Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric – Photoelectric – Panel or array
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-14
2001-01-30
Chapman, Mark (Department: 1753)
Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric
Photoelectric
Panel or array
Reexamination Certificate
active
06180868
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solar cell module having a readable and writable memory medium, a solar cell module string comprising a plurality of solar cell modules and having a readable and writable memory medium, and a solar cell system having said solar cell module or said solar cell module string. The present invention also relates to a method of supervising said solar cell module or said solar cell module string.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, societal consciousness of the problems relating to the environment and energy has been increasing all over the world. Particularly, heating of the earth because of the so-called greenhouse effect due to an increase of atmospheric CO
2
has been predicted to cause a serious problem. In view of this, there is an increased demand for means of power generation capable of providing clean energy without causing CO
2
build-up. In this regard, nuclear power generation has been considered advantageous in that it does not cause CO
2
build-up. However, there are problems with nuclear power generation such that it unavoidably produces radioactive wastes which are harmful for living things, and there is a probability that leakage of injurious radioactive materials from the nuclear power generation system will occur when the system is damaged. Therefore, there is an increased societal demand for early realization of a power generation system capable of providing clean energy without causing CO
2
build-up as in the case of thermal power generation and without causing radioactive wastes and radioactive materials as in the case of nuclear power generation.
There have been various proposals which are expected to meet such societal demand. Among those proposals, solar cells (i.e., photovoltaic elements) are expected to be a future power generation source since they supply electric power without causing those problems as above mentioned, and they are safe and can be readily handled. Particularly, public attention has been focused on a solar cell power generation system because it is a clean power generation system which generates electric power using sunlight. It is also evenly accessible at any place in the world and can attain relatively high power generation efficiency without requiring a complicated large installation. It can also be expected to comply with an increase in the demand for electric power in the future without causing environmental destruction. Various studies have been made in order to realize a desirable solar cell power generation system which is practical as a power supply source.
Incidentally, solar cells have been widely used since they are clean and non-exhaustible electric power sources. Various studies have been made in order to further improve them in terms of their performances. Besides, there have been proposed a variety of solar cell modules comprising a plurality of solar cells (or photovoltaic elements) sealed therein. For these solar cell modules, various studies also have been made in order to further improve them in terms of their performances. Some of these solar cell modules have been put to practical use, for instance, by installing them on the ground or a roof of a building.
In the case of installing a plurality of solar cell modules on a roof of a building, the execution work is usually conducted for every transportation or installation unit comprising a predetermined number of the solar cell modules. The solar cell module herein means a structural body formed by providing a plurality of solar cells, electrically connecting them to each other in series connection or parallel connection to obtain a solar cell array, and sealing said array into a panel-like shape. In the case of installing these solar cell modules on the roof, they are spacedly arranged on the roof at equal intervals, followed by electrically wiring them so that they are electrically connected with each other in series connection or parallel connection. The result of this process is generally called a solar cell module array.
Here, the term “array” is used in the case where both series connection(s) and parallel connection(s) are present. The term “string” is used in the case where only series connection(s) is present. In this respect, in the case of a structural body comprising a plurality of solar cells serialized with each other, the structural body will be hereinafter referred to as “solar cell string”. Similarly, in the case of a structural body comprising a plurality of solar cell modules electrically serialized with each other, the structural body will be hereinafter referred to as “solar cell module string”.
FIG. 16
is a schematic view illustrating an example of such solar cell module string installed on a roof of a building. As shown in
FIG. 16
, a plurality of solar cell modules
1602
are spacedly arranged on a roof
1601
of a building
1610
. These solar cell modules
1602
each having a pair of positive and negative terminals (not shown) are electrically connected with each other in series connection by electrically connecting their positive and negative terminals by means of wiring cables
1603
. The solar cell modules thus electrically serialized establish a solar cell module string. Reference numeral
1604
indicates a pair of cable terminal portions extending from the solar cell module string. The cable terminal portions
1604
are electrically connected to a connection box connected to an inverter (not shown) so that electric power generated by the solar cell module string is supplied into the inverter through the connection box.
In the above, because the electric power generated by the solar cell module string is of DC, the DC power is converted into an AC power by the inverter and then outputted.
The wiring cables
1603
are usually wired on the rear sides of the solar cell module in many cases in order to prevent them from becoming externally conspicuous.
In the configuration shown in
FIG. 16
, it is possible for the solar cell modules
1602
to be classified into several groups, each comprising a predetermined number of the solar cell modules which are electrically serialized with each other and having a pair of cable terminal portions. These module groups are separately connected to a connection box having a switching mechanism (not shown) and which is connected to an inverter through their cable terminal portions so that electric power generated by a given module group can be selectively supplied into the inverter through the connection box.
FIG.
17
(
a
) is a schematic slant view illustrating a specific example of the configuration of each of the solar cell modules
1602
shown in
FIG. 16
, when obliquely viewed from the front side. FIG.
17
(
b
) is a schematic cross-sectional view, taken along the line Y-Y′ in FIG.
17
(
a
). The solar cell module
1700
shown in FIGS.
17
(
a
) and
17
(
b
) is a roof-integral type solar cell module which also functions as a roofing material. Particularly, the solar cell module
1700
is suitable for use in batten seam roofing.
Description will be made of the structure of the solar cell module
1700
with reference to FIGS.
17
(
a
) and
17
(
b
). The solar cell module comprises a plurality of solar cells
1701
spacedly arranged on a flat face of a reinforcing plate
1740
whose opposite long edge side end portions are bent upward at 90° on the light receiving face side, where the solar cells
1701
are electrically serialized with each other to establish a solar cell string. Each of the solar cells
1701
comprises a photovoltaic element group
1710
comprising a plurality of photovoltaic elements serialized with each other, where the photovoltaic element group
1710
is sealed by a surface covering material
1720
and a back face covering material
1730
. Reference numeral
1750
indicates a terminal box which is provided at the rear face of the reinforcing plate
1740
. A pair of power output terminals extending from the solar cell string are drawn through a hole (not shown) formed at a solar cel
Murakami Tsutomu
Shimizu Koichi
Takeyama Yoshifumi
Tsuzuki Koji
Yoshino Takehito
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Chapman Mark
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
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