Structured Photovoltaic Front Sheet for Lamination Stress Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
The lamination process in photovoltaic apparatuses causes stress and deformation in layers, leading to efficiency decreases and potential corrosion due to expansion and contraction of materials, which existing technologies fail to adequately mitigate.
Innovation Solution
A photovoltaic apparatus with a structured transparent front sheet featuring embossed structures aligned with serial interconnects, formed using a release sheet with incompressible fibers, to manage lamination-induced stresses and enhance flexibility, thereby reducing deformations and improving durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If lamination process is used to laminate multiple layers together, then high strength and stability are achieved, but stresses cause deformations such as wrinkles and cracks in flexible layers
Solution Approach 1:
The front sheet is segmented into multiple discrete structures (ridges, valleys, pillars) that are distributed across the sheet. These segmented structures allow localized stress management, where each structure can independently deform or absorb stress without causing widespread deformation across the entire sheet, thus maintaining overall flatness while accommodating lamination-induced stresses.
Solution Approach 2:
The front sheet incorporates structures with varying local properties - raised ridges with higher stiffness and lowered valleys with greater flexibility. This local quality variation allows different regions of the sheet to respond differently to stresses: rigid ridges maintain structural integrity while flexible valleys accommodate deformation, preventing cracks and wrinkles in the overall laminated structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If lamination process is used to laminate multiple layers together, then high stability is achieved, but heat and pressure cause expansions and contractions leading to deformations
Solution Approach 1:
The front sheet structures are designed beforehand to anticipate and cushion against lamination-induced stresses. The raised ridges and lowered valleys create a pre-configured stress distribution pattern that absorbs and dissipates heat and pressure during lamination, preventing unexpected deformations, wrinkles, and cracks before they can occur in the final product.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional flat front sheet is used, then manufacturing is simple, but deformations expose interior portions to environment leading to corrosion and UV damage
Solution Approach 1:
The front sheet transitions from a conventional two-dimensional flat surface to a three-dimensional structured surface with raised ridges and lowered valleys. This dimensional change creates additional protective geometry that physically shields interior portions of the photovoltaic device from environmental exposure, preventing corrosion and UV damage while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through techniques like embossing or molding.
Data Source
AI summary
A photovoltaic apparatus is provided including a back sheet and a photovoltaic device disposed over the back sheet. The photovoltaic device includes an array of photovoltaic cells extending in a first direction; and a plurality of serial interconnects having a length that extends in a second direction, wherein each serial interconnect is disposed between and electrically connects consecutive photovoltaic cells of the array. The photovoltaic apparatus further includes a front sheet disposed over the photovoltaic device, the front sheet having a plurality of structures, wherein each structure has one or more edges aligned with one of the serial interconnects.