EP2286051A1 - Fenêtre à panneau solaire - Google Patents

Fenêtre à panneau solaire

Info

Publication number
EP2286051A1
EP2286051A1 EP09727138A EP09727138A EP2286051A1 EP 2286051 A1 EP2286051 A1 EP 2286051A1 EP 09727138 A EP09727138 A EP 09727138A EP 09727138 A EP09727138 A EP 09727138A EP 2286051 A1 EP2286051 A1 EP 2286051A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
light
capture
pane
ridged
layer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP09727138A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP2286051A4 (fr
Inventor
John Paul Morgan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Morgan Solar Inc
Original Assignee
Morgan Solar Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Morgan Solar Inc filed Critical Morgan Solar Inc
Priority claimed from PCT/CA2009/000427 external-priority patent/WO2009121180A1/fr
Publication of EP2286051A1 publication Critical patent/EP2286051A1/fr
Publication of EP2286051A4 publication Critical patent/EP2286051A4/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
    • E06B3/00—Window sashes, door leaves, or like elements for closing wall or like openings; Layout of fixed or moving closures, e.g. windows in wall or like openings; Features of rigidly-mounted outer frames relating to the mounting of wing frames
    • E06B3/66—Units comprising two or more parallel glass or like panes permanently secured together
    • E06B3/67—Units comprising two or more parallel glass or like panes permanently secured together characterised by additional arrangements or devices for heat or sound insulation or for controlled passage of light
    • E06B3/6715—Units comprising two or more parallel glass or like panes permanently secured together characterised by additional arrangements or devices for heat or sound insulation or for controlled passage of light specially adapted for increased thermal insulation or for controlled passage of light
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/054—Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means
    • H01L31/0543—Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means comprising light concentrating means of the refractive type, e.g. lenses
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/054—Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means
    • H01L31/0547—Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means comprising light concentrating means of the reflecting type, e.g. parabolic mirrors, concentrators using total internal reflection
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
    • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
    • E06B9/24—Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blinds
    • E06B2009/2417—Light path control; means to control reflection
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
    • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
    • E06B9/24—Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blinds
    • E06B2009/2476—Solar cells
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S70/00—Details of absorbing elements
    • F24S70/60—Details of absorbing elements characterised by the structure or construction
    • F24S2070/62—Heat traps
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S80/00—Details, accessories or component parts of solar heat collectors not provided for in groups F24S10/00-F24S70/00
    • F24S80/50—Elements for transmitting incoming solar rays and preventing outgoing heat radiation; Transparent coverings
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
    • Y02B10/00—Integration of renewable energy sources in buildings
    • Y02B10/10—Photovoltaic [PV]
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y02E10/52—PV systems with concentrators

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to the harvesting of solar energy. More particularly, the present invention relates to a solar light-guide concentrator that can be used as a window.
  • an apparatus for collecting light comprising a light-capturing pane made of a first optically transmissive material having a first refractive index.
  • the light-capturing pane has a planar input surface and an opposite, ridged output surface.
  • the planar input surface is in contact with an exterior medium having an exterior medium refractive index.
  • the ridged output surface includes a plurality of pairs of adjoining surfaces, each pair of adjoining surfaces defines a ridge.
  • Each pair of adjoining surfaces has a reflective surface and a collector surface.
  • the reflective surface is in contact with a second optically transmissive material having a second refractive index, which is lower than the first refractive index.
  • the apparatus further comprises a plurality of light-collecting devices in optical communication with respective collector surfaces.
  • the apparatus has a first critical capture angle defined in accordance with at least an orientation of the reflective surfaces with respect to the planar input surface, the exterior medium refractive index, the first refractive index and the second refractive index. A portion of light incident on the input surface at an angle of incidence at least as large as the first critical capture angle is directed to one of the reflective surfaces to undergo a first total internal reflection and, therefrom, to propagate, within the light-capturing pane, to one of the collector surfaces for harvesting by a respective light-collecting device.
  • the apparatus can further comprise a reflecting structure spaced- apart from the light-capturing pane.
  • the reflecting structure faces the ridged output surface.
  • the reflector structure and the ridged output surface define a volume therebetween. The volume is filled substantially by the second optically transmissive material.
  • the reflector structure has a shape complementary to the ridged output surface of the light-capturing pane.
  • the apparatus having a second critical capture angle which is such that a portion of light incident at an angle comprised between the second critical capture angle and the first critical capture angle is directed toward a reflective surface, transmits through the reflective surface and through the second optically transmissive material to reflect off a segment of the reflecting structure. The segment is substantially parallel to the reflective surface.
  • the reflecting structure can includes one of a metallic reflector, a dielectric reflector, and a reflective hologram.
  • the apparatus can further comprise a transmissive hologram to receive light incident thereon at a first angle and to transmit the light towards the input surface at a second angle.
  • the apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a light-rectifying pane made of a third optically transmissive material having a third refractive index, the light-rectifying layer having a ridged input surface complementary to the ridged output surface of the light-capturing pane, the light-rectifying pane further having a planar output surface opposite the ridged input surface, the light-rectifying pane being spaced apart from the light-capturing pane with the output ridged surface facing the input ridged surface, light being incident on the light-capturing pane at an angle of incidence less that the first critical capture angle being transmitted through the light-capturing pane, into the light-rectifying pane and exiting the light- rectifying pane through the planar output surface of the light-rectifying layer.
  • the third refractive index can be substantially equal to the first refractive index.
  • the apparatus can be such that each collector surface is substantially orthogonal to the planar input surface of the light-capturing pane.
  • the light-capturing pane can comprise a layer of optically transmissive material that has a refractive index lower that that the first refractive index.
  • the layer can be formed between the input surface and the ridged output surface.
  • the light-capturing pane can include an optically transmissive sheet and a plurality of prisms secured to the optically transmissive sheet.
  • the prisms can include a matrix and a plurality of aggregates disposed in the matrix.
  • the aggregates can include at least one of cylinder-shaped aggregates, parallepiped- shaped aggregates, sphere-shaped aggregates, wedge-shaped aggregates, and random-shaped aggregates.
  • the light-collecting devices are photovoltaic cells.
  • the first optically transmissive material includes at least one of glass, poly(methyl methacrylate), polycarbonate, urethane, poly-Urethane, silicone rubber, optical epoxies, and cyanoacrylates or any suitable combination thereof.
  • the present invention provides a solar panel window that comprises a first pane and a second pane adjacent to each other.
  • the first pane has a first ridged surface and the second pane has a second ridged surface.
  • the first and second ridged surfaces are complementary to each other.
  • the first and second panes are secured to each other with the first ridged surface facing the second ridged surface.
  • the solar panel window further comprises a plurality of solar cells mounted on the first ridged surface.
  • the first ridged surface can include a plurality of prismatic ridges, each ridge having a long side and a short side, the plurality of solar cell being mounted to the short sides.
  • a solar panel window that comprises a light input sheet and a light output sheet.
  • the solar panel window further comprises a plurality of compound light capture prisms formed between the light input sheet and the light output sheet.
  • Each compound light capture prism includes a first capture prism having a first refractive index and a second capture prism having a second refractive index.
  • the second refractive index is greater than the first refractive index.
  • the first capture prism and the second capture prism abut each other to define a total internal reflection interface.
  • the second capture prism has a collector face. The first capture prism can receive light from the light input sheet and propagate the light to the second capture prism, through the total internal reflection interface.
  • the second capture prism can propagate the light received from the first capture prism to the collector face.
  • the solar panel window further comprises a plurality of photovoltaic cells in optical communication with respective collector faces. Each photovoltaic cell can generate a voltage in accordance with the light received at its respective collector face.
  • the solar panel window can allow light impinging thereon through a pre-determined viewing angle to be transmitted inside a building to which the solar panel window is mounted with light impinging on the window outside the predetermined viewing angled being directed to the plurality of solar cells.
  • Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a Capture Layer of the present disclosure
  • Figs. 2A and 2B show a side view of the Capture Layer of Fig. 1 , with solar cells secured to the Capture Layer;
  • Figs. 3A and 3B show the Capture Layer of Figs. 2A and 2B with incoming rays at different angles of incidence;
  • Figs. 4A-4C show the economy of photovoltaic cell material that can be realized with the Capture Layer of Fig. 1 ;
  • Fig. 5 shows how concentration of light can be realized with a prism of the Capture Layer of Fig. 1 ;
  • Fig. 6 shows how an additional solar cell can be secured to the bottom of a Capture Layer in order to harvest light reaching that point
  • Figs. 7A and 7B show a Rectifying Layer placed side by with a Capture Layer to form an embodiment of a solar panel window of the present invention
  • Fig. 8 shows how a viewing angle of an embodiment of a solar panel window the present invention affects which exterior objects are visible from inside;
  • Figs. 9A-9D show an example of how a solar cell material can be secured to optical prisms that can be used in manufacturing a Capture Layer of the present disclosure
  • Figs. 10A and 10B show an embodiment of a Rectifying Layer having a mirrored surface
  • Figs. 11 A and 11 B show another embodiment of a Capture Layer of the present disclosure
  • Figs. 12A and 12B show a solar module made using a Capture Layer with a conformal mirror
  • Fig. 13 shows a Capture Layer with a conformal mirror separated from the Capture Layer by a lower index layer of material
  • Figs. 14A and 14B shows a molding technique for making a solar module using a Capture Layer where PV cells can be encapsulated during the moulding step
  • Fig. 14C shows a perspective view of a mould used in the moulding techniques shown at Figs. 14A and 14B;
  • Fig. 14D shows a perspective view of a Capture Layer manufactured using the moulding techniques shown at Figs. 14A and 14B;
  • Figs. 15A-15C show detail on the different layers making up a Capture Layer including a glass front sheet, silicone molded ridges, low index cladding, a mirror coating and PV cells;
  • Figs. 16A-16E show a variety of ways glass filler can be employed to use less silicone in building the ridges of a Capture Layer
  • Fig. 16F shows a perspective view of the mould of Fig. 16E having glass rods and PV cells placed therein;
  • Fig. 16G shows a side view of the a Capture Layer obtained from the mould of Fig. 16E;
  • Figs. 17A-17C show ways that the glass front sheet can be textured
  • Fig. 18 shows a Capture Layer with a low index layer separating the glass front sheet from the ridges
  • Fig. 19 shows a Capture Layer made using a dielectric mirror that is chromatically selective and only reflects light usable by the PV cell to make electricity, transmitting infrared light;
  • Figs. 2OA and 2OB show a transmissive deflecting hologram that can be used to shift a capture fan of a Capture Layer;
  • Figs. 21 A and 21 B show a reflecting holographic deflector that can be used as a mirror behind a Capture Layer to shift the capture fan of the Capture Layer;
  • Figs. 22A and 22B show a raytrace of a Capture Layer based solar module using a mirror backing
  • Figs. 23A-23C show a raytrace of a Capture Layer based solar module that transmits some light
  • Fig. 24 shows plots of light capturing efficiency of the exemplary embodiments of Fig. 22A 1 22B, and 23A-23C, as a function of angle of incidence;
  • Figs. 25A and 25B show a Capture Layer based solar module in a roof top, horizontal application
  • Figs. 26A-26D shows a series wiring layout for a Capture Layer based solar module
  • Figs. 27A and 27B show a parallel wiring configuration for a Capture Layer based solar module
  • Figs. 28A and 28B show an electronic billboard assembly comprising a Capture Layer
  • Figs. 29A-29D shows exemplary dimensions and features for a building-integrated solar panel using a Capture Layer and/or a Rectifying Layer of the present disclosure
  • Fig. 30 shows side view of an embodiment of a prism of Capture Layer
  • Fig. 31 shows a similar Capture Layer embodiment as that of Fig. 18 except without a mirror backing;
  • Fig. 32 shows a raytrace of a Capture Layer based solar module using a mirror backing
  • Fig. 33 shows an exemplary embodiment of a wiring arrangement of PV cells
  • Fig. 34 shows another exemplary embodiment of a wiring arrangement of PV cells
  • Fig. 35 shows yet another exemplary embodiment of a wiring arrangement of PV cells
  • Figs. 36A and 36B shows an embodiment of PV cells connected in parallel
  • Fig. 37 shows an embodiment of PV cells connected in series
  • Figs. 38A and 38B show perspective views of exemplary embodiments of solar panel windows
  • Figs. 39A-39C show exemplary compound capture prisms and examples of solar panel windows using the compound capture prisms
  • Fig. 40 shows another exemplary compound capture prism having curved face
  • Figs. 41A-41 C shows another exemplary embodiment of a wiring arrangement of PV cells.
  • the solar panel window of the present invention differs from prior art solar window products in that it is angularly selective in the light that it absorbs and converts into electricity.
  • Light incident on the solar panel window at predetermined angles is transmitted through the window substantially unattenuated and undeviated, or with very little attenuation, while light incident from other angles is captured in the solar panel window, which acts as a waveguide.
  • the captured light is concentrated and propagated to solar energy collectors, such as photovoltaic (PV) cells that convert the light into electricity.
  • PV photovoltaic
  • the solar panel window can be achieved using a two-layer structure made out of transparent optical material.
  • a first layer referred to as a Capture Layer
  • the second layer referred to as a Rectifying Layer
  • the Rectifying Layer redirects light that was deflected but not captured by the Capture Layer.
  • the Rectifying Layer reverses the deflection of the Capture Layer, so that light that is not captured passes through the solar panel window unaltered.
  • the Rectifying Layer is what enables the solar panel window to act as a transparent window. Without the Rectifying Layer, the Capture Layer would still generate electricity but it would distort light passing through the window when viewed straight on.
  • the Rectifying Layer also enables the fabrication of an insulated sealed double pane window, which has better insulating properties than a single layer window.
  • Capture and Rectifying layers are substantially complementary in form and can in fact, can be identical in form, with the exception that the Capture layer has PV cells in optical communication therewith.
  • the Capture Layer and the Rectifying Layer can be made of any suitable transparent optical material such as, for example, glass or poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA, Poly Carbonate, Urethane or Poly-Urethane, Silicone Rubber, or any other suitable transparent optical material, as well as any suitable combination thereof.
  • the Capture layer and the Rectifying layer can form windowpanes that are flat on one face and have repeated saw-toothed ridges on the other face.
  • the layers can be manufactured with a sheet of material between the ridges and the outside face, the sheet having the ridges secured thereto.
  • FIG. 1 shows an exemplary Capture Layer 300 of the present disclosure.
  • the Capture Layer has a plurality of prisms 304 secured to a sheet 1004.
  • the rightmost prism 304 is shown spaced apart from the sheet 1004 to illustrate that the prisms 304 can be made as separate pieces from the sheet 1004.
  • Also shown at Fig. 1 is an outside face 302, onto which sunlight impinges (not shown).
  • the prisms 304 which can also be referred to as ridges, can be substantially identical to each other with each prism defining a linear optic having a right triangle profile, oriented with its hypotenuse 1003 parallel to the outside face 302 of the Capture Layer 300.
  • the ensemble of prisms 304 defines a ridged output surface of the Capture Layer 300.
  • the right triangle has two legs of different lengths. The face made by the shorter of the two legs can be referred to as a collector face 306, and is where PV cells 310 are affixed. The face made by the longer leg can be referred to as a reflective face 308, and is left bare.
  • the Rectifying Layer of a solar panel window of the present invention can be shaped identically to the capture layer 300, except that it has no PV cells secured thereto.
  • the orientation of the Light Capture layer 300 shown at Fig. 2B is used.
  • the face of the ridges to which PV cells 310 are affixed, i.e., the collector faces 306, can be referred to as the bottom face of the ridge.
  • the outside face 302 of the Capture Layer is vertical.
  • Normal incidence 904 on the capture layer refers to light traveling horizontally. Light with angles of incidence above normal incidence 906 is striking the panel from above, and similarly light with angles below normal incidence 908 is striking the panel from below.
  • the 300 deflects the majority of light downwards 1012. Of the light incident on the Capture Layer 300 at or below normal incidence 1010, a small fraction is captured by the Capture Layer 300 through Fresnel reflections. Another fraction of the light incident on the Capture Layer 300 at or below normal incidence 1010 strikes the PV cells 310 directly. As the angle of incidence of light on the Capture layer 300 increases above the normal, the proportion of captured versus deflected light increases. There is a critical angle of incidence beyond which the Capture Layer 300 will capture all light, except the light that is lost at the outside face by Fresnel reflection. This angle is referred to as the critical capture angle (CCA). A ray 907 is depicted as impinging on the outside face 302 at the CCA.
  • the ensemble of prisms 304 defines a ridged output surface of the Capture Layer 300. The input surface 302 and the ridged output surface define a volume therebetween, which is substantially homogenously filled by the material making up the Capture Layer 300.
  • the CCA depends on the ratio between the lengths of the long and short legs of the right triangle that forms the ridges (i.e., the length ratio of the reflective face 308 and of the collector face 306), on the index of refraction of the material used to make the Capture Layer 300, and on the index of refraction of the material which surrounds the Capture Layer 300 (this material can be, for example, air).
  • this material can be, for example, air.
  • the CCA is about 45 degrees measured from the normal of the panel.
  • the Capture Layer 300 of Figs. 3A and 3B has these exemplary characteristics. In this scenarios a ray 908 that impinges on the Capture Layer 300 at an angle greater that the CCA and is trapped in the Capture Layer.
  • (prism 304) changes the CCA.
  • the CCAs are approximately 24 degrees, 37 degrees, and 50 degrees respectively. Decreasing the leg length ratio reduces the CCA leading to more light being captured overall, however it requires the use of larger PV cells 310 to cover a given window area. Increasing the index of refraction also decreases the critical capture angle. For example, a Capture Layer made using a material with an index of refraction of 2.0 and a leg ratio 4:1 has a critical capture angle of 33 degrees. However, there is less design flexibility in this design variable, because most optical dielectrics and polymers have indices of refraction close to 1.5. Additional details on the CCA for different embodiments of the present disclosure are discussed further below.
  • the solar panel window of the present invention can act essentially as a non-tracking concentrating solar panel.
  • the optics of the Capture Layer 300 concentrate incident sunlight onto PV cell strips where the light is absorbed and converted into electricity. These PV cells strips have less area than the Capture Layer's outside face 302. As such, less PV material is used than would be if the PV material were used to absorb the sunlight directly.
  • Figs. 4A-4C show examples of how sunlight incident from 45 degrees above horizontal can be absorbed by PV cells.
  • the example at Fig. 4A shows PV cells oriented vertically - as would be the case if a solar panel were positioned vertically.
  • the example of Fig. 4B shows how PV cells can be positioned at a 45-degree slant to absorb sunlight directly; in this orientation the light hits the PV cells with normal incidence.
  • positioning PV cells such that light impinges thereon at normal incidence is an optimal orientation, employing minimum PV material to absorb the light directly.
  • the example of Fig. 4C shows the Capture Layer 300 using ridges with a 4:1 leg ratio and a CCA of 45 degrees with relatively small PV cells 310 attached thereto.
  • the Capture Layer 300 is concentrating sunlight onto the PV cells 310. Per unit height, the Capture Layer 300 employs roughly four times less PV material than the vertically oriented panel (Fig. 4A) and almost three times less PV material than the slanted solar panel (Fig. 4B). The intensity of sunlight incident on the PV cells 310 secured to the Capture Layer 300 of Fig. 4C is three times more intense than the intensity of sunlight incident on the slanted solar panel of Fig. 4B.
  • the Capture Layer 300 does not function as a solar panel when sunlight is incident at an angle normal to the Capture Layer 300. In this instance the Capture Layer 300 only deflects light downward as shown at Fig. 3B.
  • the Capture Layer 300 functions as a solar concentrator when the angle of incidence of the light is above the critical capture angle, as described above.
  • Capture Layer optics The action of the Capture Layer optics is due to the shape of ridges
  • the sheet 1004 (shown at Fig. 1 ) to which the prisms 304 are secured is not purely structural. It is transparent, and light can travel inside the sheet 1004 as well as within the ridges 304. Some light can miss the PV cells on the ridges and reach the bottom of the sheet 1004.
  • a PV cell strip 1014 can be placed here to capture the light as shown at Fig. 6.
  • Figs. 7A and 7B show an embodiment of a solar panel window
  • the Light Rectifying Layer 1016 and the Light Capture Layer 300 can have the same shape as the Capture Layer 300 but without PV cells.
  • the Light Rectifying Layer 1016 and the Light Capture Layer 300 should have substantially complementary shapes.
  • the Rectifying layer 1016 is positioned next to the Capture Layer so that the ridges of each layer quasi-interlock.
  • a small gas-filled gap 1018 is present between the Light Capture layer 300 and the Light Rectifying layer 1016.
  • the gap 1018 allows total internal reflection in the Capture Layer 300 to occur and it also provides improved insulation for the window, as in double pane windows.
  • the Rectifying Layer 1016 and the Capture Layer 300 can be secured together using any suitable mechanism such as those used to secure to each other, glass panes of a double pane window.
  • the Rectifying Layer 1016 reverses the deflection that occurred at the Capture Layer 300 for light that was not captured by PV cells 310. Because the ridge faces of both layers are substantially parallel, the deflection that occurs when light exits the Capture Layer will be reversed on entering the Rectifying Layer. No net deflection will occur and the SPW 1015 will transmit light substantially undistorted. If the gap 1018 is made very large then some distortion will occur, and some color separation will also occur. In cases where these effects are undesirable, the gap should be kept small.
  • Fig. 8 shows a Viewing Fan 1020 within which the SPW 1015 is transparent to a viewer 1024. At angles outside the Viewing Fan 1020, the SPW 1015 appears opaque.
  • the solar panel window 1015 uses prisms with a 4:1 leg ratio and the 45-degree critical angle example described above.
  • the example shows a person 1024 looking out a window with the sun overhead. Because the whole tree 1026 is within the viewing fan 1020, it will be completely visible through the window, but the sun that is overhead will be invisible to the person 1024 and the direct sunlight will be captured by the window and guided to the PV cells. The viewer will see thin horizontal lines in the window where the PV cells are located, but these will not meaningfully obstruct the view.
  • the solar panel window 1015 described above can be made from any suitable material in any suitable way.
  • Whole Capture Layers 300 and/or Rectifying Layers 1016 having ridges (prisms 304) included could be moulded, or cast out, of a material such as, for example, PMMA, Poly Carbonate, Poly Urethane, Silicone, or Glass.
  • the layers could also be extruded whole, out of the same material.
  • the Capture Layer 300 requires the addition of
  • PV cells 310 which can be any suitable type of photovoltaic cells such including crystalline semiconductor based, thin film based, or organic materials based.
  • the PV cells 310 can be manufactured and encapsulated, with or without a supporting substrate or superstrate, and then attached to the Capture Layer ridges (prisms 304) through any suitable means such as, for example, by using optical epoxy, silicone, mechanical holds, or by any other suitable means.
  • the PV cells 310 can also be built directly on the collector face 306
  • PV cell assembly can be used interchangeably with the expression “PV cell” or "PV cell strip" that extends along the long dimension (typically the width of the Light Capture layer 300) of the collector face 306.
  • the collector face 306 can be primed with encapsulating material, then the PV cell assembly can be positioned against the collector face, and a second application of encapsulating material can be applied to the backside of the PV cells 310 to completely encapsulate them.
  • the Capture Layer 300 will have to remain in place for a period to allow the encapsulant to set.
  • the Capture Layer 300 can be juxtaposed to a Rectifying Layer 1016 using any suitable approach such as, for example, approaches used to connect double pane windows together. These involve the use of aluminum or plastic spacers to separate the glass panes. The panes are hermetically bonded to the spacers using a butyl based bonding agent and secured in place using a silicone sealant. A desiccant can be placed inside the cavity created in order to absorb any incidental moisture which enters the cavity during fabrication or during use.
  • an aluminum or plastic extrusion could be used as a spacer and be bonded to the outer edges of the Capture Layer 300 and the Rectifying Layer 1016 using an butyl agent to create a seal against moisture and a silicone sealant to mechanically hold them together and maintain a gap therebetween.
  • the extrusion houses a desiccant to keep moisture from accumulating in the space between the windows. Dry air, or another insulating gas such as argon, can be injected into the space between the windows.
  • the SPW 1015 will typically have wires or electrical connections at one or more of its outside edges.
  • the strips of PV cells 310 have conductors connecting the individual PV cells 310 to each other to form a series of PV cells (PV cell assembly). Wires connected at one end to the strips of PV cells 310 can be routed down the edges of the solar panel window 1015 in the aluminum extrusions to exit at the base of the window for connection to any suitable circuitry that uses or stores electricity.
  • the area where the wires exit or where an electrical connector is located can to be sealed against moisture.
  • the PV cells 310 can be affixed in any suitable way to the ridges (prisms 304), in particular on the collector faces 306 of the prisms 304, of the Capture Layer 300 either before or after the ridges are affixed to the sheet of the Capture Layer.
  • the ridges can be formed by any means including extrusion of PMMA, Poly Carbonate, Poly Urethane, Glass, Silicone, or moulding from any of the aforementioned materials or simply by grinding out of glass.
  • PV cells 310 can be secured to many ridges simultaneously.
  • the ridges (prisms 304) can be formed and then braced together so that the collector face 306 of all the ridges are in a same plane and flush with one another.
  • many ridges can be formed as one piece so that the PV faces of adjacent ridges would be joined together by thin sections of material.
  • the goal of combining the ridges like this is to create a large, flat surface, to which PV cells 310 can be applied. Performing the same processing steps to many ridges simultaneously saves time and money, and furthermore, by increasing the size of the area to which PV cells 310 are applied enables the use of conventional PV cell application processes.
  • PV cells can be applied to the collector faces 306 of the ridges in a thin film deposition process such as vacuum deposition.
  • a thin film deposition process such as vacuum deposition.
  • the technical difficulty of applying thin film PV cells to the PV faces of the ridges is not be very different from that of applying thin film PV cells to a glass sheet because in both cases the face to which the PV cells is applied is flat.
  • PV cell encapsulation using Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) 920 and Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) 922 can be used.
  • PV cells 310 are placed between two sheets of EVA 920 on the collector face 306.
  • the PV cells 310 can be soldered together in series before being positioned between the EVA 920 sheets.
  • a sheet of ETFE 922 can be placed on top of the EVA 920, and the whole stack placed in a curing oven.
  • the ridges (prisms 304) need to be separated so that they can be used to make a Capture Layer 300. This requires cutting, breaking, or cleaving any material bonds that formed during the PV cell application process, as well as adjoining PV cells themselves, but this can be very simple.
  • the ridges can be mounted on a sheet of optically transmissive material 1004 to make the Capture Layer 300 of, for example, a SPW 1015.
  • the ridges would need to be wired so that the electricity they produce could be extracted from the module.
  • the ridges can be mounted in any suitable manner used for glass lamination processes including using epoxies, silicone, polyvinyl acetate (PVA) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and using any curing method including Ultra Violet light curing, heat curing, or multi-component adhesives that are mixed before application and can react and cure at room temperature.
  • a third layer of glass (not shown) can be used to increase the insulation of a SPW. This layer can be added to the interior of the window or to the exterior of the window.
  • the SPW 1015 can be adapted to make a Solar Wall Panel, which is an apparatus that does not transmits light and which functions as a building clad in places on a building where there are no windows, and where vertical solar panel type apparatus is desired. While the SPW 1015 described above can be applied in this situation, the CCA attributable to the SPW 1015 can be reduced substantially for a Solar Wall Panel by, for example, applying a reflective coating to the ridged side (ridged input surface) of the Rectifying Layer 1016.
  • Adding such a reflecting layer reduces the critical capture angle for the Capture Layer by causing light that would, in a SPW, be deflected out of the Capture Layer 300 and transmitted through the Rectifying Layer 1016, to propagate for a second time in the Capture Layer 300. On this second pass, there is another opportunity for light capture.
  • a SPW 1015 that has an index of refraction of 1.5 and a leg ratio of 4:1 , has a CCA of 45 degrees (this CCA can be referred to as a first CCA).
  • the resulting panel has a critical capture angle of 21 degrees (this CCA can be referred to as a second CCA).
  • This embodiment is shown at Figs. 1OA and 1OB where a Solar Wall Panel 930 is depicted with its Rectifying Layer 1016 having a mirrored face 932, which comprises the ridged input face of the Rectifying Layer 16 and a mirror.
  • a ray that reflects three times off a mirrored surface will be reduced to 59% of its original intensity. For this reason, it is advisable to have an air gap between the mirrored surfaces and the Capture layer, so that light only needs to reflect once off the mirrored surfaces at most, and thereafter is reflected by very efficient TIR until it reaches a PV cell 310. This one reflection will cause an attenuation of no more than 16%.
  • the solar panel windows and solar panel walls have been illustrated in a vertical orientation; however they can be deployed in any other suitable orientation such as a horizontal orientation or an oblique orientation without departing from the scope of the present invention.
  • the ridges (prisms 304) shown in all the figures have been shown to use right triangles. However, other types of triangles can be used. One possibility is to employ a right triangle with its hypotenuse being the bare face (reflector face 308) of the ridge (prism 304).
  • the PV cell 310 still sits on the short leg (collector face) of the triangle, and the long leg is now oriented parallel with the outside face of the layer 302. This arrangement, shown at Figs. 11A and 11 B, works in the same manner described above in relation to Fig. 3A. However, the PV cells 310 now sit flat and so they present a narrower profile to a viewer, leading to fainter black lines in the solar panel window.
  • Capture Layer 300 Only the Capture Layer 300 is shown at Figs. 11 A and 11 B; the corresponding Rectifying Layer would have the same shape (complementary shape) but without the PV cells 310. As will be understood by the skilled worker, triangles other than right triangles could also be used.
  • the PV faces can simply be painted black to absorb light impinging thereon. This would result in a window that appears clear to look through, but would not admit sunlight from above the CCA. This could be desirable from a standpoint of reducing cooling costs for buildings, and essentially replace the need for window blinds to create shade.
  • Manufacturing SPWs can be relatively simple and add only a few additional steps to typical manufacturing methods of double pane windows. This can be achieved by starting out with a double pane window that has an air gap of sufficient size to accommodate ridges (prisms 304) on each of the windowpanes.
  • the ridges, with PV cells already secured thereto, can be fixed to glass of the windows using a small quantity of epoxy that would be hidden by the trim around the window.
  • the window trim can be altered slightly to allow for the wires connected to the PV cell strips to exit the SPW; these wires can all be hidden view and/or incorporated into the trim.
  • any other suitable process can be used to laminate the prisms to the glass sheet, as previously described.
  • the solar panel window 1015 becomes an opaque solar panel that captures light at a lower CCA (referred to as the second CCA).
  • a panel can be made by either mirror coating the Rectifying Layer or by using a mirror that conforms to the capture layer, as shown at Figs. 12A and 12B.
  • the Capture Layer 300 can be made of an optical material, such as glass, PMMA, polycarbonate, silicone, or any other suitable optically transmissive material. Most typical optical materials have an index of refraction of approximately 1.5.
  • the Capture Layer has a flat collector face 302 and a plurality of ridges (prisms 304).
  • the prisms 304 have small facets (collector faces 306) and large facets (reflector face 308).
  • PV Cells 310 are secured to the collector faces 306.
  • the Capture Layer 300 redirects and guides incident light 312 impinging on the outside face 302 from any angle, measured from the surface normal of the collector 314, above a critical capture angle 316. The captured light is guided to the PV cells 310 where the light is absorbed and converted into electricity.
  • Some captured light such as ray 318 shown at Fig. 12B reflects 320 by total internal reflection (TIR) off the reflective face 308 and also reflects 322 by TIR off the outside face 302 before it strikes 324 a PV cell 310 where it is absorbed.
  • TIR total internal reflection
  • ray 318 shown there are only three bounces, however, other rays can potentially reflect hundreds of times (or any number of times) before encountering a PV cell, others only reflect once and others never reflect prior to encountering a PV cell.
  • rays such as 326 will not reflect by TIR at the first encounter with the reflective face 308, instead they will deflect 328. They then encounter, after an air gap 330, a mirror 332.
  • This mirror has facets 334 that are substantially parallel to the reflective faces 308.
  • This mirror 332 can be produced by mirror coating a Rectifying Layer, as described before. It can also be produced using a conformal mirror, which follows the form of the capture layer ridges 304 or, by using a stiff mirror such as one made out of folded aluminum.
  • the ray 326 reflects 336 off the mirror facet 334. This causes the ray to pass through the Capture Layer 300 for a second time and enables reflection 338 by TIR off the outside face 302. Once a ray has reflected by TIR off either the outside face 302 or one of the reflective faces 308 ,the ray is captured and will strike 324 a PV cell 310.
  • the reflections off the reflective faces 308 can be multiple for some light, it is better if these reflections are total internal reflections and not reflections off a mirror coating formed directly on the large facets 308. This is because total internal reflections reflect 100% of the incident light, whereas mirrors can have some inefficiency and absorb some light.
  • a conformal mirror in intimate contact with the capture layer is not optimum.
  • Such an intimate contact would include a mirror coating applied to the Capture Layer 300 or a mirror bonded to the Capture Layer using an optical adhesive with the same index of refraction as the Capture Layer. Both of these arrangements would create a situation where the mirror would absorb light on every single reflection off the reflective faces 308.
  • any mirror employed can have an air gap 330 between the reflective faces 308 and the mirror facets.
  • an air gap light reflects only once off the mirror, and then it reflects by total internal reflection off the outside face 302. Once trapped inside the Capture Layer 300, the light reflects off the outside face 302 and the reflective face 308 by total internal reflection only. Some light never reflects off the mirror and reflects only by total internal reflection during the capturing process and while it is trapped and propagated to the PV cells 310.
  • the mirror shown in the previous image can be any suitable mirror including a Mylar mirror, an aluminum mirror, and a mirror coated polymer film or sheet, a multilayer dielectric stack mirror, or any suitable reflective sheet material. Additionally, the mirror can be made by mirror coating a ridged structure such as, for example, a rectifying layer structure.
  • An arrangement employing an intervening low index optical material before the mirror will have the same critical capture angle as the arrangement using the air gap before the mirror.
  • the index of the intervening material will determine the maximum number of reflections off the mirror that can occur before total internal reflections take over.
  • FIG. 13 A case where the capture layer has an index of refraction of 1.5 and the optical material between the capture layer and the mirror has an index of 1.4 is shown at Fig. 13.
  • the capture layer 300 (with an index of refraction of 1.5) is separated from the mirror 332 by a layer of lower index material 340 (with an index of refraction of 1.4).
  • the CCA 316 (which can be referred to a the second CCA) is 21 degrees from the surface normal 314 of the capture layer.
  • a ray 342 at the critical angle deflects 344 on entering the capture layer 300. It is then deflected again 346 on entering the lower index material 340 and reflects 348 off the mirror 332. It deflects 350 again on re-entering the capture layer 300. It totally internally reflects 352 off the outside face 302. It then deflects again 354 on entering the lower index material 340. Once again it reflects 356 off the mirror 332, deflects 358 on re-entering the capture layer 300 and totally internally reflects 360 off the outside face 302 of the capture layer 300. It then totally internally reflects 362 off the interface 364 between the capture layer 300 and the lower index material 340, and strikes the PV cell 310.
  • the lower index material can be any material with a lower index of refraction than the capture layer.
  • the lower index material 340 has an index of 1.4; however, a material with higher index or lower index could also be used provided that it has a lower index of refraction than the remainder of the optical material in the Capture Layer 300. Potential material combinations are described below.
  • a Capture Layer could easily be moulded out of a variety of optical polymers, such as polymethyl meth-acrylate (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC) using any conventional moulding processes such as, for example, injection moulding, extrusion, compression moulding.
  • PMMA polymethyl meth-acrylate
  • PC polycarbonate
  • Polycarbonate is known to yellow during exposure to UV light, which would be undesirable for a solar power product.
  • PMMA is flammable and thus might not be desirable as a product for building windows.
  • Silicone and glass are more appropriate materials for building integrated solar modules being flame retardant.
  • Other polymers, including, for example, PMMA, Polycarbonate and Polyurethane might also be used but then it might be required to include flame retardant additives or ultraviolet blockers to the material formulation in order to ensure good operation and conform with building codes in the market in question.
  • a fabrication method for the present invention is to mould silicone over sheets of glass.
  • Moulded Silicone has very glass like properties except that it is softer and more pliant. Further, moulded silicone can be used to encapsulate and protect PV cells from moisture.
  • the mould could also be made of a material other than steel, for example, PMMA can be used to make a mould as Silicone does not adhere to PMMA. Cast PMMA sheet is extremely smooth and does not need to be polished, and can be used to make a mould which will transfer the high degree of polish to the material being moulded. Materials other than silicone can also be moulded in this way, including but not limited to poly(methyl methacrylate), polycarbonate, urethane, and poly-Urethane.
  • Fig. 14B shows a perspective view of the mould 366 with the PV cell strips 370 in place (however, lateral sides of the mould, preventing running of silicon outside the mould, are not shown). A glass sheet can placed over the mould, and silicone is pumped or poured in to fill the mould. Fig.
  • 14D shows the outcome of the process: a capture layer with PV cell strips 370 located along silicone ridges 368 attached to a glass sheet 372.
  • a vacuum can be used to draw air out of the mould and draw the silicone resin or other polymer into the mould.
  • the PV cell strips 370 are partially encapsulated in the silicone forming the ridges, but their backside is revealed and can be encapsulated as well.
  • a second layer of silicone 374 can be applied. This layer can be the same silicone as was used to make the ridges (prisms 304). It can also be a lower index silicone. If, for example, the ridges were made of silicone with an index of 1.5, the second layer of silicone 374 can be made out of a layer of silicone with an index lower than 1.5.
  • Silicones exist which have indexes of around 1.4, (for example,
  • SylgardTM 184 form Dow Corning has an index of refraction of 1.42) and these could be employed. Mixing 1.4-index silicone with 1.3-index fluorinated PMMA or some other similar material could achieve lower index materials.
  • the second layer of silicone encapsulant (374) can be added by a second moulding step using another mould, or by any other suitable technique such as, for example, spray painting.
  • the silicone would have to be applied in very thin coats so that it would remain smooth and not run, however, it could be built up with a few coats.
  • an acrylic mould can be made to make the capture layer as shown at, for example, figures 14A-14D.
  • an acrylic mould can be made to make the capture layer as shown at, for example, figures 14A-14D.
  • a cast could be made with which to build moulds and, thus, moulds would be inexpensive allowing for rapid ramp- up of production for very low cost.
  • One master casting mould would be made (out of steel or glass) and acrylic moulds would be cast from this part.
  • the second advantage if silicone is used to make the ridges on the capture layer, is that acrylic does not bond very strongly to silicone. Because of this, the mould would be easy to remove. If the acrylic mould were very smooth, as would be the case if cast from a polished master casting mould, then the silicone ridges would also be very smooth.
  • Figs. 15B and 15C show a mirror coating 376, which can be applied over the silicone layer 374 by a painting technique, or by using another technique such as sputtering.
  • a mirror coating 376 can be applied over the silicone layer 374 by a painting technique, or by using another technique such as sputtering.
  • an aluminum mirror can be applied.
  • the final structure is the same as that shown at Fig. 13, with a capture layer and ridges made from moulded silicone and sheet glass.
  • the lower index of refraction material encapsulates the cells and insulates them from the mirror. This is useful in case the mirror is made from a metal like aluminum that is electrically conductive.
  • the panels can be painted in any color. This will give the solar modules the appearance of any color from certain viewing angles, while being an effective solar panel for light incident from other angles.
  • Figs 14A-14D and 15A-15C showed four ridges only on a sheet of glass.
  • any number of ridges can be used.
  • the ridges could be on the order or 1 cm tall, and the glass sheets could be as large as available glass sheets are. Some exemplary sizes are 8 feet by 4 feet, 2.5 meters by 1.5 meters, etcetera.
  • the ridges can have PV cell strips of 1 cm wide secured thereto, the PV cell strips being as long as the glass sheet. The PV cell strips would be made out of any number of individual PV cells.
  • glass filler material can be employed in making the prisms 304. Examples of this are shown at Fig. 16A-16F.
  • the mould 366 is filled with a glass material 369, also referred to simply as a filler material, before being filled with silicone 368 and capped with a glass sheet 372.
  • the glass material 369 can abut directly against the PV cells 370 to hold them in place in the mould 366.
  • Figs. 16A-16F show different geometries of glass material that can be used as filler. Some options include glass rods 378, glass sheet or blocks 380.
  • the mould could be almost completely filled with glass pieces 382 which are ridge shaped (wedge shaped) to fit the mould.
  • glass shards 384 could be used.
  • the silicone 368 has a very closely matched in index with the glass then light will not be scattered and reflected at the interface between the glass pieces and the silicone, the two materials will makeup the ridges together.
  • the silicone 368 is used to fill any interstices between the pieces of filler material, as well as to help fill the mould.
  • the glass sheet 372, silicone 368 and glass material filler can be selected such that their thermal expansion coefficients are suitably matched to each other. Further, in the case where the PV cells 370 are secured directly to a piece of glass filler material, such as shown at Fig. 16C where the PV cells 370 are secured directly to the glass wedges, the glass wedge can be chosen such that its thermal expansion coefficient is closely matched to that of the PV cells. Silicon PV cells have a coefficient of thermal expansion of 2.49 parts per million per degrees Kelvin at 20 degrees Celsius.
  • Dow Coming SylgardTM 184 has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 310 parts per million per degrees Kelvin at 20 degrees Celsius
  • other silicones by companies like Dow Corning, Quantum Silicones, and NuSiI have expansions coefficients ranging between 220-360 parts per million per degrees Kelvin at 20 degrees Celsius. Glasses are much lower in thermal expansion, for example Borosilicate glass by Schott marketed under the name DuranTM has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 3.3 parts per million per degrees Kelvin at 20 degrees Celsius, other borosilicate glasses by companies like Corning and SIMAX have similar characteristics and are very closely matched to silicon PV cells.
  • Fused Silica has lower coefficient of thermal expansion of 0.55 parts per million per degrees Kelvin at 20 degrees Celsius, while soda-lime glass typically has coefficients of thermal expansion greater than 8 parts per million per degrees Kelvin at 20 degrees Celsius.
  • the main glass being considered for use as both the window panes and the glass filler material are borosilicate glasses.
  • glass material 369 examples include glass fibers, glass beads, or glass in any other suitable shape.
  • Fig. 16E shows glass rods 378 used as filler material.
  • Fig. 16F shows the same rods 378 in a mould 366 before silicone has been added. The glass rods hold the PV cells inside the mould before silicone is added.
  • the prisms could be glass filled using either rods or other glass shapes that are index matched to silicone that makes up the primary material of the ridges of the capture layer. While it is possible to find glass and silicone that are very closely matched in terms of index of refraction, small deviations are almost inevitable.
  • the capture layer based solar module with glass insert rods as shown at figure 16G.
  • the glass sheet 476 and the ridges 478 of silicone have an index of 1.48.
  • the filling rods 484 have an index of refraction of 1.52.
  • the effects of this mismatch are to scatter some of the light by Fresnel reflections at the many interfaces between the silicone and the glass filler (if the indices were identical no scatter due to Fresnel reflections at the interfaces could occur). In the example shown, there are few enough interfaces that no measurable loss will occur.
  • the glass sheet As shown at Figs. 17A-17C, in further embodiments, the glass sheet
  • a glass sheet 372 can be textured instead of flat. Fig. 17A shows this can be done so that the glass sheet fills the mould almost completely.
  • the glass sheet 372 has integral ridges 386. Silicone with the same index as the glass sheet 368 can be used to encapsulate the PV cells 370.
  • a glass sheet 372 with integral small ridges 388 In the embodiment of Figs. 17B and 17C, a glass sheet 372 with integral small ridges 388. These ridges 388 increase the surface area of contact between the glass sheet 372 and the silicone 368 that forms the ridges.
  • a second layer of silicone 374 is also added on top of the ridges as before to completely encapsulate the PV cells 370.
  • This second layer of silicone 374 should be of lower index than the primary silicone 368 that forms the ridges, which has the same index as the glass sheet 372. After the second lower index film of silicone 374, a mirror coat or a paint coat for color can be added (these are not shown).
  • a low index layer of material can be used to separate the glass sheet from the prisms of the capture layer.
  • a glass sheet 301 is separated from the ridges 390 by a layer of low index material 392.
  • a same or similar low index material 394 separates the prisms 390 (ridges) from the mirror layer 396.
  • An exemplary ray 398 is shown. It follows a virtually identical trajectory to the ray 342 from figure 13, except that it totally internally reflects at a point 400 on the interface between the ridge material 390 and the low index material 392.
  • a layer of paint or a colored plastic or polymer can be used instead of a mirror.
  • a multi-layered dielectric mirror could be employed. These have several advantages. First, they can be made more efficient for target wavelengths than metallic mirrors. Second, they can be largely transparent to unwanted wavelengths of light, such as far infrared light that would heat up a PV cell without producing electricity. Thirdly, they can appear transparent for certain angles while reflecting for other angles. [0097] Dielectric mirrors can be designed for particular angles of incidence and wavelength. If silicon PV cells are used, then any light with a wavelength greater than about 1100 nm will not produce electricity and therefore it is not necessary that it be reflected towards a PV cell.
  • Figure 19 shows a panel made using a dielectric mirror 402.
  • Useful light 404 is captured, but infrared light 406 is passed through the panel. This is sometimes called a cold mirror, because it does not reflect infrared light.
  • Light form viewing angles such as that of ray 408 are also not reflected by the dielectric mirror.
  • Figs. 2OA and 2OB shows examples of the kinds of holograms that can be employed in the present invention.
  • Figure 2OA shows a transmissive hologram 410, which deflects incident light from inside an angle of incidence inside a cone 412 into an output cone of angles 414.
  • Fig. 2OB when the hologram 410 is placed in front of a capture layer 300 it deflects incident light 416 so that it is captured as shown in figure 20b. The output ray of the hologram 418 has been deflected so that it is now at or above the critical capture angle of the capture layer.
  • Fig. 2OB there is shown a layer of low index material 340 and a mirror 332 on the capture layer 300. Light is captured and propagates to a PV cell 310.
  • FIG. 21A and 21 B Another embodiment of the present invention is shown at Figs. 21A and 21 B where a deflecting holographic reflector 422 is shown.
  • the holographic reflector 422 reflects and deflects light from within an incident cone of angles 412 into an output cone of angles 424.
  • the holographic reflector 422 can replace the mirror 332 or the dielectric mirror 402 shown in exemplary embodiments above.
  • the holographic reflector 422 enables the capture of incident light from lower critical angles such as, the light ray 426 of Fig. 21 B.
  • the holographic reflector 422 can be separated from the capture layer 300 by an air gap, or by a layer of lower index of refraction material such as the layer 340 shown.
  • Some incident light such as light ray 426 will reflect twice off the holographic reflector.
  • Other rays, such as 428 will reflect only once off the holographic reflector.
  • Some other rays, such as 430 will only reflect off the interface (that is, off the reflector face) between the capture layer 300 and the lower index material 340 (the material in 340 can be air as well, which is also of a lower index than the capture layer).
  • Figure 22A shows an example of a capture layer based solar module 451 with 3.2 times concentration (the outside face 302 has 3.2 times more area than the sum of the areas of PV cells 310).
  • Incident light 452 in this case 20 degrees from the normal of the panel, is captured and propagated to the PV cells.
  • Figure 22B shows detail on one ridge of the capture layer.
  • material 454 has an index of refraction of 1.5 and is comprised for example, of glass or glass with silicone ridges. The ridges can be glass filled, as was described above in relation to figures 16A-16F and 17A-17C.
  • Figures 23A-23C show a capture layer based solar module 461 with
  • the material 454 has an index of refraction of 1.5 and is comprised of glass or glass with silicone ridges. The ridges can be glass filled, as was described above in relation to figures 16A-16F and 17A-17C. There is a low index material 456 with index 1.4 that serves as a cladding. As shown in figure 23A, normal light 460 is deflected by the capture layer and exits 462. Light above the critical capture angle, such as 464 at figures 23B and 23C is captured and propagated to the PV cells 310. [00103] Figure 24 shows a graph with four plots that show the simulated efficiency of each of the designs described above in relation to Figs.
  • Plot 800 corresponds to a 2.3X concentrator with mirror
  • plot 802 corresponds to a 2.3X concentrator without mirror
  • plot 804 corresponds to a 3.2X concentrator with mirror
  • plot 806 corresponds to a 3.2X concentrator without mirror.
  • the critical capture angle is clearly noticeable in the graph: as the optical efficiency (the efficiency with which light is conducted to the PV cells) increases sharply above a particular angle for each version of the solar module. Adding a mirror behind the low index cladding dramatically reduces the critical capture angle. In the case of 2.3 suns concentration with a mirror the critical capture angle is reduced to below normal incidence. Clear modules have higher critical capture angles. Not shown in this graph are variants using holographic reflectors, which would have lower critical angles.
  • the solar panel windows and solar panel walls exemplary embodiments described above have been drawn vertically, and have been described as solar walls and windows. However, they can also be used as solar skylights and solar roofing material. Solar panels using capture layers can be used in rooftop applications without any lifts to orient the panel.
  • An example of such a solar panel is shown at Fig. 25A with a capture layer 300 having a refractive index of 1.5, a low index layer 340 having an index below 1.5, and a mirror 332 to capture and couple light to several PV cells 310. Any light incident from an angle inside the capture fan 432 will be coupled to the PV cells.
  • the capture fan extends downs to 22.5 degrees to the south of normal, using the North arrow 434 from the figure as a reference.
  • the angle of incidence of sunlight on a flat surface depends on the latitude of the surface and the time of the year. It will vary over a fan of incident angles centered on the latitude and measured from the surface normal of a flat surface 436. As an example, if the latitude is 47 degrees north, the center of the fan of incident sunlight will be at 47 degrees south of the surface normal as indicated with the arrow 438. The sunlight will be incident at this angle at noon during the equinoxes. During the summer solstice, the sun will rise to its maximum height in the sky, and conversely its minimum angle with respect to the surface normal 436. The summer solstice brings the incident light 23.5 degrees closer to the normal, and the angle of incidence is shown with the arrow 440.
  • Fig. 25A shows an overlap between the capture fan 432 of the solar panel and the extreme angle of incidence of sunlight 440 and 442.
  • all the incident sunlight has an angle of incidence inside the fan of angles that are captured by the panel.
  • the panel of Fig. 25A would work at any latitude above 47 degrees North and would capture all the sunlight all year round without lifts. It would also work if oriented the opposite way south of 47 degrees South.
  • holographic mirrors or deflecting layers can be employed as described above, or the concentration can be reduced, for example, by changing the length ratio of the reflective face to that of the collector face, to lower the critical capture angle.
  • the capture layer index of approximately 1.5
  • a mirror coating either a metallic or multi-layered dielectric, a holographic film, or paint.
  • the low index material serves as a cladding (also referred to as a protective cladding).
  • a cladding allows for total internal reflection to occur at the interface between the high index material and the low index material.
  • each PV cell strip 444 includes a string of series connected individual PV cells, shown in circuit diagram notation.
  • Fig. 26B shows strings 444 affixed to the ridges of the capture layer 300.
  • Fig. 26C shows how these individual strings 444 are wired together in series 446.
  • Each module has one output port 448 with a positive and a negative lead.
  • Fig. 26D shows an example of a whole panel circuit diagram, showing each cell as an individual unit.
  • the module shown has 90 cells, but modules with any suitable number of PV cells can be made.
  • blocking diodes or bypass diodes can be added to the circuit as is typically done with solar panels.
  • PV cells are typically wired in series to make solar panels with silicon PV cells, so wiring the PV cell strips in series could use the same basic techniques such as solder ribbon.
  • FIG. 27A Another way to wire the PV cell strips is in parallel, as shown in the example of Fig. 27A.
  • Each string 450 is made up of a number of parallel- connected cells 447, and then the strings are connected in series as shown in figure 27B to make a module.
  • the advantage of this arrangement is that the strings 450 in effect act like one large PV cell. If a cell breaks for whatever reason, the remainder of the PV cells continues to function and produce current and the circuit is not broken. If all the cells were connected in series and one cell broke in half that would create an open circuit.
  • the viewers of the billboards being on foot or in cars, are generally below the billboards. Therefore, it would be advantageous to devise an optical system that deflects light downwards; this would increase the efficiency of the electronic billboard by shinning more light in the direction of the viewers.
  • Figure 28A shows a very simplified electronic billboard 466 with eight pixels 468.
  • a capture layer based solar module 461 such as from figure 26A-26C. Incident light from above the critical capture angle 452 is coupled to PV cells 310 and converted to electricity.
  • the capture layer based solar module 461 deflects light emitted from the pixels 470 of the billboard 466 downward.
  • the final output light 472 is traveling in a downwards direction, towards potential viewers, rather than off into space where no one will see it. By redirecting the light down towards viewers, the billboard can deliver more watts of light to viewers with pixels of less brightness. This allows for less energy to be employed for an image of the same brightness.
  • a real module can employ, by way of an example only, a glass sheet of 8 feet by 4 feet, with silicone ridges 1 cm tall and 4 feet long and PV cell strips approximately 1 cm wide and 4 feet long.
  • the ridge height would be 3.2 cm, so there would be seventy-six (76) ridges over the 8-foot height of the glass window.
  • Each of these ridges would have a PV cells strip which would be itself composed of ten 120 mm long, 1 cm tall PV cells which would be wired in parallel, or in series, together inside the strip 4 feet long.
  • the strips themselves would be wired together either all in series, or some combination of series and parallel.
  • Bypass and blocking diodes can be employed in the wiring of the module.
  • the voltage of silicon PV cells is approximately 0.45 volts, if all 76 PV cell strips were wired in series the module would have a final voltage of approximately 34 volts.
  • Figures 29A-29D show an embodiment of such an exemplary panel.
  • Figure 29A shows a front view of the panel
  • Fig. 29B shows a side view
  • Fig. 29C shows an isometric view showing the ridges
  • Fig. 29D shows detail on the ridges (prisms) themselves.
  • a glass flange 474 is visible in the detailed view figure 29D. It is likely, given the molding method employed where a glass sheet is used to close the mould that the glass sheet would extend beyond the edges of the ridges themselves.
  • Figs. 29A-29D are the PV cells, the cladding coat of lower index material, or the mirror coating, nor the glass filler that can be inside the prisms.
  • Figs. 29A-29D are shown purely to give a sense of scale and not to limit in any way the present disclosure.
  • the capture angle of a capture prism depends on the index of refraction of the capture prism and surrounding media and its wedge angle and can be calculated as follows.
  • An incident beam of light 500 in a medium with an index of refraction of n1 502 is incident upon a collector outside face 504 at a point 506.
  • the ray makes an angle A 508 with the surface normal 510 of the outside face 504.
  • the ray will deflect on entry into the prism, and the deflected ray 512 will make an angle B 514 with the surface normal 510 depending.
  • the angle B 514 depends on the index of refraction n2 516 inside the prism, the index n1 on the other side of the collector 504, and the angle of incidence A 508 and is calculated according to Snell's law:
  • the ray 512 will strike the rear side (reflective surface) of the prism at a point 520. Given a wedge angle W 522 of the prism, the ray 512 will make an angle of B+W 524 with respect to the surface normal 526 of the rear side 518.
  • the interface 518 separates the material 516 with index of n2 from the material 528 with index of n1. If the angle B+W 524 is greater than the critical angle for this interface, total internal reflection will occur.
  • the critical angle for this interface can be calculated as:
  • the critical angle is 41.81 degrees. If total internal reflection occurs then the ray is trapped indefinitely at this point. For a window where no mirror coating is applied, and where the surrounding media n1 is air, then the critical capture angle can be calculated using:
  • the critical capture angle A arcsin(n3/n1 - sin(W) * n2/n1 ).
  • the angle B+W 524 is less than the critical angle then reflection will not occur unless a mirror is applied to the backside of the ridge 518 or if a mirror is placed parallel to the face 518 such as when a mirror coating is applied to the rectifying layer, as shown above at Fig. 13. In this case the ray is reflected and the reflected ray 530 will strike the collector face 504 at a point 532. The angle that the ray 530 makes with the surface normal 510 is B+2W 534. If total internal reflection occurs then the ray is trapped indefinitely at this point.
  • the critical capture angle for rays when a mirror coating is present which can be referred to in the present disclosure as a second critical capture angle, will always be lower than the critical capture angle for rays with no mirror coating. It can be calculated in the same manner as above.
  • Figure 31 shows a similar embodiment as figure 18 except without a mirror backing.
  • a low index layer of material 536 can be used to separate the glass sheet 538 from the ridges 540 of the capture layer.
  • An exemplary ray 542 is shown. It follows a virtually identical trajectory to the rays shown before, except that it totally internally reflects at a point 544 on the interface between the ridge material 540 and the low index material 536.
  • FIG 32 which is a reproduction of figure 22A with extra annotation.
  • the eleven rays drawn are evenly distributed across the front collector face 302 of the capture layer. Only two rays strike the topmost photovoltaic cell with three rays striking each of the other photovoltaic cells. It is generally the case with this system than fewer rays will strike the top few photovoltaic cell strips than subsequent cell strips. This phenomenon is referred to as top photovoltaic cell skipping.
  • the ray 548 is shown to skip the top photovoltaic cell; it is absorbed by the second photovoltaic cell from the top at the point 550.
  • top photovoltaic cell skipping will occur in exemplary embodiments described above. If the system is wired using series connected photovoltaic cells as shown in figure 26C, then the top photovoltaic cell skipping will hurt performance significantly. Even if another series connection method is employed, current produced by the module will be significantly reduced. The reason is that each photovoltaic cell, assuming that they are the same size, will produce electric current proportional to the amount of light that strikes it. Therefore, if one has two cells, and one cell receives two-thirds the light of the other cell, as is the case with figure 32, it will produce two-thirds the current. If the photovoltaic cells are connected in series then the current by the cell producing two-thirds the current will limit the current that can be produced by the other cell. The cell receiving the least light is the cell that limits the current.
  • the first and perhaps second ridge's photovoltaic cells will receive less sunlight and so if the cells are connected in series as shown in figure 26C then the current produced by the whole module would be limited by the current produced by the cells in the top ridges. It is possible to conceive of a simple alternative wiring arrangement for the top cell strips so that the current will not become limited in this way and this is shown in figure 33.
  • the majority of the photovoltaic cell strips 552 are made up of series connected cells as shown at figure 26C.
  • the top two cell strips 554 shown in this figure 33 are made up of parallel connections of pairs of photovoltaic cells 556 that are then connected in series. Each pair produces twice the current of a single cell.
  • the top ridges photovoltaic cells are receiving less sunlight, pairing them up like this ensures that they will produce sufficient current so as not to limit the current produced by the other photovoltaic cell strips.
  • FIG. 34 Another way to mitigating inefficiencies due to top photovoltaic cell skipping is to connect the top two strips or top three strips of PV cells in parallel. This is shown at Fig. 34.
  • the strips of PV cells 552 are connected in the module in series.
  • the top two strips, 600 and 602 are connected in parallel with the leads 604 and 606.
  • a circuit is created whereby the breakage of any single cell does not stop the whole circuit from functioning, but instead simply stops the two strips of cells from contributing power.
  • Fig. 35 where the PV cell strips 444 are connected in series and diodes 608 and 614 are used to bypass pairs of PV cell strips 444. If, for example, the cell 610 were to break then the diode 612 would allow passage of current from the node 614 to the node 616 and up through the circuit.
  • the diode 618 is positioned so as to protect against breakage in the PV cell strip 620.
  • the use of bypass diodes in photovoltaic modules is known and the solar panel window can use the state of the art with respect to suitable by-pass diode placement and selection.
  • Connecting PV cells in parallel can be done as shown in Fig. 36.
  • the top contacts 624 of all the cells in the strip (in this case 4) can be connected by one conductive ribbon or strip 626, and the bottom contacts (not shown) of all the cells in the strip should be connected by another conductive ribbon or strip 628.
  • Figs. 38A and 38B show how a sealed window unit can be made, including a spacer, using a Capture layer and a Rectifying layer.
  • Fig. 38A shows a cut through view of a capture layer 300 and a rectifying layer 1016. Both are made of with a glass sheet 636, and with ridges 638 consisting of a matrix material such as silicone or a polymer, and glass rods 640. An aluminum spacer 642 is shown which holds the glass sheets 636 apart at a pre-determined distance. If deflection of the light as it enters the building to which it is affixed is of little consequence, a sealed window unit can be made as shown in Fig. 38B where the rectifying layer 1016 is replaced with a conventional glass sheet 636.
  • Fig. 39A shows an exemplary compound prism that can be used to capture light and guide the captured light to a PV cell, the PV cell being in optical communication with a collector face of the compound prism.
  • the compound prism comprises a low index primary capture prism 700.
  • the primary capture prism 700 is optically coupled to a high index secondary capture prism 702, to which a PV cell 704 is optically connected on a collector face 705.
  • Incident light 706 on the front face 710 is captured by the capture prism 700 and reflects off the reflecting face 708. Therefrom, the light propagates to the secondary capture prism 702.
  • the light reflects off a reflecting face 712 and totally internally reflects off the face 714 (which can be referred to as a total internal reflection interface) of the secondary capture prism.
  • An example of this total internal reflection is shown at 716.
  • the physical and optical properties of the primary and secondary capture prisms 700 and 702 can be substantially the same as those of prisms described above in relation to, for example, Fig. 30. They can be made out of the same kind of materials, they can have a mirror coating on their reflecting faces 708 and 712, either directly applied, separated by an air gap, or separated by a low index material.
  • the prisms can be made out of composite material such as glass rods and a matrix material such as silicone or a polymer, as described above in relation to, for example, Figs. 16A-16E.
  • the primary capture prism 700 can be made out of very low index fluorinated PMMA (index 1.3) and the secondary capture prism 702 can be made out of high index glass (index 1.6).
  • any other suitable materials can be used.
  • the PV cells 704 and the secondary capture prisms 702 can be connected to a back sheet of glass 718 (light output sheet), as shown in the example of Fig. 39B.
  • Rectifying prisms 720 made of the same material as the primary capture prisms 700 can also be connected to the glass.
  • the primary capture prisms 700 are connected to a second sheet of glass 722 (light input sheet). These two sheets 718 and 722 are moved towards each other as indicated by arrow 724.
  • FIG. 40 A variant of the compound prism shown at Fig. 39A is shown in Fig. 40.
  • the difference between the compound prism of Fig. 40 and that of Fig. 39A is that the secondary capture prism 730 has a curved reflector face 732.
  • the face 732 can be curved as a parabola whose vertex is at point 734 and whose focus is at the edge of the PV cell 736 nearest the primary capture prism.
  • the axis of the parabola 738 is parallel to the angle of the steepest ray 740 inside the secondary capture prism.
  • the definition of the steepest ray is a ray that is at the critical capture angle for the primary capture prism.
  • the reflector face 732 of this prism can be mirror coated, or have a mirror that is conformal but separated from the face by an air gap, or a low index of refraction material can separate the mirror from the secondary capture prism. Due to the geometry is unlikely that rays will reflect multiple times off the reflector face 732 of this secondary capture prism, so the mirror can be applied directly to the prism without resulting in substantial attenuation of power.
  • FIG. 41 Another solution to the problem of top PV cell skipping, described above in reference to Fig. 32, is to increase slightly the size of the topmost PV cells relative to the other PV cells in the system. This is shown in Fig. 41.
  • the topmost PV cell strip 800 is receiving two-thirds the light of each other PV cell strip (802, 804, 806).
  • the PV cells 808 from the top most PV cell strip 800 are 50% larger so that the top PV cells 808 produce the same amount of current as the other PV cells 810 in the system in-spite of the fact that they are receiving less light. With all the PV cells matched in terms of current production in this way, the power production for the system is optimized.

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Abstract

L'invention porte sur une fenêtre à panneau solaire destinée à être montée sur un bâtiment. La fenêtre comporte une vitre intérieure et une vitre extérieure adjacentes l'une à l'autre. La vitre extérieure a une première surface nervurée et la vitre intérieure a une seconde surface nervurée, qui est complémentaire de la première surface nervurée. Les vitres extérieure et intérieure sont fixées l'une à l'autre avec leurs surfaces nervurées tournées l'une vers l'autre. Une pluralité de cellules solaires photovoltaïques sont montées sur la première surface nervurée de la vitre extérieure. La vitre à panneau solaire permet à de la lumière incidente sur celle-ci à un angle de visualisation prédéterminé d'être transmise à l'intérieur du bâtiment. La lumière incidente sur la fenêtre à l'extérieur de l'angle de visualisation prédéterminé est dirigée vers la pluralité de cellules solaires.
EP09727138A 2008-04-02 2009-04-02 Fenêtre à panneau solaire Withdrawn EP2286051A4 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

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US4175608P 2008-04-02 2008-04-02
US14532109P 2009-01-16 2009-01-16
PCT/CA2009/000427 WO2009121180A1 (fr) 2008-04-02 2009-04-02 Fenêtre à panneau solaire

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EP2286051A4 EP2286051A4 (fr) 2012-05-02

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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WO2013093796A1 (fr) * 2011-12-21 2013-06-27 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Dispositif de redirection de lumière
WO2013098283A3 (fr) * 2011-12-26 2013-09-06 Kaustik-Solar Gmbh Dispositif et procédé d'absorption photovoltaïque de lumière incidente
US9229144B2 (en) 2007-09-10 2016-01-05 Banyan Energy Inc. Redirecting optics for concentration and illumination systems
WO2023012806A1 (fr) * 2021-08-05 2023-02-09 Solar Fence Group Ltd Dispositif solaire électrique et système pour utilisations architecturales

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WO2015046336A1 (fr) * 2013-09-26 2015-04-02 シャープ株式会社 Élément optique plan et dispositif d'éclairage naturel
CN104811128A (zh) * 2014-01-28 2015-07-29 昆山威日光伏有限公司 太阳能聚光结构板及太阳能聚光方法
CN105471386A (zh) * 2014-09-04 2016-04-06 新日光能源科技股份有限公司 太阳能电池及其太阳能电池模块
CN105988151B (zh) * 2016-06-30 2018-09-07 张家港康得新光电材料有限公司 光转向膜
CN107833938A (zh) * 2017-12-06 2018-03-23 青岛盘谷信息光学有限公司 一种太阳能发电窗贴
JP7036587B2 (ja) * 2017-12-26 2022-03-15 矢崎エナジーシステム株式会社 太陽エネルギー利用器
JP7043342B2 (ja) * 2018-05-16 2022-03-29 矢崎エナジーシステム株式会社 多段型プリズム窓
WO2021062478A1 (fr) * 2019-10-01 2021-04-08 Clearvue Technologies Ltd Dispositif de production d'électricité
CN115062397B (zh) * 2022-08-18 2022-11-04 湖南大学 一种非均匀半透明光伏窗采光性能的优化方法及装置

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EP0266952A1 (fr) * 1986-11-03 1988-05-11 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc Articles composites polymères comoulés
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EP1072752A1 (fr) * 1999-09-20 2001-01-31 Werner Dr. Lorenz Une vitre pour la protection de soleil, éclairage de chambre et économie d'énergie
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EP0092322A1 (fr) * 1982-04-18 1983-10-26 Yitzchak Bar Yonah Panneau à transparence sélective
EP0266952A1 (fr) * 1986-11-03 1988-05-11 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc Articles composites polymères comoulés
DE3718844A1 (de) * 1987-06-05 1988-12-22 Koester Helmut Vorrichtung zur beschaffung und gleichzeitigen gewinnung von sonnenenergie
WO2000077458A1 (fr) * 1999-06-10 2000-12-21 3M Innovative Properties Company Structure de type en panneau permettant de recueillir de l'energie de rayonnement
EP1072752A1 (fr) * 1999-09-20 2001-01-31 Werner Dr. Lorenz Une vitre pour la protection de soleil, éclairage de chambre et économie d'énergie
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Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9229144B2 (en) 2007-09-10 2016-01-05 Banyan Energy Inc. Redirecting optics for concentration and illumination systems
WO2013093796A1 (fr) * 2011-12-21 2013-06-27 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Dispositif de redirection de lumière
RU2617410C2 (ru) * 2011-12-21 2017-04-25 Филипс Лайтинг Холдинг Б.В. Устройство перенаправления света
WO2013098283A3 (fr) * 2011-12-26 2013-09-06 Kaustik-Solar Gmbh Dispositif et procédé d'absorption photovoltaïque de lumière incidente
WO2023012806A1 (fr) * 2021-08-05 2023-02-09 Solar Fence Group Ltd Dispositif solaire électrique et système pour utilisations architecturales

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