SOLAR POWER CELL MATRIX
A solar cell array including a matrix of solar cells arranged on a substrate in rows and columns; and a plurality of conductor elements connecting the solar cells within each column in parallel and the solar cells of each row in series. The conductor elements are arranged on the substrate in an optical path of light to the solar cells. The conductor elements are physically dimensioned to reduce interference with the optical path and have current-carrying capacity configured to conduct current within a predetermined range of anticipated operating currents.
1 . A solar cell array, comprising:
a matrix of solar cells arranged on a substrate in rows and columns; and
a plurality of conductor elements connecting the solar cells within each column in parallel and the solar cells of each row in series;
the conductor elements being arranged on the substrate in an optical path of light to the solar cells;
wherein the conductor elements are physically dimensioned to reduce interference with the optical path and have current-carrying capacity configured to conduct current within a predetermined range of anticipated operating currents.
2 . The solar cell array of claim 1 wherein the physical dimensions of at least a subset of the conductor elements are selected such that heat generated thereby is substantially negligible when an average operating current flows therethrough and the heat generated thereby is elevated but lower than a predetermined heat threshold when an operating current at an upper limit of the predetermined range flows therethrough, the predetermined heat threshold being lower than a heat profile at which the solar cell array would suffer physical damage.
3 . The solar cell array of claim 1 wherein the physical dimensions of at least a subset of the conductor elements are selected such that a current transmission efficiency is reduced when an operating current at a high end of the predetermined range flows therethrough relative to when an average operating current flows therethrough.
4 . The solar cell array of claim 1 wherein the physical dimensions of at least a subset of the conductor elements are selected to optimally minimize interference with the optical path and also have current-carrying capacity configured to conduct current within a predetermined range of anticipated operating currents resulting from varying operating conditions including shading of portions of the matrix of solar cells.
5 . The solar cell array of claim 1 wherein each column of solar cells includes a number (n) of one or more bypass diodes connected in inverse parallel with the solar cells of the column, wherein 1<=n< the number of solar cells in the column.
6 . The solar cell array of claim 5 wherein an upper limit of the predetermined range of anticipated operating currents is selected to be a current generated along a given column when the one or more bypass diodes of the given column conduct current.
7 . The solar cell array of claim 5 wherein there is a plurality of bypass diodes connected in each column, and wherein the conductor elements connecting the solar cells in parallel along the columns have lower ampacity than the conductor elements connecting the solar cells in series along the rows.
8 . The solar cell array of claim 5 wherein there is a single bypass diode connected in each column, and wherein the conductor elements connecting the solar cells in parallel along the columns have greater ampacity than the conductor elements connecting the solar cells in series along the rows.
9 . The solar cell array of claim 1 wherein the solar cells in each column are electrically connected by at least one conductor element to a respective one of the solar cells in an adjacent column.
10 . The solar cell array of claim 9 wherein the elongate connectors and the conductor elements are formed from the same conductive material, wherein a minimum conductive cross-sectional area of the elongate connector between adjacent columns is less than a minimum conductive cross-sectional area of all of the conductor elements that serially connect any pair of solar cells in the adjacent columns.
11 . The solar cell array of claim 1 wherein each of the solar cells is a multi-junction solar cell comprising a plurality of diodes each associated with converting a respective received light wavelength range to electrical power.
12 . The solar cell array of claim 1 wherein each solar cell includes a wire bond to a terminal thereof that is configured to fail if the current passing through the wire bond exceeds a threshold amount and thereby electrically isolate the solar cell from the remaining solar cells.
13 . A solar module comprising the solar cell array of claim 1 , further comprising a focusing layer comprising a plurality of light concentrating optics, each light concentrating optics being optically coupled to the solar cell array to focus light on a corresponding one of the solar cells.
14 . A solar module comprising the solar cell array of claim 1 , further comprising a focusing layer comprising a plurality of light concentrating optics, each light concentrating optics being optically coupled to a respective reflector element of a reflector layer to focus light on the respective reflector element, each reflector element being optically coupled to the solar cell array to direct light on a corresponding one of the solar cells.
15 . A solar power system comprising the solar cell array of claim 1 .