DAY4 ENERGY INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20120060895 | PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE STRING ARRANGEMENT AND SHADING PROTECTION THEREFOR - A method and apparatus for protecting a string of solar cells from shading in a solar panel having a plurality of strings of solar cells are described. Electric current is shunted around any string of the solar cells having at least one shaded solar cell by shunting the electric current through electrical conductors and a bypass diode located in a perimeter margin of a substrate supporting the solar cells such that no matter which string has a shaded solar cell current through the string with the shaded solar cell is shunted through electrical conductors and a respective bypass diode located in the perimeter margin. This distributes dissipation of heat from respective bypass diodes that are associated with strings having at least one shaded solar cell, to different locations around the perimeter margin. | 03-15-2012 |
20110189810 | CRYSTALLINE SILICON PV CELL WITH SELECTIVE EMITTER PRODUCED WITH LOW TEMPERATURE PRECISION ETCH BACK AND PASSIVATION PROCESS - A method of forming a selective emitter in a photovoltaic (PV) crystalline silicon semiconductor wafer involves forming a mask on a front side surface of the wafer to create masked and unmasked areas on the front side surface. A first silicon oxide layer is electrochemically formed at the unmasked areas of the front side surface such that the silicon oxide layer extends into an emitter of the wafer at least as far as a dead zone therein. The mask is removed and the first silicon oxide layer is etched back until substantially all of the first silicon oxide layer is removed. A second silicon oxide layer is then electrochemically formed on the front side surface such that the second silicon oxide layer has sufficient thickness to passivate the front side surface. | 08-04-2011 |
20100275976 | PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE WITH EDGE ACCESS TO PV STRINGS, INTERCONNECTION METHOD, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEM - A photovoltaic module apparatus includes PV cells arranged in a planar array, the PV cells being electrically connected in at least one string having positive and negative terminals. Positive and negative conductors are connected to the positive and negative terminals respectively and front and back encapsulating sheets are disposed on the front and back sides of the array to form a sub-laminate. Each of the positive and negative conductors has a respective portion extending from the positive and negative terminals, between the front and back encapsulating sheets. Front and back protectors are disposed on the front and back encapsulating sheets to form a laminate. First and second terminating portions of the positive and negative conductors extend outwardly from the outer perimeter edge of the laminate. A frame including a frame member having a holder may be provided about at least one portion of the outer perimeter edge of the laminate. | 11-04-2010 |
20100147368 | PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL WITH SHALLOW EMITTER - A photovoltaic semiconductor apparatus for use in forming a solar cell with shallow emitter is disclosed The apparatus includes first and second adjacent oppositely doped volumes of semiconductor material forming a semiconductor heterojunction The apparatus also includes a first passivation layer of material on the front side, the first passivation layer having a first outer surface and a plurality of openings therethrough defining corresponding unpassivated areas of the front side that are unpassivated by the first passivation layer The apparatus further includes a first conductive anti-reflective coacting on the first outer surface of the passivation layer and on the corresponding unpassivated areas of the front side The apparatus may further include dielectric antireflective coating on an outer surface of the first passivation layer. | 06-17-2010 |
20090025788 | ELECTRODE FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS, PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL AND PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE - An electrode for contacting an electrically conductive surface of a photovoltaic element includes an electrically insulating optically transparent film, an adhesive layer provided on a planar surface of the film, and a plurality of substantially parallel, electrically conductive wires embedded into the adhesive layer. The plurality of wires lies over the planar surface of the film. A part of the surfaces of the wires protrude from the adhesive layer. At least the part of the surfaces protruding from the adhesive layer are covered by a coating consisting of an alloy having a low melting point to solder the wires to the electrically conductive surface and to a first terminal bar. The adhesive layer has a thickness less than the thickness of the wires embedded therein. | 01-29-2009 |
20090025778 | SHADING PROTECTION FOR SOLAR CELLS AND SOLAR CELL MODULES - In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a shading protected solar cell apparatus for use in a solar cell system. The apparatus includes a solar cell having a front side current collector and a back side current collector. The apparatus also includes a bypass diode closely adjacent the back side current collector, the bypass diode having a front side current collector and a back side current collector. The apparatus further includes a first electrical coupling for electrically coupling the front side current collector of the bypass diode to the back side current collector of the solar cell. The apparatus also includes a second electrical coupling for electrically coupling the back side current collector of the bypass diode to the front side current collector of the solar cell, the first and second electrical couplings cooperating to enable a current generated by non-shaded solar cells in the system to be shunted through the bypass diode when the solar cell is shaded. The apparatus further includes a thermal coupling thermally coupling the bypass diode to a back side of the solar cell such that heat generated in the bypass diode due to current shunted through the bypass diode is dissipated by the solar cell sufficiently to avoid burning the solar cell or the bypass diode when the solar cell is shaded. | 01-29-2009 |
20080290368 | PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL WITH SHALLOW EMITTER - A photovoltaic semiconductor apparatus for use in forming a solar cell with shallow emitter is disclosed. The apparatus includes first and second adjacent oppositely doped volumes of semiconductor material forming a semiconductor heterojunction. The apparatus also includes a first passivation layer of material on the front side, the first passivation layer having a first outer surface and a plurality of openings therethrough defining corresponding unpassivated areas of the front side that are unpassivated by the first passivation layer. The apparatus further includes a first conductive anti-reflective coating on the first outer surface of the passivation layer and on the corresponding unpassivated areas of the front side. A back side surface of the apparatus may be finished in various ways including forming a passivation layer with openings as on the front side, forming a third doped volume adjacent the second doped volume, or forming a layer of aluminum with laser-fired contacts on a passivation layer on the back side surface. The apparatus may further includes second conductive coating on the back side surface. The apparatus further includes first and second electrodes for collecting electric current correspondingly from front and back sides of photovoltaic apparatus. | 11-27-2008 |