APPAREIL D'UTILISATION DE L'ENERGIE SOLAIRE AVEC DES PILES SOLAIRES

APPARATUS FOR THE UTILIZATION OF SOLAR ENERGY WITH SOLAR CELLS

Abrégé anglais

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An apparatus for utilizing solar energy with solar
cells, which are arranged on a supporting structure and are
connected electrically to one another and have an external
connection for discharging the electrical energy. Several solar
cells are parts of a frameless solar cell element, in which the
solar cells are enclosed next to one another between film strips
or panels. At least one side of the laminate, which faces the
sunlight, is flat and transparent. The solar cell laminate lies
on a supporting structure, which comprises two covering layers and
a supporting foam layer therebetween, the support being formed with
a recessed circumferential edge. The laminate lies on the edge,
flush with the upper side of the supporting structure. The support
body is constructed in undulating fashion between two parallel
sections of edge, in order to support the solar cell laminate on
the higher sections and to provide, with the lower sections, ducts
for conducting coolant as well as for accommodating electrical
conductors.

Revendications

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An apparatus for utilizing solar energy with solar
cells, which are arranged on, a supporting structure and are
connected electrically to one another and have an external
connection for discharging the electrical energy, characterized in
that several solar cells are parts of a frameless solar cell
element, in which the solar cells are enclosed next to one another
between film or panels; at least one side of which, which faces the
sunlight, is flat and transparent, and that this solar cell
laminate lies on a supporting structure, which comprises two
covering layers and a supporting foam layer, formed with a recessed
circumferential edge, on which the laminate lies flush with the
upper side of the supporting structure, and which is constructed
in undulating fashion between two parallel edges of the supporting
structure, in order to support the solar cell laminate on the
higher sections and to provide, with the lower sections, ducts for
conducting coolant as well as for accommodating electrical
conductors.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the
laminate is firmly connected to the supporting structure.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that
several laminates next to one another are arranged on a common
supporting structure.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, characterized in that the
connection between the solar cell laminate and the supporting

structure is accomplished with a transparent, nondistending,
resistant film which lies firmly stretched and without folds and
bubbles on the upper side of the supporting structure and on the
laminate.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, characterized in that the
film is glued to the laminate and the supporting structure.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, characterized in that the
film is glued with a water-soluble adhesive.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the
laminate is supported by means of a resiliant, interposed layer on
the supporting structure.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, characterized in that the
interposed layer consists of sponge rubber strips.
9. The apparatus of 1, characterized in that a gap
between the solar cell laminate and the supporting structure is
sealed with a permanently elastic composition such as a silicone
rubber or an artificial rubber.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the
undulations are essentially rectangular.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, characterized in that the
corners of the undulations are rounded off and that the wave
troughs are tapered toward the base.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the
assembly consisting of the laminate and the supporting structure
is a horizontal, flat, optionally slightly arched surface of a ship
which is exposed to solar radiation.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, characterized in that the
surface is a passable deck surface.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the
supporting structure consists of two staple fiber mats, between
which the prefabricated and prepared foam profiles are inserted,
which enclose connecting ducts between the upper side and the lower
sides that run perpendicularly to the planes of the mats, and which
are connected with the mats by means of a synthetic resin, which
was applied in the flowable state to the outside of the one mat and
aspirated by a vacuum method through this mat, through the
connecting ducts and through the second mat and thereafter caused
to cure, so that the two upper sides of the supporting structure
consist of resin-impregnated staple fiber mats of particular
smoothness.

Description

~YPARATU8 FOE~ T~E UTILIZATION OF ~a~A~ ENE~GY
~IITH 80LAR CELI~8
The invention relates to an apparatus for utilizing the
en~rgy of the sun, and more particularly to an arrangement of solar
cells on a supporting structure.
It is an object of the invention to provide a particular-
ly appropriate refinement of the arrangement of solar cells on a
supporting structure, which is to be highly permanent and extremely
light and which preferably can be integrated into the upper deck
of a water vessel. The arrangement of the solar cells to obtain
energy should be accomplished in as simple a manner as possible,
in order to keep the price of the arrangement within acceptable
limits. The arrangement should be accomplished with ~ew com-
ponents, which have little tendency to break down. As a further
main objective, the arrangement of solar cells should be of as low
a weight as possible, so that the arrangement can be used univer-
sally beyond the particular application set forth herein.
In order to come as close as possible to accomplishing
the objective of the invention, the invention provides for the use
of frameless, enclosed solar cells, so-called solar laminates, on
a supporting structure preferably capable of accommodating a
plurallty of such solar laminates. Moreover, the invention
involves the~ fixation of this plurality of solar laminates on the
upper side of the supporting structure, such as by means of a
transparent film, which is stretched smoothly over the solar
larinates and fa-tened to the edgFs of the supporting structure.
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The invention is explained in ~reater detail by means of
the drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of a ship, which is equipped according to
the invention,
Figure 2 is a p~rspective view of a solar laminate, as used
according to the invention, and
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, through one of the two roof
parts of the ship of Fig. 1, of an arrangement of solar
cells which, according to the invention, are covered with
solar laminates.
The upper sides of the foredeck 1 and of the roof 2 of
an appropriately constructed ship or boat 3 are covered with
enclosed solar cells. These solar cells are constructed as solar
laminates, that is, as solar modules without an encompassing frame.
Several solar cells 4 are enclosed in a particular pattern,
preferably in one row, but possibly in several rows, which cross
one another or are disposed next to one another or behind one
another in a transparent film strip 5, ox in an appropriate thin
panel, that is, they are enclosed by this film or panel. The film
strip 5, or the panel, which encloses the solar cells 4, can
consist of two superimposed individual strips or panels, which are
connected with one another two-dimensionally and between which the
solar celIs 4 are held. The strip or plate, which in the installed
state faces the radiation of the sun, is transparent, while the
other strip or the other plate can be of the same material or

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optionally of a different, possibly opaque, material. The solar
cells of such a "solar lami~ate" 4, 5 are connected electrically
with one another and have a common current discharge 6. Usually,
such a solar laminate is surrounded by a tr~mming ledye. However,
frameless laminates, that is, laminates without a trimming ledge,
are also used in conjunction with the invention. A plurality of
such solar laminates are disposed in groups of rows and connected
electrically with one another on the roof as well as on the
foredeck.
The foredeck 1 and/or the roof 2 may be constructed as
the supporting structure, which accommodates the enclosed solar
cells. The roof or foredeck is of a so-called sandwich construc-
tion. The upper and lower covering panels, e.g., fiber mats, of
this sandwich construction are spaced ~rom one each other by a
rigid foam and are reinforced with respect to each other by the
rigid foam connected over the whole of its surfaces with the upper
and lower covering panel.
According to the invention, the prepared rigid foam 7,
which is appropriately contoured, preferably by cutting, is placed
between the two mats 8, 9. The rigid foam has through holes 10,
which extend between its two surfaces perpendicularly to the plane
of the mats. A synthetic resin is applied in the ~lowable state
on the external side of one mat and a vacuum is applied on the
external side of the other mat, so that the synthetic resin is
aspirated through the first-mentioned mat, the through holes 10 and
the second-mentioned mat. As a result, on solidifying, the
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synthetic resin forms a composite from the two mats 8, 9 and ~he
rigid foam 7 with extremely smooth solid surfaces. Sandwich
constructions, so produced, are known and there~ore need not be
~xplained in greater detail. The upper covering panel o~ the
sandwich construction is not flat, but has an undulating pro~ile
in order to provide both support and back ventilation of the solar
cells. At the same time, the channels 11 (wave troughs) formed by
the profiling serve to accommodate the electrical installation and
cabling. Preferably, the wave troughs taper toward the inside.
Due to the profiling of the upper covering plate or mat,
very high strength is achieved in the longitudinal direction,
strength is attained in the transverse direction due to the joining
of the upper and lower covering panels or mats 8, 9 with the
interposed rigid foam 7. The construction of the supporting body
for accommodating the enclosed solar cells 4, 5 is self-supporting
and requires no supporting construction.
The supporting body with the lower covering panel 9 and
the profiled upper covering panel 8, as well as the interposed
rigid foam are manufacturad in one step, so that an economic
continuous production is possible.
Each of the solar cell laminates rests at its perimeter
on the recessed edge 12 of the supporting body. The recess
corresponds to the thickness of the solar cell laminates, so that
the solar cell laminates and the supporting body surrounding these
lie in a horizontal plane, which, if necessary, is slightly arched.
The enclosed solar cells are fixed in position with a

film 13, which is passed smoothly, without bubbles and folds and
appropriately stretched over the solar laminates and -the edges oP
the supporting body and is glued on with a waker-soluble adhesive.
An appropriately dimensioned film, which may be assembled from
individual ~heets, can fix in position all of the solar cell
laminates of the foredeck or roof with respect to the supporting
body, or the solar cell laminates can be combined into several
groups, the solar cell laminates of each group being fixed in
position by a film. The number of solar cells combined in a
1~ laminate 4, 5 depends on the circumstances. Under some circum-
stances, a solar cell laminate may also enclose only one cell.
The film to be used is a conventional commercial film of
high strength and high transparency, and is extremely resistant to
W light and scratch-resistant. Before it is applied, the film is
1~ coated on one side with a water~soluble adhesive. If the film is
completely free of bubbles and mounted flat on the corresponding
solar laminates by adhesion, th~re will be no losses due to
reflections and the losses, as a whole, will be so small, that the
efficiency of the solar cell laminates is adversely affected by the
film to the least possible extent, if at all. Before the film is
applied, the parts coming into contact with it are moistened, so
that the adhesive becomes effective.
Overall, the invention is concerned with an arrangement
which consists of a few, operationally reliable and inexpensive
parts, which can bq assembled with little effort, and which is
operationally reliable over a long period. Should a solar cell

laminate become defective, it can be repaired or exchanyed. occa-
sionally, it is also possible to make such a repair or exchange by
only partially removing the ~ilm. After khat, the arrangement can
be made again in an equally simple manner. The ~ilm is belie~ed
to be the optimum, but not the only means, *or preventing the
laminates from li~ting upwards off the supporting structure.
In order to avoid distortions and to compensate for
possible dimensional deviations, sponge rubber strips 14 and the
like are placed between the solar laminates and the supporting
structure. Moreover, these sponge rubber strips, especially those
between the solar cell laminates and the edge of the supporting
structure, prevent the penetration o~ moisture between the solar
laminates and the supporting structure. For this purpose, the gaps
are also filled with a permanently elastic sealing material 15,
such as a silicone rubber.
The foamed supporting body 7 may be in one or several
pieces.

Dessin représentatif