Large-Scale Space-Based Solar Power Station: Power Transmission Using Steerable Beams

• US 20160380486A1
• Filed: 05/14/2015
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Hajimiri, Seyed Ali, Atwater, Harry A., Pellegrino, Sergio, Abiri, Behrooz, Bohn, Florian
• Granted Patent: US 11,128,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/1085 Swarms and constellations
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/222 for deploying structures between a stowed and deployed state
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/223 Modular spacecraft systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/283 using reaction wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/286 using control momentum gyroscopes (CMGs)
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/36 using sensors, e.g. sun-sensors, horizon sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/369 using gyroscopes as attitude sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/401 Liquid propellant rocket engines Ion or plasma engines B64G1/413; Arcjets and other resistojets B64G1/415
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/403 Solid propellant rocket engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/405 Ion or plasma engines per se F03H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/407 Solar sailing
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/415 Arcjets or resistojets
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/428 Power distribution and management
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/44 using radiation, e.g. deployable solar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/443 Photovoltaic cell arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/66 Arrangements or adaptations of apparatus or instruments, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/041 Provisions for preventing damage caused by corpuscular radiation, e.g. for space applications
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/042 PV modules or arrays of single PV cells supporting structures for PV modules H02S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/23 characterised by the type of transmitting antennas, e.g. directional array antennas or Yagi antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 : involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 : involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/30 : Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 30/20 : Collapsible or foldable PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/00 : Components or accessories in combination with PV modules, not provided for in groups H02S10/00 - H02S30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/30 : Electrical components
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18515 : Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 : Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 : PV systems with concentrators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 : Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

A space-based solar power station, a power generating satellite module and/or a method for collecting solar radiation and transmitting power generated using electrical current produced therefrom is provided. Power transmitters can be coordinated as a phased array and the power generated by the phased array is transmitted to one or more power receivers to achieve remote wireless power generation and delivery. In many embodiments, a reference signal is distributed within the space-based solar power station to coordinate the phased array. In several embodiments, determinations of the relative locations of the antennas in the array are utilized to evaluate the phase shift and/or amplitude modulation to apply the reference signal at each power transmitter.

Claims

1. A space-based solar power station comprising:

a plurality of unconnected satellite modules disposed in space in an orbital array formation;

a plurality of power generation tiles disposed on each of the plurality of satellite modules;

at least one photovoltaic cell disposed on each of the power generation tiles; and

at least one power transmitter collocated with the at least one photovoltaic cell on each of the power generation tiles and in signal communication therewith such that an electrical current generated by the collection of solar radiation by the at least one photovoltaic cell powers the at least one power transmitter, where each of the at least one power transmitters comprises;

an antenna; and

control electronics that controls at least the phase of a radio frequency power signal that feeds the antenna so that the power transmitter is coordinated with power transmitters on other power generation tiles to form a phased array.

2. The space-based solar power station of claim 1, wherein the control electronics further controls the amplitude of the radio frequency power signal that feeds the antenna so that the power transmitter is coordinated with power transmitters on other power generation tiles.

3. The space-based solar power station of claim 1, wherein:

the power transmitter is configured to receive a reference signal; and

the control electronics controls the phase of the radio frequency power signal by applying a phase shift with respect to the received reference signal.

4. The space-based solar power station of claim 3, wherein at least one of the satellite modules comprises a receiver to wirelessly receive the reference signal.

5. The space-based solar power station of claim 4, wherein the receiver of the at least one of the satellite module is configured to wirelessly receive the reference signal from an Earth-based transmitter.

6. The space-based solar power station of claim 4, further comprising:

a reference signal transmitter satellite comprising a transmitter that transmits the reference signal; and

wherein the receiver of the at least one of the satellite module is configured to wirelessly receive the reference signal from transmitter on the reference signal transmitter satellite.

7. The space-based solar power station of claim 4, wherein the receiver to wirelessly receive the reference signal comprises an amplifier, and a cleanup phase locked loop.

8. The space-based solar power station of claim 4, wherein each of the at least one satellite module also includes transmission lines that route the reference signal to at least one power transmitter on a given satellite module.

9. The space based solar power station of claim 4, wherein the transmission lines comprise transmission lines that route the reference signal between immediately adjacent power transmitters that do not receive the reference signal from another power transmitter.

10. The space-based solar power station of claim 3, wherein the control electronics determines a phase shift to apply with respect to a received reference signal based upon location information.

11. The space-based solar power station of claim 10, wherein the location information is selected from the group consisting of absolute location information, and relative location information.

12. The space-based solar power station of claim 10, wherein the location information defines a position in space and an orientation.

13. The space-based solar power station of claim 10, wherein the control electronics is configured to receive the location information.

14. The space-based solar power station of claim 13, wherein at least one of the satellite modules comprises a receiver to receive at least one ranging signal and determine location information indicating the location of the space-based solar power station.

15. The space-based solar power station of claim 14, wherein:

at least one of the satellite modules comprises a receiver configured to;

receive the location information indicating the location of the space-based solar power station;

receive at least one ranging signal; and

determine location information indicating the location of the satellite module.

16. The space-based solar power station of claim 15, wherein:

at least one satellite module comprises a plurality of power generation tiles that form a panel; and

the panel comprises a receiver configured to;

receive the location information including information indicating the location of a given module in the at least one satellite module to which the panel belongs;

receive at least one ranging signal;

determine location information indicating the location of the panel; and

provide the location information indicating the location of the panel to the power transmitters on the plurality of power generation tiles that form the panel.

17. The space-based solar power station of claim 14, wherein the at least one ranging signal is transmitter from at least one Earth-based transmitter.

18. The space-based solar power station of claim 14, wherein the at least one ranging signal is transmitter from at least one space-based transmitter.

19. The space-based solar power station of claim 1, wherein the control electronics is contained within an integrated circuit comprising:

an RF synthesizer configured to generate an RF signal based upon a received reference signal;

a phase adjuster configured to phase shift an RF signal received from the RF synthesizer by an amount determined by a control signal;

a power amplifier configured to amplify a phase shifted RF signal received from the phase adjuster; and

a digital signal processor configured by software stored in memory to generate the control signal for the phase adjuster.

20. A satellite module, comprising:

a plurality of power generation tiles;

at least one photovoltaic cell disposed on each of the power generation tiles; and

at least one power transmitter collocated with the at least one photovoltaic cell on each of the power generation tiles and in signal communication therewith such that an electrical current generated by the collection of solar radiation by the at least one photovoltaic cell powers the at least one power transmitter, where each of the at least one power transmitters comprises;

an antenna; and

control electronics that controls at least the phase of a radio frequency power signal that feeds the antenna so that the power transmitter is coordinated with power transmitters on other power generation tiles to form a phased array.

21. A power generation tile, comprising:

at least one photovoltaic cell; and

at least one power transmitter collocated with the at least one photovoltaic cell and in signal communication therewith such that an electrical current generated by the collection of solar radiation by the at least one photovoltaic cell powers the at least one power transmitter, where each of the at least one power transmitters comprises;

an antenna; and

control electronics that controls at least the phase of a radio frequency power signal that feeds the antenna.