Encapsulation of PV modules using ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer as a pottant: A critical review

The primary purpose of this work is to review the literature about what is and is not known about using ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA0 copolymer as the encapsulant (or pottant) material in photovoltaic (PV) modules. Secondary purposes include elucidating the complexity of the encapsulation problem, providing an overview about encapsulation of PV cells and modules, providing a historical overview of the relevant research and development on EVA, summarizing performance losses reported for PV systems deployed since ca. 1981, and summarizing the general problems of polymer stability in a solar environment. We also provide a critical review of aspects of reported work for cases that we believe are important.Failure modes resolved in the early work to establish reliability of deployed modules and the purposes and properties of pottants, are summarized. Typical performance losses in large field-deployed, large-scale systems ranging from 1% to 10% per year are given quantitatively, and qualitative reports of EVA discoloration are summarized with respect to ultraviolet (UV), world-wide location and site dependence.The general stability of polymers and their desirable bulk properties for solar utilization are given. The stabilization formulation for EVA, its effectiveness, and changes in it during degradation are discussed. The degradation mechanisms for the base resin, e.g., unstabilized Elvax 150^TM, and stabilized EVA are indicated for literature dating to the early 1950s, and the role played by unsaturated chromophores is indicated. The limited number of studies relating discoloration and PV cell efficiency are summarized.Observed degradation of EVA or the unstabilized base resin in the laboratory and examples used to measure the degradation are summarized in sections entitled: (1) thermally-induced degradation; (2) photodegradation and photothermal degradation of EVA in different temperature regimes; (3) photobleaching and photodegradation of the UV absorber and cross-linking agent; (4) acetic acid and metal and metal-oxide catalyzed oxidative degradation; and (5) discolaration and PV cell efficiency losses.Processing effects/influences on EVA stability are discussed in sections entitled: (1) EVA raw materials and extruded, uncured films; (2) thermal encapsulation processes; (3) effects of lamination, curing, and curing peroxide on gel content and chromophores formed; and (4) incomplete shielding of curing-generated chromophores. A summary is given for the limited number of accelerated lifetime testing efforts and examples of erroneous service lifetime predictions for EVA are discussed. The known factors that effect the discoloration rate of several EVA formulations are discussed in which the reduction in rate by using UV-absorbing superstrates is a prime example. A summary is given of what is and is not known about EVA degradation mechanisms, degradation from exposures in field-deployed modeules and/or laboratory testing, and factors that contribute to EVA stability or degradation. Finally, conclusions about using Elvax 150 in EVA formulations are summarized, and future prospects for developing the next-generation pottant for encapsulating PV modules are discussed.     

Characteristic Anthocyanin Pattern from Onions and other Allium spp

Three red onion (Allium cepa) cultivars, top onion (A. cepa var. vivi-parum), A. altaicum and chive (A. schoenoprasum) contained several or all of the following anthocyanins: 3-(6′-malonyl-3′-glucosylglucoside), 3-(3′,6′-dimalonylglucoside), 3-(6′-malonylglucoside), 3-(3′-malonyl-glucoside), 3-(3′-glucosylglucoside) and 3-glucoside of cyanidin. Trace amounts of two pelargonidin derivatives and the 3,5-diglucosides of cyanidin and peonidin were for the first time reported in red onion. Carbon NMR data showed that the sugars of the 3-(6′-malonyl-3′-glu-cosylglucoside), 3-(6′-malonylglucoside) and 3-glucoside of cyanidin were pyranoses. Substitution either by sugar or acid in the sugar 3-position of an anthocyanin has never been reported outside the genus Allium.     

Influence of two-step process and of different stoichiometric ratios on morphologies generated in castor oil epoxy resins

Phase separation during polymerization was studied in a model system consisting of a diepoxide based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA), variable amounts of ethylenediamine (EDA) and the mass of castor oil (CO) necessary to obtain a mass fraction equal to 0-15 in a final system where the stoichiometric ratio of amine to epoxy equivalents, r, was equal to 1. A two-step polymerization process was performed by curing first a system with r = 0-5, during variable times before phase separation, and then carrying the system to r = 1. Thermodynamic analysis of samples with different r values led to a linear relationship between the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter and r. The concentration (P) and average size (D?) of dispersed-phase particles followed opposite trends, i.e. P increased while D? decreased, when either r was increased or the time of curing in the first step of a two-step process was decreased. This was explained by assuming that the competition between nucleation and growth was determined by the viscosity at the cloud point, η_cp. Low values of η_cp favoured growth over nucleation and led to fewer but larger particles.     

Prediction of evaporation heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop of refrigerant mixtures

A study on the prediction of heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and pressure drop of refrigerant mixtures is reported. HTCs and pressure drops of prospective mixtures to replace R12 and R22 are predicted on the same cooling capacity basis. Results indicate that nucleate boiling is suppressed at qualities greater than 20.0% for all mixtures and evaporation becomes the main heat transfer mechanism. For the same capacity, some mixtures containing R32 and R152a show 8.0–10.0% increase in HTCs. Some mixtures with large volatility difference exhibit as much as 55.0% reduction compared with R12 and R22, caused by mass transfer resistance and property degradation due to mixing (32.0%) and reduced mass flow rates (23.0%). Other mixtures with moderate volatility difference exhibit 20.0–30.0% degradation due mainly to reduced mass flow rates. The overall impact of heat transfer degradation, however, is insignificant if major heat transfer resistance exists in the heat transfer fluid side (air system). If the resistance in the heat transfer fluid side is of the same order of magnitude as that on the refrigerant side (water system), considerable reduction in overall HTC of up to 20% is expected. A study of the effect of uncertainties in transport properties on heat transfer shows that transport properties of liquid affect heat transfer more than other properties. Uncertainty of 10.0% in transport properties causes a change of less than 6% in heat transfer prediction.     

Transport properties of 1,1-difluoroethane (R152a)

Based on reliable. carefully selected data sets. equations for the thermal conductivity and the viscosity of the refrigerant R 112a are presented. They are valid at temperatures from 240 to 440 K, pressures up to 20 MPa. and densities up to 1050 kg · m^–3. including the critical region.     

格状编码和RS码级连技术在HDTV中应用的性能模拟

设计一种用于ＨＤＴＶ地面数字传输系统的级连格状编码和ＲＳ码方案，并对其在ＨＤＴＶ中应用进行计算机模拟。模拟结果表明：该级连格状编码方案在低信噪比具有较好的误码性能。     

超低膨胀陶瓷K_（2x）Ba_（1－x）Zr_4（PO_4）_6系统的X射线衍射

用高温Ｘ射线衍射方法对磷酸锆钡钾系统陶瓷材料的各向异性热膨胀作了研究．对七个组份试样的７７套高温Ｘ射线衍射图作了仔细的指标化和精密点阵常数测定．点阵常数随温度作非线性变化·对Ｋ_２ｘＢａ_１－ｘＺｒ_４（ＰＯ_４）_６的不同组份不同温度（３００～１３００Ｋ）的热膨胀系数。α_ａ、α_ｃ、　作了测定·该系统零膨胀陶瓷的组份为Ｋ_１．１６Ｂａ_０．４２Ｚｒ_４（ＰＯ_４）_６（ｘ＝０．５８）     

铜蒸汽激光器双闸流管触发系统的研究

研制成用于钢蒸汽激光器的双间流管触发系统。用两个闸流管并联进行交替触发，总输入电功率达7．8kW。低功率运行时，激光器的效率为0．6％与单间流管激光器的效率一致。     

Growth rate and surface microstructure in α(6H)–SiC thin films grown by chemical vapor deposition

Monocrystalline 6H-SiC thin films have been epitaxially grown on off-axis 6H-SiC {0001} substrates in the temperature range of 1623–1873 K via chemical vapor deposition. The growth rate was a strong function of the growth temperature and the reactant gas concentration. The activation energies for growth were 64 kJ/mole and 55 kJ/mole for the (0001) Si face and the (0001) C face, respectively. The concentration of growth pits in the films increased as a function of decreasing deposition temperature, increasing concentration of reactant gases and increasing off-axis orientation. Beta-SiC islands were also observed in the epilayers when the (SiH₄ + C₂H₄)/H₂ ratio was ≥2.5:3000.