SHINGLED SOLAR CELL MODULE
A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a solar module comprising a front surface including a first series connected string of silicon solar cells grouped into a first super cell comprising a first silicon solar cell having chamfered corners and arranged with a side overlapping and conductively bonded with an adhesive to a second silicon solar cell.
2 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the second silicon solar cell lacks chamfered corners, each silicon solar cell of the first super cell having substantially a same front surface area exposed to light.
3 . An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein:
the first silicon solar cell and the second silicon solar cell have a same length; and
a width of the first silicon solar cell is greater than a width of the second silicon solar cell.
4 . An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the length reproduces a shape of a pseudo-square wafer.
5 . An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the length is 156 mm.
6 . An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the length is 125 mm.
7 . An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein an aspect ratio between the width and the length of the first solar cell is between about 1:2 to about 1:20.
8 . An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the first silicon solar cell overlaps the second silicon solar cell by between about 1 mm to about 5 mm.
9 . An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the first super cell comprises at least nineteen silicon solar cells each having a breakdown voltage greater than about 10 volts.
10 . An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the first super cell has a length in a direction of current flow of at least about 500 mm.
11 . An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein:
the first super cell is connected in parallel with a second super cell on the front surface; and
the front surface comprises a white backing featuring darkened stripes of location and width corresponding to gaps between the first super cell and the second super cell.
12 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the second silicon solar cell includes chamfered corners.
13 . An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein a long side of the first silicon solar cell overlaps a long side of the second silicon solar cell.
14 . An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein a long side of the first silicon solar cell overlaps a short side of the second silicon solar cell.
15 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the front surface comprises:
a first row comprising the first super cell consisting of solar cells with chamfered corners; and
a second row comprising a second series connected string of silicon solar cells grouped into a second super cell connected in parallel with the first super cell and consisting of solar cells lacking chamfered corners, a length of the second row substantially a same as a length of the first row.
16 . An apparatus as in claim 15 wherein the first row is adjacent to a module edge and the second row is not adjacent to the module edge.
17 . An apparatus as in claim 15 wherein the first super cell comprises at least nineteen solar cells each having a breakdown voltage greater than about 10 volts, and the first super cell has a length in a direction of current flow of at least about 500 mm.
18 . An apparatus as in claim 15 wherein the front surface comprises a white backing featuring darkened stripes of location and width corresponding to gaps between the first super cell and the second super cell.
19 . An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a metallization pattern on a front side of the second solar cell.
20 . An apparatus as in claim 19 wherein the metallization pattern comprises a tapered portion extending around a chamfered corner.
21 . An apparatus as in claim 19 wherein the metallization pattern comprises a raised feature to confine spreading of the adhesive.
22 . An apparatus as in claim 19 wherein the metallization pattern comprises:
a plurality of discrete contact pads;
fingers electrically connected to the a plurality of discrete contact pads; and
a conductive line interconnecting the fingers.
23 . An apparatus as in claim 22 wherein the metallization pattern forms a plurality of separate barriers to confine the adhesive to the discrete contact pads.
24 . An apparatus as in claim 23 wherein the plurality of separate barriers abut and are taller than corresponding discrete contact pads.
25 . An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a flexible electrical interconnect conductively bonded to a surface of the first solar cell and accommodating thermal expansion of the first solar cell in two dimensions.
26 . An apparatus as in claim 25 wherein a first portion of the interconnect folds around an edge of the first super cell such that a remaining second interconnect portion is on a backside of the first super cell.
27 . An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the module has a top conductive ribbon on the front surface facing a direction of solar energy, the apparatus further comprising:
another module having a second super cell disposed on a front surface, a bottom ribbon on the other module facing away from the solar energy, and
wherein the second module overlaps and is bonded to a portion of the first module including the top ribbon.
28 . An apparatus as in claim 27 wherein the other module is bonded to the module by adhesive.
29 . An apparatus as in claim 27 further comprising a junction box overlapped by the other module.
30 . An apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the other module is bonded to the module by a mating arrangement between the junction box and another junction box on the other module.
31 . An apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the junction box houses a single module terminal.
32 . An apparatus as in claim 27 further comprising a switch between the module and the other module.
33 . An apparatus as in claim 32 further comprising a voltage sensing controller in communication with the switch.
34 . An apparatus as in claim 27 wherein the first super cell comprises not fewer than nineteen solar cells electrically connected with a single bypass diode.
35 . An apparatus as in claim 34 wherein the single bypass diode is positioned near a first module edge.
36 . An apparatus as in claim 34 wherein the single bypass diode is positioned in a laminate structure.
37 . An apparatus as in claim 36 wherein the super cell is encapsulated within the laminate structure.
38 . An apparatus as in claim 34 wherein the single bypass diode is positioned around a first module perimeter.
39 . An apparatus as in claim 27 wherein the first super cell and the second super cell comprise a pair connected to a power management device.
40 . An apparatus as in claim 27 further comprising a power management device configured to,
receive a voltage output of the first super cell;
based upon the voltage, determine if a solar cell of the first super cell is in reverse bias; and
disconnect the solar cell in reverse bias from a super cell module circuit.