Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100024805 | SOLAR PANELS FOR CONCENTRATING, CAPTURING, AND TRANSMITTING SOLAR ENERGY IN CONVERSION SYSTEMS - A panel for concentrating and collecting solar energy. The panel includes light collector assemblies that are positioned side-by-side. Each collector assembly includes a receiver element with an elongate body and a light receiving surface on a first side of the body that has a curved cross section. A concentrating lens extends along the length of the receiver body, and the lens is a flat or arched Fresnel lens adapted to focus incident light onto a long, thin strip along the length of the light receiving surface. A plurality of light transmission sheets or wafers extend along the receiver element body with a first edge of the sheet abutting (e.g., to provide optical coupling) a surface opposite the light receiving surface. Light is captured by the transmission sheets at angles that allow total internal reflectance to transmit the light to a master light sheet for transmission through the panel. | 02-04-2010 |
20100180928 | SOLAR ARRAYS AND OTHER PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) DEVICES USING PV ENHANCEMENT FILMS FOR TRAPPING LIGHT - A solar energy conversion assembly for efficiently capturing solar energy by providing additional chances to absorb reflected sunlight. The assembly includes one or more solar cells that each include a light-receiving surface. A fraction of light incident upon the light-receiving surface is reflected. The assembly includes a photovoltaic (PV) enhancement film of transparent material such as plastic positioned to cover at least a portion of the light-receiving surface. The PV enhancement film includes a substrate positioned proximate to or abutting the light-receiving surface. The film includes a plurality of total internal reflection (TIR) elements on the substrate opposite the light-receiving surface. The TIR elements transmit initially received or incident light to the light-receiving surface of the solar cell without significant focusing and then use TIR to trap a substantial portion of the reflected light to provide additional chances for absorption such that typically lost light may be converted to electricity. | 07-22-2010 |
20100180929 | PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) ENHANCEMENT FILMS FOR ENHANCING OPTICAL PATH LENGTHS AND FOR TRAPPING REFLECTED LIGHT - A solar energy conversion assembly for efficiently capturing solar energy by providing additional chances to absorb reflected sunlight and providing longer path lengths in the photovoltaic (PV) material. The assembly includes a PV device including a layer of PV material and a protective top covering the PV material (e.g., a planar glass cover applied with adhesive to the PV material). The assembly further includes a PV enhancement film formed of a substantially transparent material, and film is applied to at least a portion of the protective top such as with a substantially transparent adhesive. The PV enhancement film includes a plurality of absorption enhancement structures on the substrate opposite the PV device. Each absorption enhancement structure includes a light receiving surface that refracts incident light striking the PV enhancement film to provide an average path length ratio of greater than about 1.20 in the layer of PV material. | 07-22-2010 |
20100181014 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) ENHANCEMENT FILMS - A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic (PV) enhancement film. The method includes providing an extrusion device with an embossing roller engraved to have a pattern corresponding to a set of absorption enhancement structures. The method includes feeding a web of substantially transparent material, such as an UV-stabilized blend of polycarbonate or acrylic. The method includes rolling the embossing roller against a first side of the web to form the absorption enhancement structures. The absorption enhancement structures each include a light receiving surface that directs at least a portion of light that passes through a second side of the web toward the first side back toward the second side (e.g., the structures may be configured to provide total internal reflection when applied to a PV device). The structures refract incident light to provide an average path length ratio of greater than about 1.10 in the PV device. | 07-22-2010 |
20100185991 | COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD OF OPTIMIZING REFRACTION AND TIR STRUCTURES TO ENHANCE PATH LENGTHS IN PV DEVICES - A computer-implemented method is provided for optimizing configuration of absorption enhancement structures for use in a photovoltaic enhancement film that is applied onto a PV device to improve absorption. The method includes receiving optimization run input defining a PV enhancement film including defining absorption enhancement structures with differing configurations. The method includes modeling a PV device including PV material such as a silicon thin film. A first ray tracing is performed over a range of incidence angles for the PV device. The method includes determining a set of base path angles for the PV material layer based on this first ray tracing. A second ray tracing is performed for the PV device with the enhancement film, which has absorption enhancement structures. Enhanced path lengths are determined based on the second ray tracking, and path length ratios are determined by comparing the enhanced path lengths to the base path lengths. | 07-22-2010 |
20110067687 | Tracking Fiber Optic Wafer Concentrator - A solar power system for supplying concentrated solar energy. The system includes a cylindrical absorber tube carrying the working fluid and a concentrator assembly, which includes an array of linear lenses such as Fresnel lenses. The concentrator assembly includes a planar optical wafer paired with each of the linear lenses to direct light, which the lenses focus on a first edge of the wafers, onto the collector via a second or output edge of the wafers. Each of the optical wafers is formed from a light transmissive material and acts as a light “pipe.” The lens array is spaced apart a distance from the first edges of the optical wafers. This distance or lens array height is periodically adjusted to account for seasonal changes in the Sun's position, such that the focal point of each linear lens remains upon the first edge of one of the optical wafers yearlong. | 03-24-2011 |
20110079267 | LENS SYSTEM WITH DIRECTIONAL RAY SPLITTER FOR CONCENTRATING SOLAR ENERGY - A concentration system or solar concentrator for supplying concentrated solar energy. The system includes a lens array with linear lenses focusing light received on an outer surface onto a number of focal point or focused lines of light. The system includes a light wafer with a substantially planar body formed of a thickness of a light transmissive material. The body includes a top surface facing the lens array and receiving the focused light from at least one the linear lens and further includes a bottom surface opposite the top surface. The light wafer includes a ray splitter, in the form of a triangular air gap, paired to each linear lens at or near a focal point of the paired lens to direct the received focused light into the body or towards edges or sides of the body where a solar collector such as a thermal or photovoltaic collector is positioned. | 04-07-2011 |
20110214665 | Tracking Fiber Optic Wafer Concentrator - A solar power system for supplying concentrated solar energy. The system includes a cylindrical absorber tube carrying the working fluid and a concentrator assembly, which includes an array of linear lenses such as Fresnel lenses. The concentrator assembly includes a planar optical wafer paired with each of the linear lenses to direct light, which the lenses focus on a first edge of the wafers, onto the collector via a second or output edge of the wafers. Each of the optical wafers is formed from a light transmissive material and acts as a light “pipe.” The lens array is spaced apart a distance from the first edges of the optical wafers, This distance or lens array height is periodically adjusted to account for seasonal changes in the Sun's position, such that the focal point of each linear lens remains upon the first edge of one of the optical wafers yearlong. | 09-08-2011 |
20110232721 | PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) ENHANCEMENT FILMS OR PROTECTIVE COVERS FOR ENHANCING SOLAR CELL EFFICIENCES - A solar energy conversion assembly for efficiently capturing solar energy by providing additional chances to absorb reflected sunlight and providing longer path lengths in the photovoltaic (PV) material. The assembly includes a PV device including a layer of PV material and a protective top covering the PV material (e.g., a planar glass cover applied with adhesive to the PV material). The assembly further includes a PV enhancement film formed of a substantially transparent material, and film is applied to at least a portion of the protective top such as with a substantially transparent adhesive. The PV enhancement film includes a plurality of absorption enhancement structures on the substrate opposite the PV device. Each absorption enhancement structure includes a light receiving surface that refracts incident light striking the PV enhancement film to provide an average path length ratio of greater than about 1.20 in the layer of PV material. | 09-29-2011 |