Organic Photovoltaic Module with Series-Connected Cell Units
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional inorganic solar cells, such as those based on crystalline silicon, require high energy for manufacturing and are limited by material availability, while organic foil-based photovoltaic cells face inefficiencies and vulnerability to overshadowing, leading to irreversible electrical breakdown when connected in series.
Innovation Solution
A photovoltaic module comprising a series of organic photovoltaic cell units with non-ideal diode characteristics and low internal resistance, arranged on a flexible foil, which reduces the impact of overshadowing and allows electricity generation even if some cells are blocked, using thinner and less expensive interconnecting conductors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional inorganic solar cells are used, then high conversion efficiency is achieved, but manufacturing energy consumption and material cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from conventional inorganic crystalline silicon to organic photovoltaic materials, which require significantly less manufacturing energy while maintaining acceptable conversion efficiency. This material substitution resolves the contradiction between efficiency and manufacturing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs organic photovoltaic materials that are cheaper and require less energy-intensive manufacturing processes compared to inorganic silicon-based cells. The organic materials can be produced through solution processing and low-temperature fabrication, reducing both material cost and manufacturing energy input.
2Power
If photovoltaic cells are connected in series to increase voltage, then power output improves, but vulnerability to cell failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameter of the organic photovoltaic cells to achieve lower operating voltage and higher current output. By operating at lower voltage, the system reduces the risk of electrical breakdown and charge buildup that plagues high-voltage series-connected conventional cells, thereby improving reliability while maintaining power output.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of connecting cells in series to increase voltage (conventional approach), the patent inverts the strategy by connecting cells in parallel or using a configuration that prioritizes current summation. This inversion allows the system to achieve high power output through high current rather than high voltage, fundamentally reducing the vulnerability to cell failure and shading effects.
3Reliability
If thick conductors are used to interconnect photovoltaic cells, then electrical connection reliability improves, but material cost and device weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameters of the photovoltaic cells to operate at lower voltage and higher current, which reduces the current density requirements for interconnectors. This allows the use of thinner, lighter conductors while maintaining acceptable electrical connection reliability, thereby reducing both material cost and device weight.
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 enables the generation of electricity with a lower vulnerability to overshadowing and reduced material costs, although at the cost of lower efficiency, requiring more cells to achieve the same energy output as traditional systems.
Implementation Method 1
photovoltaic cell units (102) with non-ideal diode characteristics and low internal resistance, arranged on a flexible foil, which reduces the impact of overshadowing and allows electricity generation even if some cells are blocked
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a photovoltaic module comprising a carrier substrate, said carrier substrate carrying a purely printed structure comprising printed positive and negative module terminals, a plurality of printed photovoltaic cell units each comprising one or more printed photovoltaic cells, wherein the plurality of printed photovoltaic cell units are electrically connected in series between the positive and the negative module terminals such that any two neighbouring photovoltaic cell units are electrically connected by a printed interconnecting electrical conductor. The carrier substrate comprises a foil and the total thickness of the photovoltaic module is below 500 µm. Moreover, the nominal voltage level between the positive and the negative terminals is at least 5 kV DC.