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KR-102962317-B1 - Reflective grid for photovoltaic module film and method

KR102962317B1KR 102962317 B1KR102962317 B1KR 102962317B1KR-102962317-B1

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of providing an aqueous pigment-polyolefin dispersion (P-P dispersion) and applying a grid pattern of the aqueous P-P dispersion to a back encapsulator film. The method comprises the step of drying the grid pattern into a grid layer to form a grid-retained back encapsulator film. The method comprises the step of placing a plurality of photovoltaics and a front encapsulator film on the grid-retained back encapsulator film to form a stack, and stacking the stacks to form a reflective photovoltaic (PV) module. The present disclosure also provides a reflective photovoltaic module produced by the method.

Inventors

  • 리, 위옌
  • 궈, 윈룽
  • 순, 야빈

Assignees

  • 다우 글로벌 테크놀로지스 엘엘씨

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20210528

Claims (14)

  1. Method including the following: A step of providing an aqueous polyolefin dispersion and an aqueous pigment dispersion; A step of mixing an aqueous polyolefin dispersion and an aqueous pigment dispersion to form an aqueous pigment-polyolefin dispersion (PP dispersion) comprising a polyolefin, a pigment, and a dispersant selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, a carboxylic acid ester, and a salt of a carboxylic acid; A step of applying a grid pattern of an aqueous PP dispersion to a rear encapsulation film; and A step of forming a grid-patterned back encapsulating agent film by drying a grid-pattern into a grid layer at a temperature of 40°C to 80°C, wherein the drying step comprises forming a grid layer having a plurality of land regions and grid regions, and forming a grid region as a continuous layer of a blend of polyolefin and pigment.
  2. delete
  3. In paragraph 1, A method comprising the step of forming an aqueous polyolefin dispersion having a pH of less than 12, wherein the dispersed polyolefin phase has a volume average particle size of 0.1 micron to 2.0 micron.
  4. A method according to claim 1 or 3, comprising the step of slurrying pigment particles with a pigment dispersant and water to form an aqueous pigment dispersion.
  5. In paragraph 1, the providing step is, A step of compounding pigment particles with polyolefin; and A method comprising the step of forming an aqueous pigment polyolefin dispersion having a pH of less than 12, comprising (A) a dispersed polyolefin-pigment phase, (B) a dispersant, and (C) water, wherein the dispersed pigment-polyolefin phase has a volume average particle size of 0.1 micron to 2.0 micron.
  6. A method according to any one of claims 1, 3, and 5, wherein the application step comprises screen printing a grid pattern of an aqueous P-P dispersion on a back encapsulating agent film.
  7. delete
  8. In paragraph 1, A method comprising the step of placing a plurality of photovoltaic cells in each of a plurality of land regions.
  9. In paragraph 8, A step of forming a stack by placing a front encapsulation film on a PV cell and a gridded rear encapsulation film; and A method comprising the step of stacking to form a reflective photovoltaic (PV) module.
  10. Photovoltaic module including the following: A gridded rear encapsulation film, a front encapsulation film, and a plurality of photovoltaics sandwiched between the gridded rear encapsulation film and the front encapsulation film; A gridded rear encapsulation film having a front surface and a grid layer attached to the front surface, wherein the grid layer (i) a grid region which is a reflective material composed of a blend of a polyolefin, a pigment, and a dispersant selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, a carboxylic acid ester, and a salt of a carboxylic acid, wherein the grid region is a continuous layer attached to the front surface of a rear encapsulating film, and the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of a propylene-based polymer, an ethylene/propylene/diene terpolymer, an ethylene/ C4 - C8 α-olefin copolymer, an ethylene-maleic anhydride polymer, and combinations thereof, and (ii) a gridded back encapsulation film comprising a plurality of land regions defined by a grid region—each land region having no reflective material—; and Multiple photovoltaics, each photovoltaic cell is located in a respective land area.
  11. In claim 10, a photovoltaic module in which the grid layer is in direct contact with a portion of the front encapsulation film.
  12. A photovoltaic module in which there is no direct contact between the grid layer and the front encapsulation film in Clause 10.
  13. delete
  14. delete

Description

Reflective grid for photovoltaic module film and method Photovoltaic (PV) modules are characterized by their efficiency in converting incident solar energy into useful power. PV modules utilizing crystalline silicon photovoltaics have achieved an efficiency of approximately 23.5% or higher. A known approach to increasing PV module efficiency is to provide a reflective layer to the PV module to enhance light reflection. Existing techniques for adding a reflective layer to a PV module include (i) melt-bonding a reflective material to a sealant film, (ii) adding an additional structural layer to the PV module, such as a reflective backsheet, and adding a tie layer to achieve (i) and/or (ii). These existing approaches impose complex chemical and/or additional structural requirements on the PV module. Furthermore, PV module manufacturing methods are known to be slow and cumbersome, requiring a highly energy-intensive and time-consuming lamination process. The lamination step is generally the bottleneck of PV module manufacturing. The burden of the aforementioned conventional techniques for creating reflective layers fails to mitigate the problems of PV module manufacturing and merely exacerbates its disadvantages. This technology recognizes the need for a simplified technique to add a reflective layer to PV modules, which reduces PV manufacturing time, decreases PV module production energy, and lowers PV module material costs. The present disclosure provides a method. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of providing an aqueous pigment-polyolefin dispersion (P-P dispersion) and applying a grid pattern of the aqueous P-P dispersion to a back encapsulating agent film. The method comprises the step of drying the grid pattern into a grid layer to form a gridded back encapsulating agent film. The present disclosure provides a photovoltaic (PV) module. In one embodiment, the PV module comprises a gridded rear encapsulating film, a front encapsulating film, and a plurality of photovoltaics sandwiched between the gridded rear encapsulating film and the front encapsulating film. The gridded rear encapsulating film has a front surface and a grid layer adhered to the front surface. The grid layer has (i) a grid region which is a reflective material composed of a polyolefin and a pigment, and (ii) a plurality of land regions defined by the grid region. Each land region does not have a reflective material. The PV module comprises a plurality of photovoltaics, each photovoltaic being located in each land region. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a grid layer of reflective material on the front surface of a rear encapsulation film according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is an exploded elevation view of a stack having a gridded rear encapsulation film, a photovoltaic cell, and a front encapsulation film according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an elevation view of a reflective photovoltaic module and a grid layer in direct contact with a front encapsulation film and a rear encapsulation film according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is an elevation view of a reflective photovoltaic module in which a grid layer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is in direct contact with a rear encapsulation film and is not in direct contact with a front encapsulation film. definition Any references to the periodic table of elements are from the publication [CRC Press, Inc. (1990–1991)]. References to the groups of elements in this periodic table follow the new notation for group numbering. For the purposes of U.S. patent practice, the contents of any referenced patent, patent application, or disclosure are incorporated by reference in their entirety, particularly with respect to the disclosure of definitions and the general knowledge of the art (without contradiction to any definition specifically provided in this disclosure) (or equivalent U.S. versions thereof are also incorporated by reference). The numerical ranges disclosed herein include all values, including lower and upper limits. In the case of a range including explicit values (e.g., 1 or 2, 3 to 5, or 6 or 7), any sub-range between two explicit values is included (e.g., the above range of 1 to 7 includes sub-ranges of 1 to 2; 2 to 6; 5 to 7; 3 to 7; 5 to 6; etc.). Unless otherwise specified, implied by the context, or customary in the art, all parts and percentages are based on weight, and all test methods are in use as of the filing date of this invention. As used herein, the terms “blend” or “polymer blend” refer to a blend of two or more polymers. Such blends may be miscible (not phase-separated at the molecular level) or may not be miscible. Such blends may or may not phase-separate. Such blends may or may not contain one or more domain configurations when measured by transmission electron spectroscopy, light scattering, X-ray scattering, and other methods known in the art. The term "composition"