JPS6122154A - Device for collecting and storing solar energy - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to utilize the device for illumination and the like and also utilize the same outside the atmosphere by focusing solar light, introducing the same into a photoconductor, and storing solar energies in an induction substance. CONSTITUTION:Solar light L focused by a lens 1 is introduced into a photoconductor 2 in which a light receiving end 2a is disposed at a focal point, and is transmitted to an arbitrary and desired position and used for illumination and others. Upon this occasion, solar light which is not introduced into the photoconductor 2 is irradiated on an induction substance 4 flowing within a transparent fluid passage 3, and causes a photochemical reaction thereof and converts the same into an isomer to stored energies. The induction substance flows toward the direction shown by an arrow and is recovered. At nighttime, for example, when a catalyst is added thereto, the induction substance returns to an original substance while emitting heat, and hence it can be utilized as thermal energies. Visible light containing a small amount of ultraviolet rays is introduced into the photoconductor in the atmosphere, and energies are stored in the induction substance by utilizing a large amount of ultraviolet rays. Further, when a solar battery 5 is provided on the lower side of the fluid passage 3, and light which has passed the induction substance 4 is acted on the solar battery, the solar energy can be utilized as electric energy.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a solar energy collection and storage device, and more particularly, to a solar energy collection and storage device, in particular, sunlight is focused using an optical system such as a lens and introduced into a light pipe through which it can be directed to any desired location. In a solar energy collection and storage device that uses sunlight to cause a photochemical reaction in an inducer substance and store solar energy in the inducer substance for illumination and other uses. , the device is configured to be suitable for use in outer space, that is, outside the atmosphere.

The sunlight is focused using a lens etc. and introduced into the light guide.
The present applicant has already proposed various techniques for transmitting light to any desired location through the light guide for illumination or other uses.

In addition, recently, it has been reported that light is irradiated onto an inducing substance to cause a photochemical reaction in the inducing substance, thereby accumulating light energy in the inducing substance, and later extracting the energy accumulated in the inducing substance as thermal energy. There is growing interest in the technology (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 124657/1983).

Furthermore, recently, the Space Shuttle has become a reality, and securing energy for use in the Shuttle has become an important issue.
However, the current idea is to use solar energy, and the collection of solar energy has become a major issue.

The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and
In particular, the two technologies described above are effectively combined to effectively utilize solar energy outside the atmosphere.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of essential parts showing an example of a solar energy collection and storage device separately proposed by the applicant, that is, a solar energy collection and storage device suitable for use in the atmosphere;
FIG. 4 is a view seen from the line IV--IV in FIG. 3. In the figure, 1 is a lens for focusing sunlight, and 2 is near the focal point of the lens 1. 2. A glued light guide in which a light receiving @ 23 is arranged; This is a transparent fluid passage arranged behind the light receiving end 2a of the light guide 2, and inside the passage 3, there is an inducing substance 4 that absorbs light energy and causes a photochemical reaction to accumulate energy, as indicated by the arrow, for example. It is designed to flow in the direction. That is, the lens 1 is controlled to automatically face the sun by a well-known device (not shown).
The sunlight focused by the lens 1 is
A light receiving steel 2- is introduced into the light guide 2 disposed at the focal point of the light guide 2, and is transmitted through the light guide 2 to any desired location for use in addition to illumination. The sunlight that has not been introduced into the interior is irradiated onto the inducer 4 flowing in the transparent fluid passage 3, causing a light (hypochemical reaction) on the inducer and converting the inducer into an isomer with a high energy level. In this way, the induced substance that has accumulated energy flows in the direction of the arrow and is recovered, and then, for example at night, when a catalyst is added, it returns to its original substance while generating heat. The heat generated during this process can be used as thermal energy.In addition, the induced substance that has returned to its original form in this way is again stored with energy and reused as described above. hand,
The solar energy collection and storage device described above is used in the atmosphere, and has a small amount of light components in the ultraviolet region (,
Therefore, even if sunlight focused by the lens 1 is directly introduced into the light guide 2, light components such as ultraviolet light components are not introduced into the light guide 2 to a large extent.
Almost only light with commutable light components can be introduced into the light guide 2. In addition, since there are few ultraviolet rays in the open air, a sensitizer is mixed into the inducer to absorb components with wavelengths below the ultraviolet □, for example, 360 nn+. In order to effectively carry out photochemical reactions, the wavelength of components with a wavelength of about 500 nm or less is used.However,
When the above-mentioned device is used outside the atmosphere, there is a drawback that a large amount of ultraviolet rays are introduced into the light guide 2 because of the large amount of ultraviolet rays.

The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and
In particular, outside the atmosphere, we introduce visible light that is close to only the visible light component into the light guide, that is, there is little ultraviolet rays, and we also effectively utilize the ultraviolet rays that exist in large amounts outside the atmosphere and store energy in the inducer. This is how it was done.

FIG. 1 is a plan view for explaining one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1. Parts are provided with the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 3 and 4. Therefore, the present invention simulates sunlight outside the atmosphere, which contains a large amount of short-wave ultraviolet rays and medium-long wave ultraviolet rays such as X-rays and vacuum ultraviolet rays, and as shown in FIGS. The sensitizer required in the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 is unnecessary, and if the sensitizer is mixed, there is a risk that the sensitizer will be destroyed by the strong ultraviolet rays. The most characteristic effect of the present invention is that strong ultraviolet rays are absorbed and used violently by the inducing substance, thereby preventing these short-wavelength light components from being introduced into the body 2. , thus only good quality and safe visible light will be introduced into the i-light guide. Further, according to the present invention, since the transparent fluid passage 3 is disposed in front of the lens 1, there is no need to provide a hole for inserting the light guide 2 in the fluid passage. It also has the advantage that the structure is simple and inexpensive, and assembly work is easy. Furthermore, in the present invention, a solar cell 5 is provided below the transparent fluid passage 3 through which the inducing substance 4 flows, as shown in the figure, and the inducing substance 4 is
The light that has passed through the interior is effectively applied to the solar cell, allowing solar energy to be used as electrical energy.In this way, short wavelength light components are absorbed and utilized by the inducing substance. Since the light of these short wavelength components does not reach the solar cell, the light of these short wavelength components will not be stored as thermal energy in the solar cell, and therefore the efficiency of the solar cell will not decrease due to the accumulation of thermal energy.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts for explaining one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a solar energy collection device suitable for use in the atmosphere. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part showing an example of the storage device, and is a view seen from the IV-IV line direction of FIG. 3. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Lens, 2... Light guide, 3... Fluid passage of transparent body. 4... Inductive substance, 5... Solar cell.

Claims (1)

[Claims] an optical system for collecting sunlight; a transparent fluid passageway disposed in front of the optical system; and a solar cell disposed behind the optical system; The sunlight is introduced into a light guide having a light-receiving end disposed at the focal point of the optical system, and an inducing substance that causes a photochemical reaction due to light energy and accumulates energy is distributed in the fluid passage. . A solar energy collection and storage device, characterized in that the inducing material stores energy and further converts sunlight not introduced into the light guide by the solar cell into electrical energy.