On its own initiative, LLC «RPE «LTU» carried out work on the creation of promising aluminum-polyimide highly efficient conditionally flexible solar modules with an efficiency of up to 30% or more for large-sized solar cells geostationary communication satellites of the new generation.
Concept of the project is to create innovative lightweight flexible-rigid solar cells on aluminum-polyimide adhesiveless carriers based on highly efficient multi-junction gallium arsenide photoconverters thinned up to 80 microns with efficiency of up to 30% or more. Eectric power and operational parameters of solar modules on aluminum-polyimide carrier with thickness of up to 250 microns will meet or exceed the parameters of the world’s best analogues of flat solar panels (specific power per unit area more than 400 W/m2, specific power per unit weight more than 500 W/kg, operating life up to 15 years or more).
Photovoltaic parameters of the developed conditionally flexible solar modules correspond to world level of space energy and allow to use of modern solar cells of any leading manufacturers (single and multijunction photoconverters).
The module is complete unified structural assembly, which ensures simple assembly of solar cells and allows to automate assembly processes of solar cells modules both based on parallel gap welding and ultrasonic welding. This approach can provide savings of up to 70% of mass of solar cells, which will significantly reduce the mass of the photogenerating part of the solar cells and potentially make it possible to increase the total area of the solar cells GSS to 120 m2 or more.
Developed technology can also be used to create solar cells with an efficiency of 30% or more for advanced unmanned aerial vehicles such as an atmospheric satellite.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES (AVAILABLE SERVICES)
CONVENTIONALLY FLEXIBLE SOLAR MODULES ON POLYIMIDE CARRIERS
Solar module on multijunction solar cells
Solar module on single-junction solar cells
| Conventionally flexible modules on aluminum-polyimide carriers provide significant reduction in deformation in solar modules, improvement of thermal parameters of solar cells, simplifying positioning of solar cells in modules, minimize gaps between neighboring solar cells and increase fill factor of solar modules, avoid corrosion of welded Al-Al joints, reduce degradation of electrical performances and increase reliability in operation both solar modules and solar arrays. | Flexible solar module based on single- or double-junction GaAs solar cells: | |
| thickness, μm | ~ 250 | |
| mass, g | ~ 10-12 | |
| BOL specific output power: | ||
| by area, W/m2 | ~ 260-300 | |
| by module weight, W/kg | ~ 400-450 | |
| Flexible solar module based on triple-junction GaAs solar cells: | ||
| thickness, μm | ~ 250 | |
| Mass,g | ~ 10-12 | |
| BOL specific output power: | ||
| by area, W/m2 | >400 | |
| by weight of module , W/kg | >500 | |