Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric – Photoelectric – Panel or array
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-28
2001-06-19
Diamond, Alan (Department: 1753)
Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric
Photoelectric
Panel or array
C136S256000, C136S246000, C136S293000, C438S073000, C438S083000, C438S098000, C438S066000, C438S080000, C438S067000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06248949
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the method of installing surface mount solar cells in the receiver plate section of a concentrator photovoltaic array. More specifically, the present invention relates to a configuration, and the associated manufacturing processes to provide a mounting surface, electrical interconnects, ancillary optical elements, passivation, and alignment of the foregoing, to facilitate the incorporation of surface mount (chip or wafer type devices in which the electrical contacts are located in a single plane, and are soldered or otherwise bonded to a mating plainer electrical contact forming simultaneously a physical and electrical attachment) solar cells into the receiver plate section of a concentrator photovoltaic array.
2. Prior Art
Several advantages can be realized by interposing a lens between the sun and a solar cell in a photovoltaic application. By the use of such a lens, the energy collected over a large area can be concentrated upon a single solar cell which will produce as much or more power than would be produced by a field of solar cells equal in area to that of the lens. Special solar cells have been developed which take advantage of the higher energy per unit area to convert this solar energy to electricity with greater efficiency than can be realized at the single sun level.
Despite the increased efficiency afforded by concentration, typically in the 50X to 500X concentration ratios, the majority of the incoming energy must be removed in the form of heat. To accomplish this feat, special care is given to the selection of materials and configuration of the receiver section, that portion of the solar array which collects, converts, and distributes the solar energy in the form of electricity. Previous arrays have been manufactured using heavy copper sheet laminated to an aluminum substrate with an intervening dielectric layer. The circuitry, which distributes the electricity from the solar cells which are soldered to this copper layer, is formed by chemically etching away all of the unwanted copper. The heavy copper and the dielectric materials including the adhesives used for lamination are selected to provide the maximum heat transfer, consistent with electrical isolation, from the copper circuitry to the aluminum substrate where it is dissipated by cooling fins attached to the back of the substrate which now becomes the receiver plate.
The copper, dielectric material, and adhesive are relatively expensive when compared to conventional etched circuit designs. Furthermore, the entire surface of the substrate must be covered with these expensive materials prior to defining the circuitry by etching. A very large fraction of the applied copper sheet is then converted to solution form which must be handled, as hazardous waste. If a pinhole failure should occur in the dielectric during the lamination process the entire receiver plate is lost. All of these factors add up to a high manufacturing cost for this technology.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The principal object of the present invention is to reduce overall manufacturing costs for concentrator receiver plate assemblies. These cost reductions include, direct material costs, assembly costs, and initial equipment costs. It is also the objective of the invention to facilitate manufacturing operations, and improve yields by reducing the physical size of the smallest measurable (performance) subassembly in the receiver assembly.
The foregoing objects can be accomplished, utilizing the proven manufacturing methods and materials by increasing the circuit density of the substrate, and subsequently segmenting and reassembling the substrate upon a lightweight carrier to produce a receiver plate with the same spatial relationship between individual cells as the former single substrate receiver plate. This segment and reassembly concept applies to any combination of cells that may be envisioned as a subassembly to the receiver plate assembly. Each segment requires an external interconnect to connect it to the next segment in the receiver plate circuit. A strip consisting of four solar cells including ancillary optics is an optimal configuration for a receiver plate which will be matched to a four by six parquet of Fresnel lenses, and will be used hereinafter to describe the invention.
The narrow strip permits smaller, less costly manufacturing equipment such as solder reflow furnaces, flux removal systems, and coating machines used for the application of passivation coatings. By testing the receiver plates in four cell subassemblies, the liability of any damaged cell is limited to a single subassembly rather than a completed receiver plate. Field repair of damaged receiver plates is made possible by the replacement of a single four cell subassembly. Such replacements are not possible with individual solar cells soldered directly to the un-segmented receiver plate/substrate.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5125983 (1992-06-01), Cummings
patent: 6020555 (2000-02-01), Garboushian et al.
Diamond Alan
Logan II Charles C.
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