Effect of thermal expansion coefficient on the stress distribution in solar panel

Residual thermal stress, which affects structural safety, would be produced in the solar panel under the temperature field because of the multilayer structure of the solar panel. The stress distribution and the effect of thermal expansion coefficient on the stress of the solar panel under the temperature field using analytic method were studied. The analytical results showed that the maximum of structural tensile/compression stress and shear stress present in the layer of polyimide film and silicone rubber which bonded carbon fiber composite and polyimide film, respectively. The maximal stress value in the structure was decreased remarkably by choosing to use polyimide film with lower thermal expansion coefficient. The one dimensional model used in this work would exert an important influence on the design and structural optimization of the solar panel.