Solar module with overheat protection

US8665575B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Lawrence A. Clevenger · Saratoga Springs, US
• Harold J. Hovel · Katonah, US
• Rainer Krause · Hochheim, DE
• Zhengwen Li · Danbury, US
• Kevin S. Petrarca · Newburgh, US
• Gerd Pfeiffer · Poughquag, US
• Kevin M. Prettyman · Holmes, US
• Carl Radens · Lagrangeville, US
• Brian C. Sapp · Guilderland, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 23, 2011
• Grant date: Mar 4, 2014
• Expiry date: Oct 7, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/50
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A photovoltaic module (10) with a plurality of solar cells (20) interconnected in serial and/or parallel arrangement within the module (10) is equipped with an overheat protection system (30) for suppressing damages of the photovoltaic module (10) due to defects of the solar cells (20). The overheat protection system (30) comprises a heat sensor (32) which is thermally coupled to a solar cell (20). The heat sensor (32) is physically integrated into an electrical switch (34, 36, 38) which is electrically connected to said solar cell (20).