Page 51 - Solar Power in Building Design The Engineer's Complete Design Resource

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SOLAR POWER TECHNOLOGIES

Introduction

In Chapter 1 we briefly reviewed specifics of monocrystalline, polycrystalline, amor-
phous, and concentrator cell technologies. In this chapter the principal technologies
reviewed are limited to four categories or classes of solar power photovoltaics, namely,
monosilicon wafer, amorphous silicon, and thin-film technologies, and concentrator-
type PV technologies and associated sun-tracking systems. We will review the basic
physical and functional properties, manufacturing processes, and specific performance
parameters of these technologies. In addition, we present some unique case studies that
will provide a more profound understanding of the applications of these technologies.
Each of the technologies covered here have been developed and designed for a spe-
cific use and have unique application advantages and performance profiles. It should
be noted that all the technologies presented here can be applied in a mixed-use fash-
ion, each meeting special design criteria.

Crystalline Solar Photovoltaic

Module Production

In this section we will review the production and manufacturing process cycle of
a crystalline-type photovoltaic module. The product manufacturing process presented
is specific to SolarWorld Industries; however, it is representative of the general funda-
mental manufacturing cycle for the monosilicon class of commercial solar power
modules presently offered by a large majority of manufacturers.
The manufacture of monocrystalline photovoltaic cells starts with silicon crys-
tals, which are found abundantly in nature in the form of flint stone. The word
silicon is derived from the Latin silex, meaning flint stone, which is an amorphous
substance found in nature consisting of one part silicon and two parts oxygen

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