Analysis of the Advantages and Disadvantages of Alternative Materials for Photovoltaic Aluminum Frame

The conventional photovoltaic module frame is made of aluminum alloy, which is processed by a frame aluminum profile with a cavity and a notch, and the four profiles are connected by corner codes. However, with the grid parity of photovoltaic, the cost reduction of photovoltaic modules is also urgent. Major component manufacturers try to reduce costs when purchasing frames. Some manufacturers try to reduce the thickness of frames, reduce cross-sections or use lower-cost aluminum alloys. In addition, some manufacturers have begun to try to develop frame products with components of different materials. The galvanized steel bezels, plastic bezels, and snap-on short bezels are briefly described below.

The material of the galvanized steel frame is steel, and the surface is plated with a layer of zinc-aluminum-magnesium, so the surface is somewhat similar to the aluminum alloy, and it is more used in the photovoltaic field and photovoltaic brackets. Its production process is completely different from that of aluminum alloy frame. Therefore, its overall appearance is rough, and the surface is not as good-looking as the aluminum alloy surface. In addition, steel has three times the linear density of aluminum, so even if it's only 0.6mm thick, the weight is a big shortcoming. Its biggest advantage is its low price and the price of a ton of galvanized steel sheet is only about 827.301 USD. So some companies are already mass-producing them.

The disadvantages of the plastic frame are obvious, it is not resistant to high temperature, and is easily deformed and brittle when heated. Besides, plastic has a limited load and ordinary plastics cannot currently be used as frames for photovoltaic modules. But last year, a chemical company developed a special plastic frame, adding glass fiber to the PC compound to improve its mechanical properties and reduce the expansion coefficient. However, such a frame has not been seen on the market yet. If this kind of frame can really achieve the above performance and the development is successful, it will cause a lot of impact on the aluminum alloy frame market.

The material of the snap short frame is rubber, and it does not enclose the entire assembly. According to the research and development manufacturer, this short frame is similar to a clamp, and the rubber frame clamps the panel glass and connects with the bracket. But rubber has the same disadvantage as plastic, that is, it is easy to age, which is caused by the combination of oxygen and ultraviolet rays in the heated air. Rubber itself is elastic, but it will harden and crack after long-term outdoor exposure to wind and sun, so its short life is self-evident. In addition, the load performance of the short frame is a question. After our ordinary frame is installed, it can resist strong wind pressure through four-point support, while the short frame only has two-point support. There is also a limited scope of application of the short frame, which is currently only applicable to double-glass module and flexible module.

On the whole, the photovoltaic frame needs to consider certain strength, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance. The aluminum alloy has the above advantages, but the high price makes many businesses actively seek other alternatives and they have failed to achieve stable performance. At present, aluminum alloy frame is still the ideal material for photovoltaic frame.