ETFE Adhesive Tape for Solar Application
The material known as Hostaflon, Fluon or Tefzel is today used as a transparent building envelope worldwide in the form of films (Watercube Beijing, Allianzarena Munich). Special advantages of ETFE films are their low weight, extremely high weather resistance (> 30 years) and transparency. Applications in solar technology require in many cases a very good weather resistance. In this environment, flexible solar modules with ETFE as front protection foils have been in use for more than a decade. The high transmission of the material into the UV range allows good performance in terms of electrical efficiency. ETFE builds a very good bond to the Einkaspelungsmaterial (eg EVA), so that the flexible solar modules remain tight in the long term. The adhesive tape CMC 77701 in turn sticks very well to ETFE surfaces.
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However, ETFE films are also used in other areas of solar technology. The chemically resistant, highly temperature-stable and flame-retardant film can be used in different ways.
Trough power plants are usually made of shaped (glass / metal) mirrors, which concentrate the solar energy on a glass tube in which circulates thermal oil. A highly efficient, but expensive and fault-prone technique. In a service environment with low technical possibilities, the maintenance-intensive systems are hardly usable. But there are solutions for the decentralized supply of, for example, villages without connection to the electrical infrastructure: film-based gutter power plants (eg patent EP2304334 B1)
The ETFE film performs several functions: It creates the pressure-resistant casing of the gutter power plant. Similar to the self-supporting structure of airbases, the shell protects the thermal tube and mirror surfaces from the elements (eg dust, rainwater). CMC's ETFE tapes provide long-term UV-resistant bonds between ETFE and ETFE or other materials. The silicone adhesive used is extremely resistant to aging. Seals, reinforcements and, if necessary, repairs (holes, bending-stressed areas) can be carried out quickly and easily with the ETFE CMC 77700 adhesive tape.
In order to be able to generate electricity even at night, one often uses latent heat storage based on molten salts. So you can still operate the steam turbines of the power generators in times without solar radiation. These salts are sometimes quite aggressive and corrosive. CMC ETFE tapes are resistant to a very high number of chemicals due to the raw materials used. They can even be laminated as surface protection, thus avoiding corrosion damage. The polysiloxane adhesive is resistant to infiltration of the film.
Sooner or later, there is the problem with many solar electric systems that hail impacts damage individual modules. If you do not want to replace the module immediately, the glass damage can be 'repaired' by glued-on ETFE films. Without the progressive degeneration due to the direct air contact through the defective windscreen, the modules work considerably longer. An immediate replacement is not necessary, the 'repair' takes only a few minutes.
ETFE adhesive films are used wherever it is extremely important to achieve long-term good bonds, even when fully weathered. CMC Klebetechnik uses films from Nowofol ® , Siegsdorf, and coats a high-end polysiloxane adhesive on one or both sides of the films. Standard versions are CMC 77700 and CMC 77701. Other film thicknesses or presentations are possible - CMC is itself a coater and customizable. In the past, colored ETFE films or printed ETFE films were also coated. Other film thicknesses (standard: 100μm) have already been coated (eg 300μm as solid abrasion protection before carrying rope movements).
Another alternative to ETFE is ECTFE (Ethylene ChloroTriFluoroEthylene), which also has very good chemical resistance, is resistant to aging and can be used up to + 150 ° C. It is considerably more transparent than ETFE and therefore allows even more light to pass through unhindered. Like ETFE, the foil can also be glued on thermoplastic (high-frequency welding, friction welding, infrared welding, ultrasonic welding).
Electrical insulation for outdoor connection cabinets
Inverter cabinets on larger solar panels have special safety requirements. Among other things, the VDE-AR-N 4102 and DI EN 62109-1 (Safety of Inverters for Photovoltaic Energy Systems) regulate requirements for such equipment. The well-stamped polypropylene material Formex has excellent insulation properties and an exceptionally good CTI value of> 600V (cti = 0). As housing lining or galvanic isolation within the electronics, Formex additionally contributes as a flame barrier (UL 94 V0). More about the material HERE .
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