GB2498343A - Solar powered electricity generators - Google Patents

Solar powered electricity generators Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2498343A
GB2498343A GB1200300.0A GB201200300A GB2498343A GB 2498343 A GB2498343 A GB 2498343A GB 201200300 A GB201200300 A GB 201200300A GB 2498343 A GB2498343 A GB 2498343A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
text
electricity generator
solar powered
array
individual
Prior art date
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Withdrawn
Application number
GB1200300.0A
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GB201200300D0 (en
Inventor
John Brown
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Individual
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Individual
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Priority to GB1200300.0A priority Critical patent/GB2498343A/en
Publication of GB201200300D0 publication Critical patent/GB201200300D0/en
Publication of GB2498343A publication Critical patent/GB2498343A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • H01L31/042—PV modules or arrays of single PV cells
    • H01L31/0475—PV cell arrays made by cells in a planar, e.g. repetitive, configuration on a single semiconductor substrate; PV cell microarrays
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S10/00—PV power plants; Combinations of PV energy systems with other systems for the generation of electric power
    • H02S10/10—PV power plants; Combinations of PV energy systems with other systems for the generation of electric power including a supplementary source of electric power, e.g. hybrid diesel-PV energy systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S20/00—Supporting structures for PV modules
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S30/00—Structural details of PV modules other than those related to light conversion
    • H02S30/10—Frame structures
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S50/00—Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification
    • H02S50/10—Testing of PV devices, e.g. of PV modules or single PV cells
    • 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

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Photovoltaic Devices (AREA)

Abstract

A solar powered electricity generator unit 100 consists of arrays of individual photovoltaic cells disposed on faces 101, 102, 103, 104 of a pyramidal supporting structure 105. The arrays of photovoltaic cells may be disposed on only three sides 102, 103, 104 of the pyramidal structure in which case the fourth side 101 can be left open and a wind turbine 200 can be housed within the cavity of the pyramidal structure, which is deployed during night hours to generate electricity. The faces of the pyramidal support structure may be movable about horizontal axes to change the vertical orientation of the faces in response to relative movement of the sun during daylight hours.

Description

SOLAR POWERED ELECTRICITY GENERATORS
The present invention relates to solar powered electricity generators which incorporate photovoltaic cells and more particularly to solar power electricity generators which in corporate a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed in an array.
Solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity generators usually are in the form of flat disks of photosensitive material which are arranged in units of planar arrays and they are most efficient when solar radiation falls upon them normally. It is known to provide relatively small area solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity generator arrays with tracking systems adapted to follow the apparent motion of the sun through the sky during daylight hours, but this is not practicable in the case of large area arrays of such cells and it is normal practice to so position the individual units in such arrays that they face due south and are at an angle to the horizontal such as to optimise the mean power generated throughout the day.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity generator.
According to the present invention there is provided a solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity generator unit comprising a plurality of individual photovoltaic cells disposed in a primary array wherein the primary array of individual photovoltaic cells is arranged around at least three sides of a pyramidal supporting structure.
The semi-vertical angle of the pyramidal supporting structure is such that at the location at which the solar powered electricity generator is to be installed mean the power output from a south facing surface of the pyramidal supporting structure during daylight hours is optimised. For the United Kingdom, this angle is approximately thirty degrees.
The faces of the pyramidal support structure may be adapted to be movable about horizontal axes under the control of a servo control mechanism so as to change the vertical orientation of the faces of the pyramidal supporting structure in response to the apparent movement of the sun during daylight hours.
Only three faces of the pyramidal structure may be provided with photovoltaic cells, the fourth face of the pyramidal supporting structure being left open. Within the cavity so formed there may be housed a small wind turbine electricity generator and a 1 5 mechanism for deploying it during the hours of darkness when the photovoltaic cells are inoperative.
The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows in plan two individual solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity generators embodying the invention forming a part of a large array of such electricity generators, Figure 2 shows schematically a solar power photovoltaic cell electricity generator embodying the invention which incorporates a wind turbine which can be deployed during the hours of darkness. Figure 2a shows the wind turbine housed within the pyramidal supporting structure for the photovoltaic cells and Figure 2b shows the wind turbine deployed for use during night hours.
Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, each solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity generator unit 100 in an array of such units, consists of a plurality of photovottaic cells, which are not illustrated as they are conventional in form and do not form a part of the invention as such. Neither are the electrical connections to the electricity generator units 100 shown, for the same reason. The photovoltaic cells are mounted on panels 101,102,103 and 104, which form the surfaces of support structures 105, which are regular pyramids in form. The pyramidal support structures 105 in the array are so positioned thatthe faces 101,102,103 and 104 of the support structures 105 face 1 5 north, east, south and west, respectively. The semi-vertical angle of the pyramidal support structures 105 is related to the latitude at which the electricity generator units are to be used and is chosen to be such as to optimise the mean power output from the south-facing surfaces 103 of the electricity generator units 100 during the thy.
In use, as many electricity generator units 100 as are required are arranged in linear arrays with sufficient space between each electricity generator unit 100 to allow access for maintenance purposes. The electricity generator units 100 can be mounted directly on the ground, or on posts, as is convenient. As stated above, each electricity generator unit 100 is so positioned that its surfaces 101,102,103 and 104 and the photovoltaic cells thereon, face the cardinal points. In this way, the easterly facing surfaces 102 of the electricity generating units 100 will respond the morning sun and the westerly lacing surfaces 104 of the electricity generating units 100 to the afternoon sun more effectively than do the solely south facing planar panels of photovoltaic cells of existing solar powered photovoltaic electricity generator units.
This increase in efficiency more than compensates for the loss in area of the south facing surfaces 103 of the electricity generator units 100 compared with the rectangular panels of conventional solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity 1 0 generators.
Although the northerly facing surfaces 101 of the pyramidal structures 105 would respond to early morning and late afternoon sun between the spring and autumn equinoxes, relatively little electricity would be generated by these surfaces and Figures 2a and 2b show, schematically, an embodiment of the invention in which the panels forming these surfaces are omitted and a small wind turbine alternator 200 is housed within each of the pyramidal support structures 105. Axially extending vanes 201 are attached to the casing of the alternator 200 which is mounted on a telescopic support 203. There is incorporated a mechanism 204, not shown in detail, whereby the telescopic support 203 of the wind turbine 200 can be extended during night hours and retracted during daylight hours, so electricity can continue to be generated during night hours when the photovoltaic cells are inoperative.
Another way of enhancing the effectiveness the invention is to so mount the panels 101,102,103 and 104 of the support structures 105 of each of the electricity generator units 100 that they can be moved about horizontal axes and to provide a servo mechanism within each support structure 102, which is operated from a feed-back loop from the output of the electricity generator 100, which alters the vertical orientations of the panels 101102,103 and 104 of the support structures 105, so as to follow changes in the declination of the sun during the day and so maximise the power output from the electricity generator units 100. Each electricity generator unit may be provided with its own power output monitor, so that any failure is localised, or the total power output from the ray of electricity generator units 100 can be monitored and control signal generated therefrom which are applied to the servo control mechanism of each electricity generator unit 100.

Claims (1)

  1. <claim-text>CLAIMS1. A solar powered photovoltaic electricity generator unit comprising a plurality of individual photovoltaic cells disposed in a primary array, wherein the primary array of individual photovoltaic cells is arranged around at least three sides of a pyramidal supporting structure.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A solar powered photovoltaic electricity generator unit according to claim 1 wherein the semi vertical angle of the pyramidal support structure is approximately thirty five degrees.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity generator unit according to claim I or claim 2 wherein the pyramidal support structure is hollow, one of the surfaces of the pyramidal support structure is omitted so as to provide a cavity within which there is housed a wind-powered electricity generator and there is provided a mechanism for deploying the wind turbine from the cavity during night hours.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A solar powered photovoltaic ccli electricity generator unit according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the surfaces of the pyramidal support structure are adapted to be capable of rotation about corresponding horizontal axes and there is provided a servo control mechanism adapted to move the surfaces of the pyramidal support structure so as to follow changes in the declination of the sun during daylight hours.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity generator unit according to claim 4 wherein the control signal for the servo control mechanism is obtained by monitoring the power output from the electricity generator unit.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A plurality of individual solar powered electricity generator units according to any preceding claim disposed in an array.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A plurality of individual solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity generator units according to claims 4 and 6 disposed in an array, wherein the control signals for the servo control mechanisms of the individual electricity generator units in the array is obtained by monitoring the power output of the array of electricity generator units.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A plurality of individual solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity generator units according to claims 4 and 6 disposed in an array, wherein the control signals for the servo control mechanisms of the individual electricity generator units in the array is obtained by monitoring the power output of one of the individual electricity generator units in the array only.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. A solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity generator unit substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings 10. A solar powered photovoltaic cell electricity generator comprising an array of individual electricity generator units substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.</claim-text>
GB1200300.0A 2012-01-07 2012-01-07 Solar powered electricity generators Withdrawn GB2498343A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1200300.0A GB2498343A (en) 2012-01-07 2012-01-07 Solar powered electricity generators

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1200300.0A GB2498343A (en) 2012-01-07 2012-01-07 Solar powered electricity generators

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201200300D0 GB201200300D0 (en) 2012-02-22
GB2498343A true GB2498343A (en) 2013-07-17

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Family Applications (1)

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GB1200300.0A Withdrawn GB2498343A (en) 2012-01-07 2012-01-07 Solar powered electricity generators

Country Status (1)

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GB (1) GB2498343A (en)

Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS59205769A (en) * 1983-05-09 1984-11-21 Nec Corp Module of solar cell
DE3527256A1 (en) * 1985-07-30 1987-02-12 Norbert Dipl Ing Mosko Erection and structure of statically fixed solar installations in pyramid form
JPH09213982A (en) * 1996-02-06 1997-08-15 Toshiba Corp Solar cell device
DE10043525A1 (en) * 2000-09-05 2002-03-28 Artur Deger Sun-tracking of solar power generation system, involves storing power in capacitor to rotate solar panel till reaching brightest location
DE20210753U1 (en) * 2002-07-17 2002-11-21 Digi Communication Systeme GmbH, 38518 Gifhorn Solar and cellular pyramid
WO2007139122A1 (en) * 2006-05-25 2007-12-06 Nippon Kankyou Karusyumu Kenkyuusho Co., Ltd. Facility at banking portion covering waste disposal plant
FR2902156A1 (en) * 2006-06-08 2007-12-14 Gilles Legras Desalinated pressurized water and electricity producing device for use on e.g. tower, has solar panels, wind turbine, ventilation inlets, desalter and water reservoir traversed by heating electric resistances, where device has pyramid shape
KR20080027092A (en) * 2006-09-21 2008-03-26 김송귀 The solar-cell generating station of pyramidal shape
US20080245402A1 (en) * 2007-02-01 2008-10-09 Manuel Lahuerta Romeo Solar tracker for thermal and photovoltaic panels with forced air system, applicable to buildings description
ES2313854A1 (en) * 2008-07-16 2009-03-01 Encofrados Internacionales Terminados, S.L. Multifunctional device of generation of electrical energy, hot water health and climatization (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)
WO2009073920A2 (en) * 2007-12-10 2009-06-18 Etergen Limited Energy collection device and methods of use
FR2945841A1 (en) * 2009-05-19 2010-11-26 Antoine Jacques Amato Electric energy producing device for e.g. electrical vehicles, has solar panels arranged on rotating pyramid, where pyramid is surmounted by central pivot mounted on pedestal that is mounted on terraces, boats, and electrical vehicles
JP2011058429A (en) * 2009-09-10 2011-03-24 Yasuhiro Fujita Triangular pyramid shape photovoltaic power generation device, wind power generation device of open wind collection duct, and wind power assistance device
CN102092865A (en) * 2010-12-10 2011-06-15 同济大学 Integrated buoy type solar driven stream-making aerator and water body in-situ remediation method

Patent Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS59205769A (en) * 1983-05-09 1984-11-21 Nec Corp Module of solar cell
DE3527256A1 (en) * 1985-07-30 1987-02-12 Norbert Dipl Ing Mosko Erection and structure of statically fixed solar installations in pyramid form
JPH09213982A (en) * 1996-02-06 1997-08-15 Toshiba Corp Solar cell device
DE10043525A1 (en) * 2000-09-05 2002-03-28 Artur Deger Sun-tracking of solar power generation system, involves storing power in capacitor to rotate solar panel till reaching brightest location
DE20210753U1 (en) * 2002-07-17 2002-11-21 Digi Communication Systeme GmbH, 38518 Gifhorn Solar and cellular pyramid
WO2007139122A1 (en) * 2006-05-25 2007-12-06 Nippon Kankyou Karusyumu Kenkyuusho Co., Ltd. Facility at banking portion covering waste disposal plant
FR2902156A1 (en) * 2006-06-08 2007-12-14 Gilles Legras Desalinated pressurized water and electricity producing device for use on e.g. tower, has solar panels, wind turbine, ventilation inlets, desalter and water reservoir traversed by heating electric resistances, where device has pyramid shape
KR20080027092A (en) * 2006-09-21 2008-03-26 김송귀 The solar-cell generating station of pyramidal shape
US20080245402A1 (en) * 2007-02-01 2008-10-09 Manuel Lahuerta Romeo Solar tracker for thermal and photovoltaic panels with forced air system, applicable to buildings description
WO2009073920A2 (en) * 2007-12-10 2009-06-18 Etergen Limited Energy collection device and methods of use
ES2313854A1 (en) * 2008-07-16 2009-03-01 Encofrados Internacionales Terminados, S.L. Multifunctional device of generation of electrical energy, hot water health and climatization (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)
FR2945841A1 (en) * 2009-05-19 2010-11-26 Antoine Jacques Amato Electric energy producing device for e.g. electrical vehicles, has solar panels arranged on rotating pyramid, where pyramid is surmounted by central pivot mounted on pedestal that is mounted on terraces, boats, and electrical vehicles
JP2011058429A (en) * 2009-09-10 2011-03-24 Yasuhiro Fujita Triangular pyramid shape photovoltaic power generation device, wind power generation device of open wind collection duct, and wind power assistance device
CN102092865A (en) * 2010-12-10 2011-06-15 同济大学 Integrated buoy type solar driven stream-making aerator and water body in-situ remediation method

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Publication number Publication date
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