Using a butt joint test to evaluate photovoltaic edge seal adhesion
Abstract
Many photovoltaic (PV) technologies have been found to be sensitive to moisture that diffuses into a PV package. Even with the use of impermeable frontsheets and backsheets, moisture can penetrate from the edges of a module. To limit this moisture ingress pathway from occurring, manufacturers often use a low permeability polyisobutylene (PIB)-based edge seal filled with desiccant to further restrict moisture ingress. Moisture ingress studies have shown that these materials are capable of blocking moisture for the 25-year life of a module; but to do so, they must remain well-adhered and free of cracks. This work investigates the potential use of a butt joint test for evaluating the long-term durability of adhesion by looking for significant changes in the failure mode or quantitative value of a butt joint test. A round robin experiment was conducted using six different materials and two sample constructions, with and without effort to control edge pinch. Tests were evaluated looking at the strength of the bond, and the type of failure observed in a round robin test involving five laboratories. It was found that both the measured values, and the observed failure modes were repeatable and reproducible within at 95% confidence interval.
- Authors:
-
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Golden Colorado
- Quanex IG Systems, Inc. Solon Ohio
- Royal Adhesives &, Sealants, Inc.Michigan Center Michigan city Michigan
- First Solar, Inc. Perrysburg Ohio
- AICA Kogyo Co., Ltd. Ama Japan
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1493621
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1493622; OSTI ID: 1510425
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5K00-73056
Journal ID: ISSN 2050-0505
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- Resource Type:
- Published Article
- Journal Name:
- Energy Science & Engineering
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Energy Science & Engineering Journal Volume: 7 Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 2050-0505
- Publisher:
- Society of Chemical Industry, Wiley
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 42 ENGINEERING; adhesion; butt joint; edge seal; hermetic; moisture ingress; permeation
Citation Formats
Kempe, Michael, Korkmaz, Kaan, Postak, Lori, Booth, Dennis, Lu, Jerry, Kotarba, Casimir, Rupert, Lindsay, Molnar, Tawana, and Aoki, Tsutomu. Using a butt joint test to evaluate photovoltaic edge seal adhesion. United Kingdom: N. p., 2019.
Web. doi:10.1002/ese3.273.
Kempe, Michael, Korkmaz, Kaan, Postak, Lori, Booth, Dennis, Lu, Jerry, Kotarba, Casimir, Rupert, Lindsay, Molnar, Tawana, & Aoki, Tsutomu. Using a butt joint test to evaluate photovoltaic edge seal adhesion. United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1002/ese3.273
Kempe, Michael, Korkmaz, Kaan, Postak, Lori, Booth, Dennis, Lu, Jerry, Kotarba, Casimir, Rupert, Lindsay, Molnar, Tawana, and Aoki, Tsutomu. Tue .
"Using a butt joint test to evaluate photovoltaic edge seal adhesion". United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1002/ese3.273.
@article{osti_1493621,
title = {Using a butt joint test to evaluate photovoltaic edge seal adhesion},
author = {Kempe, Michael and Korkmaz, Kaan and Postak, Lori and Booth, Dennis and Lu, Jerry and Kotarba, Casimir and Rupert, Lindsay and Molnar, Tawana and Aoki, Tsutomu},
abstractNote = {Many photovoltaic (PV) technologies have been found to be sensitive to moisture that diffuses into a PV package. Even with the use of impermeable frontsheets and backsheets, moisture can penetrate from the edges of a module. To limit this moisture ingress pathway from occurring, manufacturers often use a low permeability polyisobutylene (PIB)-based edge seal filled with desiccant to further restrict moisture ingress. Moisture ingress studies have shown that these materials are capable of blocking moisture for the 25-year life of a module; but to do so, they must remain well-adhered and free of cracks. This work investigates the potential use of a butt joint test for evaluating the long-term durability of adhesion by looking for significant changes in the failure mode or quantitative value of a butt joint test. A round robin experiment was conducted using six different materials and two sample constructions, with and without effort to control edge pinch. Tests were evaluated looking at the strength of the bond, and the type of failure observed in a round robin test involving five laboratories. It was found that both the measured values, and the observed failure modes were repeatable and reproducible within at 95% confidence interval.},
doi = {10.1002/ese3.273},
journal = {Energy Science & Engineering},
number = 2,
volume = 7,
place = {United Kingdom},
year = {Tue Feb 05 00:00:00 EST 2019},
month = {Tue Feb 05 00:00:00 EST 2019}
}
https://doi.org/10.1002/ese3.273
Web of Science
Figures / Tables:
Works referenced in this record:
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Figures / Tables found in this record: