Rectenna solar cell hybrid panel and hybrid photovoltaic power generation system

• US 20070034247A1
• Filed: 03/30/2004
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizuno, Tomohiro, Ikematsu, Hiroshi, Yamamoto, Atsushi, Satou, Hiroyuki, Takada, Kazuyuki
• Application Number:
  US10/573,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20070034247A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/244
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/443 Photovoltaic cell arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/042 PV modules or arrays of single PV cells supporting structures for PV modules H02S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

The description relates to a rectenna solar-battery hybrid panels that not only receive electric power transmitted by microwaves after the electric energy has been generated from sunlight, but also gain sunlight energy on the open faces of the panels, and to hybrid solar photovoltaic generation systems. In the rectenna solar-battery hybrid panel, a plurality of solar battery cells for receiving sunlight and converting the sunlight into electricity and a plurality of microwave receiving antenna elements for receiving microwaves transmitted through space are provided. dc electric power is obtained from microwave power, having been received by the microwave receiving antenna elements, being rectified by a rectifying circuit. Stable electric power can be obtained from the output of the solar battery cells and the rectifying circuit.

Claims

1. A rectenna solar-battery hybrid panel comprising:

a plurality of solar battery cells for receiving sunlight and converting the sunlight into electricity;

a plurality of microwave receiving antenna elements for receiving microwaves transmitted through space; and

a rectifying circuit for rectifying the microwaves received by the microwave receiving antenna elements;

whereby

electric power is obtained from output of the solar battery cells and the rectifying circuit.

2. A rectenna solar-battery hybrid panel as recited in claim 1, further comprising a transparent base, wherein

the plurality of solar battery cells is provided inside the base, the plurality of microwave receiving antenna elements is provided on the front side of the base, and the rectifying circuit is provided on the back side of the base.

3. A rectenna solar-battery hybrid panel as recited in claim 1, further comprising a transparent base, wherein

the plurality of solar battery cells and the plurality of microwave receiving antenna elements are provided inside the base, and the rectifying circuit is provided on the back side of the base.

4. A rectenna solar-battery hybrid panel as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a transparent base; and

a substrate provided on one of the faces of the base;

wherein

the plurality of solar battery cells is provided inside the base, and the plurality of microwave receiving antenna elements and the rectifying circuit are provided on either the front or back side of the substrate.

5. A rectenna solar-battery hybrid panel as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a transparent base provided with the plurality of solar battery cells; and

a substrate in film form, provided on one of the sides of the base, and provided with the plurality of microwave receiving antenna elements and the rectifying circuit.

6. A hybrid solar photovoltaic generation system comprising:

a bus for controlling an artificial satellite;

a mission module for performing observation as well as communication using the artificial satellite; and

a rectenna solar-battery hybrid panel including a plurality of solar battery cells for receiving sunlight and converting the sunlight into electricity, a plurality of microwave receiving antenna elements for receiving microwaves transmitted through space, and a rectifying circuit for rectifying the microwaves received by the microwave receiving antenna elements, so as to supply to the bus and the mission module electric power generated by the rectenna solar-battery hybrid panel.

7. A hybrid solar photovoltaic generation system comprising:

a set of hybrid panels configured by arranging a plurality of rectenna solar-battery hybrid panels that each includes a plurality of solar battery cells for receiving sunlight and converting the sunlight into electricity, a plurality of microwave receiving antenna elements for receiving microwaves transmitted through space, and a rectifying circuit for rectifying the microwaves received by the microwave receiving antenna elements;

electric-power-control equipment for combining electric power outputted from the set of hybrid panels; and

a transmission line for supplying to an electric-power network electric power combined by and outputted from the electric-power-control equipment.

8. A hybrid solar photovoltaic generation system comprising:

a rectenna solar-battery hybrid panel, installed in a building, including a plurality of solar battery cells for receiving sunlight and converting the sunlight into electricity, a plurality of microwave receiving antenna elements for receiving microwaves transmitted through space, and a rectifying circuit for rectifying the microwaves received by the microwave receiving antenna elements; and

electric-power-control equipment for, when the electric-power supply from the rectenna solar-battery hybrid panel does not meet the electric-power demand inside the building, supplying to the building from an existing electric-power network the electric-power shortfall and for, when electric-power supply from the rectenna solar-battery hybrid panel exceeds the electric-power demand inside the building, supplying to the existing electric-power network the surplus electric power from the rectenna solar-battery hybrid panel.