WO2013042081A1 - A flexible photovoltaic panel - Google Patents

A flexible photovoltaic panel Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2013042081A1
WO2013042081A1 PCT/IB2012/055031 IB2012055031W WO2013042081A1 WO 2013042081 A1 WO2013042081 A1 WO 2013042081A1 IB 2012055031 W IB2012055031 W IB 2012055031W WO 2013042081 A1 WO2013042081 A1 WO 2013042081A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
layer
polyethylene terephthalate
micrometres
panel according
encapsulating
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2012/055031
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Marco Bianucci
Luca BONCI
Domenico GIOCO
Original Assignee
SOLBIAN ENERGIE ALTERNATIVE S.r.l.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by SOLBIAN ENERGIE ALTERNATIVE S.r.l. filed Critical SOLBIAN ENERGIE ALTERNATIVE S.r.l.
Priority to DE212012000175.1U priority Critical patent/DE212012000175U1/en
Priority to JP2014600040U priority patent/JP3193193U/en
Publication of WO2013042081A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013042081A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/042—PV modules or arrays of single PV cells
    • H01L31/048—Encapsulation of modules
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/042—PV modules or arrays of single PV cells
    • H01L31/048—Encapsulation of modules
    • H01L31/0481—Encapsulation of modules characterised by the composition of the encapsulation material
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/042—PV modules or arrays of single PV cells
    • H01L31/048—Encapsulation of modules
    • H01L31/049—Protective back sheets
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Definitions

  • a flexible photovoltaic panel A flexible photovoltaic panel
  • the present invention relates to a flexible photovoltaic panel comprising:
  • thermoplastic material adapted to contain therein the photovoltaic cells, the encapsulating layer being formed by first and second layers arranged on opposite sides of said plurality of photovoltaic cells and melted around the photovoltaic cells;
  • Photovoltaic modules convert sunlight to electrical energy by means of various semiconductors.
  • the most widely used semiconductor is silicon, in both the crystalline and amorphous (thin film) form, the crystalline form having a much greater conversion efficiency (more than 20%) for converting sunlight to electrical energy.
  • photovoltaic modules based on mono- and polycrystalline silicon technology a certain number of photovoltaic cells, formed from suitable constructed silicon wafers, are normally arranged adjacently on a flat plane, are connected electrically and are then kept in this arrangement by adhesive substances.
  • the individual silicon cells are fragile, having thicknesses ranging from 100 to 250 ⁇ ⁇ , and must therefore be protected from impact, such as that caused by atmospheric agents including wind and hail.
  • the protection is normally provided by using tempered glass or rigid plastic material, which allows light to pass through while also protecting the cells from impact.
  • the cells must also be protected from moisture, and electrical insulation from the outside must also be provided, for reasons of safety and in order to avoid dispersing the energy produced.
  • These functions are provided by a second glass sheet, positioned on the back of the module, or by plastic materials which may be in single or multiple layers, also including materials in which one of the layers is composed of metallic films, so as to provide more effective protection against moisture.
  • plastic materials which may be in single or multiple layers, also including materials in which one of the layers is composed of metallic films, so as to provide more effective protection against moisture.
  • flexible panels in which flexible plastics are used for both the encapsulating layer and the protective layers.
  • Another solution is that of using polymers employed in the construction of rigid photovoltaic modules, such as fluorinated polymers (Tedlar®, ETFE arid the like), for protecting the cells, and encapsulants such as EVA for bonding the sandwich structure. It has been found that these solutions cannot protect the cells from impact, or from breaking if the modules are bent, and furthermore the moisture transmission of these materials may lead in the long term to the oxidation of the electrical contacts and parasitic current phenomena, resulting in a loss of efficiency of the module.
  • fluorinated polymers Tedlar®, ETFE arid the like
  • the materials must be such that the photovoltaic module continues to function for more than 20 years, and they must therefore withstand atmospheric agents such as rain, hail, frost, sunlight, and particularly ultraviolet rays and moisture which tend to make the plastic opaque and fragile. These characteristics are normally tested by accelerated ageing tests according to the CEI standards, in particular CEI EN61215 and CEI EN61730, which are applicable to photovoltaic modules made of crystalline silicon for ter- restrial applications.
  • plastics for the front layer have sur- faces which may become scratched and soiled, thus reducing the efficiency of the module over time, as well as being unsatisfactory in terms of appearance.
  • One object of the invention is therefore to provide a high-efficiency flexible panel which simultaneously provides mechanical strength, durability, electrical insulation and moisture protection, and which, in particular, enables the tests required by CEI EN61215 and CEI EN61730 to be passed.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible panel which is also abrasion- resistant.
  • thermoplastic olefin having a low water vapour transmission rate
  • the at least one front layer has a thickness in the range from 100 micrometres to 600 micrometres, at least one part thereof, in contact with the first surface of the encapsulating layer, being made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and
  • PET polyethylene terephthalate
  • the at least one back layer is at least partly made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and has a thickness in the range from 100 micrometres to 600 micrometres.
  • PET polyethylene terephthalate
  • PET for the protection of the cells of photovoltaic panels has been described, for example, in patent application WO 2008/027190, but only for providing a method for joining the PET layer to the other layers, particularly to the encapsulating layer.
  • the aforesaid document does not mention the possibility of using PET layers and crystalline silicon cells to construct flexible photovoltaic panels which are resistant to impact and ageing.
  • the inventors have found that, by suitably calibrating the thicknesses of the layers, it is possible to produce panels capable of serving the aforesaid purposes by using the aforesaid combination of materials, and, in particular, it is possible to produce a flexible panel with crystalline silicon cells meeting the test requirements of CEI EN61215 and CEI EN61730 certification. Further characteristics and advantages of the device according to the invention will be made clear by the following detailed description, which refers to the attached drawing ( Figure 1), provided purely by way of example and without restrictive intent, which shows a diagram of the layers making up a flexible photovoltaic panel according to the invention.
  • a flexible photovoltaic panel indicated as a whole by 1 , essentially comprises:
  • the photovoltaic cells 2 are positioned adjacently, particularly cells made of crystalline silicon.
  • crystalline silicon denotes mono- or polycrystalline silicon, or quasi-monocrystalline silicon.
  • the photovoltaic cells 2 are of the high-efficiency "back-contact” type (where all the electrical contacts are made on the back of the cell) produced by SunPower Corporation;
  • this front layer 4, 5 joined to and superimposed on the encapsulating layer 3 on a first surface thereof, this front layer 4, 5 being exposed, in use, to sunlight, this at least one front layer 4, 5 being made of flexible plastic material, and being at least partly made of material resistant to ultraviolet radiation; this at least one front layer 4, 5 having an overall thickness in the range from 100 to 600 micrometres, to provide the panel with the appropriate mechanical impact and bending resistance, and preferably a thickness greater than 250 micrometres; and
  • the terms "front” and “back” refer to the condition in which the photovoltaic panel is used.
  • a “front” layer faces towards the sunlight and is located between the light source and the encapsulating layer containing the photovoltaic cells.
  • a “back” layer is located on the opposite side of the encapsulating layer.
  • the aforesaid encapsulating layer 3 is made of thermoplastic olefin having a low water vapour transmission rate.
  • thermoplastic olefin conventionally denotes a heterophasic mixture comprising an ethylene and/or propylene homopolymer phase (or ethylene-propylene statistical copolymer phase) and a phase composed of a thermoplastic ethylene-propylene block elastomer.
  • Suitable additives are advantageously incorporated into the polyolefin encapsulant in order to resist ultraviolet radiation and prevent yellowing over time, and to provide a good barrier to moisture transmission, by providing a low WVTR (water vapour transmission rate).
  • WVTR water vapour transmission rate
  • it is desirable, but not essential, for the WVTR of the layer to be less than 10 g/m 2 /day.
  • the front layer 4, 5 in contact with the first surface of the encapsulating layer, is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
  • PET polyethylene terephthalate
  • This material imparts the necessary electrical insulation, owing to the high dielectric constant of PET, and can also be selected for resistance to hydrolysis (PET films particularly suitable for this purpose are available commercially).
  • the front layer 4, 5 comprises a first layer 4 of polyethylene terephthalate in contact with the first surface of the encapsulating layer 3, and a second layer 5 of ultraviolet (UV) resistant plastic material superimposed on the layer 4 of the polyethylene terephthalate.
  • UV ultraviolet
  • hydrolysis-resistant polyethylene terephthalate denotes a special polyethylene terephthalate material treated or produced to increase the hydrolysis resistance compared with standard PET.
  • polyethylene terephthalate materials are available as commercial brands, for example under the name of Mylar or Melinex (registered trademarks) and with various degrees of hydrolysis resistance, classified according to their resistance to accelerated ageing tests such as the pressure cooker test (PCT).
  • PCT pressure cooker test
  • the second layer 5 of UV-resistant material is made of hydrolysis-resistant polyethylene terephthalate.
  • the second layer 5 could be made, for example, of polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) or polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or other UV-resistant plastic material.
  • the front layer could be composed of a single layer of hydrolysis-resistant polyethylene terephthalate.
  • the back layer 6 is also made of ultraviolet-resistant material.
  • the rear layer 6 is also made of polyethylene terephthalate.
  • the back layer could be composed of a number of layers.
  • the panel 1 further comprises a coating layer 7 applied to the front layer 4, 5, this coating layer 7 being composed of silica nanoparticles dissolved in a self-crosslinking polymer matrix.
  • This surface polymer coating imparts characteristics of resistance to scratching and soiling to the front layer 4, 5, since it is particularly hard and water-repellent, and thus also improves the moisture barrier of the front polymer.
  • the panel described above is produced by conventional hot processes such as vacuum lamination, calendering, and the like.
  • the coating layer 7 is applied after the process of heat- welding the layers 3-6.
  • the panel 1 further comprises a layer of double-sided adhesive tape applied to the back layer 6. This arrangement allows the panel 1 to be installed quickly and easily on a supporting surface.
  • the panel structure according to the invention it is possible to extend the application of photovoltaic generators to fields in which high efficiency is required on small surface areas, combined with reduced weight, for example in the fields of motoring, aeronautics, sailing and camping, and also in building, where the bearing capacity of buildings or their surface shape imposes these conditions. It is also possible to achieve durability characteristics as specified by the CEI EN61215 and CEI EN61730 standards.

Abstract

A flexible photovoltaic panel comprising: a plurality of photovoltaic cells (2); at least one encapsulating layer (3) of thermoplastic material adapted to contain therein the photovoltaic cells (2), this encapsulating layer being formed by first and second layers (3a, 3b) arranged on opposite sides of the photovoltaic cells and melted around the cells; at least one front layer (4, 5) of flexible plastic material joined to and superimposed on the encapsulating layer on a first surface thereof, this front layer being exposed to sunlight during use, and being at least partly made of ultraviolet-resistant material; and at least one back layer (6) of flexible plastic material joined to and superimposed on the encapsulating layer on a second surface, opposite to the first surface. The encapsulating layer (3) is made of thermoplastic olefin having a low water vapour transmission rate. The front layer has a thickness in the range from 100 to 600 micrometres, and at least one part thereof, in contact with the first surface of the encapsulating layer, is made of polyethylene terephthalate. The back layer is at least partly made of polyethylene terephthalate and has a thickness in the range from 100 micrometres to 600 micrometres.

Description

A flexible photovoltaic panel
The present invention relates to a flexible photovoltaic panel comprising:
a plurality of photovoltaic cells made of crystalline silicon;
- at least one encapsulating layer of thermoplastic material adapted to contain therein the photovoltaic cells, the encapsulating layer being formed by first and second layers arranged on opposite sides of said plurality of photovoltaic cells and melted around the photovoltaic cells;
at least one front layer of flexible plastic material joined to and superimposed on the encapsulating layer on a first surface thereof, the front layer being exposed to sunlight during use, and being at least partly made of ultraviolet-resistant material; and
at least one back layer of flexible plastic material joined to and superimposed on the encapsulating layer on a second surface, opposite to the first surface. Photovoltaic modules convert sunlight to electrical energy by means of various semiconductors. The most widely used semiconductor is silicon, in both the crystalline and amorphous (thin film) form, the crystalline form having a much greater conversion efficiency (more than 20%) for converting sunlight to electrical energy. In photovoltaic modules based on mono- and polycrystalline silicon technology, a certain number of photovoltaic cells, formed from suitable constructed silicon wafers, are normally arranged adjacently on a flat plane, are connected electrically and are then kept in this arrangement by adhesive substances.
The individual silicon cells are fragile, having thicknesses ranging from 100 to 250 μιη, and must therefore be protected from impact, such as that caused by atmospheric agents including wind and hail. In rigid panels, the protection is normally provided by using tempered glass or rigid plastic material, which allows light to pass through while also protecting the cells from impact. The cells must also be protected from moisture, and electrical insulation from the outside must also be provided, for reasons of safety and in order to avoid dispersing the energy produced. These functions are provided by a second glass sheet, positioned on the back of the module, or by plastic materials which may be in single or multiple layers, also including materials in which one of the layers is composed of metallic films, so as to provide more effective protection against moisture. There are also known flexible panels in which flexible plastics are used for both the encapsulating layer and the protective layers.
An example of a flexible panel of the type defined initially is described in Italian patent no. 1362085. This known panel comprises an encapsulating layer of polyurethane resin which encloses the photovoltaic cells, interposed between a pair of polycarbonate layers.
Solutions in which the panels have protective layers composed of polycarbonate film provide good protection against impact, but have proved to be sensitive to moisture and the action of ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Another solution is that of using polymers employed in the construction of rigid photovoltaic modules, such as fluorinated polymers (Tedlar®, ETFE arid the like), for protecting the cells, and encapsulants such as EVA for bonding the sandwich structure. It has been found that these solutions cannot protect the cells from impact, or from breaking if the modules are bent, and furthermore the moisture transmission of these materials may lead in the long term to the oxidation of the electrical contacts and parasitic current phenomena, resulting in a loss of efficiency of the module.
As a general rule, the materials must be such that the photovoltaic module continues to function for more than 20 years, and they must therefore withstand atmospheric agents such as rain, hail, frost, sunlight, and particularly ultraviolet rays and moisture which tend to make the plastic opaque and fragile. These characteristics are normally tested by accelerated ageing tests according to the CEI standards, in particular CEI EN61215 and CEI EN61730, which are applicable to photovoltaic modules made of crystalline silicon for ter- restrial applications.
Another problem associated with the use of plastics for the front layer is that they have sur- faces which may become scratched and soiled, thus reducing the efficiency of the module over time, as well as being unsatisfactory in terms of appearance.
One object of the invention is therefore to provide a high-efficiency flexible panel which simultaneously provides mechanical strength, durability, electrical insulation and moisture protection, and which, in particular, enables the tests required by CEI EN61215 and CEI EN61730 to be passed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible panel which is also abrasion- resistant.
This object is achieved according to the invention with a flexible panel of the type defined initially, wherein the at least one encapsulating layer is made of thermoplastic olefin having a low water vapour transmission rate,
the at least one front layer has a thickness in the range from 100 micrometres to 600 micrometres, at least one part thereof, in contact with the first surface of the encapsulating layer, being made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and
the at least one back layer is at least partly made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and has a thickness in the range from 100 micrometres to 600 micrometres.
The use of PET for the protection of the cells of photovoltaic panels has been described, for example, in patent application WO 2008/027190, but only for providing a method for joining the PET layer to the other layers, particularly to the encapsulating layer. The aforesaid document does not mention the possibility of using PET layers and crystalline silicon cells to construct flexible photovoltaic panels which are resistant to impact and ageing.
In fact, the inventors have found that, by suitably calibrating the thicknesses of the layers, it is possible to produce panels capable of serving the aforesaid purposes by using the aforesaid combination of materials, and, in particular, it is possible to produce a flexible panel with crystalline silicon cells meeting the test requirements of CEI EN61215 and CEI EN61730 certification. Further characteristics and advantages of the device according to the invention will be made clear by the following detailed description, which refers to the attached drawing (Figure 1), provided purely by way of example and without restrictive intent, which shows a diagram of the layers making up a flexible photovoltaic panel according to the invention.
In this layered system, a flexible photovoltaic panel, indicated as a whole by 1 , essentially comprises:
a plurality of rigid photovoltaic cells 2 positioned adjacently, particularly cells made of crystalline silicon. The term "crystalline silicon" denotes mono- or polycrystalline silicon, or quasi-monocrystalline silicon. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the photovoltaic cells 2 are of the high-efficiency "back-contact" type (where all the electrical contacts are made on the back of the cell) produced by SunPower Corporation;
at least one encapsulating layer 3 of thermoplastic material adapted to contain therein the photovoltaic cells 2, this encapsulating layer being formed by first and second layers 3a, 3b arranged on opposite sides of the photovoltaic cells and melted around the cells;
at least one front layer 4, 5 joined to and superimposed on the encapsulating layer 3 on a first surface thereof, this front layer 4, 5 being exposed, in use, to sunlight, this at least one front layer 4, 5 being made of flexible plastic material, and being at least partly made of material resistant to ultraviolet radiation; this at least one front layer 4, 5 having an overall thickness in the range from 100 to 600 micrometres, to provide the panel with the appropriate mechanical impact and bending resistance, and preferably a thickness greater than 250 micrometres; and
at least one back layer 6 of flexible plastic material joined to and superimposed on this encapsulating layer 3 on a second surface, opposite to the first surface; this at least one back layer 6 having an overall thickness in the range from 100 to 600 micrometres, to provide the panel with the appropriate mechanical impact and bending resistance, and preferably a thickness greater than 250 micrometres. In the present description, the terms "front" and "back" refer to the condition in which the photovoltaic panel is used. A "front" layer faces towards the sunlight and is located between the light source and the encapsulating layer containing the photovoltaic cells. On the other hand, a "back" layer is located on the opposite side of the encapsulating layer.
The aforesaid encapsulating layer 3 is made of thermoplastic olefin having a low water vapour transmission rate. The term "thermoplastic olefin" (TPO) conventionally denotes a heterophasic mixture comprising an ethylene and/or propylene homopolymer phase (or ethylene-propylene statistical copolymer phase) and a phase composed of a thermoplastic ethylene-propylene block elastomer. Suitable additives are advantageously incorporated into the polyolefin encapsulant in order to resist ultraviolet radiation and prevent yellowing over time, and to provide a good barrier to moisture transmission, by providing a low WVTR (water vapour transmission rate). For example, it is desirable, but not essential, for the WVTR of the layer to be less than 10 g/m2/day.
At least a part of the front layer 4, 5, in contact with the first surface of the encapsulating layer, is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This material imparts the necessary electrical insulation, owing to the high dielectric constant of PET, and can also be selected for resistance to hydrolysis (PET films particularly suitable for this purpose are available commercially). In the illustrated example, the front layer 4, 5 comprises a first layer 4 of polyethylene terephthalate in contact with the first surface of the encapsulating layer 3, and a second layer 5 of ultraviolet (UV) resistant plastic material superimposed on the layer 4 of the polyethylene terephthalate.
The term "hydrolysis-resistant polyethylene terephthalate" denotes a special polyethylene terephthalate material treated or produced to increase the hydrolysis resistance compared with standard PET. Such polyethylene terephthalate materials are available as commercial brands, for example under the name of Mylar or Melinex (registered trademarks) and with various degrees of hydrolysis resistance, classified according to their resistance to accelerated ageing tests such as the pressure cooker test (PCT). The PCT tests the resistance of the PET film to treatment for several hours in an environment under pressure (2 atmospheres) at a humidity of 100% and a temperature of 120°C. A standard PET film deteriorates (be- coming fragile and losing a substantial part of its tensile strength) within 36 hours of treatment, whereas a high-quality film resists up to 52 hours of treatment. PETs which resist more than 52 hours are called "hydrolysis-resistant". Preferably, the second layer 5 of UV-resistant material is made of hydrolysis-resistant polyethylene terephthalate. Alternatively, the second layer 5 could be made, for example, of polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) or polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or other UV-resistant plastic material.
In an alternative embodiment which is not shown, the front layer could be composed of a single layer of hydrolysis-resistant polyethylene terephthalate.
Preferably, the back layer 6 is also made of ultraviolet-resistant material. In particular, the rear layer 6 is also made of polyethylene terephthalate. In an embodiment which is not shown, the back layer could be composed of a number of layers.
The particular combination of materials for the encapsulating layer and for the front layer ensures the distribution of mechanical stresses over the surfaces of the cells, thereby im- parting flexibility and impact resistance to the modules constructed in this way. The use of polymers with water-repellent properties also overcomes the problem of protecting photovoltaic panels from water without linear sealing along their profiles; it may make the use of sealing along the panel perimeters unnecessary. In a particularly preferred manner, the panel 1 further comprises a coating layer 7 applied to the front layer 4, 5, this coating layer 7 being composed of silica nanoparticles dissolved in a self-crosslinking polymer matrix. This surface polymer coating imparts characteristics of resistance to scratching and soiling to the front layer 4, 5, since it is particularly hard and water-repellent, and thus also improves the moisture barrier of the front polymer.
The panel described above is produced by conventional hot processes such as vacuum lamination, calendering, and the like. The coating layer 7 is applied after the process of heat- welding the layers 3-6. In another preferred embodiment of the invention (not shown), the panel 1 further comprises a layer of double-sided adhesive tape applied to the back layer 6. This arrangement allows the panel 1 to be installed quickly and easily on a supporting surface. By using the panel structure according to the invention, it is possible to extend the application of photovoltaic generators to fields in which high efficiency is required on small surface areas, combined with reduced weight, for example in the fields of motoring, aeronautics, sailing and camping, and also in building, where the bearing capacity of buildings or their surface shape imposes these conditions. It is also possible to achieve durability characteristics as specified by the CEI EN61215 and CEI EN61730 standards.

Claims

1. A flexible photovoltaic panel (1 ) comprising:
a plurality of photovoltaic cells (2) made of crystalline silicon;
at least one encapsulating layer (3) of thermoplastic material adapted to contain therein the photovoltaic cells, the encapsulating layer being formed by first and second layers (3a, 3b) arranged on opposite sides of the plurality of photovoltaic cells and melted around the photovoltaic cells;
- at least one front layer (4, 5) of flexible plastic material joined to and superimposed on the encapsulating layer on a first surface thereof, the front layer being exposed to sunlight during use, and being at least partly made of ultraviolet-resistant material; and at least one back layer (6) of flexible plastic material joined to and superimposed on the encapsulating layer on a second surface, opposite to the first surface;
characterized in that
the at least one encapsulating layer is made of thermoplastic olefin having a low water vapour transmission rate,
the at least one front layer has a thickness in the range from 100 to 600 micrometres, at least one part thereof, in contact with the first surface of the encapsulating layer, be- ing made of polyethylene terephthalate, and
the at least one back layer is at least partly made of polyethylene terephthalate and has a thickness in the range from 100 micrometres to 600 micrometres.
2. A panel according to Claim 1, wherein the at least one front layer is at least partly made of hydrolysis-resistant polyethylene terephthalate.
3. A panel according to Claim 2, wherein the at least one front layer is composed of a first layer of polyethylene terephthalate (4) and a second layer (5) of ultraviolet-resistant plastic material.
4. A panel according to Claim 3, wherein the at least one front layer is composed of a first layer of polyethylene terephthalate (4) and a second layer (5) of hydrolysis-resistant polyethylene terephthalate.
5. A panel according to Claim 1, wherein the at least one front layer is composed of a single layer of hydrolysis-resistant polyethylene terephthalate.
6. A panel according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one front layer has a thickness in the range from 250 micrometres to 600 micrometres.
7. A panel according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the back layer is made of hydrolysis-resistant polyethylene terephthalate.
8. A panel according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the back layer has a thickness in the range from 250 micrometres to 600 micrometres.
9. A panel according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a coating layer (7) applied to the front layer, the coating layer being composed of silica nanoparticles dissolved in a polymer matrix.
10. A panel according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a layer of double-sided adhesive tape applied to the back layer.
PCT/IB2012/055031 2011-09-23 2012-09-21 A flexible photovoltaic panel WO2013042081A1 (en)

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DE212012000175.1U DE212012000175U1 (en) 2011-09-23 2012-09-21 Flexible photovoltaic panels
JP2014600040U JP3193193U (en) 2011-09-23 2012-09-21 Flexible solar panel

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITTO2011A000849 2011-09-23
IT000849A ITTO20110849A1 (en) 2011-09-23 2011-09-23 FLEXIBLE PHOTOVOLTAIC PANEL.

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DE (1) DE212012000175U1 (en)
IT (1) ITTO20110849A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2013042081A1 (en)

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RU178429U1 (en) * 2017-08-21 2018-04-04 Акционерное Общество "ТЕЛЕКОМ-СТВ" PHOTOELECTRIC REINFORCED FLEXIBLE MODULE
CN107994086A (en) * 2017-12-29 2018-05-04 苏州携创新能源科技有限公司 A kind of photovoltaic blanket
JP2018107259A (en) * 2016-12-26 2018-07-05 大日本印刷株式会社 Transparent protective sheet for solar battery module
FR3071357A1 (en) * 2017-09-20 2019-03-22 Total Sa FLEXIBLE LAMINATE OF PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS AND METHOD THEREOF
US10581372B2 (en) 2018-06-15 2020-03-03 Sunpower Corporation Photovoltaic panel

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