Asymmetric photovoltaic modules with glass substrates
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsOladapo Olalekan Bello, Kurt Edward Gerber, Eric Scott Hamby, Dhananjay Joshi
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Abstract
Various aspects of photovoltaic modules are provided herein, including: an outer glass layer, an inner glass layer, a PV structures disposed on the outer glass layer, and a polymeric encapsulant having a tailored thickness and tailored elastic modulus is disposed over the PV structures and between the inner and outer glass layers, where outer glass layer is at least three times thinner than the inner glass layer; such that the module exhibits a failure probability (Pf) of less than 15% when tested according to the IEC 61215 & ASTM E1038 Hail Test.
Claims21
A photovoltaic module, comprising:
- an outer glass layer;
- an inner glass layer;
- a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) structures disposed on the outer glass layer;
- and
- a polymeric encapsulant disposed over the plurality of PV structures and between the inner and outer glass layers,
- wherein the outer glass layer is at least three times thinner than the inner glass layer, and
- further wherein the module exhibits a failure probability (Pf) of less than 15% upon exposure to an ice ball having a 1 inch diameter with an impact energy of 5 Joules according to the IEC 61215 & ASTM E1038 Hail Test.
A photovoltaic module, comprising:
- an outer glass layer;
- an inner glass layer;
- a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) structures disposed on the outer glass layer;
- and
- a polymeric encapsulant disposed over the plurality of PV structures and between the inner and outer glass layers,
- wherein the outer glass layer has a thickness of from 100 to 600 μm and the inner glass layer has a thickness of from 2.1 to 5 mm, and
- further wherein the polymeric encapsulant has an elastic modulus of from 100 MPa to 1000 MPa and a thickness of from 0.2 to 0.5 mm.
A photovoltaic module, comprising:
- an outer glass layer;
- an inner glass layer;
- a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) structures disposed on the outer glass layer;
- and
- a polymeric encapsulant disposed over the plurality of PV structures and between the inner and outer glass layers,
- wherein the outer glass layer has a thickness of from 100 to 600 μm and the inner glass layer has a thickness of from 2.1 to 5 mm, and
- further wherein the polymeric encapsulant has an elastic modulus of from 0.1 MPa to 10 MPa and a thickness of from 0.01 to 0.2 mm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.