Guardian Industries Corporation

Phoenicia America-israel (flat Glass) Ltd.

Guardian Glass, LLC

Phoenicia America-israel

Richard Hulme

Scott V Thomsen

Ksenia A Landa

Leonid M Landa

Anna Broughton

Anthony V Longobardo

Kevin R Fulton

David Bird

Don Tullman

Leonid M Landa, Legal Representative

Leonld Landa

Abraham W Michaelis

Michael Cable

Mario Resch

Anthony V Longobado

A high transmission and low iron glass is provided for use in a solar cell. The glass substrate may be patterned on at least one surface thereof. Antimony (Sb) is used in the glass to improve stability of the solar performance of the glass upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and/or sunlight. The combination of low iron content, antimony, and/or the patterning of the glass substrate results in a substrate with high visible transmission and excellent light refracting characteristics.

Solar cell using low iron high transmission glass with antimony and corresponding method

A high transmission and low iron glass is provided for use in a photovoltaic device such as a solar cell. The glass substrate may be patterned on at least one surface thereof. In certain example embodiments, a combination of lithium oxide, antimony oxide, and salt cake is used in the glass to improve the refining conditions by lowering the melting temperature of the batch, thereby resulting in a quicker seed free time in the manufacturing process.

Photovoltaic device having low iron high transmission glass with lithium oxide for reducing seed free time and corresponding method

A grey glass composition employing in its colorant portion at least iron (FeO/FeO), cobalt and selenium is provided. The glass allows high visible transmission, and good IR absorption, while at the same time achieving desired grey color. In certain example embodiments, the colorant portion includes, or may consist essentially of: 

Grey glass composition

A high transmission low iron glass, that is highly oxidized, is provided for use in solar cells or the like. In certain example embodiments, the glass composition used for the glass is a low-iron type glass composition which is highly oxidized thereby permitting the glass to realize a combination of high visible transmission (Lta or T), high ultraviolet (UV) and/or infrared (IR) transmission, and high total solar (TS) transmission. These features may be achieved without the need for antimony in certain example instances. The glass substrate used in a solar cell may be patterned in certain example embodiments of this invention.

Solar cell using low iron high transmission glass and corresponding method

This invention relates to a high transmission low iron glass that includes boron oxide. The boron oxide, added to this low iron glass, has the effect of improving glass refining, homogeneity and quality (lower seed count) through its flux action and improves glass optical parameters of green and clear glass through the change in refractive index and surface tension. Boron oxide lends to broader and weaker absorption band of such transition element(s) as iron which additionally improves the transmittance of low iron clear glass in certain example embodiments of this invention. In certain example embodiments, the addition of boron oxide in certain quantities in advantageous in that it improves the chemical durability of the glass by decreasing the USPX (or USPXIII) value of the glass via suppression of the silica, sodium ions in the glass structure.

Low iron high transmission glass with boron oxide for improved optics, durability and refining, and corresponding method

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to a high transmission low iron glass, which is highly oxidized and made using the float process, for use in photovoltaic devices such as solar cells or the like. In certain example embodiments, the glass composition used for the glass is made via the float process using an extremely high and positive batch redox in order to reduce % FeO to a low level and permit the glass to consistently realize a combination of high visible transmission (Lta or T), high infrared (IR) transmission, and high total solar (TS) transmission. The glass substrate may be patterned or not patterned in different example embodiments of this invention.

Low iron transmission float glass for solar cell applications and method of making same

A high transmittance fairly clear/neutral colored glass composition is provided. An oxidizing agent(s) such as cerium oxide (e.g., CeO) or the like is added to the glass batch in order to realize very oxidized conditions (i.e., to significantly lower the redox of the resulting glass). As a result of the oxidizing agent(s) used in the batch, the iron is oxidized to a very low FeO (ferrous state) content. For example, this may result in a glass having a glass redox value of no greater than 0.12 (more preferably &#x3c;=0.10; even more preferably &#x3c;=0.08; and most preferably &#x3c;=0.05) and a % FeO (i.e., ferrous content) of from 0.0001 to 0.05%. In certain example embodiments, in order to compensate for yellow or yellow-green coloration a small amount of cobalt (Co) may be provided in the glass to enable it to realize a more neutral color.

Clear glass composition with high visible transmittance

A soda-lime-silica based glass composition for manufacturing on a float line that has a faster refining rate due to the introduction of alkali earth oxides such as BaO, ZnO and/or SrO in the amount of from about 1-4% in total. These oxides replace part or all of the MgO in the base glass composition thereby decreasing the overall MgO content in the glass composition to about 2% or less. The glass can realize a lower viscosity at high temperatures so that refining of the melt may occur faster.

Glass composition for improved refining and method

A patterned glass substrate is provided for use in a solar cell. The glass substrate is both patterned on at least one surface thereof and has a low iron content. The combination of low iron content, optional oxidizing agent, and the patterning of the glass substrate results in a substrate with high visible transmission and excellent light refracting characteristics.

Solar cell low iron patterned glass and method of making same

Glass is provided so as to have high visible transmission and/or fairly clear or neutral color. In certain example embodiments, the glass may include a base glass (e.g., soda lime silica base glass) and, in addition, by weight percentage, from 0.01 to 0.30% total iron (expressed as FeO). The glass may be made using a batch redox of at least +7.5.

Clear glass composition

A technique of manufacturing glass having fairly clear color and/or high visible transmission is provided. In certain example embodiments of this invention, it has surprisingly been found that by using carbon-containing compound(s) including CHO.mHO, excellent melting and refining can be achieved in the manufacture of glass, and not as much ferrous iron is formed compared to the use of elemental carbon as a refining agent. Such compound(s) are especially advantageous when highly transparent clear glass is desired, in that less ferrous iron is formed and thus transmittance and coloration can be improved.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Richard Hulme