Development and testing of shingle-type solar cell modules. Final report

Technical Report · Wed Feb 28 04:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5868348· OSTI ID:5868348

Shepard, N F

The design, development, fabrication and testing of a shingle-type terrestrial solar cell module which produces 98 watts/m/sup 2/ of exposed module area at 1 kW/m/sup 2/ insolation and 61/sup 0/C are reported. These modules make it possible to easily incorporate photovoltaic power generation into the sloping roofs of residential or commercial buildings by simply nailing the modules to the plywood roof sheathing. This design consists of nineteen series-connected 53 mm diameter solar cells arranged in a closely packaged hexagon configuration. These cells are individually bonded to the embossed surface of a 3 mm thick thermally tempered hexagon-shaped piece of ASG SUNADEX glass. Monsanto SAFLEX polyvinyl butyral is used as the laminating adhesive. RTVII functions as the encapsulant between the underside of the glass superstrate and a rear protective sheet of 0.8 mm thick TEXTOLITE. The semi-flexible portion of each shingle module is a composite laminate construction consisting of outer layers of B.F. Goodrich FLEXSEAL and an epichlorohydrin closed cell foam core. The module design has satisfactorily survived the JPL-defined qualification testing program which includes 50 thermal cycles between -40 and +90/sup 0/C, a seven-day temperature-humidity exposure test and a mechanical integrity test consisting of a bidirectional cyclic loading at 2390 Pa (50 lb/ft/sup 2/) which is intended to simulate loads due to a 45 m/s (100 mph) wind.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Philadelphia, PA (USA). Valley Forge Space Center
• DOE Contract Number: NAS-7-100-954607
• OSTI ID: 5868348
• Report Number(s): DOE/JPL/954607-4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
ADHESIVES
BUILDINGS
COATINGS
COLLOIDS
CONDUCTOR DEVICES
CONFIGURATION
CONNECTORS
COVERINGS
DESIGN
DISPERSIONS
DYNAMIC LOADS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ENCAPSULATION
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
FOAMS
HEXAGONAL CONFIGURATION
HUMIDITY
INSTALLATION
JOINING
LAMELLAE
MATERIALS TESTING
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICAL TESTS
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PROTECTIVE COATINGS
ROOFS
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLDERING
TESTING
THERMAL CYCLING
WELDING
WIND