PV laminate with shingled PV cells and methods of assembly
A PV laminate and methods of assembly are provided. The PV cells of exemplary PV laminates may comprise a shingled linear array of PV cells where one or more spacers are employed near the connections between adjacent PV cells of the linear array. These spacers can serve to reduce stresses during assembly of the PV laminate and may be later substantially subsumed in encapsulant once assembly of the PV laminate is completed.
1 . A process of assembling a PV laminate, the process comprising:
positioning a PV laminate back sheet and a first PV laminate encapsulant sheet into a PV laminate encapsulation work area;
positioning a first back-side spacer into the PV laminate encapsulation work area; the first back-side spacer having a length,
after positioning the first back-side spacer, placing a plurality of overlapping linear arrays of PV cells into the encapsulation work area, wherein once positioned, the first back-side spacer extends above or below each of the linear arrays of the plurality of linear arrays, the first back-side spacer having a lateral width smaller than a lateral width of an individual PV cell of the plurality of overlapping linear arrays of PV cells, wherein a first linear array of the plurality of overlapping linear arrays of PV cells comprises a first PV cell, and a second linear array of the plurality of overlapping linear arrays of PV cells comprises a second PV cell, the first linear array being shingled over the second linear array, the first PV cell having a light receiving side, and the second PV cell having a light receiving side;
after positioning the plurality of overlapping linear arrays of PV cells,
positioning a first front-side spacer over the first linear array, the first front-side spacer having a length, the first front-side spacer having a lateral width smaller than a lateral width of an individual PV cell of the plurality of overlapping linear arrays of PV cells;
positioning a second PV laminate encapsulant sheet and a PV laminate front sheet over the plurality of overlapping linear arrays of PV cells in the encapsulation work area;
applying heat to at least a portion of the PV laminate encapsulation work area; and applying pressure to press the PV laminate back sheet and the PV laminate front sheet towards each other.
2 . The process of claim 1 further comprising:
maintaining the applied heat and the applied pressure for a predetermined period of time, the applied heat, the applied pressure and the predetermined period of time sufficient to allow encapsulant of the first and second encapsulant sheets to move into most or all existing voids on a front-side and a back side of the linear arrays of the plurality of overlapping linear arrays of PV cells.
3 . The process of claim 1 wherein each linear array of PV cells of the plurality of linear arrays of PV cells comprises three PV cells.
4 . The process of claim 1 wherein the first back-side spacer is adjacent to a back surface of each linear array of PV cells of the plurality of overlapping linear arrays of PV cells.
5 . The process of claim 1 wherein the first back-side spacer traverses a surface of each linear array of PV cells of the plurality of overlapping linear arrays of PV cells.
6 . The process of claim 1 wherein the first front-side spacer is adjacent to a light receiving surface of each linear array of PV cells of the plurality of overlapping linear arrays of PV cells.
7 . The process of claim 1 wherein the first front-side spacer is positioned above the first back-side spacer.
8 . The process of claim 1 wherein the first front-side spacer is positioned directly above the first back-side spacer.
9 . The process of claim 1 wherein the first front-side spacer has a rectangular cross section and has a length over 30 cm and wherein a temperature value of the heat applied is greater than a melting point of the first PV laminate encapsulant sheet.
10 . The process of claim 1 further comprising:
positioning a second back-side spacer into the PV laminate encapsulation work area; the second back-side spacer having an elongated shape; and
after positioning the plurality of overlapping linear arrays of PV cells,
positioning a second front-side spacer in the encapsulation work area, the second front-side spacer having an elongated shape.
11 . A process of assembling a PV laminate, the process comprising:
positioning a PV laminate back sheet and a first PV laminate encapsulant into a PV laminate encapsulation work area;
placing a first linear array of shingled PV cells in the encapsulation work area, the first linear array comprising a first PV cell and a second PV cell, the first PV cell having a light receiving side, the light receiving side having a portion that overlaps and is positioned above the second PV cell;
positioning a first front-side spacer in the encapsulation work area and above the first PV cell, the first front-side spacer having an elongated shape and extending across a width of the first linear array of shingled PV cells, and the first front-side spacer having a lateral width smaller than a lateral width of an individual PV cell of the first linear array of shingled PV cells;
positioning a second PV laminate encapsulant and a PV laminate front sheet over the first front-side spacer and over the first linear array of shingled PV cells;
applying heat to the PV laminate encapsulation work area; and
applying pressure to press the PV laminate back sheet and the PV laminate front sheet towards each other.
12 . The process of assembling a PV laminate of claim 11 further comprising:
positioning a second front-side spacer in the encapsulation work area, the second frontside spacer having an elongated shape and extending across a width of the first linear array of shingled PV cells.
13 . The process of assembling a PV laminate of claim 12 wherein the second front-side spacer is parallel to the first front-side spacer.
14 . The process of assembling a PV laminate of claim 12 wherein the first frontside spacer is positioned above a first PV cell of the first linear array of shingled PV cells and the second front-side spacer is positioned above a second PV cell of the first linear array of shingled PV cells.
15 . The process of assembling a PV laminate of claim 12 wherein the first frontside spacer, the second front-side spacer, the first PV laminate encapsulant, and the second PV laminate encapsulant comprise the same material.
16 . The process of assembling a PV laminate of claim 11 wherein the first front-side spacer is positioned above any and all overlapping edges of adjacent PV cells of the first linear array of shingled PV cells.