JP2011514001A - Solar cell module and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a solar cell module in which a solar cell is housed in an internal space surrounded by first and second glass panels and a spacer member, which is made of a first seal material, A strand (2) having a cut-out (3) at least partially filled with an electrically insulating sealing material (4) in a certain location is used to form the first glass panel ( 1), and at least one electrical conductor (5) is applied to the second sealing material (4) as a connection for the solar cell of the solar cell module, the conductor (5) being The third electrically insulating sealing material (6) is covered so as to be surrounded by the second and third sealing compounds (4, 6) in an electrically insulating manner in the notch region. , An internal space in which two glass panels are attached to the first glass panel (1) and a solar cell connected to the conductor (5) is surrounded by the two glass panels and the strand (2) The method surrounded by is described. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a solar cell module corresponding to this method.
[Selection] Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a solar cell module including two glass panels that form an internal space in which solar cells are arranged in cooperation with a spacer member arranged therebetween. A solar cell module of this type is known from Patent Document 1, for example.

  A problem associated with the manufacture of this type of solar cell module is that it provides an electrical connection of the solar cell from the sealed interior space to the outside. It is known to provide an opening on one side of the glass panel for the connection and later seal this opening with a suitable sealing compound. However, this is an elaborate process.

  The connection as a copper strip is connected to the glass panel so that the copper strip is coplanar by bonding or soldering, and then the copper strip is covered with a spacer member using an edge seal, so that It is also known to guide outside the border. This is also an elaborate process. In addition, it is very difficult to reliably prevent moisture from entering the interior space in the area of the copper strip.

German Patent No. 199 50 893

  It is an object of the present invention to show a method for more easily guiding an electrical connection out of the interior space of a solar cell module sealed so as to be impermeable to moisture without compromising the sealing of the interior space. It is in.

  This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1. The advantageous development of the method according to the invention is the subject of the dependent claims relating to the method according to the invention. Furthermore, the object is achieved by a solar cell module having the features of claim 13 and which can be produced using the method according to the invention. An advantageous development of the solar cell module according to the invention is the subject of dependent claims 14 and 15.

  In the case of the method according to the invention, a strand comprising a first sealing compound is applied to the first glass panel of the solar cell module to form a spacer member, the strand being an electrical conductor that is a spacer. A recess is provided at a location extending through the member. This recess may be a gap, for example, but is preferably designed as a portion of the strand where the thickness of the strand, measured perpendicular to the glass panel, is reduced. This can be easily achieved by temporarily increasing the moving speed of the nozzle in the area where the recess is to be created and / or reducing the size of the nozzle opening by appropriate control of the nozzle for applying the sealing compound. This can be easily realized by temporarily reducing the size.

  For example, an adhesive used to produce insulating glass using a method known as TPS® is preferably used as the first sealing compound to bond two glass panels together Is done. The sealing compound generally used in the production of insulating glass can be applied as a paste and then cured. Thermoplastic materials, especially polyisobutylene, are particularly suitable. Very well suited for the production of insulating glass, and therefore commonly used adhesives are additive particles (especially powder particles such as graphite or carbon black particles, for example) for adjusting mechanical properties and improving UV resistance. ) And is therefore conductive.

  In the case of the method according to the invention, the electrical contact between the electrical conductor used as the connection for the solar cell of the solar cell module and the first sealing compound causes the recess to be second electrically insulating. This is prevented by at least partially filling with a sealing compound. A conductor is then placed over the second sealing compound and covered with a third electrically insulating sealing compound. Therefore, the conductor is electrically insulated in the region of the recess, and the entire circumference is surrounded by the second and third sealing compounds.

  For simplicity, the same material can be used for the second and third sealing masses. However, different materials are used to enclose the entire circumference of the electrical conductor so as to be electrically insulated so that the electrical conductor can extend through the spacer member without touching the first sealing compound. Is also possible. The second and third sealing compounds can be applied as a self-hardening paste, and a thermoplastic adhesive or a hot melt adhesive is preferably used. Polyisobutylene is particularly suitable and is a sufficiently good electrical insulator in the absence of conductive additives such as graphite powder.

  Once the conductor is covered with a conductive sealing compound, the second glass panel is placed on the first glass panel and the solar cell connected to the conductor is surrounded by two glass panels and a strand Can be enclosed in space. A third sealing compound is applied to the first glass panel using an upset forging device in order to obtain the same thickness in the filled region of the recess as the remaining region of the strand. Can be compressed.

  Prior to installing the second glass panel, the third sealing compound is preferably covered with a fourth sealing compound. Preferably, the same material is used for the first and fourth sealing compounds, for example a thermoplastic adhesive containing an additive to increase UV resistance. In this way, the second and third electrically insulating sealing compounds can be protected from UV radiation by covering them with the first and fourth sealing compounds. This is an important advantage because typically electrically insulating sealing compounds do not have good UV resistance. Due to the addition of UV blockers (especially graphite particles), conductive sealing compounds can withstand UV radiation relatively well over a period of several years without causing a reduction in sealing function.

  According to an advantageous refinement of the invention, once the conductor is covered with an electrically insulating sealing compound, the strand made of the fourth sealing compound is circumferentially above the strand made of the first sealing compound. And then a second glass panel is placed on the fourth sealing compound. In view of the fact that the two circumferential strands of the sealing compound are arranged so as to overlap each other, a glass panel in the region of the conductor passage having the second and third electrically insulating sealing compounds It is easier to make the thickness measured perpendicular to the plane of

  A desiccant may be added to the first and / or fourth sealing compound, for example, to absorb moisture remaining in the sealed interior space of the solar cell module, as is typical in the manufacture of insulating glass. it can.

  According to an advantageous development of the invention, the strand made of the self-hardening fifth sealing compound is arranged around the strand made of the first sealing compound on the side facing away from the internal space. The Preferably, silicone is used as the fifth sealing compound. The fifth sealing compound is used to mechanically bond two glass panels together to mechanically relieve the load they exert on the thermoplastic sealing compound. The This is an important advantage because the thermoplastic sealing compound can soften at high temperatures and the two glass panels can slip relative to each other. This can be countered by a fifth sealing compound that cures to form to cure. The fifth sealing compound can be applied to the entire circumference with two partial strands surrounding a conductor extending outward from the internal space of the solar cell module. Single component or multiple component synthetic resins or other curable plastics are suitable for use as the fifth sealing compound.

  According to the method according to the invention, a plurality of conductors surrounded by an electrically insulating sealing compound preferably extend through a spacer member between two glass panels. Basically, however, it is sufficient for the connection to extend only one conductor out so as to be electrically isolated. The second connection can be set to ground potential and can therefore be easily contacted with the conductive sealing compound. The conductor used in the solar cell module is preferably a flat conductor such as a metal strip. In particular, a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm is advantageous. The conductor is preferably guided through the spacer member, bare, i.e. not surrounded by a separate insulating jacket.

  Further details and advantages of the present invention will be described using embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The glass panel of the solar cell module is a part including a strand made of the applied first sealing compound and a recess for passing a conductor. FIG. 1 is a part of the glass panel shown in FIG. 1 after the recess is partially filled with the second electrically insulating sealing compound. Part of the glass panel after the conductor has been placed over the second sealing compound. Part of the glass panel after the conductor has been covered with an electrically insulating sealing compound. The uniform thickness of the strands and filled recesses is part of the glass panel after it has been generated all around by upsetting. A further circumferential strand is a portion of the glass panel after being placed over the strand of the first sealing compound and the filled recess.

  1-6 illustrate the steps of an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a solar cell module including a solar cell surrounded by a first glass panel, a second glass panel, and a spacer member. .

  In the first step of the method shown in FIG. 1, a first sealing compound strand 2 is applied circumferentially to a first glass panel 1 to form a spacer member, and this first The sealing compound has a recess 3 at one point. In the embodiment shown, the recess 3 is designed as a point in the strand 2 where the thickness of the strand 2 in the direction perpendicular to the glass panel 1 is reduced. The strand 2 is applied as a self-hardening paste. That is, the first sealing compound is a thermoplastic material and is applied at a high temperature of 60 ° C. to 80 ° C., for example. Polyisobutylene stabilized against UV radiation by the addition of UV blockers (especially graphite particles or carbon black particles) is particularly suitable for use as the first sealing compound. Since these additives make the first sealing compound conductive, the conductors used as connections for the solar cells of the solar cell module must be electrically insulated from the strands 2.

  In the second stage of the method shown in FIG. 2, the recess 3 is partially filled with a second electrically insulating sealing compound. The second sealing compound 4 is similarly applied as a self-hardening paste. A thermoplastic adhesive such as polyisobutylene is particularly suitable for use as the second sealing compound. Polyisobutylene without conductive additives such as graphite or carbon black, i.e. polyisobutylene without graphite particles, has a high enough electrical resistance to provide adequate electrical insulation.

  In a further step of the method shown in FIG. 3, an electrical conductor 5 as a connection for the solar cell of the solar cell module is arranged on the second electrically insulating sealing compound 4. The conductor 5 is electrically insulated from the strand 2 of the first sealing compound by the second sealing compound 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical conductor 5 is designed as a flat conductor. The flat conductor 5 preferably has a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm and can be designed, for example, as a metal strip (particularly composed of copper).

  In a further step of the method shown in FIG. 4, the electrical conductor 5 is covered with a third electrically insulating sealing compound 6, so that the entire circumference of the electrical conductor 5 is electrically insulated in the region of the recess 3. Thus, it is surrounded by the second sealing compound 4 and the third sealing compound 6. The same material (for example, polyisobutylene containing no graphite particles) is preferably used as the second sealing compound 4 and the third sealing compound 6. However, it is basically possible to use different electrically insulating materials as the second sealing compound 4 and the third sealing compound 6.

  The recess 3 of the strand 2 is preferably completely filled with the third sealing compound 6. It is preferred to apply slightly more third sealing compound 6 than is required to completely fill the recess 3. FIG. 4 shows that the surface of the third sealing compound 6 (the surface facing away from the glass panel) is slightly more for the third sealing than is required to completely fill the recess 3. It shows that the compound 6 is applied, so that it rises slightly above the height of the adjacent strand 2.

  In a further step of the method shown in FIG. 5, the third sealing compound 6 is applied to the first glass panel 1 after installation of the conductor 5 using an upset forging device 7. It is put up. By installing the third sealing compound 6, the surface of the third sealing compound 6 (the surface facing away from the glass panel 1) is adjacent to the strand 2 of the first sealing compound. To the same height. In this manner, a whole-strand strand made of the sealing compound having the same height in the direction perpendicular to the glass panel 1 is obtained on the glass panel 1.

  In a further step of the method shown in FIG. 6, once the conductor 5 is covered with a third sealing compound 6, a further strand 8 of the fourth sealing compound is removed from the first sealing compound. It is applied around the entire circumference of the resulting strand 2. Preferably, for the first and fourth sealing compounds, the same material is used (for example, a thermoplastic adhesive stabilized by an additive that resists the effects of UV radiation). Basically, however, it is also possible to use different materials for the first sealing compound and the fourth sealing compound.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the electrical conductor 5 is surrounded by the second electrically insulating sealing compound 4 and the third electrically insulating sealing compound 6, and is therefore conductive. 2 and 8 are electrically insulated.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a further strand 8 of the fourth sealing compound is applied in a constant thickness perpendicular to the glass panel 1 in the illustrated embodiment. However, this is not absolutely necessary, especially when the upsetting process is omitted. For example, the strand 8 is provided with a further recess which is paired with the recess 3 and a correspondingly large amount of the second sealing compound 4 and / or the third sealing compound 6 is applied so that this recess of the further strand 8 is completely It is also possible to guarantee that

  Once a further strand 8 has been applied, in a further stage of the method, a second glass panel (not shown) is placed on the further strand 8 and connected to the conductor 5 (not shown). ) Is surrounded by an internal space surrounded by two glass panels. It is possible to guide further conductors through further passages created in the manner described above. The conductor at ground potential does not necessarily have to be electrically insulated with respect to the strands 2 and 8 and can therefore simply be placed on the strand 2 and directly covered by the strand 8.

  In a further working phase, a fifth sealing compound (eg silicone) that is self-hardening (preferably curing) is injected into the edge joint between two glass panels arranged in a stack. Is done. In this way, the strands made of the self-hardening fifth sealing compound that mechanically joins the two glass panels together are the strands 2 and 4 made of the first sealing compound. Around the strand 8 made of a compound, it is arranged on the side facing away from the internal space of the solar cell module. Thus, the fifth sealing compound can stably bond the two glass panels even at a high temperature that may cause softening of the thermoplastic sealing compounds 2, 4, 6, and 8. Guaranteed. In the finished solar cell module, the fifth sealing compound is cured and forms a thermosetting plastic.

  The solar cell module manufactured by the above-described method includes a first glass panel 1, a second glass panel, a spacer member arranged circumferentially between two glass panels and two glass panels. And an electric conductor 5 extending outward from the internal space as a connection for the solar cell. In the above-described method, the spacer member is arranged in a circumferential manner at the edge joint portion between the two strands 2 of the strand 2 made of the first sealing compound, the further strand 8, and the joined two glass panels. And a strand made of a sealing compound.

  At least one of the conductors 5 extends through a passage formed in the spacer member. This passage composed of the electrically insulating sealing compound is formed by the second sealing compound 4 and the third sealing compound 6. Thus, the conductor 5 extending through the passage is electrically insulated from the conductive sealing compound (ie, the first sealing compound of the strand 2 and the fourth sealing compound of the strand 8). . The conductive sealing compound is disposed between the first glass panel 1 and the passage and between the second glass panel and the passage. Thus, the spacer member comprises a circumferential strand of conductive sealing compound formed in the illustrated embodiment of strands 2 and 8 and surrounding the entire circumference of the passage.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Glass panel 2 Strand 3 Recessed part 4 Second sealing compound 5 Conductor 6 Third sealing compound 7 Upset forging device 8 Strand

Claims (15)

A method for producing a solar cell module comprising a solar cell housed in an internal space surrounded by first and second glass panels and a spacer member,
A strand (2) comprising a first sealing compound and having a recess (3) in a fixed location at least partially filled with a second electrically insulating sealing compound (4) comprises a spacer member. It is applied circumferentially on the first glass panel (1) to form,
At least one electrical conductor (5) is arranged on the second sealing compound (4) as a connection for the solar cell of the solar cell module;
The conductor (5) is surrounded by the third electrically insulating sealing compound (6) and in the form of electrical insulation in the region of the recess by the second and third sealing compounds (4, 6). Covered and surrounded
An internal space in which a second glass panel is disposed on the first glass panel (1) and a solar cell connected to the conductor (5) is surrounded by the two glass panels and the strand (2). How to be surrounded by.   2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the same material is used as the second and third sealing compounds (4, 6).   3. The recess (3) of the strand (2) is designed as a point where the thickness in a direction perpendicular to the glass panel (1) is reduced. Method.   Any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the recess (3) is completely filled in a direction perpendicular to the glass panel (1) once the third sealing compound (6) is applied. The method according to claim 1.   Once the third sealing compound (6) is applied onto the conductor (5), the third sealing compound (6) faces away from the glass panel (1). The first glass panel (1) using an upset forging device (7) in order to make the surface the same as the surface of the strand (2) comprising the adjacent first sealing compound. 5) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is swept towards   6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the third sealing compound is covered with a fourth sealing compound.   Once the conductor (5) is covered with the third sealing compound (6), a strand (8) made of a fourth sealing compound is applied circumferentially onto the strand (2). The method according to claim 6.   The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the strand (8) made of the fourth sealing compound is applied with a constant thickness in a direction perpendicular to the glass panel (1).   The method according to claim 1, wherein the same material is used as the first and fourth sealing compounds.   10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first, second, third and fourth sealing compounds are thermoplastic materials.   The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the first and fourth sealing compounds contain a conductive additive.   The strand made of the fifth sealing compound to be cured is arranged on the side facing the direction away from the internal space around the strand (2) made of the first sealing compound. The method according to claim 1. Arranged in the internal space surrounded by the first glass panel (1), the second glass panel, and the circumferential spacer member disposed between the two glass panels and the two glass panels. A solar cell module comprising: a solar cell to be connected; and an electric conductor (5) extending outward from the internal space as a connection for the solar cell.
At least one of the conductors (5) extends through a passage disposed in the spacer member, the passage extending the conductor (5) extending through the passage to the first glass panel. An electrically insulating seal that electrically insulates the conductive sealing compound (2, 8) disposed between (1) and the passage and between the second glass panel and the passage. A solar cell module, characterized in that it is formed of a compound for use (4, 6).   14. The solar cell module according to claim 13, wherein the spacer member includes a circumferential strand (2) made of a conductive sealing compound that surrounds the entire circumference of the passage.   The spacer member is provided with a strand (2) made of a thermosetting plastic on the side facing away from the internal space of the strand (2) made of the conductive sealing compound. The solar cell module according to claim 14.

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