Wafer Precursor Segmentation for Solar Concentrator Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high initial cost of manufacturing and installing efficient solar energy collecting systems, including solar cell arrays and solar thermal energy collectors, limits their widespread adoption due to expensive manufacturing and installation costs, as well as the weight of solar concentrators, which increases structural costs, especially for building installations.
Innovation Solution
A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic concentrator module using a wafer precursor composed of a crystalline silicon substrate, where fingers are applied as horizontal grid lines and bus bars are added perpendicularly to form top grid structures, allowing for the creation of multiple concentrator cells from a single wafer, reducing material costs and weight, and enabling higher energy generation through sunlight concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional solar cell manufacturing methods are used, then reliable photovoltaic conversion is achieved, but manufacturing costs and installation costs are substantially higher than conventional electrical energy generating installations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single large wafer into multiple smaller cells through a multi-step process: first scribing grid lines to define cell boundaries, then breaking the wafer into strips, and finally separating strips into individual cells. This segmentation allows one wafer to produce multiple cells, reducing the number of wafers needed per installation and thereby reducing manufacturing and installation costs while maintaining reliable photovoltaic conversion in each cell
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary actions by pre-forming bus bars on the wafer before breaking it into strips and cells. The bus bars are created through screen printing and firing processes before the wafer is segmented, ensuring proper electrical connectivity is established in advance. This preliminary formation of electrical structures simplifies subsequent assembly and reduces manufacturing complexity and cost
2Productivity
If solar concentrators are used to increase effective collection area, then energy collection efficiency is improved, but the weight of the solar energy collector system increases, increasing structural costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameters of the cells by controlling the bus bar configuration and grid structure during the breaking process. By optimizing bus bar placement and connectivity before breaking the wafer, the resulting cells have reduced series resistance and improved electrical performance. This allows for more efficient energy collection from each cell, effectively increasing productivity without requiring heavier concentrator structures
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 method reduces capital expenditures by using fewer wafers per Watt and lowers series resistance, resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective solar energy collection system with increased energy generation capabilities, while maintaining compatibility with existing manufacturing infrastructure and processes.
Implementation Method 1
solar energy may be converted into electrical energy by a so-called solar cell
Implementation Method 2
reflective or refractive devices which are designed to collect solar energy impinging upon a relatively large area and to focus the collected energy onto a relatively small area of utilization
Implementation Method 3
applying, via a silk screen printing device, fingers onto the wafer substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A wafer precursor for creating photovoltaic (PV) concentrator modules and a method for fabricating solar concentrator modules using the wafer precursor. The method includes providing a crystalline silicon wafer substrate that can be used to make multiple concentrator cells to be incorporated into concentrator modules. The method also includes applying fingers as horizontal grid lines onto the crystalline silicon wafer substrate. The method also includes applying bus bars onto the crystalline silicon wafer substrate to form separate top grid structures. The number of separate top grid structures is at least two when the concentrator module is part of an optical system that has a concentration ratio of between about 8 and about 16 times sunlight. The number of top grid structures is at least three when the concentrator module is part of an optical system that has a concentration ratio of between about 17 and about 50.