Solar panel including recyclable package encapsulating photovoltaic cells
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsAlbert Joseph Fahey, Shandon Dee Hart, Stephen Kuenzli, Alexandra Lai Ching Kao Andrews Mitchell, Steven Akira Yamada
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Abstract
Aspects include: a solar panel having (a) an array of photovoltaic (PV) cells; and (b) a package encapsulating the array of PV cells, and with the top section and the bottom section of the package bonded together at a bonded perimeter of the package to form a hermetic seal around the array of PV cells; wherein (i) the top section of the package includes a glass composition or a glass-ceramic composition; and (ii) the bottom section of the package includes a glass composition, a glass-ceramic composition, or a metal.
Claims25
A solar panel comprising:
- an array of photovoltaic (PV) cells, each of the PV cells comprising a top primary surface and a bottom primary surface facing away from the top primary surface;
- and
- a package encapsulating the array of PV cells, the package comprising a top section and a bottom section, with the top primary surface of each of the PV cells facing the top section and the bottom primary surface of each of the PV cells facing the bottom section, and with the top section and the bottom section of the package bonded together at a bonded perimeter of the package to form a hermetic seal around the array of PV cells;
- wherein, the top section of the package comprises a glass composition or a glass-ceramic composition;
- and
- wherein, the bottom section of the package comprises a glass composition, a glass-ceramic composition, or a metal.
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A solar panel comprising:
- an array of photovoltaic (PV) cells, each of the PV cells comprising a top primary surface and a bottom primary surface facing away from the top primary surface;
- a package encapsulating the array of PV cells, the package comprising a top section comprising a glass composition and a bottom section, with the top primary surface of each of the PV cells facing the top section and the bottom primary surface of each of the PV cells facing the bottom section, and with the top section and the bottom section of the package bonded together at a bonded perimeter of the package to form a hermetic seal around the array of PV cells;
- a layer of SiO2 or SiNx disposed between the bottom primary surfaces of the PV cells and a top surface of the bottom section of the package;
- and
- an antireflective coating disposed on a bottom surface of the top section of the package facing the top primary surfaces of the PV cells, the antireflective coating comprises at least one layer of SiO2 or SiNx.
A solar panel comprising:
- an array of photovoltaic (PV) cells, each of the PV cells comprising a top primary surface and a bottom primary surface facing away from the top primary surface;
- a package encapsulating the array of PV cells, the package comprising a top section comprising a glass composition and a bottom section, with the top primary surface of each of the PV cells facing the top section and the bottom primary surface of each of the PV cells facing the bottom section, and with the top section and the bottom section of the package bonded together at a bonded perimeter of the package to form a hermetic seal around the array of PV cells;
- a backing supporting the package, the backing comprising a sheet or film of metal;
- and
- a thermal transfer fluid disposed between the backing and the package.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.