Solar Module Backside Refurbishing With Paternoster Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for refurbishing solar module back sides, particularly those with polyamide or polyester backing films, face issues such as embrittlement, cracking, delamination, and coating detachment, leading to operational safety risks and power losses.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method involving a sequential process of washing, drying using a paternoster with air and heat flow, infrared pretreatment, crack recognition and filling, and a coating treatment device, including a paternoster for curing, to ensure thorough drying and adhesion of the coating without detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional drying methods are used after washing solar modules, then the drying process is simple, but residual water remains on the module surface leading to coating detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The drying device is segmented into multiple drying modules arranged in a paternoster configuration, where each module performs a specific drying function. This segmentation allows thorough drying without requiring overly complex single-unit equipment, as the drying process is distributed across multiple simpler modules working in sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The paternoster structure introduces a vertical dimension to the drying process, with modules arranged in a loop that moves solar modules through different drying zones. This spatial arrangement enables comprehensive water removal from all surfaces without requiring excessively complex horizontal drying systems.
2Ease of manufacture
If polyamide or polyester backing films are used in solar modules, then the modules are less expensive and lighter, but the films suffer from embrittlement, cracking, and delamination after short period use
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies a protective coating to the backing film before the film undergoes degradation. This preliminary protective action prevents embrittlement and cracking from occurring in the first place, allowing the use of cost-effective polyamide or polyester films while maintaining long-term durability through the preventive coating application.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution creates a composite structure by applying a protective coating layer over the polyamide or polyester backing film. This composite material system combines the cost and weight advantages of the plastic film with the durability and crack resistance of the protective coating, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing ease and reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If intensive cleaning and drying steps are performed before coating, then coating quality should improve, but inclusions can still occur in the coating leading to detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a camera system that provides visual feedback to monitor the cleaning and drying processes. This feedback mechanism allows real-time detection of contaminants or residual moisture that could cause inclusions, enabling adjustments to ensure proper drying before coating application and preventing coating detachment despite intensive processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces purely mechanical cleaning and drying methods with a combination that includes optical monitoring (camera system) and controlled thermal drying in the paternoster. This substitution allows for more precise control of the drying process, ensuring complete moisture removal without the mechanical stress that could compromise coating adhesion.
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 prevents coating detachment and enhances the durability and adhesion of the coating on solar module back sides, improving the operational safety and efficiency of the refurbishment process.
Implementation Method 1
an air and/or heat flow can be directed onto the solar modules, which flow dries both the front side and the back side of the solar modules
Implementation Method 2
the applied coating is dried and polymerized
Implementation Method 3
DE 10 2020 002 093 A1 discloses a generic method for sealing the back side of such solar modules as part of a repair. The solar modules pass through several process steps. First, the solar modules are cleaned with water. The water remaining on the solar modules is subsequently wiped off, and then blown off using an air curtain. In order to also remove the residual water from the solar modules, they are then irradiated with pulsed infrared radiation.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for refurbishing back sides of solar modules, has, successively in a direction of treatment, a washing device, a drying device, a solar module back side coating device, and a coating treatment device. There is also described a method for refurbishing back sides of solar modules, in which the solar modules are washed, are dried after washing, are coated on their backside in a coating process after drying, and the applied coating is dried and polymerized. The drying device is at least partially configured as a paternoster and/or the drying of the washed solar modules is carried out at least partially in a paternoster in which the lying solar modules are moved up and down while oriented horizontally.