Decorative Photovoltaic Module Coating for Uniform Appearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Photovoltaic cell modules lack designability due to color differences between the cells and other components, and existing decorative layers either reduce power generation efficiency or exhibit unnatural color changes with viewing angle.
Innovation Solution
A photovoltaic cell module with a transparent decorative layer containing light transmissive scaly glitter pigment oriented parallel to the face plate, ensuring minimal pigment usage while maintaining high light transmittance and uniform appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a colored coating layer is applied on the face plate to improve designability, then the appearance uniformity is improved, but the light transmittance is reduced and power generation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a colored coating layer containing pigment on the face plate to achieve uniform appearance while controlling light transmittance. The coating provides coloration to mask the black photovoltaic cells, creating designable modules with consistent appearance, while the thickness and pigment concentration are optimized to maintain sufficient light transmission for power generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite coating layer combining binder and pigment materials on the face plate. This composite structure allows simultaneous achievement of appearance uniformity (through pigment coloration) and controlled light transmittance (through optimized material composition and layer thickness), resolving the contradiction between aesthetic uniformity and power generation efficiency.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a decorative layer with pigment is laminated on the face plate to achieve uniform appearance, then the designability is improved, but the light transmittance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a decorative colored coating layer on the face plate that provides uniform appearance through pigment coloration. The coating is formulated with specific pigment concentrations and layer thicknesses to achieve the desired aesthetic uniformity while maintaining adequate light transmission for photovoltaic cell operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes parameters of the decorative coating layer including thickness, pigment concentration, and material composition to balance appearance uniformity and light transmittance. By carefully controlling these parameters, the coating achieves sufficient coloration effect while minimizing impact on light transmission and power generation efficiency.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a thick decorative layer is used to achieve uniform appearance, then the designability is improved, but the power generation output is significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a colored coating layer on the face plate to achieve uniform appearance. The coating thickness is optimized to provide sufficient coloration for aesthetic uniformity while remaining thin enough to allow adequate light transmission, thereby minimizing reduction in power generation output.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent carefully controls the thickness and pigment concentration parameters of the decorative coating layer. By optimizing these parameters, the coating achieves the desired appearance uniformity with minimal thickness, thus reducing the impact on light transmission and maintaining high power generation output.
4Quantity of substance
If a transparent decorative layer with oriented scaly glitter pigment is used, then the designability is improved with minimal pigment usage, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a transparent decorative layer containing scaly glitter pigment that provides coloration and uniform appearance with minimal pigment concentration. The scaly structure of the pigment particles creates optical effects that enhance appearance uniformity while using small amounts of pigment, reducing material costs while achieving designability.
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
The solution effectively hides color differences and reduces power generation loss, allowing for high designability and power output, with over 90% of the original power generation maintained even with decorative layers.
Implementation Method 1
a transparent resin is employed for base material of the decorative layer and a scaly glitter pigment having a light transmissive property is dispersed in the decorative layer
Implementation Method 2
a scaly glitter pigment having a light transmissive property is dispersed in the decorative layer such that a surface direction of the scaly glitter pigment is oriented along a surface of the face plate
Data Source
AI summary
A photovoltaic cell module in which a difference in color between a photovoltaic cell and the other portion is made to disappear and the changes of the color and appearance of its surface depending upon a viewing angle is hardly visually recognized, while suppressing the reduction of the power generation amount of the photovoltaic cell. The present photovoltaic cell module includes a thin plate-like photovoltaic cell enclosed in transparent sealing material; a transparent face plate laminated on the surface of the sealing material on the light receiving surface side of the photovoltaic cell; and a decorative layer laminated on the face plate, where a transparent resin is employed as base material of the decorative layer and light transmissive scaly glitter pigment is dispersed in the decorative layer such that the surface direction of the pigment is along the face plate surface.