JPH02224375A - Solar cell module - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable light rays incident through an optical fiber connection opening to irradiate uniformly two or more solar cells so as to obtain a solar cell module excellent in energy conversion efficiency by a method wherein two or more solar cells are arranged in a ring or in rotation symmetry. CONSTITUTION:An optical system which enables a light flux 11 incident through an optical fiber connection opening 6 to spread in a ring or in rotation symmetry is provided, and two or more solar cell 7 are arranged in a ring or rotation symmetry corresponding to the irradiation area of the spread light flux 11. Therefore, the light flux 11 incident through the optical fiber connection opening 6 travels in parallel inside a hemispheric rod lens 5 and is totally reflected at the interface of a conical recess 8 and then spread toward the inner face of a case 1. The solar cells 7 are fitted to the area irradiated with the spread light flux 11, so that the solar cells are equally irradiated with light rays and the electromotive forces of the cells are equal to each other. By this setup, a solar cell module excellent in energy conversion efficiency can be obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) This invention relates to a novel solar cell module driven by optical fiber introduced light.

(Prior Art) Recently, the power consumption of electronic circuits has been reduced and the price of solar cells has been reduced, and driving electronic circuits with the energy of light has become widely practiced in the field of desktop computers and the like.

However, in the field of general electronic equipment, optical fibers are used when it is difficult to directly obtain sunlight or other illumination light, or when continuous operation is required regardless of the position of the sun. Consideration has been given to electrically transmitting the energy necessary for driving to the required location.

In this case, in order to ensure the minimum voltage required to drive the electronic circuit, it is generally necessary to connect a plurality of solar cells or more in series and irradiate them with light transmitted through optical fibers.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, the far-field pattern of the light emitted from the optical fiber is not uniform, but has a distribution with a large energy density in the center. Even if you expand the luminous flux emitted from the -, it is not possible to obtain light with a similar intensity.

Therefore, it is difficult to generate uniform power across multiple solar cells, and when solar cells are connected in series, a solar cell that receives less light energy than others will increase (constrain) the overall output energy. However, there was a problem in that energy conversion efficiency was reduced.

This invention was made in view of the above problems,
The purpose is to provide a solar cell module with good energy conversion efficiency.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problem) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention incorporates a plurality of solar cells connected in series, and connects the solar cells with an optical fiber. In a solar cell module that extracts electrical energy by irradiating light incident from a connection port, an optical system is provided that expands the light beam incident from the optical fiber connection port in a ring shape or rotationally symmetrical manner, and The solar cell is characterized in that the plurality of solar cells are arranged in a ring shape or rotationally symmetrical according to the irradiation position of the expanded light beam.

(Function) According to such a configuration, a plurality of solar cells can be uniformly irradiated with light emitted from an optical fiber, thereby making it possible to manufacture a solar cell module with good energy conversion efficiency.

(Example) FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of a solar cell module according to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, this solar cell module has a sealed structure including a square cylindrical case 1 with an open end and an optical connector receptacle 2 that closes the opening of the case 1. An optical fiber 4 can be connected to the resectable 2 via an optical connector 3.

Inside the case 1, a hemispherical rod lens 5 is attached with its hemispherical portion facing the optical fiber connection port 6.

On the four sides of the inner surface of the case 1 surrounding the hemispherical rod lens 5,
Four solar cells 7 are attached.

These solar cells 7 are connected in series with each other.

As the solar cell 7, as shown in FIG. 2(a),
It is possible to use individual solar cell plates 7a or, as shown in FIG. 2(b), to use film-like solar cells i11!7b made of amorphous silicon or the like.

A conical recess 8 is formed at the bottom of the hemispherical rod lens 5 by cutting it into a conical shape, and the surface thereof is mirror-finished.

Here, if the penumbra of the spherical part of the hemispherical rod lens 5 is R, and the refractive index of the lens is n, then the front focal length of the spherical lens part is Ω
is, and the optical fiber connection port 6 (
(incidence plane) is located.

Therefore, the light incident from the optical fiber connection port 6 becomes a mutually parallel light beam due to the action of the hemispherical lens portion of the hemispherical rod lens 5 and travels inside the hemispherical Wood lens 5.

On the other hand, the apex angle of the conical recess 8 is set to an angle at which the above-mentioned parallel rays are totally reflected.

In other words, the total reflection angle of glass with a refractive index of 1.5 is 41.8
For example, if the apex angle of the cone is 90 degrees, the above-mentioned parallel light will be totally reflected at an incident angle of 45 degrees, and as a result, the reflected light will be expanded toward the inner surface of the case 1 in a ring shape.

According to the above configuration, the light beam incident from the optical fiber connection port 6 travels inside the hemispherical rod lens 5 as a parallel light beam, and then is totally reflected at the interface of the conical recess 8, and the light beam enters the case 1. It expands into a ring shape toward the inner surface.

Since the solar cells 7 are attached to the irradiation position of the expanded luminous flux, these solar cells are irradiated with light evenly, and the electromotive force of each one becomes uniform.
Good energy conversion efficiency can be obtained.

Next, FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the solar cell module according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the light flux incident from the optical fiber connection port 6 is expanded into a ring shape by a conical mirror 9, and , a plurality of solar cells 7 are arranged in a ring shape corresponding to the irradiation position of the developed luminous flux.

This embodiment has the advantage that, unlike the case of lenses, there is no attenuation of light.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the solar cell module according to the present invention. In this example, the light beam incident from the optical fiber connection port 6 is expanded into a ring shape by a conical concave lens 10, and As shown in FIG. 5, four solar cells 7 each having a fan shape are arranged in a ring shape as a whole, corresponding to the irradiation position of the expanded light beam.

According to this embodiment, the luminous flux spread out in a ring shape can be irradiated onto each solar cell 7 without waste, and the energy of the light can be extracted efficiently.

FIG. 6 shows still another embodiment of the solar cell module according to the present invention.
The four solar cells 7 are arranged rotationally symmetrically in correspondence with the irradiation position of the expanded light beam.

This embodiment also makes it possible to efficiently convert the energy of the luminous flux 11 into electrical energy.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above explanation, according to the present invention, it is possible to uniformly irradiate a plurality of solar cells with light incident from an optical fiber connection port, thereby improving energy conversion efficiency. A good solar cell module can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the solar cell module according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement and structure of the solar cell, and FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the solar cell module according to the present invention. A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example, FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the solar cell module according to the present invention,
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the arrangement of solar cells according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the solar cell module according to the present invention. 5... Hemisphere rod lens 6... Optical fiber connection port a... Solar cell 8... Conical four part 9... Conical mirror 10... Conical concave lens 11... Luminous flux 12...・Square pyramid mirror Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A solar cell that includes a plurality of solar cells connected in series and that extracts electrical energy by irradiating the solar cells with light incident through an optical fiber connection port. In the module, an optical system is provided that expands the light beam incident from the optical fiber connection port in a ring shape or rotationally symmetrical manner, and the plurality of solar cells are arranged in a ring shape or rotationally symmetrically according to the irradiation position of the developed light beam. A solar cell module characterized by being arranged rotationally symmetrically.