Page 63 - Glass-Technology International no. 2/2017

Within the scope of

the TPedge project, “We have successfully tak- er with Bystronic were sub- erable ageing phenomenon
en the leap from a labora- jected to comprehensive and an output loss of up to
Bystronic glass has tory prototype to the stand- module tests in accordance 41 percent. The testing of
ard industrial size (with 60 with IEC 61730/61215. the resistance to changing
cooperated with solar cells),” said Max Mit- The results confirm the thermal loads was also suc-
tag, Project Manager at the high resistance and the cessfully passed.
scientists from Fraunhofer ISE. technical maturity of the Fraunhofer ISE’s TestLab
Tobias Neff, Solar Product
PV Modules verified the
module concept. Many
the Fraunhofer Manager at Bystronic, ex- different TPedge design durability of the TPedge
plained, “With the TPedge
modules by exposing them
setups were tested using
technology, the costs for conventional glass-foil- to 400 temperature cycles
Institute for Solar the module production can laminate and glass-glass- (From 40 degrees below
be lowered considerably laminate modules as a ref- zero and up to 85 degrees
Energy Systems – with an envisaged cy- erence. The resistance to Celsius) in the testing pro-
cle time of 45 seconds per hail and surface load were cess.
(Fraunhofer ISE) in module line.“ also tested. EXCELLENT
The Fraunhofer ISE was PROVEN AGEING MECHANICAL
Freiburg regarding able to take automated pro- RESISTANCE RESISTANCE
duction systems for TPedge
modules into operation In the humidity-heat test, Resistance to mechanical
the development of in its Module Technol- the TPedge modules with loads and hail were con-
ogy Center and use them to various commercial cells ducted at the Fraunhofer
a process for the manufacture various pro- were subjected to a tem- ISE using commercial
totypes in different setups. perature of 85 degrees Cel- mounting systems. The
industrial production The industrial manufac- sius and a relative humidity modules were successfully
turing processes have been of 85 percent over a period tested in various mounting
of innovative PV developed further and op- of 4000 hours. The mod- positions up to a maximum
timized. The weight of the
load of 5400 Pascal units of
ules did not present any
TPedge modules have been changes when compared pressure. Despite the fact
modules based on a reduced by 30 percent by with initial output meas- that the surface load tests
utilising 2 millimetre thin urements. In comparison, were repeated numerous
Fraunhofer patent. glass. The prototypes that the conventional modules times, a change to the out-
were manufactured togeth- partially displayed consid- put was not subsequently
Numerous prototypes

of these TPedge

modules have now

been subjected to

comprehensive tests

that confirm the

high reliability of the

module concept.

Glass-Technology International 2/2017 61