334 results about "Concentrator photovoltaic" patented technology

A concentrating photovoltaic module is provided which provides a concentration in the range of about 500 to over 1,000 suns and a power range of a few kW to 50 kW. A plurality of such modules may be combined to form a power plant capable of generating over several hundred megaWatts. The concentrating photovoltaic module is based on a Photovoltaic Cavity Converter (PVCC) as an enabling technology for very high solar-to-electricity conversions. The use of a cavity containing a plurality of single junction solar cells of different energy bandgaps and simultaneous spectral splitting of the solar spectrum employs a lateral geometry in the spherical cavity (where the cell strings made of the single junction cells operate next to each other without mutual interference). The purpose of the cavity with a small aperture for the pre-focused solar radiation is to confine (trap) the photons so that they can be recycled effectively and used by the proper cells. Passive or active cooling mechanisms may be employed to cool the solar cells.

The present invention is that of a solar energy system that uses a light-guide solar panel (LGSP) to trap light inside a dielectric or other transparent panel and propagates the light to one of the panel edges for harvesting by a solar energy collector such as a photovoltaic cell. This allows for very thin modules whose thickness is comparable to the height of the solar energy collector. This eliminates eliminating the depth requirements inherent in traditional concentrated photovoltaic solar energy systems.

The present invention relates to a solar heating and power generation combined supply system. Said system includes the following several components: rotating parabolic saucer condenser, rotating hyperbolic spectral control system, light-gathering photovoltaic group battery and hot-pipe type water heater. Said invention also provides the concrete structure of the above-mentioned every portion and the working principle of said system.

A concentrator photovoltaic solar cell array for terrestrial use for generating electrical power from solar radiation including a central support which is rotatable about its central longitudinal axis, a support frame carried by, and rotatable with respect to, the central support about an axis orthogonal to said central longitudinal axis, and a solar array mounted on the support frame. The solar cell array includes a plurality of Fresnel concentrator lenses and multijunction III-V compound semiconductor solar cells each producing in excess of 10 watts of DC power. An actuator is provided for rotating the central support and the support frame so that the solar cell array is maintained substantially orthogonal to the rays of the sun as the sun traverses the sky.

The invention teaches a family of flat concentrator PV panels wherein an array of enhanced light beam splitters coupling with a plurality of optical grooves efficiently collects light and transmits collected light substantially to the active surface(s) of an array of size-reduced PV cells with low aspect ratio.

An increased efficiency Concentrator Photovoltaic System having a plurality of solar cells laterally spaced from each other on a substrate panel. The solar cells are mounted on metal traces that support the cells and provide a path for the electrical output of the individual cells. Ribbons or wires, which provide a connection between the front contact of the solar cells to the appropriate metal traces form a circuit connecting the cells in desired configurations, Intercellular areas are provided between the lateral edges of the respective solar cells. A plurality of tubular enclosures are mounted directly above the solar cells. The top edge of the tubular enclosures have a circumference greater than the circumference of the bottom edges of the tubular enclosures. The inner surfaces of the tubular enclosure walls are reflective and direct solar rays to the respective solar cells thereby increasing the efficiency of the Photovoltaic system.

The invention relates to a concentrating photovoltaic solar energy heat radiator module, and belongs to the technical field of solar power generation. The concentrating photovoltaic solar energy heat radiator module comprises primary heat dissipation fins, secondary heat dissipation fins, a heat radiator bottom plate and a concentrating photovoltaic light to electricity conversion receiver installation area, wherein a primary heat dissipation fin array and an array of the secondary heat dissipation fins of two different shapes are arranged on one surface of the heat radiator bottom plate, the secondary heat dissipation fins are arranged from the primary heat dissipation fin at the right center to the periphery of the concentrating photovoltaic solar energy heat radiator module according to a height progressive decreasing sequence, and the concentrating photovoltaic light to electricity conversion receiver installation area is installed on the other surface of the heat radiator bottom plate. The concentrating photovoltaic solar energy heat radiator module is simple in structure and low in production cost. The heat dissipation fins of the concentrating photovoltaic solar energy heat radiator module are arranged in array mode, and the secondary heat dissipation fins are lower than the primary heat dissipation fins under the circumstance that the weight of the concentrating photovoltaic solar energy heat radiator module is reduced, and accordingly heat on the primary heat dissipation fins can be rapidly transmitted into air, and heat dissipation effects of the concentrating photovoltaic solar energy heat radiator module are greatly improved. Additionally, a plurality of the concentrating photovoltaic solar energy heat radiator modules can be installed once, and therefore processing efficiency is greatly improved.

The invention provides systems and methods for cooling semiconductor devices, such as those provided in concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems using a cold plate. The invention also provides using a material, such as a ceramic, to form that cold plate that matches or nearly matches the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of a photovoltaic cell. Additionally, the cooling system may include fluidic passageways through which a fluid may flow, which may result in a transfer of heat between the fluid and the solid structure.

The invention relates to a dual-shaft support structure of concentration photovoltaic panel, comprising a vertical rotation shaft and a pitching rotation shaft; a vertical rotation shaft driving mechanism is arranged in a cavity column; a vertical rotation shaft is provided with a horizontal support disk; the horizontal support disk is provided with the pitching rotation shaft and a driving mechanism of the pitching rotation shaft; a worm shaft of a turbine worm reducer of a pitching rotation shaft driving mechanism is connected with a universal joint; one end of a driving arm is connected with a shaft of the universal joint; and the other end of the driving arm is connected with a driving disk of the pitching rotation shaft. A main support frame for supporting the concentration photovoltaic panel is fixed on two ends of the pitching rotation shaft; and the main support frame is provided with an upper support frame. The dual-shaft support structure of concentration photovoltaic panel has the outstanding advantages that the structure is simple and compact, the manufacturing cost is low, the controlling is reliable and the precision is high.

Embodiments of the present invention control an atmosphere of a volume surrounding an energy conversion unit, such as a concentrator photovoltaic device. Differences between pressures within the volume and pressures outside the volume are controlled to reduce stress on seals and to prevent contaminants and moisture from flowing into the volume. A chamber for housing an energy conversion unit in accordance with one embodiment includes a housing and a controller. The housing defines a first unit volume for containing the energy conversion unit. The controller is coupled to the first unit volume and automatically controls an environment in the first unit volume. In one embodiment, the controller provides a flow path from a second unit volume outside the housing to a bladder within the first unit volume. In other embodiments, the controller provides gas that maintains a slight positive differential between a pressure of the first unit volume and a pressure of the second unit volume, thereby ensuring that gas and thus contaminants do not flow from the second unit volume into the first unit volume. In still other embodiments, the flow path from the second unit volume into the first unit volume includes a labyrintine tube.

The present invention relates to a concentrator photovoltaic solar cell array for terrestrial use for generating electrical power from solar radiation which includes the following components: a collection lens for generating collection degree higher than 500X; solar cell of gathered beam path including a germanium substrate having a first photovoltaic node and forming a bottom solar sub-cell; a gallium arsenide middle sub-cell set on the substrate; and gallium phosphide indium top sub-cell set above the middle sub-cell and provided with band-gap maximizes absorption in AM1.5 spectral regions and thickness larger than 7000 angstrom; and sheet resistance smaller than 330 Ohm / square and suitable for operation in collection degree larger than 20 solar collection degree, wherein current density of the top sub-cell larger than 35 ampere / square centimeter.