SYSTEMS, METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR MAGNETIC PROCESSING OF SOLAR MODULES
Provided herein are methods, apparatuses and systems for fabricating photovoltaic cells and modules. In certain embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems involve coating ferromagnetic substrates with thin film solar cell materials and using magnetic force to constrain, move or otherwise manipulate partially fabricated cells or modules. According to various embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide magnetically actuated handling throughout a photovoltaic cell or module fabrication process, from forming photovoltaic cell layers on a substrate to packaging the module for transport and installation. The magnetically manipulated processing provides advantages over conventional photovoltaic module processing operations, including fewer mechanical components, greater control over placement and tolerances, and ease of handling. As a result, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide highly efficient, low maintenance photovoltaic module fabrication processes.
1 . A method of fabricating a thin film photovoltaic solar module, comprising:
providing a plurality of thin film photovoltaic solar module components, at least one of said components being magnetic;
providing processing apparatus for thin film photovoltaic solar module fabrication, said apparatus comprising one or more magnetic actuators; and
fabricating the thin film photovoltaic solar module by a process that comprises magnetically manipulating the magnetic module components with the one or more magnetic actuators.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said components is ferromagnetic.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the thin film photovoltaic module components comprise photovoltaic cells.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein said thin film photovoltaic cells comprise a ferromagnetic substrate.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein said ferromagnetic substrate is a stainless steel foil.
6 . The method of claim 4 wherein said ferromagnetic substrate comprises series 400 stainless steel.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the thin film photovoltaic solar module component comprises a substrate, said substrate being magnetic.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein one of the one or more magnetic actuators is a magnetic pallet.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein one of the one or more magnetic actuators is a magnetic component grabber.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein one of the one or more magnetic actuators is an alignment mechanism.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein fabricating the thin film photovoltaic solar module comprises transferring a partially fabricated thin film solar module between a plurality of processing stations.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein transferring the partially fabricated thin film photovoltaic solar module comprises securing at least some of the magnetic components by magnetic force.
13 . The method of claim 1 further comprising at least one of the following operations: a coating operation to coat thin film materials on a ferromagnetic substrate;
one or more cutting operations to cut the ferromagnetic substrate to form cells;
a first laminating operation to laminate the cells;
a positioning operation to position the laminated cells on a module substrate; and
a second laminating operation to laminate the module substrate having cells positioned thereon, wherein at least one of the operations comprises magnetic manipulation of the ferromagnetic substrate.
14 . A system for fabricating thin film photovoltaic solar modules having a plurality of thin film photovoltaic solar module components, at least one of said components being magnetic, said system comprising:
a plurality of processing stations for fabricating thin film photovoltaic solar modules;
a plurality of transport devices for transferring partially fabricated thin film photovoltaic solar modules between processing stations; and
one or more magnetic actuators, each actuator associated with a processing station or a transfer device, and configured to magnetically manipulate the magnetic module components.
15 . A magnetically actuated alignment mechanism for a thin film photovoltaic solar module component, comprising:
an alignment area configured to receive a thin film photovoltaic solar module component, said component being magnetic;
a fence adjacent to said alignment area; and
a magnetic actuator movable in relation to the fence and configured to exert magnetic force on a magnetic module component in the alignment area to thereby bring it into alignment with the fence.
16 . The magnetically actuated alignment mechanism of claim 15 wherein said magnetic component is a photovoltaic cell comprising a ferromagnetic substrate.
17 . A magnetically actuated alignment mechanism for a thin film photovoltaic solar module component, comprising:
an alignment area configured to receive a thin film photovoltaic solar module component, said component being magnetic;
a fence adjacent to said alignment area; and
a magnetic actuator movable in relation to the fence and configured to exert magnetic force on a magnetic module component in the alignment area to thereby bring it into alignment with the fence.
18 . The magnetically actuated alignment mechanism of claim 17 wherein said magnetic component is a photovoltaic cell comprising a ferromagnetic substrate.