IPC SOLAR SUBCOMMITTEE

Acceptability
A
t bilit Guidelines
G id li
for
f Solar
S l Panel
P
l Lamination
L i ti

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

ACCEPTABILITY GUIDELINES FOR SOLAR PANEL LAMINATION

Title: Acceptability Guidelines for Solar Panel Lamination
This subcommittee will develop Acceptance Standards for the
Lamination of Glass-Backside-Foil Solar Modules with crystalline solar
cells using encapsulation sheets as an adhesive material.
The Standard will include visual and other performance criteria for
encapsulation
p
sheets,, gglass,, p
photovoltaic cells,, ribbons,, bus bars and
backside foil as they relate to creating the basic laminated assembly.
The post laminated assembly would need to have specific visual criteria
for uniformity of lamination, cell position within the fabrication and
evidence of structural sealing. Criteria will also be established for the
photovoltaic cell visual quality after undergoing the stresses of the
lamination process.
10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

LAY-UP
LAY
UP OF A SOLAR MODULE
Backside foil or Protective sheet
Encapsulation Foil
(e.g. EVA foil)

Strings with
crystalline
cells
Graphic: Robert Brkle GmbH

Encapsulation Foil
(e.g. EVA foil)
Toughened Safety Glass Panel
10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

QUALITY CRITERIA OF A SOLAR MODULE

Efficiency
or
Power Rating
Optical
Appearance

Mechanical
Stability

Module
Q lit
Quality

Performance
over the
Lifetime

Lifetime

10/24/2009

Electrical
Stability

Safety

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

QUALITY TESTING OF A SOLAR MODULE

Testing, Compliance and Certification according to:

UL 1703

IEC 61215

(UL Standard for Safety Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Modules and Panels)

(Crystalline silicon terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules Design qualification
and type approval.

IEC 61730
(Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification Part 2: Requirements for testing)
Safety Class II

UL, CSA and CE Mark

(Insulation testing over lifetime - based on EN 50178 1998-04)

(granted by TV, UL or CSA)

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

QUALITY TESTING OF A SOLAR MODULE

U
03 includes:
c udes
UL 1703

Design / Material Tests

Lab Performance Tests

Production Line Tests

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

QUALITY TESTING OF A SOLAR MODULE

es g / Material
ate a Tests
ests
Design

Test of individual materials used in the solar panel

Wire ways
y and connection means

Spacing

Fire resistance test

Corrosion resistance test

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

QUALITY TESTING OF A SOLAR MODULE

Lab Performance Tests

Mechanical stability tests

(strain relief test, push test, cut test, impact test, bonding path
resistance test, loading test, terminal torque test)

Electrical stability
stability, safety and performance tests
(voltage-current-power measurements, leakage current test, dielectric
voltage-withstand test, wet insulation-resistance test, reverse current
overload test, arcing test, wiring compartment securement test, hot-spot
endurance test)

Temperature tests / temperature cycling tests

Humidity test / water spray test

Humidity freeze test to evaluate lamination integrity

Accelerated aging test

Fire test

Corrosive atmosphere test

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

QUALITY TESTING OF A SOLAR MODULE

oduct o Line
e Tests
ests
Production

Voltage, Current, Power Measurements Test (Flash-Test)

Dielectric Voltage-Withstand
g
Test ((High-Pot
g
Test))

Grounding Test (High-Pot Test)

Optical
p
Inspection
p

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

ELEMENTS OF THE LAMINATION PROCESS

e pe a
Temperature

Lamination
Time

Lamination
Process

Vacuum

Pressure

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

10

ELEMENTS OF THE LAMINATION PROCESS

Temperature
Process

temperature depending on encapsulation

foil type.
Temperature accuracy of 2C over the entire
lamination area.
Less

stress.
Same cross-linking level / gel-content over the entire
module area.

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

11

ELEMENTS OF THE LAMINATION PROCESS

Vacuum
<

1 mbar.
Evacuation time long enough.
enough
Typical 3 8 minutes.
Modules lifted off the heating platen during
evacuation to avoid trapped air (air bubbles).

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

12

ELEMENTS OF THE LAMINATION PROCESS

Pressure
Maximum

1 bar (atmospheric pressure).

Pressure not too high to avoid breaking of the solar
cells.
Pressure build
build-up
up (not too fast).
fast)
Required Pressure depending on the encapsulation
foil and module design.

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

13

ELEMENTS OF THE LAMINATION PROCESS

Lamination Time
Lamination

Time depending on encapsulation foil.

Encapsulation foil defines how long the module has
to be processed at the specified temperature .

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

14

ELEMENTS OF THE LAMINATION PROCESS

Optional: Cooling
Active

cooling of the modules under pressure

Less

internal Stress
Less Warpage of the modules

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

15

ENCAPSULATION MATERIALS

Encapsulation Foils used for solar modules

EVA Foils (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate)

Standard Cure,
Cure Fast Cure,
Cure Ultra Fast Cure

PVB

Foils (Polyvinyl Butyral)

TPU

Foils (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)

Ionomer

Foils

Geniomer

10/24/2009

Foils
IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

16

OPTICAL INSPECTION BEFORE LAMINATION

String Alignment / Camber / Straightness
Solder Joints
Bus Bars Alignment
Ribbon Alignment on the cell
Solar
S l C
Cells
ll

Breakage, Chips, Dents

Deformation, Shape
Coloring
Consistency
C
i t

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

17

17

OPTICAL INSPECTION BEFORE LAMINATION

Glass
Scratches
Cleanness
Breakage (edges or corners)

Encapsulation Foil Alignment to Glass

Backside Foil Alignment to Glass
Foreign Objects or Contamination

Hair
Fingerprints
Solder Splash
Stains

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

18

OPTICAL INSPECTION BEFORE LAMINATION

Identification

Serial number / part number

Clarity of Marking

Position, Condition, Cleanness

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

19

PERFORMANCE TESTS BEFORE LAMINATION

Power Output Strings
Continuity Resistance Test / Current Flow Test

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

20

OPTICAL INSPECTION AFTER LAMINATION

Trapped Air or Volatiles (Bubbles)

Size
Quantity
Locations

(Center, Edges, )

String Alignment / Camber / Straightness

Solder Joints
Ribbon Alignment on the cell
Bus
us Bars
a s Alignment
g e t and
a d Insulation
su at o

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

21

OPTICAL INSPECTION AFTER LAMINATION

Solar Cells
Breakage,

Chips, Dents
Deformation,
Deformation Shape
Consistency

Spacing Strings / Solar Cells

Glass

Scratches
Cleanness
Breakage
10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

22

OPTICAL INSPECTION AFTER LAMINATION

Thickness Tolerances
Edges

/ Center

Warpage of the module

Excess encapsulation material on the edges of
th solar
the
l module
d l

Contamination

of front side glass

Trimming of the edges of the module after
lamination required
10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

23

OPTICAL INSPECTION AFTER LAMINATION

Backside bus bars exit

Encapsulation

material flow sufficient

Excess encapsulation material

Foreign Objects or Contamination

Hair
H i
Fingerprints
Solder

Splash

Stains

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

24

OPTICAL INSPECTION AFTER LAMINATION

Backside bus bars exit

Encapsulation

material flow sufficient

Excess encapsulation material

Foreign Objects or Contamination

Hair
H i
Fingerprints
Solder

Splash

Stains

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

25

OPTICAL INSPECTION AFTER LAMINATION

Identification

Serial number / part number

Clarity of Marking

Position, Condition, Cleanness

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

26

PERFORMANCE TESTS AFTER LAMINATION

Flash
Test
Flash-Test
High-Pot Test
Hot-Spot
Hot Spot Test (IR Heat-detection
Heat detection camera)
Adhesion Tests, Peel Tests

Backside
B k id

Foil
F il to
t EVA Foil,
F il EVA Foil
F il tto Cells
C ll and
d Glass
Gl

EVA: Cross-Linking Test

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

27

NEXT STEPS
Which other performance tests exist to determine
the Quality of a Solar Module?
How many Quality Categories will be required?
Illustrations / Pictures are required for the Target
Conditions and Acceptability Conditions of a
Laminated Solar Module

10/24/2009

IPC Solar Subcommittee Lamination Revision 2

28