Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric – Photoelectric – Panel or array
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-23
2001-09-18
Diamond, Alan (Department: 1753)
Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric
Photoelectric
Panel or array
C136S245000, C136S258000, C136S251000, C136S256000, C136S246000, C052S173300, C060S641800, C438S064000, C438S066000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06291761
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solar cell module which is highly reliable at a low cost, as well as to a production method and an installation method therefor, and a photovoltaic power generation system. In particular, the present invention relates to a roof material-integrated type solar cell module which has undergone transformation processing so as not to influence its electrical characteristics and which can be excellently designed, and a production method therefor.
2. Related Background Art
In the midst of increasing global environmental problems in recent years, solar photovoltaic energy has become keenly noted as clean energy which does not produce harmful by-products such as those produced in connection with thermal power and nuclear power, etc. In addition, given the limited resources on the earth, efficient use of solar energy which is an unlimited energy source is highly desired.
In addition, a centralized energy system such as with thermal power or nuclear power presents problems such that energy supply might be disturbed or might take an enormous time for recovery when a disaster such as an earthquake takes place. Solar energy can be utilized wherever and whenever it is sunny, and therefore has a high utility value as a dispersion type independent energy source.
These needs have promoted a development of a solar cell module which can be used on house roofs, and today regulatory systems for installation of photovoltaic power generation systems and operation thereof have been prepared.
The photovoltaic power generation system requires, as a power source thereof, a solar cell array composed of a plurality of connected solar cell modules. As the system for a general houses, a photovoltaic power generation system of 3 kw is standard, and in this case, almost all portions of the roof plane facing south are occupied with solar cell arrays.
The structures of disposing solar cell arrays on the roof of a house are roughly divided into two kinds, namely, the frame-installation type structure and the roof material-integrated type structure. Each of them is described as follows.
The frame-installation type structure comprises a frame and solar cell panels, wherein the frame is disposed on the roof and the solar panels are arranged thereon. Therefore, there is an advantage that solar cell arrays can be disposed on an existing roof. However, the weight of the entire roof will be heavy, and earthquake proofness is reduced; in addition, the cost for installing the frames and the solar cell panels increases.
The roof material-integrated type structure is composed of a roof material-integrated type solar cell module. The roof material-integrated type solar cell module is superior in compatibility with normal roofs since solar cells are integrated with a conventional roof material to form a module. For example, also as for installation, the same construction method as that for conventional roof material can be employed, and in addition, furnishings such as clips, etc. which are necessary to fix roof materials can be used. In addition, since the roof material-integrated type structure does not require frames and since solar cell arrays can be obtained only by roofing, the costs for installation are low. Furthermore, the roof weight is far lighter and more excellent in earthquake proofness than that in the frame-installation type structure. In addition, integration with the roof materials is harmonized with the roof design, which is an excellent advantage from the aesthetic point of-view.
As described above, the roof material-integrated type solar cell module provides many advantages, and the present inventors are proceeding with research and development so as to attain its practical use.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-302924, a roof material-integrated type solar cell module is described. For the roof material-integrated type solar cell module, in terms of its production method, a plane-shaped solar cell module can be processed with a roller former molding apparatus for conventional roof materials, and thus no further equipment investments are required and its production can be implemented at a low cost. This solar cell module described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-302924 is formed by insulation-sealing a flexible amorphous silicon semiconductor with a resin on a steel plate conventionally used as the roof material, in order to have a structure which can be processed in the same manner as the processing of roof materials. The roof material is designed so that roof materials for horizontal roofing is employed, and the photovoltaic elements are disposed in a flat portion. It therefore has a structure that the photovoltaic elements is subjected to strain.
The roof material-integrated type solar cell module described above will be described with reference to attached drawings.
FIGS. 10A and 10B
are a perspective view and a sectional view of a representative roof material-integrated type solar cell module, respectively.
FIGS. 10A and 10B
show a front surface member
1001
, a sealing material
1002
, a photovoltaic element or a photovoltaic element group
1003
, a back surface insulating material
1004
and a back surface member
1005
.
More specifically, the front surface member
1001
is, for example, ETFE (ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer) film, and the sealing material
1002
is, for example, EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer). The sealing material
1002
at the light-receiving surface side is impregnated with a surface protection reinforcement (not shown in the drawings) to prevent external scratches. As the surface protection reinforcement, in particular, for example, glass nonwoven fabric is used. The photovoltaic element
1003
is, for example, an amorphous silicon semiconductor element, and in addition, the back surface insulating material
1004
is, for example, a PET (polyester) film. As the back surface member
1005
, for example, a zinc-coated steel plate is used.
Each of the structural materials is a material having a property to be easily processed and therefore is processed to form a suitable shape as the roof material by plastic deformation of a zinc-coated steel plate as the back surface member. Photovoltaic element portions also can be processed and are made to remain flat taking the design of roof materials for horizontal roofing into consideration.
However, recently, individual originality tends to be deemed important, and this trend is not an exception for building materials and solar cell modules. For the purpose of producing solar cells or building materials in various shapes, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-302924, it is necessary for such a solar cell module to be processed over all regions including its photovoltaic elements, thereby making it possible to design without always keeping surfaces of photovoltaic elements flat.
As an example corresponding to this, a solar cell module in a wave shape is described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-5769. The main purpose of adopting a wave shape is to increase efficiency for light utilization. The production method includes procedures of first producing a solar cell module having flexibility and next bonding it onto a wave-shaped steel plate with an adhesive.
However, in the wave-shaped solar cell module described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-5769, photovoltaic elements are arranged in wave shapes, but no consideration has been paid to concrete stress to be put onto the photovoltaic elements as well as the influence on the electrical characteristics thereof, and the reliability thereof. Furthermore, according to the production method of the above wave-shaped solar cell module, a conventional roof-material molding machine can not be used for processing and the cost reduction expected for roof material-integrated type solar cell modules has not been achieved.
On the other hand, characteristics in the case where an amorphous silicon semiconductor is deformed have been reported. Fo
Komori Ayako
Matsushita Masaaki
Mori Masahiro
Takabayashi Akiharu
Takada Takeshi
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Diamond Alan
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
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