Photovoltaic device
View Patent ↗A moisture trapping filler composition may include a filler material combined with a desiccant material.
1. A moisture trapping filler composition comprising:
a filler material; and
a desiccant material within the filler, wherein the desiccant material is non-uniformly distributed in the filler material.
2. The filler composition of claim 1 , wherein a volumetric ratio of the desiccant material to the filler material increases in a direction through the filler material.
3. The filler composition of claim 1 , wherein the filler material comprises polyurethane, epoxy, silicone, poly acrylic, butyl rubber, polyisobutylene rubber, polyolefin, or ethylene vinyl acetate.
4. The filler composition of claim 1 , wherein the desiccant material comprises aluminosilicate zeolite, polyaluminum oxide, polyacrylic acid, silica gel, calcium oxide, clay, or calcium sulfate.
5. The filler composition of claim 1 , wherein a volumetric ratio of the desiccant material to the filler material is between 1% and 95%.
6. The filler composition of claim 5 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the desiccant material to the filler material is between 1% and 75%.
7. The filler composition of claim 6 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the desiccant material to the filler material is between 10% and 50%.
8. The filler composition of claim 1 , wherein the desiccant material has an average pore size between 3 and 25 Angstroms.
9. The filler composition of claim 8 , wherein the desiccant material has an average pore size between 3.2 and 10 Angstroms.
10. The filler composition of claim 9 , wherein the desiccant material has an average pore size between 3.2 and 5 Angstroms.
11. A photovoltaic device comprising a moisture trapping filler composition sealing a portion of the photovoltaic device, wherein the filler composition comprises:
a filler material; and
a dessicant material within the filler material, wherein the desiccant material is non-uniformly distributed in the filler material.
12. The photovoltaic device of claim 11 , wherein a volumetric ratio of the desiccant material to the filler material increases in a direction toward an outer surface of the device.
13. The photovoltaic device of claim 11 , wherein the filler material comprises polyurethane, epoxy, silicone, poly acrylic, butyl rubber, polyisobutylene rubber, polyolefin, or ethylene vinyl acetate.
14. The photovoltaic device of claim 11 , wherein the desiccant material comprises aluminosilicate zeolite, polyaluminum oxide, polyacrylic acid, silica gel, calcium oxide, clay, or calcium sulfate.
15. The photovoltaic device of claim 11 , wherein a volumetric ratio of the desiccant material to the filler material is between 1% and 95%.
16. The photovoltaic device of claim 15 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the desiccant material to the filler material is between 1% and 75%.
17. The photovoltaic device of claim 16 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the desiccant material to the filler material is between 10% and 50%.
18. The photovoltaic device of claim 11 , wherein the desiccant material has an average pore size between 3 and 25 Angstroms.
19. The photovoltaic device of claim 18 , wherein the desiccant material has an average pore size between 3.2 and 10 Angstroms.
20. The photovoltaic device of claim 19 , wherein the desiccant material has an average pore size between 3.2 and 5 Angstroms.
21. A method for sealing an opening in a photovoltaic device, the method comprising:
forming a dessicant material within a filler material to form a moisture trapping filler composition; and
depositing the moisture trapping filler composition in an opening in a photovoltaic device, wherein the deposited moisture trapping filler composition has the dessicant material non-uniformly distributed in the filler material.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein a volumetric ratio of the desiccant material to the filler material in the deposited moisture trapping filler composition increases in a direction toward an outer surface of the device.
23. A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device, the method comprising:
depositing a moisture trapping filler composition in an opening of a surface of a photovoltaic device, wherein the deposited moisture trapping filler composition comprises a dessicant material non-uniformly distributed in a filler material;
forming an adhesive layer adjacent to the surface, wherein the adhesive layer circumscribes the opening; and
placing a junction box adjacent to the adhesive layer, wherein the junction box covers the entire opening.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein a volumetric ratio of the desiccant material to the filler material in the deposited moisture trapping filler composition increases in a direction away from the device.
25. The photovoltaic device of claim 11 , further comprising:
an adhesive layer adjacent to a surface of the photovoltaic device, wherein the adhesive layer circumscribes an opening in the surface of the photovoltaic device; and
a junction box adjacent to the adhesive layer, wherein the junction box covers the opening.
26. The photovoltaic device of claim 25 , wherein the concentration of desiccant material within the filler material increases as a distance from the junction box decreases.
27. The photovoltaic device of claim 25 , wherein the concentration of desiccant material within the filler material is greatest proximate to the opening.
28. The photovoltaic device of claim 11 wherein the portion comprises an opening in a surface of the photovoltaic device.