Concentrating photovoltaic solar panel

• US 20100018570A1
• Filed: 05/15/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suncore Photovoltaics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Suncore Photovoltaics, Inc.
• Inventors: Russell, Richard J., Farrelly, Mark B., Bowser, Michael R., Holmes, Howard C., Cashion, Steven A., Hines, Braden E., Turk, Michael F., Johnson, Richard L. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,242,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/246
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/30 with lenses
• 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 31/0543 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: 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. In particular, the present invention features concentrator modules having interior points of attachment for an articulating mechanism and/or an articulating mechanism that has a unique arrangement of chassis members so as to isolate bending, etc. from being transferred among the chassis members. The present invention also features adjustable solar panel mounting features and/or mounting features with two or more degrees of freedom. The present invention also features a mechanical fastener for secondary optics in a concentrator module.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic concentrator module comprising a main body portion having:

a. a base;

b. one or more side walls connected to the base, wherein the base and the one or more side walls help define an interior region of the main body portion;

c. one or more attachment points positioned in the interior region of the main body portion, wherein the one or more attachment points can couple the main body portion to a tip articulating mechanism such that the tip articulating mechanism can articulate the photovoltaic concentrator module substantially about the center of gravity of the photovoltaic concentrator module; and

d. one or more apertures located opposite the base.

2. The photovoltaic concentrator module of claim 1, wherein the base has an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the base has two cavities that extend into the interior region, and wherein each cavity has an attachment point on the exterior surface of the base.

3. The photovoltaic concentrator module of claim 1, wherein the main portion comprises one or more vent ports located in the interior region, wherein at least one of the vent ports comprises a semi-permeable membrane that is permeable to gas such that the interior region can stabilize with the surrounding atmosphere.

4. The photovoltaic concentrator module of claim 3, wherein the semi-permeable membrane is permeable to water vapor such that water vapor can escape the interior portion of the main body.

5. The photovoltaic concentrator module of claim 1, wherein the one or more side walls comprise four side walls that each taper to the base in a manner to form a rectangular shaped photovoltaic concentrator module.

6. The photovoltaic concentrator module of claim 1, comprising one aperture located opposite the base and further comprising a plurality of lenses positioned in the aperture in a manner such that each lens can direct incident light to a focus within the inboard region of the main body portion.

7. The photovoltaic concentrator module of claim 6, wherein the plurality of lenses comprise an “

m”

by “

n”

array of lenses, wherein m and n are integers, m>

1, n>

1, and m≠

n.

8. The photovoltaic concentrator module of claim 7, wherein n equals two or greater.

16. The photovoltaic power system of claim 7, wherein the tip articulating mechanism can articulate the photovoltaic concentrator module about an axis that is substantially parallel to longest dimension of the photovoltaic concentrator module.

17. The photovoltaic power system of claim 7, wherein the tilt articulating mechanism can articulate the at least one photovoltaic concentrator module about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longest dimension of the photovoltaic concentrator module.

18. The photovoltaic power system of claim 7, wherein the main body comprises first and second attachment points and the tip articulating mechanism comprises at least three chassis members positioned adjacent to the base, wherein a first chassis member is physically coupled to the first attachment point, a second chassis member is physically coupled to the second attachment point, and at least a third chassis member is physically coupled to the first and second chassis members.

19. The photovoltaic power system of claim 18, wherein the at least third chassis member can cause the at least one photovoltaic concentrator module to articulate in a swinging manner.

20. The photovoltaic power system of claim 19, wherein the at least third chassis member is physically coupled to a first handle at one end of the at least third chassis member and a second handle at the other end of the at least third chassis member, wherein the end of each handle that is not physically coupled to the at least third chassis member is rotatingly coupled to a rotating member having an axis of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to the longest dimension of the at least one photovoltaic concentrator module, and wherein the at least third chassis member is offset from the axis of rotation such that the at least third chassis member can articulate relative to the axis in a swinging manner.

21. The photovoltaic power system of claim 20, wherein at least one of the handles comprises a gooseneck.

22. The photovoltaic power system of claim 20, wherein the offset is infinitesimally small, so as to effectively be spinning about the at least third chassis member itself.

23. The photovoltaic power system of claim 18, wherein the first chassis member further comprises an actuating mechanism that can articulate the photovoltaic concentrator module about an axis that is substantially parallel to longest dimension of the photovoltaic concentrator module.

24. The photovoltaic power system of claim 7, comprising a plurality of photovoltaic concentrator modules wherein each photovoltaic concentrator module comprises a main body portion having:

a. a base;

b. one or more side walls connected to the base, wherein the base and the one or more side walls help define an inboard region of the main body portion; and

c. one or more attachment points positioned in the inboard region of the main body portion, wherein the one or more attachment points are coupled to the articulating mechanism such that the articulating mechanism can articulate the photovoltaic concentrator module substantially about the center of gravity of the photovoltaic concentrator module; and

d. one or more apertures located opposite the base.

25. The photovoltaic system of claim 24, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic concentrator modules is six photovoltaic concentrator modules.

26. The photovoltaic system of claim 24, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic concentrator modules is seven photovoltaic concentrator modules.

9. A photovoltaic power system comprising:

a. a tip articulating mechanism

b. a plurality of photovoltaic concentrator modules, wherein each photovoltaic concentrator module comprises a main body portion having;

i. a base;

ii. one or more side walls connected to the base, wherein the base and the one or more side walls help define an interior region of the main body portion; and

iii. one or more attachment points positioned in the interior region of the main body portion, wherein the one or more attachment points are coupled to the tip articulating mechanism such that the tip articulating mechanism can articulate the photovoltaic concentrator module substantially about the center of gravity of the photovoltaic concentrator module; and

iv. one or more apertures located opposite the base.

10. The photovoltaic power system of claim 9, wherein the tip articulating mechanism comprises at least one chassis member positioned adjacent to the base, wherein the chassis member is coupled to the one or more attachment points in a manner such that the chassis member can support and articulate the photovoltaic concentrator module substantially about the center of gravity of the photovoltaic concentrator module.

11. The photovoltaic power system of claim 9, wherein the main body portion of at least one photovoltaic concentrator module further comprises one or more notches so as to permit a desired range of articulation of the photovoltaic concentrator module in the tip direction.

12. The photovoltaic power system of claim 11, wherein the main body portion of at least one photovoltaic concentrator module comprises at least three notches located where the one or more side walls intersect the base and on the southern side of the base so as to permit a desired range of articulation of the photovoltaic concentrator module in the tip direction.

13. The photovoltaic power system of claim 11, wherein the main body portion of at least one photovoltaic concentrator module comprises at least two notches located where the one or more side walls intersect the base and on the northern side of the base so as to permit a desired range of articulation of the photovoltaic concentrator module in the tip direction.

14. The photovoltaic power system of claim 9, wherein the one or more side walls of the main body portion of at least one photovoltaic concentrator module further comprises one or more mounting features for mounting a sun sensor.

15. The photovoltaic power system of claim 9, wherein the base of the main body portion of at least one photovoltaic concentrator module further comprises a plurality of raised, button-like features positioned in a manner to help control the thickness of an adhesive used to mount a device to the base.

27. A photovoltaic power system comprising:

a. a tip articulation mechanism; and

b. a plurality of photovoltaic concentrator modules, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic concentrator modules are positioned adjacent to each other in a linear manner, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic concentrator modules define an inboard region, wherein each photovoltaic concentrator module comprises one or more attachment points positioned in the inboard region, wherein the one or more attachment points are each coupled to the tip articulating mechanism such that the tip articulating mechanism can articulate each photovoltaic concentrator module substantially about the center of gravity of the photovoltaic concentrator module.

28. A photovoltaic concentrator module comprising:

a. an inboard region; and

b. one or more attachment points positioned in the inboard region, wherein the one or more attachment points can be coupled to a tip articulating mechanism such that the tip articulating mechanism can articulate the photovoltaic concentrator module substantially about the center of gravity of the photovoltaic concentrator module.

29. A photovoltaic power system comprising:

a. a plurality of articulating photovoltaic concentrator modules positioned so as to define a panel of photovoltaic concentrator modules, wherein the panel defines a footprint having a first dimension and a second dimension; and

b. an articulating mechanism coupled to each photovoltaic concentrator module, wherein the articulating mechanism comprises at least three chassis members, wherein each chassis member is substantially parallel to the other chassis members and each chassis member extends along the first dimension of the panel footprint, wherein at least two chassis members are physically coupled to each photovoltaic concentrator modules in an articulating manner, and wherein each of said two chassis members are rigidly, physically coupled to the third chassis member at two or more points.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein each of said two chassis members are rigidly, physically coupled to the third chassis member at from two to six points.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein each of said two chassis members are rigidly, physically coupled to the third chassis member at a first point and a second point, wherein the first point is located at approximately 25 percent of the length of each of said two chassis members and the second point is located at approximately 75 percent of the length of each of said two chassis members.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the third chassis member is not directly rigidly and physically coupled to a photovoltaic concentrator module.

33. A photovoltaic power system comprising:

a. a plurality of articulating photovoltaic concentrator modules positioned so as to define a panel of photovoltaic concentrator modules, wherein the panel has a first end and a second end; and

b. an articulating mechanism coupled to the panel of photovoltaic concentrator modules in a manner so as to articulate the panel at least in a tilting manner, wherein at the first end of the panel the articulating mechanism comprises;

i. a chassis; and

ii. a mounting plate coupled to the chassis via a movable joint that permits the mounting plate to move relative to the chassis so as to accommodate a plurality of mounting locations.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the articulating mechanism further comprises a cylindrical member positioned between the chassis and the mounting plate and having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is rigidly coupled to the chassis and the second end is movably coupled to the mounting plate via the movable joint.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the articulating mechanism comprises:

a. a chassis;

b. a handle rigidly coupled to the chassis; and

c. a mounting plate coupled to the handle via a movable joint that permits the mounting plate to move relative to the handle so as to accommodate a plurality of mounting locations, wherein the mounting plate is coupled to the movable joint via a rod that can slide to a plurality of positions relative to the movable joint.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the movable joint is a spherical bearing.

37. A photovoltaic power system comprising:

a. a plurality of articulating photovoltaic concentrator modules positioned so as to define a panel of photovoltaic concentrator modules, wherein the panel has a first end and a second end; and

b. an articulating mechanism coupled to the panel of photovoltaic concentrator modules in a manner so as to articulate the panel at least in a tilting manner, wherein at the first end of the panel the articulating mechanism comprises;

i. a chassis; and

ii. a mounting plate coupled to the chassis via a pivotable joint that permits the mounting plate to pivot relative to the chassis.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the articulating mechanism comprises:

i. a chassis;

ii. a handle rigidly coupled to the chassis via a first pivotable joint that permits handle to pivot relative to the chassis; and

iii. a mounting plate coupled to the handle via a second pivotable joint that permits the mounting plate to pivot relative to the handle.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the first pivotable joint is a bearing.

40. A heat sink assembly comprising:

a. a heat sink;

b. a photovoltaic cell attached directly or indirectly to the heat sink;

c. a concentrating optic positioned over the photovoltaic cell and optically coupled to the photovoltaic cell, wherein the concentrating optic has an outer surface; and

d. one or more structural braces wherein the one or more structural braces are positioned over the concentrating optic such that the one or more structural braces allow incident light to pass to the concentrating optic, wherein the one or more structural braces are attached directly or indirectly to the heat sink, and wherein the one or more structural braces contact the outer surface of the concentrating optic in a structurally supporting manner.

41. A method of making the main body portion of a photovoltaic concentrator module, the method comprising:

a. providing a moldable composition comprising one or more thermosetting polymers;

b. providing a mold having a form corresponding to the main body portion of a photovoltaic concentrator module;

c. molding the moldable composition to the form of the mold; and

d. optionally, curing the molded composition.