CONFORMAL PROTECTIVE COATING FOR SOLAR PANEL

摘要

A multilayer conformal coating is optimized in both composition and geometry to protect the back and sides of a transparent-fronted thin-film solar photovoltaic panel or similar device from various damage mechanisms associated with long-term outdoor exposure without an additional backcap or edge frame. A "barrier stack" or "barrier layer" of inorganic moisture-barrier and chemical -bam er layers is applied to the back of the photovoltaic functional film stack, extending into a bare-substrate border zone around the functional stack edges. The barrier stack shields the functional stack from moisture and chemical invasion, and the coated border zone effectively seals the vulnerable edges of the functional stack. An "envelope stack" or "envelope layer" of thicker polymer films is applied over the mechanically delicate inorganic barrier stack and around the solar photovoltaic panel edges. The envelope stack electrically insulates the solar photovoltaic panel and substantially protects the panel back and sides from mechanical shock, stress, and abrasion, thermal stress, fire, weathering, and UV-exposure degradation.