backsheet 11 isolates the curved solar cells 13 from the external environment, achieving insulation and enabling the cells to operate outdoors for extended periods. Different structures of curved backsheets 11 have different functions. A suitable curved backsheet 11 can be selected based on the specific application area. For example, fluorinated backsheets can be used in areas with strong ultraviolet radiation, white backsheets enhance light reflection and improve power generation efficiency, black backsheets meet the aesthetic requirements of roofs, and glass backsheets offer high light transmittance.

[0030] The main function of the curved solar cell 13 is to generate electricity. The curved solar cell 13 can be a crystalline silicon solar cell. Crystalline silicon solar cells have relatively low equipment costs, high photoelectric conversion efficiency, and are suitable for generating electricity outdoors under sunlight.

[0031] The curved panel 20 can be made of a light-transmitting material, such as curved glass, and the light-transmitting curved panel 20 has good light transmittance. The curved panel 20 includes a light-receiving surface and a backlight surface. The curved panel 20 serves as the front of the curved photovoltaic tile 100. Sunlight can pass through the light-receiving surface of the curved panel 20 to illuminate the curved solar cell 13, making it easier for the curved solar cell 13 to receive light and convert solar energy into electrical energy.

[0032] The first adhesive 12 can bond the curved backsheet 11 and the curved solar cell 13 together, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the curved module 10. The first adhesive 12 can be made of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), or polyolefin elastomer (POE) to ensure the encapsulation performance and light transmittance of the first adhesive 12, thereby ensuring the power generation efficiency of the curved photovoltaic tile 100.

[0033] The curved component 10 has the same shape as the curved panel 20. For example, both the curved component 10 and the curved panel 20 are arched or wavy, and the undulation curvature of the connecting surface is consistent.

[0034] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, in some embodiments, providing a curved surface component 10 (step S100) includes:

[0035] S110 provides a flat backplate 31 and a flat battery cell 32;

[0036] S120, the planar battery cell 32 is attached to the planar backplate 31 with the first adhesive 12 to form a planar assembly 30;

[0037] S130, the planar component 30 is shaped to obtain the curved component 10.

[0038] Thus, the surface component 10 can be obtained through the above steps.

[0039] Specifically, after shaping the planar backplate 31, a curved backplate 11 can be obtained, and after shaping the planar battery cell 32, a curved battery cell 13 can be obtained.

[0040] The planar backplate 31 can be made of flexible polymer materials, such as PET, CPC, HPC, etc., so that the planar backplate 31 can be bent into different shapes to suit different design requirements.

[0041] The planar solar cell 32 is preferably one of the following: XBC, MWT, or shingled solar cells without metal grid lines, where both positive and negative metal electrodes are led out from the back side. A secondary preference is a solar cell with grid lines on both the front and back sides, such as PERC or TOPCON. This maintains the consistency of the planar solar cell 32's appearance, preventing metal grid lines and metal electrodes from affecting the front appearance of the planar solar cell 32, thereby improving aesthetics.

[0042] You can first attach the first adhesive 12 to the flat backplate 31, and then attach the flat battery cell 32 to the first adhesive 12. Alternatively, you can first attach the first adhesive 12 to the flat battery cell 32, and then attach the flat backplate 31 to the first adhesive 12.

[0043] Referring to Figures 5 and 7, in some embodiments, the planar battery cell 32 is adhered to the planar backplate 31 using a first adhesive 12 to form a planar assembly 30 (step S120), including:

[0044] S121, A first adhesive 12 is provided on the flat back plate 31;

[0045] S122, multiple planar solar cells 32 are arranged sequentially on the first adhesive 12;

[0046] S123, electrically connect the arranged planar solar cells 32;

[0047] S124, the planar solar cell 32 is pressed together with the planar backplate 31 to form a planar assembly 30.

[0048] Thus, the planar battery cell 32 can be attached to the planar backplate 31 through the above steps to form a planar assembly 30.

[0049] Specifically, referring to Figure 2, multiple planar solar cells 32 can be arranged in a rectangular pattern. The planar solar cells 32 can be welded together using solder ribbons 34, connecting the back positive (negative) electrode of the previous planar solar cell 32 to the front negative (positive) electrode of the next planar solar cell 32 by heating and welding, and so on, connecting all the planar solar cells 32 in series.

[0050] A planar laminator can be used to press the planar solar cell 32 and the planar backplate 31 together to form a planar assembly 30. In one example, a vacuum environment can be created by evacuating a vacuum device, and the planar backplate 31, the first adhesive 12, and the planar solar cell 32 can be placed in sequence. The planar backplate 31 can be pushed by a laminator, for example, by passing through a flat silicone layer, so that the planar backplate 31 is pressed flat towards the first adhesive 12 and the planar solar cell 32, thereby forming the planar assembly 30.

[0051] In some embodiments, pressing the planar solar cell 32 to the planar backsheet 31 to form a planar assembly 30 includes:

[0052] The planar solar cell 32 is pressed and fixed to the planar backplate 31 through a multi-segment pressing method, and the temperature of each segment increases progressively.

[0053] Thus, by pressing the planar solar cell 32 and the planar backplate 31 together in a multi-stage pressing manner to form a planar assembly 30, the stability of the first adhesive 12 can be improved, which is conducive to forming a stable bond between the planar solar cell 32 and the planar backplate 31, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the planar assembly 30.

[0054] The lamination temperature is the temperature applied by the laminator during the lamination process. In one embodiment, the lamination process of laminating the planar solar cell 32 and the planar backsheet 31 to form the planar assembly 30 is divided into four stages: the lamination temperature of the first stage is 80℃~90℃, and the lamination time is 5mins~10mins; the lamination temperature of the second stage is 100℃~110℃, and the lamination time is 5mins~10mins; the lamination temperature of the third stage is 120℃~130℃, and the lamination time is 5mins~10mins; and the lamination temperature of the fourth stage is 150℃~160℃, and the lamination time is 40mins~60mins.

[0055] In some embodiments, the pressing pressure for bonding the planar solar cell 32 to the planar backplate 31 to form the planar assembly 30 is -99 kPa to -100 kPa.

[0056] Thus, by pressing and fixing the planar battery cell 32 and the planar back plate 31 together under negative pressure within the aforementioned pressure range to form a planar assembly 30, the interaction force between the planar battery cell 32 and the planar back plate 31 can be increased, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the planar assembly 30.

[0057] Specifically, the lamination pressure is the vertical force applied by the laminator to the planar solar cell 32 and the planar backplate 31. The lamination pressure can be -99Kpa, -99.2Kpa, -99.4Kpa, -99.6Kpa, -99.8Kpa, -100Kpa, etc.

[0058] Referring to Figures 5 and 7, in some embodiments, the planar battery cell 32 is adhered to the planar backplate 31 using the first adhesive 12 to form the planar assembly 30 (step S120), and the process further includes:

[0059] S125, an encapsulation layer 33 is provided on the side of the planar solar cell 32 that is away from the first adhesive 12.

[0060] Thus, the encapsulation layer 33 can act as a buffer during the shaping of the planar module 30, reducing the risk of breakage of the planar solar cell 32.

[0061] Specifically, the material of the encapsulation layer 33 and the first adhesive 12 can be the same or different. For example, both the encapsulation layer 33 and the first adhesive 12 can be made of EVA material. Or, for another example, the encapsulation layer 33 can be made of TPO material and the first adhesive 12 can be made of PVB material.

[0062] Referring to Figure 5, in some embodiments, the planar component 30 is shaped to obtain the curved component 10, including:

[0063] The planar component 30 is pressed at a preset temperature using a shaping fixture to obtain the curved component 10.

[0064] Thus, the planar component 30 is shaped by the shaping tool, so that the shape of the curved component 10 obtained after shaping is the same as the shape of the curved panel 20.

[0065] Specifically, the surface shape of the shaping tool can be designed according to the surface shape of the curved panel 20, and the pressure and temperature during shaping can be designed according to the degree of curvature of the curved panel 20 and the materials of each component in the curved assembly 10.

[0066] Referring to Figure 5, in some embodiments, the curved surface component 10 is stacked and fixed to the curved surface panel 20, including:

[0067] A second adhesive 40 and a curved panel 20 are stacked on the side of the curved battery cell 13 of the curved component 10 away from the curved back plate 11, and the curved component 10 and the curved panel 20 are pressed together.

[0068] Thus, the curved component 10 and the curved panel 20 can be connected by the second adhesive 40. In addition, the second adhesive 40 can protect the side of the curved battery cell 13 away from the curved back plate 11 from hard contact with the curved panel 20, reducing the risk of microcracks in the curved battery cell 13.

[0069] In one example, a vacuum environment can be created by vacuuming with a vacuum device. A laminator can form a mold with the same shape as the curved component 10 by opening a mold to stably fix the curved component 10. Then, the curved panel 20 is pressed and fixed in the direction of the second adhesive 40 and the curved component 10 to form the curved photovoltaic tile 100.

[0070] In some embodiments, pressing the curved surface assembly 10 and the curved surface panel 20 together includes:

[0071] The curved component 10 and the curved panel 20 are pressed and fixed by a multi-segment pressing method, with the pressure of each segment increasing progressively.

[0072] In this way, by pressing the curved component 10 and the curved panel 20 together in a multi-segment pressing manner to form the curved photovoltaic tile 100, the interaction force between the curved component 10 and the curved panel 20 can be increased, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the curved photovoltaic tile 100.

[0073] In one embodiment, the pressing process of fixing the curved component 10 to the curved panel 20 is divided into three stages. The pressing pressure of the first stage is -80 kPa to -70 kPa, and the pressing time is 30 s to 60 s; the pressing pressure of the second stage is -60 kPa to -50 kPa, and the pressing time is 30 s to 60 s; the pressing pressure of the third stage is -40 kPa to 0 kPa, and the pressing time is 15 s to 20 s. The pressing temperature for all three stages is 140℃ to 150℃.

[0074] Please refer to Figure 5. The curved photovoltaic tile 100 of this application embodiment is manufactured using the above-described manufacturing method, which includes:

[0075] S100, a curved component 10 is provided. The curved component 10 includes a curved back plate 11, a first adhesive 12 and a curved battery cell 13. The first adhesive 12 connects the curved back plate 11 and the curved battery cell 13.

[0076] S200, the curved surface component 10 and the curved surface panel 20 are stacked and fixed, and the shape of the curved surface component 10 is the same as the shape of the curved surface panel 20.

[0077] A planar module 30 is formed by first pressing the planar backsheet 31, the first adhesive 12, and the planar solar cell 32 together. The planar module 30 is then shaped to form a curved module 10 with the same shape as the curved panel 20. Finally, the curved module 10 and the curved panel 20 are pressed together a second time to form a curved photovoltaic tile 100. Because the shape of the planar solar cell 32 after shaping is the same as that of the curved panel 20, the pressure during the second pressing of the curved module 10 and the curved panel 20 can be reduced, thereby reducing microcracks in the curved solar cell 13 and improving the production yield of the curved photovoltaic tile 100.

[0078] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the described embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0079] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing curved photovoltaic tiles, wherein, include: A curved component is provided, the curved component including a curved back plate, a first adhesive and a curved battery cell, the first adhesive connecting the curved back plate and the curved battery cell; The curved surface component is stacked and fixed with the curved surface panel, and the shape of the curved surface component is the same as the shape of the curved surface panel.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein, The provision of a curved surface component includes: Provides flat backsheets and flat battery cells; The planar battery cell is attached to the planar back plate using a first adhesive to form a planar assembly; The planar component is shaped to obtain the curved component.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein, The step of attaching the planar battery cell to the planar backplate using a first adhesive to form a planar assembly includes: The first adhesive is applied to the flat back plate; The multiple planar battery cells are arranged sequentially on the first adhesive; The arranged planar battery cells are electrically connected; The planar battery cell is pressed together with the planar backsheet to form the planar assembly.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 3, wherein, The step of pressing the planar solar cell to the planar backsheet to form the planar assembly includes: The planar battery cell is pressed and fixed to the planar backplate through a multi-stage pressing method, with the temperature of each pressing stage increasing progressively.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein, The pressing temperature for bonding the planar battery cell to the planar backplate is 80℃~160℃.

6. The manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein, The pressing time for bonding the planar battery cell to the planar backplate is 5 mins to 60 mins.

7. The manufacturing method according to claim 3, wherein, The pressing pressure for pressing the planar battery cell and the planar backplate to form the planar assembly is -99 kPa to -100 kPa.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein, The step of attaching the planar battery cell to the planar backplate using a first adhesive to form a planar assembly further includes: An encapsulation layer is provided on the side of the planar battery cell that is away from the first adhesive.

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein, The step of shaping the planar component to obtain the curved surface component includes: The planar component is pressed at a preset temperature using a shaping fixture to obtain the curved component.

10. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein, The step of stacking and fixing the curved surface component and the curved surface panel includes: A second adhesive and the curved panel are stacked on the side of the curved battery cell of the curved assembly that is away from the curved back plate, and the curved assembly and the curved panel are pressed together.

11. The manufacturing method according to claim 10, wherein, The pressing of the curved surface component and the curved surface panel includes: The curved component is pressed and fixed to the curved panel through a multi-segment pressing method, with the pressure of each segment increasing progressively.

12. The manufacturing method according to claim 11, wherein, The pressing pressure for bonding the curved surface component to the curved surface panel is -80 kPa to 0 kPa.

13. The manufacturing method according to claim 11, wherein, The pressing time for pressing and fixing the curved surface component to the curved surface panel is 15s to 60s.

14. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1-13, wherein, The curved solar cell is a crystalline silicon solar cell.

15. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1-14, wherein, The curved panel is made of a light-transmitting material.

16. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein, The planar backplate is made of flexible polymer material.

17. A curved photovoltaic tile, wherein, The curved photovoltaic tile is manufactured using the manufacturing method described in any one of claims 1-16.

18. The curved photovoltaic tile according to claim 17, wherein, The curved solar cell is a crystalline silicon solar cell.

19. The curved photovoltaic tile according to claim 17 or 18, wherein, The curved panel is made of a light-transmitting material.

20. The curved photovoltaic tile according to any one of claims 17-19, wherein, The back panel is made of a flexible polymer material.

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