Arced Monocrystalline Silicon Wafers for Higher Rod Utilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing size of monocrystalline silicon wafers results in lower utilization rates and higher production costs due to wasted offcut materials during the squaring process, as only square-shaped sub-solar cells can be obtained, limiting the efficient use of silicon rods.
Innovation Solution
A method involving squaring and slicing monocrystalline silicon rods to produce quasi-square wafers with arcs, which are then processed into both square-shaped and strip-shaped sub-solar cells, maximizing resource utilization and reducing waste through laser scribing techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the monocrystalline silicon rod is squared to obtain square-shaped silicon wafers, then the manufacturing process is simple and easy to implement, but the utilization rate of the silicon rod is low due to significant offcut material waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the silicon rod into multiple segments: a main square-shaped silicon wafer and multiple strip-shaped silicon wafers cut from the offcut materials. This segmentation allows the main wafer to be processed using simple squaring while the offcut segments are utilized to create additional usable wafers, thereby reducing material waste without complicating the primary manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent recovers and utilizes the offcut materials that would normally be discarded during the squaring process. By cutting strip-shaped silicon wafers from these offcut materials, the patent transforms waste material into valuable products, improving the overall utilization rate of the silicon rod while maintaining the simplicity of the original squaring process
2Productivity
If the size of monocrystalline silicon wafers is increased to reduce BOS cost, then the power generation capacity improves, but the silicon rod utilization rate decreases due to higher material waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the silicon rod into a large square-shaped wafer for high power generation capacity and additional strip-shaped wafers from offcut materials. This allows the main wafer to achieve the desired large size for improved productivity while the segmented offcut portions are recovered and processed into additional usable wafers, mitigating the utilization rate decrease
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the dimensional parameters of the silicon wafers by creating different size categories: a large square-shaped wafer for high power generation and smaller strip-shaped wafers from offcut materials. This parameter differentiation allows optimization of power generation capacity while improving material utilization through the recovery and processing of offcut materials into additional usable products
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the utilization rate of monocrystalline silicon rods and reduces production costs by allowing for the creation of additional strip-shaped sub-solar cells, suitable for shingled or spliced assemblies, thereby minimizing silicon material waste.
Implementation Method 1
the cell wafer is cut by a laser scribing technique
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method for manufacturing at least one solar cell, a method for manufacturing a monocrystalline silicon wafer and a photovoltaic module. The method for manufacturing a monocrystalline silicon wafer includes: providing a monocrystalline silicon rod; squaring the monocrystalline silicon rod to form a quasi-square silicon rod with quasi-square cross-section having an arc, a length of the arc being not less than 15 mm; slicing the quasi-square silicon rod to form at least one quasi-square silicon wafer having the arc. The method for manufacturing at least one solar cell includes: using the method described above to obtain a quasi-square silicon wafer having an arc; forming a first solar cell by processing the quasi-square silicon wafer; scribing the first solar cell to obtain a square-shaped sub-solar cell and at least one strip-shaped sub-solar cell. The above methods improve the utilization rate of the monocrystalline silicon rod and reduce production cost.