High quality film requested for encapsulation purpose
BREYER’s extrusion system “CellProtect” allows the production of low shrinkage EVA and POE encapsulation film at high production speed –
Also encapsulant like EPE, EBA, TPU and Ionomer can be processed.
Another benefit - no energy consuming annealing and no interlayer film makes the production economic and energy saving
Photovoltaic (PV) systems are used to convert sunlight into electricity. Energy will continue to be a catalyst for global economic growth and prosperity and the power of the sun is at the heart of the revolution in renewable energy. The global PV market is forecast with a considerable growth in the next few years.
In the same way the demand of encapsulant material is growing. But there is a physical limitation in terms of production speed. Encapsulation film produced on regular extrusion lines has naturally a shrinkage which effects not only the process of laminating but can result in destroyed wafers and therefore creating waste and thus increased production costs.
Especially if such regular lines are speed up in order to serve the high market request, the shrinkage becomes very high. The result is that PV-module producers are faced with a higher scrap rate of modules. Since the regular extrusion systems, using calenders or cast rolls, are limited to a certain speed/output, BREYER is supplying a profitable system for the production of EVA and POE film and other gluey materials – The CellProtect line.
A high quality and low-shrinkage film allows a smooth and fast laminating process. The more shrinkage a film has the more carefully the warm up procedure must be controlled and could increase the laminating time.
With the developed extrusion process of BREYER CellProtect the first time it is possible to extrude EVA film as well as POE at high speed by keeping the shrinkage low. The process avoids tension in the film right from the start. Post annealing systems are therefore not required. In this way the line consumes also less energy.
Encapsulant film producers are faced to a higher profitability by using the new technology since the output is much higher. For the module manufacturers using such low tension film it means that they can run their laminators more stable and as fast as possible.
They will have the advantage of trouble free production combined with a more reliable and efficient manufacturing. Notable module manufacturers are therefore very much interested in getting low shrinkage film.
Cause of the improved properties and performance this EVA film is about to set a complete new standard in the encapsulation film and its procedure during laminating. Beside of EVA resin also other encapsulant such as POE can be processed. Benefits of POE are a 10-20 lower water vapor transmition rate (WVTR) as well as non-yellowing and increased UV and weather resistance.
Processing of EPE
On the new CellProtect machine, multilayer extrusion can be used to produce a layered structure with EVA and POE.For example, the middle layer of POE is combined with two outer layers of EVA. (EVA/POE/EVA) 25/50/25. This allows the very good adhesive properties of EVA and the good barrier property of POE to be combined/complemented in one product.
Usually EPE film is produced with a single layer die and feedblock. For a better layer distribution, Breyer can alternatively also offer a a multilayer die.
Furthermore, due to the special designed surface of the film, no PE interlayer is necessary anymore. The rolls can be winded without PE film in between. Also carrying paper which is sometimes used for the manufacturing of EVA film becomes unnecessary.
Regrind material coming from the edge stripes can be processed again. This saves not only costs but also valuable resources.
Finally the process can also be count as “green film production line”, since its process saves the interlayer, the carrying paper, has no energy consuming annealing system, a closed loop for the cooling circuit, and works with a low temperature extrusion process.