Building element including solar energy converter

• US 20060107993A1
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mayer, Oliver Gerhard, Stromberger, Joerg Hermann, Wilhelm Krokoszinski, Hans-Joachim Gunter
• Application Number:
  US10/994,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20060107993A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/247
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/11 Fluorescent material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/055 where light is absorbed and re-emitted at a different wavelength by the optical element directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. by using luminescent material, fluorescent concentrators or up-conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/25 Roof tile elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators

Abstract

A building element such as a roof tile, window pane, or building façade element includes a fluorescence collector comprising a substrate and particles dispersed in the substrate to absorb light from a plurality of directions and radiate the absorbed light. The fluorescence collector has opposing surfaces and a connecting surface between the opposing surfaces. A solar energy converter is configured for receiving radiated light from the fluorescence collector.

Claims

1. A building element comprising:

a fluorescence collector comprising

a substrate, and

particles dispersed in the substrate to absorb light from a plurality of directions and radiate the absorbed light,

the fluorescence collector having opposing surfaces and a connecting surface between the opposing surfaces,

wherein the combination of the substrate and the particles is sufficiently transparent to permit light to reach the particles for absorption and to permit particles to radiate,

wherein at least two different portions of the fluorescence collector have different absorption spectrums; and

a solar energy converter configured for receiving radiated light from the fluorescence collector of the building element.

2. The building element of claim 1 further comprising a spectral selective coating over at least one of the opposing surfaces.

3. The building element of claim 1 wherein the particles comprise a dye, quantum dots, or combinations thereof.

4. The building element of claim 3 wherein the particles comprise at least two types of different particles, with at least one type of particle having a different absorption spectrum than at least one other type of particle.

5. The building element of claim 3 wherein the particles contribute to a preselected appearance of color of the building element.

6. The building element of claim 3 wherein the particles contribute to a preselected light absorption characteristic of the building element, a preselected shadowing characteristic of the building element, or combinations thereof.

7. The building element of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a polycarbonate.

8. The building element of claim 1 wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of glass, polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrol, ceramics, and combinations thereof.

9. The building element of claim 1 wherein the substrate contributes to a preselected light absorption characteristic of the building element, a preselected appearance of color of the building element, a preselected shadowing characteristic of the building element, or combinations thereof.

10. The building element of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of layers, at least one of the layers having a different absorption spectrum than at least one other of the layers.

11. The building element of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of at least one of the opposing and connecting surfaces comprises a mirrored surface.

12. The building element of claim 11 wherein the connecting surface comprises a plurality of connecting surfaces.

13. The building element of claim 12 wherein an unmirrored portion of the fluorescence collector is on one connecting surface and wherein the mirrored surface is present on at least one of the other connecting surfaces.

14. The building element of claim 13 wherein one of the opposing surfaces comprises a bottom opposing surface and wherein the bottom opposing surface comprises a mirrored surface.

15. The building element of claim 12 wherein an unmirrored portion of the florescence collector is on at least one connecting surface and wherein the solar energy converter is mounted on the unmirrored portion of the at least one connecting surface.

16. The building element of claim 1 wherein the solar energy converter is mounted on one of the opposing surfaces of the fluorescence collector and further comprising an angled mirror for directing radiated light to the converter.

17. The building element of claim 16 wherein the angled mirror is situated on an angled connecting surface of the fluorescence collector.

18. The building element of claim 1 further comprising an additional substrate on which the collector sits.

19. The building element of claim 1 wherein the building element comprises a roof tile and wherein the solar energy converter comprises a hidden converter.

20. The building element of claim 19 where the substrate comprises a profiled substrate.

21. The building element of claim 1 wherein the building element comprises a window pane.

22. The building element of claim 21 wherein the particles contribute to a preselected light absorption characteristic of the building element.

23. The building element of claim 21 wherein the substrate contributes to a preselected light absorption characteristic of the building element.

24. The building element of claim 1 wherein the building element comprises a building facade element.

25. A roof tile comprising:

a fluorescence collector comprising a substrate and particles dispersed therein to absorb light from a plurality of directions and radiate the absorbed light, the fluorescence collector having opposing surfaces and a connecting surface between the opposing surfaces wherein the particles comprise a dye, quantum dots, or combinations thereof;

a solar energy converter configured for receiving radiated light from the fluorescence collector of the roof tile.

26. The roof tile of claim 25 wherein the solar energy converter comprises a hidden converter.

27. The roof tile of claim 25 further comprising a spectral selective coating over one of the opposing surfaces.

28. The roof tile of claim 27 wherein the particles comprise at least two types of different particles, with at least one type of particle having a different absorption spectrum than at least one other type of particle.

29. The roof tile of claim 27 wherein the particles contribute to a preselected appearance of color of the roof tile.

30. The roof tile of claim 25 wherein the plastic substrate contributes to a preselected appearance of color of the roof tile.

31. The roof tile of claim 25 wherein the plastic substrate comprises a plurality of layers, at least one of the layers having a different absorption spectrum than at least one other of the layers.

32. The roof tile of claim 25 wherein at least a portion of at least one of the opposing and connecting surfaces comprises a mirrored surface.

33. The roof tile of claim 32 wherein the connecting surface comprises a plurality of connecting surfaces.

34. The roof tile of claim 33 wherein an unmirrored portion of the fluorescence collector is on one of the connecting surfaces and wherein the mirrored surface is present on another of the connecting surfaces.

35. The roof tile of claim 34 wherein one of the opposing surfaces comprises a bottom opposing surface and wherein the bottom opposing surface comprises a mirrored surface.

36. The roof tile of claim 33 wherein an unmirrored portion of the florescence collector is on at least one connecting surface and wherein the solar energy converter is mounted on the unmirrored portion of the at least one connecting surface.

37. The roof tile of claim 25 wherein the solar energy converter is mounted on one of the opposing surfaces of the fluorescence collector and further comprising an angled mirror for directing radiated light to the converter.

38. The roof tile of claim 37 wherein the angled mirror is situated on an angled connecting surface of the fluorescence collector.

39. The roof tile of claim 25 further comprising an additional substrate on which the collector sits.

40. The roof tile of claim 25 where the substrate comprises a profiled substrate.

41. The roof tile of claim 25 wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of glass, polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrol, ceramics, and combinations thereof.

42. The roof tile of claim 25 wherein the substrate comprises a polycarbonate.

43. A window pane comprising:

a fluorescence collector comprising a substrate and particles dispersed therein to absorb light from a plurality of directions and radiate the absorbed light, the fluorescence collector having opposing surfaces and at least one connecting surface between the opposing surfaces, wherein the particles comprise a dye, quantum dots, or combinations thereof;

a solar energy converter configured for receiving radiated light from the fluorescence collector of the window pane.

44. The window pane of claim 43 wherein the particles contribute to a preselected light absorption characteristic of the window pane.

45. The window pane of claim 43 wherein the substrate contributes to a preselected light absorption characteristic of the window pane.

46. The window pane of claim 43 further comprising a spectral selective coating over one of the opposing surfaces.

47. The window pane of claim 43 wherein the particles comprise a dye, quantum dots, or combinations thereof.

48. The window pane of claim 47 wherein the particles comprise at least two types of different particles, with at least one type of particle having a different absorption spectrum than at least one other type of particle.

49. The window pane of claim 47 wherein the particles contribute to a preselected appearance of color of the window pane.

50. The window pane of claim 47 wherein the particles contribute to a preselected shadowing characteristic of the window pane.

51. The window pane of claim 43 wherein the substrate contributes to a preselected appearance of color of the window pane.

52. The window pane of claim 43 wherein the substrate contributes to a preselected shadowing characteristic of the window pane.

53. The window pane of claim 43 wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of layers, at least one of the layers having a different absorption spectrum than at least one other of the layers.

54. The window pane of claim 43 wherein at least a portion of at least one of the opposing and connecting surfaces comprises a mirrored surface.

55. The building element of claim 54 wherein the connecting surface comprises a plurality of connecting surfaces.

56. The building element of claim 55 wherein an unmirrored portion of the fluorescence collector is on one connecting surface and wherein the mirrored surface is present on at least one of the other connecting surfaces.

57. The building element of claim 55 wherein an unmirrored portion of the florescence collector is on at least one connecting surface and wherein the solar energy converter is mounted on the unmirrored portion of the at least one connecting surface.

58. The building element of claim 43 wherein the solar energy converter is mounted on one of the opposing surfaces of the fluorescence collector and further comprising an angled mirror for directing radiated light to the converter.

59. The building element of claim 58 wherein the angled mirror is situated on an angled connecting surface of the fluorescence collector.