Planar concentrating photovoltaic solar panel with individually articulating concentrator elements

• US 20060283497A1
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suncore Photovoltaics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Soliant Energy, Inc. (Emcore Corporation)
• Inventors: Hines, Braden E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,622,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/246
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2020/16 Preventing shading effects
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2023/872 Assemblies of spaced reflective elements on common support, e.g. Fresnel reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2030/131 in the form of articulated bars
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2030/136 for moving several solar collectors by common transmission elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/70 with reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 30/455 Horizontal primary axis
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/052 Cooling means directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. integrated Peltier elements for active cooling or heat sinks directly associated with the PV cells cooling means in combination with the PV module H02S40/42
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0547 comprising light concentrating means of the reflecting type, e.g. parabolic mirrors, concentrators using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators

Abstract

The present invention relates to photovoltaic power systems, photovoltaic concentrator modules, and related methods.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic power system, comprising:

a) a support structure having at least one interface that is structured to mate with existing solar panel mounting hardware;

b) a plurality of photovoltaic concentrator modules coupled to the support structure such that a module is moveable relative to the support structure, each module comprising;

i. at least one photovoltaic receiver; and

ii. at least one optical concentrator which optically concentrates incident light onto at least one corresponding photovoltaic receiver; and

c) a source of self-power operatively coupled to the photovoltaic power system.

2. The photovoltaic power system of claim 1, wherein the source of self-power comprises at least one solar cell.

3. The photovoltaic power system of claim 1, wherein the source of self-power comprises a panel of solar cells.

4. The photovoltaic power system of claim 3, wherein the panel of solar cells is supported upon the support structure.

5. The photovoltaic power system of claim 1, wherein the source of self-power comprises at least one of the plurality of photovoltaic concentrator modules.

6. The photovoltaic power system of claim 5, wherein at least one module generates a power output at least at some times that the module is not tracking the sun.

7. The photovoltaic power system of claim 1, wherein the support structure is planar.

8. The photovoltaic power system of claim 1, wherein the support structure is rigid and planar.

9. The photovoltaic power system of claim 1, wherein at least one optical concentrator comprises an optical concentrator selected from the group consisting of a reflector, a lens, a solar trap, and a reflective ring concentrator.

10. The photovoltaic power system of claim 1, further comprising a heat-dissipating element that is located at least partially within the “

optical volume”

of a photovoltaic concentrator module.

11. The photovoltaic power system of claim 10, wherein the “

optical volume”

is defined as that volume of the module which is swept out by the module as it articulates, intersected with the volume of the concentrator in which incident light rays are present in the optical system.

12. The photovoltaic power system of claim 10, wherein the heat-dissipating element comprises a heat-dissipating fin that is parallel to the optical axis of the optical concentrator.

13. The photovoltaic power system of claim 10, wherein the heat-dissipating element comprises a plurality of fins oriented radially around the receiver.

14. The photovoltaic power system of claim 10, wherein substantially all of the heat-dissipating element is located within the “

optical volume”

of a photovoltaic concentrator module.

15. The photovoltaic power system of claim 14, wherein the “

optical volume”

is defined as that volume of the module which is swept out by the module as it articulates, intersected with the volume of the concentrator in which incident light rays are present in the optical system.

16. The photovoltaic power system of claim 1, further comprising a heat-dissipating element that is located at least partially within a volume of a photovoltaic concentrator module under concentrated illumination.

17. The photovoltaic power system of claim 16, wherein substantially all of the heat-dissipating element is located within a volume of the photovoltaic concentrator module under concentrated illumination.

18. The photovoltaic power system of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic concentrator modules are spaced apart.

19. The photovoltaic power system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the photovoltaic modules are ganged to move together in fixed relation to one another in at least one axis.

20. A photovoltaic power system, comprising:

a) a support structure;

b) a plurality of photovoltaic concentrator modules supported by the support structure in a manner such that a module is independently moveable with respect to the support structure, each module comprising;

i. at least one photovoltaic receiver;

ii. at least one optical element that concentrates incident light onto at least one corresponding photovoltaic receiver; and

c) a heat-dissipating element comprising at least one fin that is parallel to the optical axis of a module, wherein the heat dissipating element is located at least partially within a volume of the module which is swept out by the module as it articulates, intersected with the volume of the concentrator in which incident light rays are present in the optical system.

21. A photovoltaic concentrator module, comprising:

a) at least one photovoltaic receiver that converts incident sunlight into electrical energy;

b) at least one optical element that concentrates incident light onto the photovoltaic receiver; and

c) a heat-dissipating element that is located at least partially within a volume of the module which is swept out by the module as it articulates, intersected with the volume of the concentrator in which incident light rays are present in the optical system.

22. The photovoltaic concentrator of claim 21, wherein the optical element is selected from the group consisting of a reflector, a lens, a solar trap, and a reflective ring concentrator.

23. The photovoltaic concentrator of claim 21, wherein the heat-dissipating element comprises a fin that is parallel to the optical axis of at least one optical element.

24. The photovoltaic concentrator of claim 21, wherein substantially all of the heat-dissipating element is located in the volume.

25. The photovoltaic concentrator of claim 21, wherein the heat-dissipating element comprises a plurality of fins oriented radially around the receiver.

26. A method of providing a photovoltaic power system, comprising the step of configuring a support structure of a photovoltaic power system to have a form factor that is compatible with a pre-existing, non-concentrating, flat solar panel, wherein the photovoltaic power system comprises:

a) a support structure; and

b) a plurality of photovoltaic concentrator modules supported by the support structure in a manner such that at least one module is moveable with respect to the support structure.

27. A method of installing a photovoltaic power system, comprising the steps of

a) providing mounting hardware for a flat solar panel;

b) providing a photovoltaic power system that has a form factor compatible with the mounting hardware for a flat solar panel, wherein the photovoltaic power system comprises;

i) a stationary, rigid support structure; and

ii) a plurality of photovoltaic concentrator modules movably supported upon the stationary, rigid support structure; and

c) installing the photovoltaic power system using the mounting hardware for a flat solar panel.

28. A photovoltaic concentrator module assembly, comprising:

a) a frame;

b) an array of photovoltaic concentrator modules mounted to the frame in a manner such that the modules articulate relative to the frame, wherein each module comprises;

i) at least one photovoltaic receiver that converts incident sunlight into electrical energy; and

ii) at least one optical element that concentrates incident light to the photovoltaic receiver; and

c) a tracker system operatively coupled to the assembly, wherein the tracker system moves at least one of the modules based on a direction of incoming sunlight; and

d) a source of power operatively coupled to the tracker system.

29. The assembly of claim 28, wherein at least one module further comprises a heat-dissipating element that is located at least partially within a volume of the module which is swept out by the module as it articulates, intersected with the volume of the concentrator in which incident light rays are present in the optical system.