WO2015011341A1 - Photovoltaic module assembly - Google Patents

Photovoltaic module assembly Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2015011341A1
WO2015011341A1 PCT/FI2014/050590 FI2014050590W WO2015011341A1 WO 2015011341 A1 WO2015011341 A1 WO 2015011341A1 FI 2014050590 W FI2014050590 W FI 2014050590W WO 2015011341 A1 WO2015011341 A1 WO 2015011341A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
sheet
virtual map
back sheet
encapsulant material
conductive circuit
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/FI2014/050590
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Henrikki PANTSAR
Ville LAMPINEN
Timo SAVIKKO
Jarko NIEMINEN
Tuukka SAVISALO
Original Assignee
Cencorp Oyj
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 Cencorp Oyj filed Critical Cencorp Oyj
Publication of WO2015011341A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015011341A1/en

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B38/00—Ancillary operations in connection with laminating processes
    • B32B38/18—Handling of layers or the laminate
    • B32B38/1825—Handling of layers or the laminate characterised by the control or constructional features of devices for tensioning, stretching or registration
    • B32B38/1833—Positioning, e.g. registration or centering
    • B32B38/1841—Positioning, e.g. registration or centering during laying up
    • 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
    • H01L31/05—Electrical interconnection means between PV cells inside the PV module, e.g. series connection of PV cells
    • H01L31/0504—Electrical interconnection means between PV cells inside the PV module, e.g. series connection of PV cells specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module
    • H01L31/0516—Electrical interconnection means between PV cells inside the PV module, e.g. series connection of PV cells specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module specially adapted for interconnection of back-contact solar cells
    • 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
    • H01L31/18—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L31/1876—Particular processes or apparatus for batch treatment of the devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2305/00—Condition, form or state of the layers or laminate
    • B32B2305/34—Inserts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2307/00—Properties of the layers or laminate
    • B32B2307/40—Properties of the layers or laminate having particular optical properties
    • B32B2307/41—Opaque
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2457/00—Electrical equipment
    • B32B2457/12—Photovoltaic modules
    • 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
    • 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
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P70/00—Climate change mitigation technologies in the production process for final industrial or consumer products
    • Y02P70/50—Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Definitions

  • the invention relates to photovoltaic modules. More specifically, the invention relates to a method, a system and an assembly configuration for assembling a photovo 11aic modii1e .
  • Photovoltaic cells or solar cells are assembled together to form a photovoltaic module.
  • Such modules are also known as solar modules or solar panels.
  • the photovoltaic module is a large area optoelectronic device that converts the energy of light such as solar radiation directly into electricity by the photovo11aic effect .
  • Photovoltaic modules are commonly manufactured using crystalline silicon ceils that are electrically connected in series using tabs and strings . These assemblies are encapsulated to protect the assembly from environment and also to provide safe electrical connections. The top side of the assembly is generally covered with glass and the backside with flexible polymer laminate, though glass can also be used for the back. This assembly method is difficult to fully automate and. thus often involves large amounts of manua1 1abour .
  • US5972732A describes a "monolithic module assembly", a planar process that is better suited for automation. The process utilizes back contact photovoltaic cells wherein both emitter and collector contacts are on the same side of the photovoltaic cell .
  • the cells can be assembled on conductive circuit elements, which carry the current from the cells to external connectors, typically known as the junction box.
  • the back sheet or the encapsulant may comprise the conductive circuit elements, or they may be a separate component in the assembly.
  • the planar process assembly may lead to a long assembly line with a complex and expensive conveyor system. It may also require manufacturing the components such as the electrically conductive circuit elements within very small tolerances, thereby increasing the cost of manufacturing. Inaccuracies of the electrically conductive circuit elements need to be compensated by- larger tolerances in some or all components of the module assembly, which in turn may lead to lower production yield, reduced module efficiency a d other negative effects.
  • the panel assembly is generally made in a way that the cell locations are determined by machine readable fiducials or other predefined markers on the back sheet and the cells are placed according to them. For the final lamination stage, the whole assembly must be turned around, the back sheet facing up. This turning of all components that are connected but not yet fully laminated exposes the module to the risk of failure.
  • the present invention discloses a method, of assembling a photovoltaic module.
  • the photovoltaic module comprises at least one photovoltaic cell comprising electrical contacts on the same side of the cell, a back sheet, a sheet of encapsulant material configured to be assembled between the photovoltaic cell and the back sheet and electrically conductive circuit elements between the back sheet and the sheet of encapsulant materia.!.
  • the method comprises forming a virtual map comprising the assembly position of the photovoltaic cell, conductive circuit elements and the holes in the sheet of encapsulant material, detecting- positions of the predefined. marker elements, correcting the virtual map as a response to the difference between the virtual map and the detected positions and assembling the photovoltaic module according to the corrected virtual map.
  • the predefined marker- element is the electrically conductive circuit element arranged on the back sheet. According to an embodiment the predefined marker element is the electrically conductive circuit element arranged on the sheet of encapsu1a.nt materia1.
  • the method comprises correcting the positions of holes in the encapsulant material and the interconnecting paste for connecting the electrically conductive circuit elements and the electrical contacts for the photo oltaic cell. In one embodiment the method comprises assembling the photovoltaic module on the transparent front sheet, wherein the photovoltaic module is fully assembled by the front sheet facing down. In one embodiment the method comprises fabricating the subassemblies or components in multiple parallel assembly cells according to the information received from the corrected virtual map.
  • At least one of the elements a contact pad of the back sheet, the edge of the copper, a fiducial printed on the back sheet, on the copper or on the sheet of encapsulant material; is arranged as the predefined marker element as a reference point for correcting the virtual map.
  • the copper is used, for example as the conductive circuit element or as an electrical contact pad.
  • the system comprises at least one processor and. at least one memory comprising program, code, wherein the at. least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system to form a virtual map comprising the assembly position of the photovoltaic cell, conductive circuit elements and the holes in the sheet of encapsulant material, detect positions of the predefined marker elements on the back, sheet, correct the virtual map as a response to the difference between the virtual map and the detected positions and assemble the photovoltaic module according to the corrected virtual map.
  • system is configured to correct the positions of holes in the encapsulant material and the interconnecting paste for connecting the electrically conductive circuit elements and the electrical contacts for the photovoltaic cell.
  • system is configured, to assemble the photovoltaic module on the transparent front sheet, wherein the photovoltaic module is fully assembled by the front sheet facing down.
  • the system is configured to fabricate the subassemblies or components according to the information received from the corrected virtual map and in multiple simultaneous parallel assembly cells according to the information received from the corrected virtual map.
  • at least one of the elements a contact pad. of the back sheet, the edge of the copper, a fiducial printed on the back sheet, on the copper or on the sheet of encapsulant material; is arranged as the predefined marker element as a reference point for correcting the virtual map.
  • Third aspect of the invention discloses an assembly configuration for assembling a photovoltaic module .
  • the assembly configuration is arranged to receive a virtual map comprising the assembly position of the photovoltaic cell, conductive circuit elements and the holes in the sheet of encapsulant material, correct the virtual map as a response to the difference between the virtual map and the detected positions and assemble the photovoltaic module in parallel assembly cells producing subassemblies or components according to the corrected virtual map information.
  • This arrangement enables fabricating subassemblies or components -in another geographica1 locations ard connecting them later with high accuracy.
  • the present invention enables an adaptive placement of components during the assembly. This compensates variation in the component form or size, and the finished product can be manufactured with tighter tolerances. This further enables more accurate features in the electrical connections of the module, which in turn enables adding more contacts to the cells.
  • the present invention enables using smaller tolerances in the paste to cell which enable the reduction of the size of the contact pads, reducing the material used for the pad and the isolation area of the isolated pad, thus increasing the effective area of the cell.
  • the improved tolerances in the assembly process enable more accurate features in the electrical connections of the module. This leads to better area utilization and less electrical resistance in the module and to improved module efficiency.
  • the improved accuracy of printing the interconnecting paste leads to better efficiency and enables use of more contact, points. This opens up possibilities for more efficient electrical circuit design .
  • the improved module efficiency is further achieved by less metallization that affects shading and resistive losses on the cells and smaller losses in the module.
  • the simultaneous or parallel use of the virtual assembly map enables a smaller footprint of the assembly line, leading to cost and. energy savings in the assembly process.
  • the simultaneous use of the positioning data allows more compact and simple design in which the assembly phases occur in parallel, not in series.
  • the large back sheet provides the basis of the virtual model and the reference to other components.
  • the back sheet is the most difficult and expensive component to manufacture in tight tolerances .
  • the present invention allows some variation in the back sheet while maintaining the overall quality of the assembled photovoltaic module .
  • the capability to adapt to changes between individual back sheets enables using lower cost materials in the back sheet - conduit or back sheet - conductor construction. It also improves position tolerances and decreases the minimum size of the contact points, enabling a multitude of cell designs to be assembled, which are difficult to assemble with current technology due to strict precision requirements
  • the assembly can be configured to be without the use of a carrier, such as a mobile vacuum table to keep components fixed. If the assembly arrangement would require several vacuum tables, the system would be very expensive. Moreover, each vacuum table should be identical making the arrangement more difficult.
  • the invention is also suitable for an arrangement that has no conveyor line assembly.
  • the virtual mapping can be used in the quality control and quality assurance, wherein the twisted or distorted component can be fitted to another, more suitable position.
  • Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating fn exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention.
  • Fig, 2 illustrates the layers of one exemplary photovo.11ai c modu1e ;
  • Fig. 3 illustrates a simplified example of the back sheet
  • Fig, 4 illustrates a simplified example of the warped backsheet and the placement of photovoltaic cells.
  • the photovoltaic module according to the present invention is an assembly comprising several photovoltaic cells that are connected together to increase the amount, of electric power when exposed to light.
  • the assembly usually comprises laminating the components to form a flat and rigid structure.
  • An example of the photovoltaic module is a large flat sandwich structure, comprising a back sheet, conductive circuit elements to which the cells are connected, an encapsulant layer to produce adhesion, rigidity and insulation between layers, photovoltaic cells electrically connected and arranged to be an array, another layer of insulation and the transparent front sheet such as glass plate.
  • the size of one photovoltaic cell is 156x156 mm, wherein the total number of such cells may be 30, 48, 60 or 72 in a single module.
  • the present i vention comprises measurement of prede ermined markers, features or contact positions from the electrically conductive circuit elements or sub-assemblies comprising the conductive circuit elements, such as a back sheet comprising the circuit elements OX 5- ⁇ GDCapsulant material comprising the circuit elements, forming a corrective virtual map of the interconnection points based on the measurement data, and using the measurement information and the virtual map for ircvp"ovxn Q CCiix3.cy of the assembly process.
  • the measurement data and the corresponding- virtual map may also be used for providing dimensional information for component manufacturing, such as machining holes to the encapsulant sheet for interconnections. Assembly or machining processes during the assembly are thus based on measured dimensional information instead of theoretical dimensions. Therefore, using the virtual map as a basis for dimensional information enables machining and assembly steps to be done simultaneously, in parallel or in any order, regardless of the geographical location.
  • Use of the virtual map enables adaptation of the complete panel manufacturing process to inaccuracies of the conductive circuit elements by providing means to machine interconnection holes in the encapsulant based on real positions of contact points and positioning cells in the assembly based on real positions. Therefore, the dimensional accuracy requirement of the circuit elements is reduced, lowering material and manufacturing costs.
  • conductive elements out of specification can be used for assembly due to the adaptive manufacturing process. This reduces waste and improves manufacturing yield.
  • the predefined marker element is the electrically conductive circuit element. I one embodiment. the predefined marker element is the geometry of the electrically conductive circuit element arranged on the back sheet. In one embodiment the predefined marker element is the geometry of the electrically conductive circuit arranged on the encapsulant material , In one embodiment the predefined marker element is a fiducial mark, or any other feature created for the use of position detection on the conductive circuit element or the sub-assembly comprising the conductive circuit element.
  • the method comprises the use of the virtual map for defining positions of holes of the encapsulant material to ensure accurate positioning of the holes with the contact positions of the conducting circuit elements and correcting- the positions of holes in the virtual map of the encapsulant material and the interconnecting paste for con ⁇ cting the electrically conductive circuit elements and the electrical contacts for the photovoltaic cell.
  • the method comprises assembling the photovoltaic cells on the transparent front sheet, based on the position information of the virtual map, without the use of fiducial markers. In such case, the photovoltaic module is fully assembled by the protective top layer facing down.
  • the encapsulant sheet comprising holes for interconnections and the conductive circuit elements are positioned on top of the cells based on the virtual map data.
  • the back sheet is prefabricated, comprising one or more protective layers. Examples of such layers are a layer of polyvinylfluoride and a carrier film commonly made of polyethylene terephthalate , PET.
  • the back sheet may comprise electrically conductive circuit elements that provide the interconnections between photovoltaic cells and a layer of surface protection onto a flat carrier.
  • the electrically conductive circuit elements may be arranged between the sheet, of encapsulant material and the back, sheet, wherein the conductive circuit elements are separate components that a.re assembled separately.
  • the sheet. of encapsulant material is positioned between the conductive circuit elements and the photovoltaic shell, said eleme t providing connection between different photovoltaic cells.
  • the sheet of encapsulant material sheet may comprise the conductive circuit elements.
  • An interconnecting paste is applied to the contact points for example by printing.
  • the paste contains metal particles, such as silver, forming after the curing process a solid conductor between the cell contacts, either front or back, and the conductive circuit elements on the back sheet.
  • a sheet of encapsulant material is positioned on the back, sheet, wherein the holes of the encapsulant sheet are positioned to align to the positions of the interconnecting paste.
  • the encapsulant sheet is for example made of ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) .
  • EVA ethyl vinyl acetate
  • Back contact photovoltaic cells are positioned onto the assembly, aligning to the holes in the sheet of encapsulant material and the interconnecting paste.
  • Another sheet of encapsulant material is placed on top of the layer of photovoltaic cells and the protective top layer on the sheet of encapsulant material .
  • the protective top layer is for example made of glass.
  • the assembly according to this process may need to be turned around to be laminated with the protective top layer facing down. Before turning the assembly, it may require a preheating step to secure the assembled components .
  • a virtual map is formed from the data of the pre-fabricated back sheet .
  • the back sheet is measured from selected predefined markers, reference points or common measurable points .
  • the predefined marker elements or reference points are outer edges or corners of the back sheet, the electrical conductors or contact pads that are configured to receive the interconnec ing paste, fixed components on the sheet, or fiducials arranged on the back, sheet.
  • Fiducials are circuit pattern recognition marks that allow automated assembly equipment to accurately locate and place components on the back sheet.
  • Reference points are used to determine the offset of the virtual map and the real form of the back sheet.
  • the reference points are detected for example by optical recognition means such as a camera and corresponding software in the assembly cell.
  • the virtual map and the first corrections are based on the measured back sheet information.
  • the photovoltaic cell or all photovoltaic cells to be assembled can also be measured to further enhance the virtual map data.
  • the virtual map information relating to the sheet of encapsulant material and the amount and shape of interconnecting paste may be optimized to feature the best position possible. If a large difference exists between the photovoltaic cell and the corresponding contact pad in the back sheet, it may be compensated by a larger hole and larger amount of the interconnecting paste. On the other hand, the size of the contact pad may be reduced by more accurate positioning- of the photovoltaic module.
  • the system may comprise information about more than one cell and adapt the placement to further optimize the placement of the overall module assembly.
  • the initial information to be used with the virtual map may be received from the design software according to prior art.
  • the CAD model according to prior art is static in nature, not taking into account possible mistakes or deformations encountered during the manufacturing.
  • the invention allows deformations during the assembly process and adapting other components to the corrected virtual model.
  • the software for correcting the virtual map may be implemented in the computer controlling an assembly cell or simultaneously multiple assembly cells.
  • the software may also be stored in or executed from a general purpose computer residing in a cloud computing environment .
  • the virtual map enables multiple parallel assembly cells that are configured to access the virtual map data. Different components are in one embodiment manufactured simultaneously in different locations.
  • the virtual references are correlated to actual references, either mechanical or visual, that allow combining of all subassemblies into the completed module.
  • the present invention also allows positional variance for each solar cell and the corresponding interconnecting paste and the hole in the sheet of encapsulant material so that all of these align in the final product with high accuracy.
  • the invention allows very fast cycle times when assembly cells or sub-cells ave the virtual map data about the positions for each component before the previous manufacturing step has been completed. There is no need to wait for the information from the positioning system.
  • the parallel assembly shortens the length of the line, which leads to a smaller manufacturing footprint installation and faster production cycles of the modules. This increases the flexibility and makes starting and stopping the line easier and faster.
  • the use of virtual references reduces or eliminates the need to have registration marks in the back sheet, and enables using opaque encapsulant material .
  • the alignment fiducials or fiduciary markers may be either covered or not used at all during the assembly process.
  • the assembly is started simultaneously in multiple assembly cells .
  • One cell can apply the interconnection material at the same time as the cells are placed onto the positions according to the virtual map.
  • the assembly is started from the protective top layer such as glass.
  • the glass is placed into the desired position by detecting the locations of edges or corners.
  • the virtual map is corrected in relation to the glass cover in a manner that all components fit. onto the glass plate.
  • the positron of each cell and the related point of the conductive material and the corresponding hole in the sheet of encapsulant material are determined according to the virtual map information.
  • a sheet of encapsulant material is placed, on the protective top layer.
  • Photovoltaic cells are placed on the location indicated by the virtual map on top of the outer sheet of encapsulant material.
  • the holes are machined to the inner sheet of encapsulant material.
  • the virtual map is corrected to position the holes between the electrical connectors and corresponding interconnecting paste and the connectors of the photovoltaic cells.
  • the holes can be machined using- mechanical cutters, heat or irradiation such as laser beam.
  • the scanning of the conductive back sheet CBS, block 101 comprises scanning at least the positions of the contact, pads and fiducials or other markers known to a man skilled in the art, the information in x- and y-axis or the angle in relation to reference points. Also other parameters may be measured, such as the edges or corners of the back sheet.
  • a virtual model is created of the module. From the previous step, the information is optimized for each photovoltaic cell to be positioned on the back sheet.
  • the next steps in the assembly process may be executed. in parallel based on the virtual map information.
  • the cell array is assembled according to the virtual model to the optimized positions.
  • the assembly may be made on the top sheet made of glass.
  • holes are machined to the sheet of encapsuiant material according to the information received from the virtual model. Holes are for example cut by laser, by drilling or by other means. The cutting residuals may be removed by vacuuming or by vaporization.
  • the conductive back sheet is positioned in a manner that the different subassemblies can be combined.
  • Block 106 C017Vp 1 S ⁇ s combining all subassemblies, sheets of encapsuiant material, the array of pho ovoltaic cells and the conductive back, sheet.
  • the assembled structure is laminated i.n b1ock 107.
  • the process described in this example relates to the back sheet having conductive circuit elements, but the invention may also be applied, to a situation where conductive circuit elements are separate components.
  • the conductive circuit element is attached to the sheet of encapsuiant material, wherein the placement of the conductive circuit element follows the virtual map information.
  • the exploded view of Figure 2 shows the five essential layers of the photovoltaic module 1 : a back sheet 2 having contact pads 3 thereon; a. first sheet of encapsulant material 4 having interconnecting holes 5 therein; an array of photovoltaic cells 6, each having an array of contacts 7 on the back side of the cell; a second sheet of encapsulant material 8; and. a transparent cover sheet 9 made of e.g. glass.
  • the exploded view illustrates the importance of accurate positioning of the back sheet, the first sheet of encapsulant, and the array of the photovoltaic cells: the contacts of the cells, the holes in the first sheet of encapsulant material, and the contact pads of the back sheet must coincide in order to form the appropriate electrical connections .
  • Figure 3 illustrates an example of a virtual map 10 defining the dimensions of the back sheet 2 and the locations of the contact pads 3 thereon.
  • the virtual map can be used for accurate positioning of the parts of the module, in particular the photovoltaic cells and the first sheet of encapsulant material so that the electrical interconnections between the cell contacts and the contact pads of the back sheet can be formed, via the interconnecting holes of the first sheet of encapsulant.
  • the actual electrical connections between the contact pads and the cell contact are made by means of a conductive paste, solder paste or some other suitable conductive material (not shown in the figures) .
  • Figure 4 illustrates an exaggerated drawing of the warped back sheet 2, wherein photovoltaic cells 6 are placed according to the invention.
  • the manufacturing tolerances of different components are in different scales.
  • the internal placement of connectors within a single photovoltaic cell 6 is manufactured within the tolerance of 20 um; the outer dimensions of a single photovoltaic cell 6 is typically manufactured to +/- 0.5 mm.
  • the back sheet 2 is for example 2000 mm in length, wherein the longitudinal tolerance is in the scale of 20 mm. This deformation may exist in several dimensions as illustrated in Figure 4.
  • the placement of photovoltaic cells may be varied 2mm to 5 mm from the information indicated in the original virtual model that has not been corrected accordi g to the present information .
  • the placement of the photovoltaic cells 6 may be optimized to conform the deformed back sheet 2.
  • the holes 5 machined to the sheet of encapsulant material 4 are positioned accordingly to match the deformed back sheet 2.
  • the exemplary photovoltaic module comprises only 6 photovoltaic cells.
  • Figure 4 illustrates nly exemplary placement of the photovoltaic cells, not limiting the actual number.
  • the photovoltaic module may comprise any- appropriate number of photovoltaic cells.
  • a photovoltaic module comprises some tens of phiotovo11ai c cells .
  • Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in software, hardware, application logic or a combination of software, hardware and application logic.
  • the application logic, software or instruction set is maintained on any one of various conventional computer-readable media.
  • a "computer- readable medium" may be any media or means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate or transport the instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer.
  • a computer-readable medium may comprise a computer-readable storage medium that may be any media or means that can contain or store the instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system., apparatus, or device, such as a computer.
  • the exemplary embodiments can store information relating to various processes described herein.
  • This information can be stored in one or more memories, such as a hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, RAM, and the like.
  • One or more databases can store the information used to implement the exemplary embodiments of the present inventions.
  • the databases can be organized using data structures (e.g., records, tables, arrays, fields, graphs, trees, lists, and the like) included in one or more memories or storage devices listed herein.
  • the processes described with respect to the exemplary embodiments can include appropriate data structures for storing data collected and/or generated by the processes of the devices and subsystems of the exemplary embodiments in one or more databases.
  • All or a portion of the exemplary embodiments can be conveniently implemented using- one or more general purpose processors, microprocessors, digital signal processors, micro-controllers, and the like, programmed according to the teachings of the exemplary embodiments of the present inventions, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the computer and/or software art(s).
  • Appropriate software can be readily prepared by programmers of ordinary skill based on the teachings of the exemplary embodiments, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the software art.
  • the exemplary embodiments can be implemented by the preparation of application-specific integrated circuits or by interconnecting an appropriate network of conventional component circuits, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the electrical art (s) .
  • the exemplary embodiments are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and/or software.

Abstract

A method and a system for assembling a photovoltaic module (1 ) comprising at least one photovoltaic cell (6) comprising electrical contacts (7) on the same side of the cell (6); a back sheet (2) comprising electrically conductive circuit elements; a sheet of encapsulant material (8). The method comprises forming a virtual map (10) comprising the assembly positions of the photovoltaic cell (6), the back sheet (2) and the sheet of encapsulant material (8); detecting positions of the electrically conductive circuit elements on the back sheet (2); correcting the virtual map (10) as a response to the difference between the virtual map (10) and the detected positions; and assembling the photovoltaic module(1) according to the corrected virtual map (10).

Description

PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE ASSEMBLY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to photovoltaic modules. More specifically, the invention relates to a method, a system and an assembly configuration for assembling a photovo 11aic modii1e .
Photovoltaic cells or solar cells are assembled together to form a photovoltaic module. Such modules are also known as solar modules or solar panels. The photovoltaic module is a large area optoelectronic device that converts the energy of light such as solar radiation directly into electricity by the photovo11aic effect .
Photovoltaic modules are commonly manufactured using crystalline silicon ceils that are electrically connected in series using tabs and strings . These assemblies are encapsulated to protect the assembly from environment and also to provide safe electrical connections. The top side of the assembly is generally covered with glass and the backside with flexible polymer laminate, though glass can also be used for the back. This assembly method is difficult to fully automate and. thus often involves large amounts of manua1 1abour .
US5972732A describes a "monolithic module assembly", a planar process that is better suited for automation. The process utilizes back contact photovoltaic cells wherein both emitter and collector contacts are on the same side of the photovoltaic cell .
As both emitter and collector contacts are on the same side of the cell, the cells can be assembled on conductive circuit elements, which carry the current from the cells to external connectors, typically known as the junction box. The back sheet or the encapsulant may comprise the conductive circuit elements, or they may be a separate component in the assembly.
The planar process assembly according to prior art may lead to a long assembly line with a complex and expensive conveyor system. It may also require manufacturing the components such as the electrically conductive circuit elements within very small tolerances, thereby increasing the cost of manufacturing. Inaccuracies of the electrically conductive circuit elements need to be compensated by- larger tolerances in some or all components of the module assembly, which in turn may lead to lower production yield, reduced module efficiency a d other negative effects. The panel assembly is generally made in a way that the cell locations are determined by machine readable fiducials or other predefined markers on the back sheet and the cells are placed according to them. For the final lamination stage, the whole assembly must be turned around, the back sheet facing up. This turning of all components that are connected but not yet fully laminated exposes the module to the risk of failure.
Excessive misalignment, caused by inaccuracies of the process or the placement or shape of the conductive circuit elements, may lead to short circuiting of the complete assembly. I this case the complete assembly would have to be discarded after the assembly.
SUMMARY
The present invention discloses a method, of assembling a photovoltaic module. The photovoltaic module comprises at least one photovoltaic cell comprising electrical contacts on the same side of the cell, a back sheet, a sheet of encapsulant material configured to be assembled between the photovoltaic cell and the back sheet and electrically conductive circuit elements between the back sheet and the sheet of encapsulant materia.!. The method comprises forming a virtual map comprising the assembly position of the photovoltaic cell, conductive circuit elements and the holes in the sheet of encapsulant material, detecting- positions of the predefined. marker elements, correcting the virtual map as a response to the difference between the virtual map and the detected positions and assembling the photovoltaic module according to the corrected virtual map.
According to an embodiment the predefined marker- element is the electrically conductive circuit element arranged on the back sheet. According to an embodiment the predefined marker element is the electrically conductive circuit element arranged on the sheet of encapsu1a.nt materia1.
In one embodiment the method comprises correcting the positions of holes in the encapsulant material and the interconnecting paste for connecting the electrically conductive circuit elements and the electrical contacts for the photo oltaic cell. In one embodiment the method comprises assembling the photovoltaic module on the transparent front sheet, wherein the photovoltaic module is fully assembled by the front sheet facing down. In one embodiment the method comprises fabricating the subassemblies or components in multiple parallel assembly cells according to the information received from the corrected virtual map.
In one embodiment at least one of the elements: a contact pad of the back sheet, the edge of the copper, a fiducial printed on the back sheet, on the copper or on the sheet of encapsulant material; is arranged as the predefined marker element as a reference point for correcting the virtual map. The copper is used, for example as the conductive circuit element or as an electrical contact pad.
Another aspect of the invention discloses a system for assembling a photovoltaic module. The system comprises at least one processor and. at least one memory comprising program, code, wherein the at. least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system to form a virtual map comprising the assembly position of the photovoltaic cell, conductive circuit elements and the holes in the sheet of encapsulant material, detect positions of the predefined marker elements on the back, sheet, correct the virtual map as a response to the difference between the virtual map and the detected positions and assemble the photovoltaic module according to the corrected virtual map.
In one embodiment the system is configured to correct the positions of holes in the encapsulant material and the interconnecting paste for connecting the electrically conductive circuit elements and the electrical contacts for the photovoltaic cell. In one embodiment the system is configured, to assemble the photovoltaic module on the transparent front sheet, wherein the photovoltaic module is fully assembled by the front sheet facing down.
In one embodiment the system is configured to fabricate the subassemblies or components according to the information received from the corrected virtual map and in multiple simultaneous parallel assembly cells according to the information received from the corrected virtual map. In one embodiment at least one of the elements: a contact pad. of the back sheet, the edge of the copper, a fiducial printed on the back sheet, on the copper or on the sheet of encapsulant material; is arranged as the predefined marker element as a reference point for correcting the virtual map.
Third aspect of the invention discloses an assembly configuration for assembling a photovoltaic module . The assembly configuration is arranged to receive a virtual map comprising the assembly position of the photovoltaic cell, conductive circuit elements and the holes in the sheet of encapsulant material, correct the virtual map as a response to the difference between the virtual map and the detected positions and assemble the photovoltaic module in parallel assembly cells producing subassemblies or components according to the corrected virtual map information. This arrangement enables fabricating subassemblies or components -in another geographica1 locations ard connecting them later with high accuracy.
The embodiments of the invention described, hereinbefore may be used in any combination with each other. Several of the embodiments may be combined together to form a further embodiment of the invention. A method, an apparatus, a system or a computer program to which the invention is related may comprise at least one of the embodiments of the invention described hereinbefore. It is to be understood that any of the above embodiments or modifications can be applied singly or in combination to the respective aspects to which they refer, unless they are explicitly stated as excluding alternatives.
The present invention enables an adaptive placement of components during the assembly. This compensates variation in the component form or size, and the finished product can be manufactured with tighter tolerances. This further enables more accurate features in the electrical connections of the module, which in turn enables adding more contacts to the cells. The present invention enables using smaller tolerances in the paste to cell which enable the reduction of the size of the contact pads, reducing the material used for the pad and the isolation area of the isolated pad, thus increasing the effective area of the cell. Further, the improved tolerances in the assembly process enable more accurate features in the electrical connections of the module. This leads to better area utilization and less electrical resistance in the module and to improved module efficiency. The improved accuracy of printing the interconnecting paste leads to better efficiency and enables use of more contact, points. This opens up possibilities for more efficient electrical circuit design . The improved module efficiency is further achieved by less metallization that affects shading and resistive losses on the cells and smaller losses in the module.
The simultaneous or parallel use of the virtual assembly map enables a smaller footprint of the assembly line, leading to cost and. energy savings in the assembly process. The simultaneous use of the positioning data allows more compact and simple design in which the assembly phases occur in parallel, not in series. The large back sheet provides the basis of the virtual model and the reference to other components. The back sheet is the most difficult and expensive component to manufacture in tight tolerances . The present invention allows some variation in the back sheet while maintaining the overall quality of the assembled photovoltaic module . The capability to adapt to changes between individual back sheets enables using lower cost materials in the back sheet - conduit or back sheet - conductor construction. It also improves position tolerances and decreases the minimum size of the contact points, enabling a multitude of cell designs to be assembled, which are difficult to assemble with current technology due to strict precision requirements
The assembly can be configured to be without the use of a carrier, such as a mobile vacuum table to keep components fixed. If the assembly arrangement would require several vacuum tables, the system would be very expensive. Moreover, each vacuum table should be identical making the arrangement more difficult. The invention is also suitable for an arrangement that has no conveyor line assembly.
The virtual mapping can be used in the quality control and quality assurance, wherein the twisted or distorted component can be fitted to another, more suitable position.
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f'JSU!" 1 j.l.r.j The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the descriptio help to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating fn exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention;
Fig, 2 illustrates the layers of one exemplary photovo.11ai c modu1e ;
Fig. 3 illustrates a simplified example of the back sheet; and.
Fig, 4 illustrates a simplified example of the warped backsheet and the placement of photovoltaic cells.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The photovoltaic module according to the present invention is an assembly comprising several photovoltaic cells that are connected together to increase the amount, of electric power when exposed to light. The assembly usually comprises laminating the components to form a flat and rigid structure. An example of the photovoltaic module is a large flat sandwich structure, comprising a back sheet, conductive circuit elements to which the cells are connected, an encapsulant layer to produce adhesion, rigidity and insulation between layers, photovoltaic cells electrically connected and arranged to be an array, another layer of insulation and the transparent front sheet such as glass plate. In one example the size of one photovoltaic cell is 156x156 mm, wherein the total number of such cells may be 30, 48, 60 or 72 in a single module. The present i vention comprises measurement of prede ermined markers, features or contact positions from the electrically conductive circuit elements or sub-assemblies comprising the conductive circuit elements, such as a back sheet comprising the circuit elements OX 5-Π GDCapsulant material comprising the circuit elements, forming a corrective virtual map of the interconnection points based on the measurement data, and using the measurement information and the virtual map for ircvp"ovxn Q CCiix3.cy of the assembly process. The measurement data and the corresponding- virtual map may also be used for providing dimensional information for component manufacturing, such as machining holes to the encapsulant sheet for interconnections. Assembly or machining processes during the assembly are thus based on measured dimensional information instead of theoretical dimensions. Therefore, using the virtual map as a basis for dimensional information enables machining and assembly steps to be done simultaneously, in parallel or in any order, regardless of the geographical location.
Use of the virtual map enables adaptation of the complete panel manufacturing process to inaccuracies of the conductive circuit elements by providing means to machine interconnection holes in the encapsulant based on real positions of contact points and positioning cells in the assembly based on real positions. Therefore, the dimensional accuracy requirement of the circuit elements is reduced, lowering material and manufacturing costs. In addition, conductive elements out of specification can be used for assembly due to the adaptive manufacturing process. This reduces waste and improves manufacturing yield.
In one embodiment the predefined marker element is the electrically conductive circuit element. I one embodiment. the predefined marker element is the geometry of the electrically conductive circuit element arranged on the back sheet. In one embodiment the predefined marker element is the geometry of the electrically conductive circuit arranged on the encapsulant material , In one embodiment the predefined marker element is a fiducial mark, or any other feature created for the use of position detection on the conductive circuit element or the sub-assembly comprising the conductive circuit element.
In one embodiment the method comprises the use of the virtual map for defining positions of holes of the encapsulant material to ensure accurate positioning of the holes with the contact positions of the conducting circuit elements and correcting- the positions of holes in the virtual map of the encapsulant material and the interconnecting paste for conπΘcting the electrically conductive circuit elements and the electrical contacts for the photovoltaic cell. In one embodiment the method comprises assembling the photovoltaic cells on the transparent front sheet, based on the position information of the virtual map, without the use of fiducial markers. In such case, the photovoltaic module is fully assembled by the protective top layer facing down. The encapsulant sheet comprising holes for interconnections and the conductive circuit elements are positioned on top of the cells based on the virtual map data.
In the following, the assembly process is explained starting from the back sheet. The back sheet is prefabricated, comprising one or more protective layers. Examples of such layers are a layer of polyvinylfluoride and a carrier film commonly made of polyethylene terephthalate , PET. The back sheet may comprise electrically conductive circuit elements that provide the interconnections between photovoltaic cells and a layer of surface protection onto a flat carrier. In one embodiment the electrically conductive circuit elements may be arranged between the sheet, of encapsulant material and the back, sheet, wherein the conductive circuit elements are separate components that a.re assembled separately. The sheet. of encapsulant material is positioned between the conductive circuit elements and the photovoltaic shell, said eleme t providing connection between different photovoltaic cells. In one embodiment, the sheet of encapsulant material sheet may comprise the conductive circuit elements.
An interconnecting paste is applied to the contact points for example by printing. The paste contains metal particles, such as silver, forming after the curing process a solid conductor between the cell contacts, either front or back, and the conductive circuit elements on the back sheet. A sheet of encapsulant material is positioned on the back, sheet, wherein the holes of the encapsulant sheet are positioned to align to the positions of the interconnecting paste. The encapsulant sheet is for example made of ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) . Back contact photovoltaic cells are positioned onto the assembly, aligning to the holes in the sheet of encapsulant material and the interconnecting paste.
Another sheet of encapsulant material is placed on top of the layer of photovoltaic cells and the protective top layer on the sheet of encapsulant material . The protective top layer is for example made of glass. The assembly according to this process may need to be turned around to be laminated with the protective top layer facing down. Before turning the assembly, it may require a preheating step to secure the assembled components .
According to the present invention a virtual map is formed from the data of the pre-fabricated back sheet . In the beginning of the method the data of all assembly steps are present, comprising an ideal situation, where all components are positioned without any deformation or variations of the real manufacturing process . The back sheet is measured from selected predefined markers, reference points or common measurable points . Examples of the predefined marker elements or reference points are outer edges or corners of the back sheet, the electrical conductors or contact pads that are configured to receive the interconnec ing paste, fixed components on the sheet, or fiducials arranged on the back, sheet. Fiducials are circuit pattern recognition marks that allow automated assembly equipment to accurately locate and place components on the back sheet.
Reference points are used to determine the offset of the virtual map and the real form of the back sheet. The reference points are detected for example by optical recognition means such as a camera and corresponding software in the assembly cell.
The virtual map and the first corrections are based on the measured back sheet information. The photovoltaic cell or all photovoltaic cells to be assembled can also be measured to further enhance the virtual map data. The virtual map information relating to the sheet of encapsulant material and the amount and shape of interconnecting paste may be optimized to feature the best position possible. If a large difference exists between the photovoltaic cell and the corresponding contact pad in the back sheet, it may be compensated by a larger hole and larger amount of the interconnecting paste. On the other hand, the size of the contact pad may be reduced by more accurate positioning- of the photovoltaic module. The system, may comprise information about more than one cell and adapt the placement to further optimize the placement of the overall module assembly.
The initial information to be used with the virtual map may be received from the design software according to prior art. The CAD model according to prior art is static in nature, not taking into account possible mistakes or deformations encountered during the manufacturing. For such a large scale object comprising low cost material, the invention allows deformations during the assembly process and adapting other components to the corrected virtual model. The software for correcting the virtual map may be implemented in the computer controlling an assembly cell or simultaneously multiple assembly cells. The software may also be stored in or executed from a general purpose computer residing in a cloud computing environment .
The virtual map enables multiple parallel assembly cells that are configured to access the virtual map data. Different components are in one embodiment manufactured simultaneously in different locations. The virtual references are correlated to actual references, either mechanical or visual, that allow combining of all subassemblies into the completed module. The present invention also allows positional variance for each solar cell and the corresponding interconnecting paste and the hole in the sheet of encapsulant material so that all of these align in the final product with high accuracy. The invention allows very fast cycle times when assembly cells or sub-cells ave the virtual map data about the positions for each component before the previous manufacturing step has been completed. There is no need to wait for the information from the positioning system. The parallel assembly shortens the length of the line, which leads to a smaller manufacturing footprint installation and faster production cycles of the modules. This increases the flexibility and makes starting and stopping the line easier and faster.
The use of virtual references reduces or eliminates the need to have registration marks in the back sheet, and enables using opaque encapsulant material . According to the present invention the alignment fiducials or fiduciary markers may be either covered or not used at all during the assembly process.
In one exemplary method according to the invention the assembly is started simultaneously in multiple assembly cells . One cell can apply the interconnection material at the same time as the cells are placed onto the positions according to the virtual map. The assembly is started from the protective top layer such as glass. The glass is placed into the desired position by detecting the locations of edges or corners. The virtual map is corrected in relation to the glass cover in a manner that all components fit. onto the glass plate. When the assembled module is already the protective top cover facing down, there is no need to flip the semi-assembled module or preheat it before entering the final lamination step.
The positron of each cell and the related point of the conductive material and the corresponding hole in the sheet of encapsulant material are determined according to the virtual map information. A sheet of encapsulant material is placed, on the protective top layer. Photovoltaic cells are placed on the location indicated by the virtual map on top of the outer sheet of encapsulant material.
Simultaneously, the holes are machined to the inner sheet of encapsulant material. The virtual map is corrected to position the holes between the electrical connectors and corresponding interconnecting paste and the connectors of the photovoltaic cells. The holes can be machined using- mechanical cutters, heat or irradiation such as laser beam.
After all sub-assemblies are completed they are assembled in a single location using accurate positioning tools. Heat may be applied to fix all components in place. The completed assembly is then moved to the laminating machine, where air is removed from the assembly and heat is applied, allowing the encapsulant material to flow and fill all gaps in the assembly. The heat applied in the laminating process solidifies the interconnection material . Alternatively a separate process may be used to ensure good electrical contact between the contacts on the photovoltaic cells and the conductors on the back sheet . A simplified, example of the assembly method and the parallel nature of the assembly is illustrated in Figure 1. The scanning of the conductive back sheet CBS, block 101, comprises scanning at least the positions of the contact, pads and fiducials or other markers known to a man skilled in the art, the information in x- and y-axis or the angle in relation to reference points. Also other parameters may be measured, such as the edges or corners of the back sheet. In block 102 a virtual model is created of the module. From the previous step, the information is optimized for each photovoltaic cell to be positioned on the back sheet.
The next steps in the assembly process may be executed. in parallel based on the virtual map information. In block 103 the cell array is assembled according to the virtual model to the optimized positions. The assembly may be made on the top sheet made of glass. In block 104, holes are machined to the sheet of encapsuiant material according to the information received from the virtual model. Holes are for example cut by laser, by drilling or by other means. The cutting residuals may be removed by vacuuming or by vaporization. In block 105, the conductive back sheet is positioned in a manner that the different subassemblies can be combined. Block 106 C017Vp 1 SΘs combining all subassemblies, sheets of encapsuiant material, the array of pho ovoltaic cells and the conductive back, sheet. The assembled structure is laminated i.n b1ock 107. The process described in this example relates to the back sheet having conductive circuit elements, but the invention may also be applied, to a situation where conductive circuit elements are separate components. In one embodiment the conductive circuit element is attached to the sheet of encapsuiant material, wherein the placement of the conductive circuit element follows the virtual map information.
The exploded view of Figure 2 shows the five essential layers of the photovoltaic module 1 : a back sheet 2 having contact pads 3 thereon; a. first sheet of encapsulant material 4 having interconnecting holes 5 therein; an array of photovoltaic cells 6, each having an array of contacts 7 on the back side of the cell; a second sheet of encapsulant material 8; and. a transparent cover sheet 9 made of e.g. glass. The exploded view illustrates the importance of accurate positioning of the back sheet, the first sheet of encapsulant, and the array of the photovoltaic cells: the contacts of the cells, the holes in the first sheet of encapsulant material, and the contact pads of the back sheet must coincide in order to form the appropriate electrical connections .
Figure 3 illustrates an example of a virtual map 10 defining the dimensions of the back sheet 2 and the locations of the contact pads 3 thereon. The virtual map can be used for accurate positioning of the parts of the module, in particular the photovoltaic cells and the first sheet of encapsulant material so that the electrical interconnections between the cell contacts and the contact pads of the back sheet can be formed, via the interconnecting holes of the first sheet of encapsulant. The actual electrical connections between the contact pads and the cell contact are made by means of a conductive paste, solder paste or some other suitable conductive material (not shown in the figures) .
Figure 4 illustrates an exaggerated drawing of the warped back sheet 2, wherein photovoltaic cells 6 are placed according to the invention. Typically the manufacturing tolerances of different components are in different scales. The internal placement of connectors within a single photovoltaic cell 6 is manufactured within the tolerance of 20 um; the outer dimensions of a single photovoltaic cell 6 is typically manufactured to +/- 0.5 mm. The back sheet 2 is for example 2000 mm in length, wherein the longitudinal tolerance is in the scale of 20 mm. This deformation may exist in several dimensions as illustrated in Figure 4. The placement of photovoltaic cells may be varied 2mm to 5 mm from the information indicated in the original virtual model that has not been corrected accordi g to the present information . The placement of the photovoltaic cells 6 may be optimized to conform the deformed back sheet 2. The holes 5 machined to the sheet of encapsulant material 4 are positioned accordingly to match the deformed back sheet 2.
In Figures 2 and 3, for the sake of clarity of the drawings, the exemplary photovoltaic module comprises only 6 photovoltaic cells. Similarly Figure 4 illustrates nly exemplary placement of the photovoltaic cells, not limiting the actual number. In practice, the photovoltaic module may comprise any- appropriate number of photovoltaic cells. Typically,, a photovoltaic module comprises some tens of phiotovo11ai c cells .
Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in software, hardware, application logic or a combination of software, hardware and application logic. In an example embodiment, the application logic, software or instruction set is maintained on any one of various conventional computer-readable media. In the context of this document, a "computer- readable medium" may be any media or means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate or transport the instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer. A computer-readable medium may comprise a computer-readable storage medium that may be any media or means that can contain or store the instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system., apparatus, or device, such as a computer. The exemplary embodiments can store information relating to various processes described herein. This information can be stored in one or more memories, such as a hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, RAM, and the like. One or more databases can store the information used to implement the exemplary embodiments of the present inventions. The databases can be organized using data structures (e.g., records, tables, arrays, fields, graphs, trees, lists, and the like) included in one or more memories or storage devices listed herein. The processes described with respect to the exemplary embodiments can include appropriate data structures for storing data collected and/or generated by the processes of the devices and subsystems of the exemplary embodiments in one or more databases.
All or a portion of the exemplary embodiments can be conveniently implemented using- one or more general purpose processors, microprocessors, digital signal processors, micro-controllers, and the like, programmed according to the teachings of the exemplary embodiments of the present inventions, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the computer and/or software art(s). Appropriate software can be readily prepared by programmers of ordinary skill based on the teachings of the exemplary embodiments, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the software art. In addition, the exemplary embodiments can be implemented by the preparation of application-specific integrated circuits or by interconnecting an appropriate network of conventional component circuits, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the electrical art (s) . Thus, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and/or software.
If desired, the different functions discussed herein may be performed in a different order and/or concurrently with each other.
Furthermore, if desired, one or more of the above- described functions may be optional or may be combined. Although various aspects of the invention are set out in the independent claims, other aspects of the invention comprise other combinations of features from the described embodiments and/or the dependent claims with the features of the independent claims, and. not solely the combinations explicitly set out in the claims.
It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above ; instead they may vary- within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of assembling a photovoltaic module comprising:
at least one photovoltaic cell comprising electrical contacts on the same side of the cell;
a back sheet;
a sheet of encapsulant material configured, to be assembled between the photovoltaic cell and the back sheet; and
conductive circuit elements between the back sheet and the sheet of encapsulant material, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the method comprising:
forming a virtual map comprising- the assembly position of the photovoltaic cell, conductive circuit elements and the holes in the sheet of encapsulant material ;
detecting positions of the predefined marker elements ;
correcting the virtual map as a. response to the difference between the virtual map and the detected positions; and
assembling the photovoltaic module according to the corrected virtual map,
2. The method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the predefined marker element is the electrically conductive circuit element arranged on the back sheet,
3. The method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the predefined marker element is the electrically conductive circuit element arranged on the sheet of encapsulant material.
4. The method according to claim. 1, c h & r a c t e r i z e d by correcting the positions of holes in the encapsulant material and the interconnecting paste for connecting the electrically conductive circuit elements and the electrical contacts for the phot.ovo11a ic cell,
5. The method according to claim. 1 , c n & r a c t e r i z e d by assembling the photovoltaic module on the transparent front sheet, wherein the photovoltaic module is fully assembled by the front sheet facing down.
6. The method. according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by fabricating the subassemblies or components in multiple parallel assembly cells according to the information received from the corrected virtual map,
7. The method. according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one of the elements: a contact, pad of the back sheet, the edge of the copper, a fiducial printed on the back sheet, on the copper or on the sheet of encapsulant material;
is arranged as the predefined marker element as a reference point for correcting the virtual map.
8. A system for assembling a photovoltaic module comprising:
at least one photovoltaic cell comprising electrical contacts on the same side of the cell;
a back sheet;
a sheet of encapsulant material configured, to be assembled between the photovoltaic cell and the back sheet; and
conductive circuit elements between the back sheet and the sheet of encapsulant material, c h. a r a c t e r i z e d in that the system comprises at least one processor and at least one memory comprising program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system to: form a virtual map comprising the assembly position of the photovoltaic cell, conductive circuit elements and the holes in the sheet of encapsulant material ; detect positrons of the predefined marker elements on the back sheet; correct the virtual map as a response to the difference between the virtual map and the detected pos i.tions ; and. assemble the photovoltaic module according to the corrected virtual map.
9. The system. according to claim. 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the predefined marker element is the electrically conductive circuit element arranged on the back sheet,
10. The system according to claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the predefined marker element is the electrically conductive circuit element arranged on the sheet of encapsulant material .
11. The system according to claim 8, c h. a r a c t e r i z e d. by bei g co fig red to correct the positions of holes in the encapsulant material and the interconnecting- paste for connecting the electrically conductive circuit elements and the electrical contacts for the photovoltaic cell.
12. The system according to claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by being configured to assemble the photovoltaic module on the transparent front sheet, wherein the photovoltaic module is fully assembled by the front sheet facing- down,
13. The system according to claim 8, c h. a r a c t e r i z e d by being configured to fabricate the subassemblies or components according to the information received from the corrected virtual map and in multiple simultaneous parallel assembly cells according- to the information received from the corrected virtual map.
14. he system according to c1aim 8 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one of the elements: a contact pad of the back sheet, the edge of the copper, a fiducial printed on the back sheet, on the copper or on the sheet of encapsulant material; is arranged as the predefined marker element as a reference point for correcting the virtual map.
15. An assembly configuration for assembling a photovoltaic module comprising:
at least one photovoltaic cell comprising electrical contacts on the same side of the cell;
a back sheet;
a sheet of encapsulant material configured to be assembled between the photovoltaic cell and the back sheet; and
conductive circuit elements between the back sheet and the sheet of encapsulant material, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the assembly configuration is arranged to:
receive a virtual map comprising the assembly position of the photovoltaic cell, conductive circuit elements and the holes in the sheet of encapsulant material ;
correct the virtual map as a response to the difference between the virtual map and the detected positions ; and
assemble the photovoltaic module in parallel assembly cells producing subassemblies or components according to the corrected virtual map information.
PCT/FI2014/050590 2013-07-23 2014-07-22 Photovoltaic module assembly WO2015011341A1 (en)

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CN110052799A (en) * 2019-04-26 2019-07-26 珠海格莱利摩擦材料有限公司 A kind of shockproof sheet is assemblied in the assembling line and its assembly technology of brake block
CN117080308A (en) * 2023-09-06 2023-11-17 东莞市十分阳光新能源有限公司 Flexible photovoltaic sheet processing technology capable of being bent and unfolded
CN117080308B (en) * 2023-09-06 2024-05-03 东莞市十分阳光新能源有限公司 Flexible photovoltaic sheet processing technology capable of being bent and unfolded

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