Multi-functional photovoltaic skylight and/or methods of making the same

• US 9,151,879 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Den Boer, Willem, Veerasamy, Vijayen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, THANH X
• Application Number:
  US13/477,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20120317900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 250/203.4, 136/246
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 18/14 Changing the surface of the glass ribbon, e.g. roughening by chemical methods C03C
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/31 having discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0014 at least one surface having optical power
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/005 arranged along a single direction only, e.g. lenticular sheets G02B3/0043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0062 Stacked lens arrays, i.e. refractive surfaces arranged in at least two planes, without structurally separate optical elements in-between
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0521 using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0543 comprising light concentrating means of the refractive type, e.g. lenses
• 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: H02S 20/26 Building materials integrated with PV modules, e.g. façade elements H02S20/25 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49355 Solar energy device making

Abstract

Certain examples relate to improved solar photovoltaic systems, and/or methods of making the same. Certain improved building-integrated photovoltaic systems may include concentrated photovoltaic skylights having a cylindrical lens array. The skylight may include an insulated glass unit, which may improve the solar heat gain coefficient. The photovoltaic skylight and lens arrays may be used in combination with strip solar cells and lateral displacement tracking systems. Such techniques may advantageously help to reduce cost per watt related, in part, to the potentially reduced amount of semiconductor material to be used for such example embodiments. A photovoltaic skylight may permit diffuse daylight to pass through into an interior of a building so as to provide lighting inside the building, while the strip solar cells absorb the direct sunlight and convert it to electricity.

Claims

1. A skylight, comprising:

first, second and third substrates arranged substantially in parallel and spaced apart from each other, the first substrate to be located furthest from an interior of a building on which the skylight is to be mounted, the second substrate to be located closest to the interior of the building, and the second substrate to be located between the first and second substrates;

a first gap between the first and second substrates, and a second gap between the second and third substrates;

wherein at least one of the gaps is filled with an inert gas;

a plurality of elongate solar cells supported by the second substrate; and

the first substrate comprising a lens array comprising a plurality of lenses oriented along a common axis, each said lens being configured to concentrate light onto at least one of the elongate solar cells, the lens array being substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the second substrate,

the skylight being arranged to permit some diffuse light incident thereon to pass therethrough and to cause direct light to be focused onto the solar cells so that in a given mode (a) substantially only diffuse daylight not directly incident on the skylight from the sun is transmitted through the skylight into a building interior, and (b) direct sunlight that is directly incident on the skylight from the sun is blocked from the building interior by the skylight as the direct sunlight is absorbed by the solar cells.

2. The photovoltaic skylight of claim 1, wherein the skylight is substantially horizontally disposable on a roof.

3. The photovoltaic skylight of claim 1, wherein the skylight is orientable at a tilt selected in dependence on a latitude where the skylight is to be installed.

4. The photovoltaic skylight of claim 1, wherein the solar cells comprise c-Si.

5. The photovoltaic skylight of claim 1, wherein the solar cells have an aspect ratio of at least about 2:

1.

6. The photovoltaic skylight of claim 1, wherein the solar cells have an aspect ratio of at least about 5:

1.

7. The photovoltaic skylight of claim 1, further comprising a movement mechanism configured to move the solar cells relative to the lens array.

8. The photovoltaic skylight of claim 7, wherein the solar cells have a substantially horizontal range of motion of up to about 20 mm.

9. The photovoltaic skylight of claim 1, further comprising first and second edge seals, each of the edge seals including first and second openings into which first and second edges of the second substrate and the lens array are inserted, respectively.

10. The photovoltaic skylight of claim 9, further comprising a motor, wherein the first openings of the first and second edge seals are spaced apart a distance greater than a length of the substrate such that the substrate is slidable along an axis under control of the motor.

11. The photovoltaic skylight of claim 1, wherein the skylight is arranged to be installed at a latitude tilt of from about 5 to 50 degrees.

12. The photovoltaic skylight of claim 1, wherein the skylight is arranged to be installed at a latitude tilt of from about 15 to 45 degrees.

13. The photovoltaic skylight of claim 1, further comprising a motor and/or actuator for controlling lateral movement of the second substrate supporting the solar cells.