JPH1187743A - Method for vacuum-laminating module - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a solar battery module which has a large-area, smooth and good light-receiving surface by forming the module by laminating materials upon another, without leaving bubbles between the laminated materials. SOLUTION: In a vacuum-laminating method in which laminating treatment is performed on a module material 101 by heating a laminate-treating space after the material 101 has been arranged in the laminate-treating space, the space is evacuated, and ventilation layer forming members 103 and 104 are respectively arranged immediately above and below the material 101, respectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vacuum laminating method for a module, for example, a vacuum laminating method applied in a manufacturing process of a solar cell module.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a vacuum laminating process is applied as a final manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, particularly a device used by being exposed to the outside air such as a solar cell. This is to improve the durability of the element against temperature, humidity, external pressure and the like.

[0003] In recent years, the demand for solar cells to which vacuum lamination is most suitably applied as a manufacturing method has been rapidly expanding. This is accompanied by an increase in demand for power supplies in portable devices and as a clean energy source. For example, as global environmental pollution has increased, awareness of environmental issues has been increasing worldwide. CO ₂
The fear of global warming caused by emissions is serious, and the demand for clean energy is increasing. In such a situation, the solar cell is currently a promising one as a safe energy source due to its safety and ease of handling. To supply highly reliable and economical solar cells to meet these demands,
The above vacuum lamination method plays an important role.

[0004] There are various types of solar cells. Representative examples include (1) a single-crystal silicon solar cell, (2) a polycrystalline silicon solar cell, (3) an amorphous silicon solar cell, and (4) a compound semiconductor solar cell.

[0005] Among the above, the amorphous silicon solar cell has been beginning to be applied to a new field in recent years, since a flexible solar cell can be produced at a relatively low cost and the area can be increased.

As one method of manufacturing a solar cell module,
First, a sheet-like material constituting a solar cell module is arranged and laminated in a vacuum laminating apparatus, and a vacuum is applied to remove air between the materials. So-called degassing. Next, heating is performed in a state where the vacuum is drawn. The temperature is raised by heating to reach a temperature for crosslinking or curing of the sealing material, and this temperature is maintained for a predetermined time until the sealing material is sufficiently cured. After cooling, the evacuation is stopped and the pressure is returned to the atmospheric pressure. By this procedure, a solar cell having the configuration shown in FIG. 9 is completed.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a solar cell module manufactured by a vacuum laminating apparatus. In this figure, 901 is a photovoltaic element, 902 is a surface sealing material,
Reference numeral 903 denotes an outermost surface covering material (surface protective film), 904 denotes a back surface sealing material, and 905 denotes a back surface covering material.

FIGS. 10 (a) and 10 (b) are schematic diagrams of an apparatus for manufacturing this solar cell module. Here, 1001 is a plate-like base material, 1002 is a cylindrical tube, 1003 is a deaeration hole, 1004
Is a fixing member, 1005 is a lid member, 1006 is a solar cell constituent material, and 1008 is a vacuum pump. As shown in FIG. 10 (a), the cylindrical tube 1002 has an annular shape, and has a plurality of deaeration holes 1003 on the inner peripheral wall of the annular shape.
02 and a plate-like base material 100 on which an annular body is fixedly mounted.
1. A space portion 1007 for laminating is formed by a lid member 1005 that further covers the front surface of the annular body, a solar cell constituent material 1006 is arranged in the space portion, and the space portion is evacuated.

[0009]

However, FIG.
In the conventional vacuum deaeration laminating method as shown in the following, a method for securing deaeration between the solar cell module constituent material and the main body cover member, and between the solar cell module constituent material and the plate-shaped base material. It is difficult to secure a ventilation layer, and when trying to manufacture a solar cell module suitable for large area such as an amorphous silicon solar cell, due to poor degassing between the laminated materials, the space between the laminated materials constituting the solar cell module Air bubbles are likely to remain on the surface. This is because, in the case of a large-area module, the distance from the center of the module to the outside of the module is long, and bubbles in the center of the module tend to remain.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, the present inventors placed a gas-permeable member immediately below the module material and performed vacuum degassing. FIG. 11 is a schematic view of the solar cell manufacturing apparatus at this time. Here, 1101 is a plate-shaped substrate,
1102 is a cylindrical tube, 1103 is a deaeration hole, 1104 is a fixing member, 1105 is a lid member, 1106 is a solar cell constituent material,
Reference numeral 1107 denotes a ventilation layer forming member. In the solar cell module manufactured by this method, the number of bubbles existing between the laminated materials was reduced as compared with the conventional method, but nonetheless, a high quality solar cell could not be manufactured.

In the case where the surface coating material of the solar cell is disposed on the plate-like base material side, that is, the light receiving surface side is arranged on the plate-like base material side and laminated (face down)
wn) lamination method), if there is unevenness due to a mounting member or the like on the light receiving surface side of the photovoltaic element, the back surface covering material is disposed on the plate-like base material side and laminated (face-up).
p) The vacuum degassing is more difficult than in the laminating method). This is represented as follows in the figure.

FIG. 12A is a schematic sectional view of the face-up lamination. 1201 is a plate-like base material, 1202 is a cylindrical tube, 1203 is a deaeration hole, 1204 is a fixing member, 1205
Is a lid member, 1206 is a photovoltaic element, 1207 is a light receiving surface side laminated material, and 1208 is a back surface side laminated material. Since the laminated material on the light receiving surface side follows the convex portion formed by the output terminal on the light receiving surface side of the photovoltaic element, air does not easily remain.

FIG. 12B is a schematic sectional view of the face-down lamination. The face-down lamination method is a lamination method used to smooth the light receiving surface side of the solar cell module. 1201 is a plate-like base material, 1202 is a cylindrical tube, 12
03 is a deaeration hole, 1204 is a fixing member, 1205 is a lid member, 1206 is a photovoltaic element, 1207 is a light receiving surface side laminated material, and 1208 is a back surface side laminated material. It is difficult for the laminated material on the light receiving surface side to follow the convex portion formed by the output terminal on the light receiving surface side of the photovoltaic element, and air is likely to remain near the output terminal.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the solar cell module and to provide a module laminating method capable of performing a high-quality laminating treatment without leaving air bubbles between the laminated materials.

[0015]

Means for Solving the Problems The present inventors have found that the following method is effective for solving the above problems. That is, in the step of evacuating the laminating space, placing a module material in the laminating space, and a vacuum laminating method of laminating the module material by heating the laminating space, This is a method of arranging a ventilation layer forming member immediately above and below.

Here, (1) It is preferable that the area of the ventilation layer forming member is larger than the area of the module material.

(2) It is preferable that the ventilation layer forming member reaches a deaeration hole of a vacuum laminating apparatus.

(3) It is preferable that the ventilation layer forming member is disposed on all surfaces of the module material.

(4) Preferably, the ventilation layer forming member is a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric. I found that.

According to the vacuum laminating method of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

First, by arranging the ventilation layer forming member directly above and immediately below the module material, poor degassing of the solar cell module material hardly occurs during vacuum degassing. That is, by arranging the ventilation layer forming member above and below the module material, a ventilation layer is formed immediately above and directly below the module material, and promotes degassing. Furthermore, when the solar cell module material has a large area, the distance that air remaining inside the module escapes to the outside of the module is longer than in the case of a small area, making vacuum degassing difficult, but venting directly under the module material. By disposing the layer forming member, the remaining air can be discharged out of the module.

When the solar cell module is laminated with the light receiving surface side down, that is, when the module is laminated face down, air is likely to remain near the uneven portion on the light receiving surface side of the solar cell. By disposing immediately below the module material, the air can be discharged out of the module. Regarding the above-mentioned [Means for Solving the Problems] (1) to (4), the following operational effects can be obtained by them.

(1) Since the area of the ventilation layer forming member is larger than the area of the module material, the residual air bubbles in the laminated laminate are reliably discharged out of the module.

(2) Since the ventilation layer forming member has reached the deaeration holes of the vacuum laminating apparatus, the ventilation layer is formed to the deaeration holes without interruption on the way, and is reliably vacuum degassed.

(3) Since the ventilation layer forming members are arranged on all surfaces of the module material, the air bubbles remaining inside the module material are reliably discharged out of the module.

(4) By using a woven or non-woven fabric as the ventilation layer forming member, the depth of the irregularities attached to the module can be reduced, and the mass productivity is increased.

[0027]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a laminating apparatus for processing a solar cell module, wherein 101 is a solar cell module constituent material, 102 is a plate-like base material, and 103 is a ventilation disposed immediately below the module material. Layer forming member, 104
Is a ventilation layer forming member disposed immediately above the module material,
105 is a lid member. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a solar cell module as a laminate to be subjected to lamination processing, wherein 201 is a photovoltaic element, 202 is a surface sealing material,
03 is a front surface covering material, 205 is a back surface reinforcing material, and 204 is a back surface covering material. Light from the outside enters from the surface covering material 203, that is, the transparent resin film on the outermost surface, reaches the photovoltaic element 201, and the generated electromotive force is output to an output terminal (not shown).
It is taken out more. [Photovoltaic Element] A typical photovoltaic element 901 in the present invention is one in which a semiconductor photoactive layer as a light conversion member and a transparent electrode layer are formed on a conductive substrate. FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration diagram as an example. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the photovoltaic element 201, and FIG. 3B is a top view on the light-receiving surface side.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 301 denotes a conductive metal substrate, 302 denotes a back reflection layer, 303 denotes a semiconductor photoactive layer,
04 is a transparent electrode layer, 305 is a grid-like current collecting electrode, 306
a and 306b are output terminals.

The conductive metal base 301 serves as a base for the photovoltaic element and also serves as a lower electrode. Examples of the material include silicon, tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, titanium, a carbon sheet, a lead-plated steel sheet, a resin film on which a conductive layer is formed, and ceramics. The conductive metal substrate 3
A metal layer, a metal oxide layer, or a metal layer and a metal oxide layer may be formed on the back surface 01 as the back reflection layer 302. For example, Ti, Cr, Mo,
W, Al, Ag, Ni and the like are used, and for the metal oxide layer, for example, ZnO, TiO ₂ , SnO _{2 and the} like are used. As a method of forming the metal layer and the metal oxide layer,
There are a resistance heating evaporation method, an electron beam evaporation method, a sputtering method and the like.

The semiconductor photoactive layer 303 is a portion for performing photoelectric conversion, and specific materials include pn junction type polycrystalline silicon, pin junction type amorphous silicon, and Cu.
InSe ₂ , CuInS ₂ , GaAs, CdS / Cu
₂ S, CdS / CdTe, CdS / InP, CdTe /
And a compound semiconductor such as Cu ₂ Te. As a method for forming the semiconductor photoactive layer 303, in the case of polycrystalline silicon, a sheet of molten silicon or heat treatment of amorphous silicon, in the case of amorphous silicon, plasma CVD using silane gas as a raw material, in the case of a compound semiconductor, Examples include ion plating, ion beam deposition, vacuum evaporation, sputtering, and electrodeposition.

The transparent electrode layer 304 serves as an upper electrode of the solar cell. As a material to be used, for example, I
_{n 2 O 3, SnO 2,} In 2 O 3 -SnO 2 (ITO), Zn
There are O, TiO ₂ , Cd ₂ SnO ₄ , and a crystalline semiconductor layer doped with a high concentration of impurities. Examples of the formation method include resistance heating evaporation, sputtering, spraying, CVD, and impurity diffusion.

On the transparent electrode layer 304, in order to efficiently collect current, a grid-like current collecting electrode 305 (grid)
May be provided. As a specific material of the current collecting electrode 305, for example, Ti, Cr, Mo, W, Al, Ag, N
i, Cu, Sn, or a conductive paste such as a silver paste. As a method for forming the collector electrode 305, sputtering using a mask pattern, resistance heating, a CVD method, a method in which an unnecessary portion is removed by etching after depositing a metal film on the entire surface, and a patterning method using photo-CVD, There are a method of forming a grid electrode pattern, a method of plating after forming a mask of a negative pattern of the grid electrode pattern, and a method of printing a conductive paste. As the conductive paste, one obtained by dispersing silver, gold, copper, nickel, carbon, or the like in fine powder form in a binder polymer is usually used. Examples of the binder polymer include resins such as polyester, epoxy, acrylic, alkyd, polyvinyl acetate, rubber, urethane, and phenol.

Finally, to take out the electromotive force, the output terminal 3
06a and 306b are formed of the conductive metal base 301 and the collecting electrode 3
05. A method of joining a metal body such as a copper tab or the like by spot welding or solder to the conductive metal substrate 301 and a method of electrically connecting the metal body to the current collecting electrode 305 by a conductive paste or solder are used. Can be

Next, the surface sealing material 202 used in the present invention
The surface covering material 203 will be described in detail below. [Sealant] The surface sealant 202 covers the unevenness of the photovoltaic element with a resin, protects the photovoltaic element from severe external environment such as temperature change, humidity, impact, and the like. Necessary for ensuring adhesion to the element. Therefore,
Weather resistance, adhesion, filling, heat resistance, cold resistance and impact resistance are required. Resins satisfying these requirements include ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer (EEA), polyolefin-based resins, urethane resins, silicone resins, and fluororesins. Among them, EVA has well-balanced physical properties for use in solar cells, and is preferably used.
However, since the heat deformation temperature is low as it is, it easily deforms and creeps under high-temperature use. Therefore, by adding an organic peroxide (crosslinking agent) to the sealing material, crosslinking is performed to increase heat resistance. It is desirable. Further, in order to suppress the photodeterioration of the material constituting the solar cell, an ultraviolet absorber represented by various organic compounds of salicylic acid type, benzophenone type, benzotriazole type, and cyanoacrylate type is contained. It is desirable. [Surface coating material] Surface coating material 203 used in the present invention
Since it is located on the outermost layer of the solar cell module, it is necessary to have properties for ensuring long-term reliability of the solar cell module in outdoor exposure, such as weather resistance, contamination resistance, and mechanical strength. Materials preferably used in the present invention include polyvinylidene fluoride resin, polyvinyl fluoride resin and ethylene tetrafluoride-ethylene copolymer (ET
FE). ETFE is excellent in terms of transparency and compatibility between weather resistance and mechanical strength. In order to improve the adhesiveness with the sealing material 202, it is preferable to perform a surface treatment on one surface of the surface resin film as the surface covering material 203. In particular, the corona discharge treatment is a relatively easy device and has a large adhesive force. It is preferably used because it can be improved. [Back Coating Material] The back coating material 204 is a photovoltaic element 2
It is necessary to ensure electrical insulation between the C.01 and the outside. As the material, a flexible material that can secure sufficient electric insulation with the conductive substrate, has excellent long-term durability, and can withstand thermal expansion and thermal contraction is preferable. In addition, since the material itself may be the outermost material of the solar cell module, high strength characteristics are required from the viewpoint of strength such as scratch resistance. Suitable films include nylon, polyvinyl fluoride (PFV, Tedlar) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). [Backside reinforcing agent] It is sometimes used to increase the mechanical strength of the solar cell module. The required quality is
Examples include weather resistance, rigidity, and flexibility. Stainless steel plates, plated steel plates, galvalume steel plates and the like are used. [Ventable layer forming member] As the permeable layer forming member 103 disposed immediately below the module material, a permeable material such as a woven fabric or a nonwoven fabric is preferably used. Specifically, there are metal systems such as aluminum mesh and stainless steel mesh, inorganic systems such as glass fiber woven fabric and glass fiber nonwoven fabric, and organic systems such as polyester fiber woven fabric and polyester fiber nonwoven fabric.

The PEA film used as a material for preventing the sealing material from flowing out functions as a ventilation layer forming member when used together with a ventilation layer forming member such as a stainless steel mesh. This is shown in FIG. Here, 501 is a plate-shaped substrate, 502 is a metal mesh, and 503 is a PFA film. During vacuum degassing, as shown in FIG.
The film 503 follows the metal mesh 502 to form a ventilation layer.

Further, as the ventilation layer forming member 104 disposed immediately above the module material, that is, on the light receiving surface side, a woven fabric or a nonwoven fabric (for example, a polyester fiber nonwoven fabric) is suitably used. This is because, when a metal-based mesh is used, the embossment (irregularity) of the surface coating material is too deep, and the weather resistance and insulation of the solar cell module may be impaired.

[0037]

【Example】

(Example 1) [Photovoltaic element] First, amorphous silicon (a-S
i) Produce a solar cell (photovoltaic element). The manufacturing procedure will be described with reference to FIG.

On a cleaned stainless steel substrate (301),
An Al layer (film thickness 50) is formed as the back reflection layer 302 by sputtering.
00Å) and a ZnO layer (thickness 5000Å) are sequentially formed. Next, SiH ₄ and PH _{3 are formed} by plasma CVD.
The n-type a-Si layer from a mixed gas between H _2, SiH ₄ and H ₂
I-type a-Si layer from the mixed gas of SiH ₄ , BF ₃ and H
Forming a p-type microcrystalline μc-Si layer from the mixed gas of No. ₂ ;
Layer thickness 150 ° / i-layer thickness 4000 ° / p-layer thickness 100
Å / n-layer thickness 100Å / i-layer thickness 800Å / p-layer thickness 1
A tandem type a-Si based semiconductor photoactive layer 303 having a layer structure of 00 ° was formed. Next, as the transparent electrode layer 304, I
An n ₂ O ₃ thin film (thickness: 700 °) was formed by depositing In by a resistance heating method in an O ₂ atmosphere. further,
A grid electrode 305 for current collection is formed by screen printing of silver paste, and finally, a negative output terminal 306b.
Then, a copper tab was attached to the stainless steel substrate by spot welding, and a tin foil tape was attached to the current collecting electrode 305 with a conductive adhesive as the positive side output terminal 306a to obtain an output terminal, thereby obtaining a photovoltaic element. [Serialization] Next, the above-mentioned solar cell element was connected to a tin foil tape (3
06a) and a copper tab (306b) are connected in series by soldering, and similarly, five sheets of solar cell elements are connected in series by soldering a tin foil tape and a copper tab of an adjacent solar cell element. And a cell block of a required size. [Modulation] The serialized solar cell elements were vacuum-laminated by face-up lamination as described below to produce a solar cell module.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic cross-sectional views of modularization. 101 is a solar cell module constituent material, 102 is a plate-shaped base material, 103 is a ventilation layer forming member (stainless steel mesh), 104 is a ventilation layer forming member (polyester nonwoven fabric), 105 is a lid member (silicone rubber), and 205 is A back surface reinforcing material, 204 a back surface covering material, 201 a photovoltaic element, 202 a surface sealing material, and 203 a surface covering material.

On the light receiving surface side of the cell block, an EVA sheet (photocap, trade name, manufactured by Springborn Laboratories, Inc., having a thickness of 460 μm) as a surface sealing material 202 is provided.
m) and a non-stretched ETFE film (manufactured by DuPont, product surface Tefzel film, thickness 50 μm) having a corona treatment on one side as the surface coating material 203, and EEA / PET / EEA integrated laminated film (GOTO film, manufactured by Goto),
A steel plate (manufactured by Daido Steel Co., Ltd., thickness: 0.4 mm) as the back surface reinforcing material 205 with the light-receiving surface side up (face-up lamination)
Then, the layers were stacked from the bottom in the order of steel plate / (EEA / PET / EEA) cell block / EVA sheet / ETFE film, and arranged in a vacuum degassing space of a laminating apparatus. Then, a stainless steel mesh was disposed as the ventilation layer forming member 103 immediately below the steel plate as the back surface reinforcing member 205, and a polyester fiber nonwoven fabric (trade name: ELTAS) was disposed immediately above the ETFE as the ventilation layer forming member 104. At this time, the stainless steel mesh immediately below the steel plate has reached the deaeration holes of the vacuum laminating apparatus.

Finally, silicon rubber is covered as the lid member 105, and eight of the laminated bodies are placed in a vacuum laminating apparatus (1).
300 mm x 5700 mm), pre-evacuate for 30 minutes, and pressurize and degas at a degree of vacuum of 1 torr.
By heating at 50 ° C for 50 minutes, 420 mm x 1400
Eight mm solar cell modules were mass-produced. This solar cell module is shown in FIG. 4A is a plan view of the solar cell module, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view thereof. And 401 is a photovoltaic element, 402 is a sealing material,
Reference numeral 403 denotes a front surface covering material, 404 denotes a back surface covering material, and 405 denotes a back surface reinforcing material.

In the face-up lamination, since the photovoltaic element is visible, the lamination is easy and the mass productivity is high. (Example 2) In Example 1, the solar cell element was replaced with 2
0 sheets were connected in series, and two sheets of the laminate were placed in a vacuum laminating apparatus.
A large-area solar cell module of 2600 mm could be produced. (Example 3) The following solar cell module was produced using the photovoltaic element described in Example 1 above.

[Serialization] The above solar cell elements are connected in series by soldering a tin foil tape (306a) and a copper tab (306b), and similarly a tin foil tape and a copper tab of an adjacent solar cell element are connected. And by soldering
Zero solar cell elements were connected in series.

[Modularization] The serialized solar cell elements were vacuum-laminated by face-down lamination as described below to produce solar cell elements.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show schematic sectional views of the module. FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a laminating apparatus in a solar cell module laminating process, and FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view of a laminate. 601 is a solar cell module constituent material, 602 is a plate-like base material, 603 is a ventilation layer forming member (stainless steel mesh), 604 is a sealing material outflow prevention material (PFA sheet), 605 is a ventilation layer forming member (polyester nonwoven fabric). ), 606 is a lid member (silicone rubber), 701 is a surface covering material, 702 is a surface sealing material, 70
3 is a photovoltaic element, 704 is a back cover material, and 705 is a back reinforcing material.

On the light receiving surface side of the cell block, an EVA sheet as a surface sealing material 702 (photocap, trade name, manufactured by Springborn Laboratories, Inc., thickness: 460 μm)
m), a non-stretched ETFE film (manufactured by DuPont, product surface Tefzel film, thickness 50 μm) with corona treatment on both sides as the surface coating material 701, and EVA / PET as the back surface coating material 704 on the back surface side / EVA integrated laminated film (manufactured by Bridgestone Corporation), DX film (manufactured by Denki Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd.) as backside reinforcing material 705 with light-receiving surface side down (face-down laminated), and ETFE film / EVA sheet / cell block from below / (EVA / PET /
EVA) / DX film were stacked in this order and placed in a vacuum evacuation space of a laminating apparatus. As a ventilation layer forming member, a polyester fiber nonwoven fabric (made by Asahi Kasei Corporation, trade name: ELTAS) is disposed immediately below ETFE as the surface covering material 701 and immediately above a DX film as the back surface reinforcing material 705 as the ventilation layer forming member 605. did. Under the polyester fiber nonwoven fabric which is the ventilation layer forming member 605 immediately below the ETFE film, the ventilation layer forming member 603 is provided from below.
Stainless steel mesh / sealing material outflow prevention material 6
The layers are stacked in the order of PFA as 04, and the stainless steel mesh has reached the deaeration holes.

Finally, silicon rubber is covered as the lid member 606, and four of the laminates are placed in a vacuum laminating apparatus (1).
300 mm x 5700 mm), pre-evacuate for 30 minutes, and pressurize and degas at a degree of vacuum of 1 torr.
820 mm × 1320 by heating at 50 ° C. for 50 minutes.
Eight large-area solar cell modules of 8 mm were mass-produced. This solar cell module is shown in FIG. In FIG.
(A) is a plan view of a solar cell module, and (b) is a cross-sectional view thereof. 801 is a photovoltaic element, 802 is a sealing material, 803 is a surface covering material, 804 is a back surface covering film, and 805 is a back surface reinforcing material.

The face-down lamination eliminates unevenness of the light receiving surface, and can produce a solar cell module having a smooth light receiving surface. (Comparative Example 1) A solar cell module was fabricated in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the ventilation layer forming member (stainless steel mesh) 103 immediately below the back surface reinforcing material used to form the ventilation layer was not used. did. (Comparative Example 2) A solar cell module was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the ventilation layer forming member (polyester fiber non-woven fabric) 104 immediately above the surface covering material used to form the ventilation layer was not used. Produced. (Comparative Example 3) A solar cell module was produced in the same manner as in Example 3 except that the ventilation layer forming member (polyester fiber nonwoven fabric) 605 immediately below the ETFE film used for forming the ventilation layer was not used. . (Comparative Example 4) In Comparative Example 3, the ventilation layer forming member (polyester fiber nonwoven fabric) 605 immediately above the back surface reinforcing material (DX film) 805 used for forming the ventilation layer was not used, and the other conditions were the same. A solar cell module was manufactured.

Table 1 shows the results obtained by observing the appearance of the solar cell modules immediately after fabrication in the above Examples and Comparative Examples.
Those without defects were marked with "O", and those with defects were marked with "X".

[0050]

[Table 1]

Although the solar cell modules of Examples 1, 2 and 3 were free from degassing, high-quality solar cell modules could be obtained, while the solar cell modules of Comparative Examples 1-4 were degassed. Due to the failure, impregnation failure of the sealing material occurred near the output terminal of the solar cell element.

From Table 1 above, it can be seen that in the comparative example, air is likely to remain near the terminal extraction portion. However, in Examples 1 to 3 in which a member having air permeability was disposed immediately above and below the solar cell module material, no problem such as poor degassing was observed. From the above, it can be seen that the air bubbles remaining near the terminal extraction portion are discharged to the outside by the ventilation layer forming member immediately above and below the module material.

[0053]

According to the present invention, a module material such as a solar cell module material is placed in a laminating space, and the laminating space is evacuated, and the laminating space is heated. In a vacuum laminating method for laminating a material, by arranging a ventilation layer forming member immediately above and immediately below the module material, a high-quality laminating process that does not leave air bubbles between laminated materials can be performed. Therefore, when applied to a solar cell module, the area can be increased, and mass production is possible. In addition, large area by face down lamination method,
A high-quality solar cell module having a smooth light-receiving surface can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a laminating apparatus in a laminating process of a solar cell module according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the module laminate of FIG.

3A and 3B show a basic configuration of a photovoltaic element used in the solar cell module of FIG. 2; FIG. 3A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the photovoltaic element, and FIG. .

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view and a schematic top view of the solar cell module of Example 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view when a PFA sheet forms a ventilation layer together with a ventilation layer forming member.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a laminating apparatus in a laminating process of a solar cell module according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view of the module laminate of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view and a schematic top view of the solar cell module of Example 3.

FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view of a conventional solar cell module.

10A and 10B show a laminating apparatus and a laminated material in a conventional vacuum deaeration laminating process, wherein FIG. 10A is a schematic sectional view of the laminating apparatus and the laminated material, and FIG. 10B is a plan view.

FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional vacuum deaeration laminating process when a ventilation layer forming member is disposed immediately below a module material.

12A and 12B are cross-sectional views of a conventional solar cell module laminating apparatus, in which FIG. 12A is a diagram illustrating a lamination process by face-up lamination, and FIG. 12B is a diagram illustrating a lamination process by face-down lamination.

[Explanation of symbols]

101, 601 Solar cell module constituent material 102, 501, 602 Plate-like base material 103, 502, 603 Vent layer forming member (stainless steel mesh) 104, 605 Vent layer forming member (polyester fiber nonwoven fabric) 105, 606 Lid member 201, 401, 703, 801 Photovoltaic element 202, 402, 702, 802 Surface sealing material 203, 403, 701, 803 Surface coating material 204, 404, 704, 804 Back coating material 205, 405 Back reinforcing material (steel plate) 301 Conductive metal substrate 302 Back reflection layer 303 Semiconductor photoactive layer 304 Transparent electrode layer 305 Current collector electrode 306a, 306b Output terminal 503, 604 Sealant outflow prevention material 705, 805 Back reinforcement material (DX film) 901 1206 Photovoltaic Power element 902 Surface sealing material 903 Surface Covering material (surface protection film) 904 Backside sealing material 905 Backside covering material 1001, 1101, 1201 Plate-like base material 1002, 1102, 1202 Cylindrical tube 1003, 1103, 1203 Deaeration hole 1004, 1104, 1204 Fixing member 1005, 1105 Reference numeral 1205 Lid member 1006, 1106 Solar cell constituent material 1007 Space portion 1008 Vacuum pump 1107 Ventilation layer forming member 1207 Light receiving surface side laminating material 1208 Back side laminating material

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A vacuum laminating method comprising: disposing a module material in a laminating space; and evacuating the laminating space; and laminating the module material by heating the laminating space. A vacuum laminating method for a module, comprising arranging a ventilation layer forming member immediately above and immediately below a module material. 2. The vacuum laminating method for a module according to claim 1, wherein an area of at least the ventilation layer forming member is larger than an area of the module material. 3. The vacuum laminating module according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation layer forming member disposed at least immediately above or immediately below the module material reaches a deaeration hole of a vacuum laminating apparatus. Method. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation layer forming member is disposed on all surfaces of the module material. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation layer forming member is a woven fabric or a nonwoven fabric. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the module material constitutes a solar cell module.