Flexible building-integrated photovoltaic structure
AssigneeGlobal Solar Energy, Inc.
InventorsScot Albright, Jeffrey S. Britt, Eric Kanto, Urs Schoop, Darren Verebelyi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Improved BIPV materials configured to meet various long-term requirements including, among others, a high degree of water resistance, physical durability, electrical durability, and an ability to withstand variations in temperature and other environmental conditions. In some embodiments, the disclosed BIPV materials include modules wherein two or more layers of the module are configured to be joined together during lamination to protect edge portions of the top sheet and/or back sheet of the module, such as in the vicinity of any multi-layer vapor barrier structure(s) of the module.
Claims22
A photovoltaic module, comprising:
- a plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells, each cell including a semiconductor absorber layer and a substrate upon which the absorber layer is supported;
- a first encapsulant layer underlying the cells;
- a protective back sheet underlying the first encapsulant layer;
- a multi-layer vapor barrier structure including a vapor barrier layer overlying the cells;
- a second encapsulant layer disposed between the vapor barrier layer and the cells;
- and
- a third encapsulant layer overlying the vapor barrier layer;
- wherein the third encapsulant layer is configured to join with at least one of the first and second encapsulant layers to cover and protect edge portions of the vapor barrier structure.
A photovoltaic module, comprising:
- a plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells, each cell including a semiconductor absorber layer and a substrate upon which the absorber layer is supported;
- a first encapsulant layer underlying the cells;
- a protective back sheet underlying the first encapsulant layer;
- a multi-layer vapor barrier structure including a vapor barrier layer overlying the cells;
- a second encapsulant layer disposed between the vapor barrier layer and the cells;
- and
- a third encapsulant layer overlying the vapor barrier layer;
- wherein the encapsulant layers are configured so that subsequent to lamination of the module, a cross sectional area of the first and second encapsulant layers near edge portions of the module is substantially reduced compared to a cross sectional area of the first and second encapsulant layers in an interior portion of the module.
A photovoltaic module, comprising:
- a plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells, each cell including a semiconductor absorber layer and a substrate upon which the absorber layer is supported;
- a first encapsulant layer underlying the cells;
- a protective back sheet underlying the first encapsulant layer;
- a multi-layer vapor barrier structure including a vapor barrier layer overlying the cells;
- a second encapsulant layer disposed between the vapor barrier layer and the cells;
- and
- a third encapsulant layer overlying the vapor barrier layer;
- wherein at least one of the first, second and third encapsulant layers is configured to be joined with a fourth layer of the module to cover and protect edge portions of at least one of the vapor barrier structure and the back sheet.
A photovoltaic module, comprising:
- a plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells, each cell including a semiconductor absorber layer and a substrate upon which the absorber layer is supported;
- a multi-layer vapor barrier structure including a vapor barrier overlying the cells;
- a first protective layer overlying the vapor barrier;
- and
- a second protective layer underlying the vapor barrier;
- wherein at least one of the first protective layer and the second protective layer is configured to cover and protect edge portions of the vapor barrier structure after a lamination process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.