PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE STRING ARRANGEMENT AND SHADING PROTECTION THEREFOR

摘要

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.