Photovoltaic Cell String Repair Using Localized Solder-Strip Heating
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manual repair methods for photovoltaic cell strings are inefficient, costly, and lack automation, leading to low yield and poor accuracy in replacing defective cells.
Innovation Solution
A device and method that uses a conveying system with a baking device to heat and separate protruding solder strips, allowing for automated desoldering and resoldering of defective cells, incorporating a fixing device for precise alignment and a control system for optimized heat application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual repair methods are used for photovoltaic cell strings, then operators can directly remove defective cells and install new ones, but the repair efficiency is low and productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated heating system. The baking device uses thermal energy to melt solder strips, automatically separating defective cells from the string without requiring manual desoldering tools or operations. This substitution of mechanical manual work with thermal automation directly addresses the contradiction by improving repair efficiency while reducing manual operation levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of solder from solid to liquid state through heating. The baking device heats the solder strip connecting defective cells to the photovoltaic string, causing it to melt and separate automatically. This phase transition mechanism enables automated cell removal without manual intervention, thereby improving productivity while reducing the extent of manual automation required.
2Reliability
If manual desoldering and resoldering processes are used, then defective cells can be replaced, but the repair cost increases and yield decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function into a dedicated baking device that can be integrated into the existing conveyor system. By separating the thermal separation function from manual operations, the device simplifies the overall repair process while improving reliability. The extracted heating mechanism automatically melts and separates defective cells, reducing process complexity and increasing repair yield without requiring complex manual dexterity.
3Productivity
If automated heating is used to separate solder strips, then repair efficiency improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial heating action by using the baking device to heat only the specific solder strip regions where defective cells need to be separated, rather than heating the entire photovoltaic string. This localized thermal application improves repair speed by targeting only necessary areas, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining high productivity. The heating is applied excessively only where needed for separation, not uniformly across the entire string.
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 enhances repair efficiency and accuracy, reducing costs and improving yield by automating the process of replacing defective cells in photovoltaic cell strings.
Implementation Method 1
The baking device is configured to heat the photovoltaic cell string located on the second conveying component, so that a protruding solder strip of a solar cell in the photovoltaic cell string is separated or fused at its connecting part
Implementation Method 2
The press tool is configured to compress the photovoltaic cell string against a non-defective solar cell for replacement at a position of the protruding solder strip and the corresponding back side
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Provided is a device and method for repairing photovoltaic cell string. The device for repairing photovoltaic cell string includes: a conveying device and a baking device. The conveying device is configured to drive a photovoltaic cell string placed on the conveying device to reciprocate along a first direction. The conveying device includes a first conveying component, a second conveying component and a third conveying component separately arranged. The baking device is arranged toward the second conveying component. The baking device is configured to heat the photovoltaic cell string located on the second conveying component, so that a protruding solder strip of a solar cell on the photovoltaic cell string is separated or fused at its connecting part.