KR101720651B1 - Concentrating Photovoltaics System using Curved Solar Cell - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a concentrated photovoltaic generation system to make sunlight vertically incident on a surface of a photovoltaic cell through a curved structure of the photovoltaic cell. The concentrated photovoltaic generation system can concentrate light by using an asymmetric lens of which an x-axis and a y-axis have different condensing magnifications or a linear reflector, and perform a heat process for heat radiation or heat recovery together. Therefore, the concentrated photovoltaic generation system can, through the simple curved structure of the photovoltaic cell, improve photovoltaic generation efficiency without using a balanced optical device, etc. and improve energy efficiency through the heat process, thereby improving overall efficiency of the photovoltaic generation system.

Description

[0001] Concentrating Photovoltaic System using Curved Solar Cell [

The present invention relates to a concentrating solar power generation system, and more particularly, to a solar concentrating solar power generation system in which sunlight is vertically incident on a surface of a solar cell through a curved structure of the solar cell, .

Interest in the use of renewable energy is increasing in order to solve problems such as depletion of fossil fuels and global warming. Recently, the price of fossil fuels has been falling due to the sale of gas, but the installed capacity of solar power is continuously increasing. Experts predict that the solar power industry will continue to expand in the future.

Currently, a widely used flat panel solar power generation system can be supplied at a relatively low cost, but the efficiency is low.

On the other hand, concentrating photovoltaic power generation systems are getting more attention because they can achieve higher efficiency than flat photovoltaic power generation systems.

However, the condensing type solar power generation system is disadvantageous in that efficiency is lowered because some concentrated sunlight can not be incident vertically.

In order to overcome this, it is possible to make the sunlight equilibrium by distributing the sunlight uniformly, but in this process, the system becomes big, the equipment becomes heavy, and the price becomes high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to reduce the total production cost of the system by shortening the focal length, And it is an object of the present invention to provide a light concentrating solar power generation system capable of improving solar power generation efficiency while having a simple structure.

In order to achieve the above object, a condensing type solar power generation system using a curved photovoltaic cell according to the present invention is characterized in that a condensing lens for condensing sunlight using condensing lenses having different condensing magnifications in the x- and y- Device; And a photovoltaic cell that receives power of the sunlight condensed through the condenser and performs power generation. The photovoltaic cell has a curved surface that receives the condensed sunlight, and the condenser lens is a Fresnel lens , Each lens element of the Fresnel lens is formed in an elliptical shape having the same center point, and the curvature increases as the focal point approaches the center point. The convergence magnification is formed to be larger in the direction in which the curvature is larger than in the other direction.

The condenser lens may be a Fresnel lens, and each lens element of the Fresnel lens may have an elliptical shape having the same center point.

The condensing lens may include a plurality of condensing lenses. In this case, the condensing lenses may be provided with solar cells corresponding to the condensing lenses.

A condensing type solar power generation system using a curved solar cell according to the present invention includes a condensing device for condensing sunlight using a plurality of linear reflectors; And a solar cell provided corresponding to each linear reflector and performing power generation by receiving the sunlight condensed through each linear reflector, wherein the solar cell has a curved surface on which the sunlight is condensed, The apparatus includes a Fresnel lens. Each lens element of the Fresnel lens is formed in an elliptical shape having the same center point. The closer the focal point is, the more the curvature increases. In which the curvature of the elliptical curved surface of each of the lens elements of the lens elements is larger than that of the other direction.

The curved surface of the photovoltaic cell is for allowing the condensed sunlight to be vertically incident through the condensing device.

The condensing type solar power generation system using the curved solar cells of each of the above embodiments may further include a heat treatment apparatus having one or more piping through which refrigerant flows.

The heat treatment apparatus may include a curved outer surface for attaching the curved solar cell.

The heat treatment apparatus may include a poor water energy recovery means for recovering energy that is not absorbed into the solar cell

The heat treatment apparatus may include one or more heat storing means for storing refrigerant flowing through the pipe.

In an embodiment having a plurality of heat storage means, the heat storage means may be respectively connected to different pipe groups, and each heat storage means may be configured to be connected to each other by a pipe through which refrigerant flows.

According to the present invention, it is possible to make the condensed sunlight uniformly incident on the surface of the solar cell vertically without using a separate balanced optical device or the like. This is basically done through the curved structure of the solar cell.

Therefore, it is possible to reduce the overall production cost by increasing the light conversion efficiency and shortening the focal distance while having a simple structure.

In addition, solar energy conversion loss heat can be recycled to shorten system investment cost recovery period and maximize solar energy reaching the surface.

It is possible to improve both the power generation efficiency and the utilization efficiency of the heat energy, and the overall efficiency improvement of the solar power generation system can be expected.

1 shows an example of a light collecting type solar power generation system,
Fig. 2 shows an example of a condensing type solar power generation system for increasing the focal length,
FIG. 3 shows an example of a condensing type solar power generation system using a balanced optical device,
4 is a view illustrating an embodiment of a condensing type solar power generation system according to the present invention,
5 is an example showing that sunlight is vertically incident due to a curved surface structure,
6 shows an example of a symmetrical condensing lens and an asymmetrical condensing lens
Figs. 7 and 8 show the embodiments of the condensing type solar power generation system using asymmetrical condensing lenses,
Figs. 9 and 10 show examples of the concentrating solar power generation system using a linear reflector,
11 shows an embodiment of a heat treatment apparatus having piping for heat recovery,
12 shows an embodiment using a thermal processor and a linear reflector,
13 shows an embodiment of a heat treatment apparatus having a plurality of pipes,
Fig. 14 shows an embodiment of a heat treatment apparatus for heat dissipation,
Fig. 15 shows an embodiment of the heat treatment apparatus including the insufficient water energy recovery means,
16 shows an embodiment of a heat treatment apparatus including heat storage means,
17 is an embodiment of a heat treatment apparatus for performing heat treatment in various stages using a plurality of heat storage means.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, the light collecting type solar power generation system includes a light collecting device 12 for collecting the sunlight 11-1, and a solar cell 13. Receiver 17 and the like, and the condensing type solar power generation system exhibits higher efficiency than the conventional non-condensing type solar power generation system. FIG. 1A shows an example using a lens as the condensing device 12, and FIG. 1B shows an example using a reflecting mirror as the condensing device 12. FIG.

The light conversion efficiency is highest when the condensed sunlight 11-2 is vertically incident on the solar cell 13, and the sunlight 11-1 incident in parallel is condensed through the condenser 12 , A part of the condensed sunlight 11-2 is not incident vertically on the surface of the solar cell 13 (16), resulting in inefficiency.

In order to overcome the problem that the efficiency of the solar cell is lowered due to the fact that some of the collected sunlight is not vertically incident on the surface of the solar cell, the distance between the light collecting device 12 and the solar cell 13 is sufficiently long Or by adding a secondary optical element such as a balanced optical element 18 as shown in Fig. 3 to make the sunlight equilibrium, the sunlight can be uniformly distributed.

However, when these methods are used, the system becomes large, the system constituting device becomes heavy, and the price becomes high. In addition, when the secondary optical element is added, efficiency of about 3% to 5% is lowered due to the characteristics of the secondary optical element such as transmittance, and the system becomes complicated and the price becomes high.

4, a condensing type solar power generation system 20 using a curved solar cell according to the present invention basically includes a condensing unit 22 for condensing sunlight 11-1, a condensing unit 22 for condensing the sunlight 11-1, And a solar cell 23 that receives the sunlight 11-2 condensed through the solar cell 11-2 and performs power generation.

The surface of the solar cell 23 receiving the condensed sunlight 11-2 has a curved surface structure. Due to the curved surface structure, the sunlight 11-2 condensed by the condenser 22 is incident on the solar cell 23). ≪ / RTI >

That is, by using the curved solar cell 23, the solar light 11-2 condensed through the condenser 22 can be condensed into the solar cell 23 without passing through a secondary optical element such as a balanced optical element, It is possible to increase the efficiency of photovoltaic conversion by preventing the deterioration of efficiency caused by using a balanced optical device or the like.

The flexible solar cell 23 for curved surface treatment can be implemented by various related technologies such as an epitaxial separation technique or a substrate recycling technique for allowing the photovoltaic cell to be separated from the substrate by etching a sacrificial layer on the substrate, have.

In addition, a solar cell having a flexible structure such as a multi-junction solar cell or a flexible thin-film solar cell using a substrate recycling technique can be attached to the outer surface of a device in which the solar cell is disposed. For example, in an apparatus in which a solar cell such as a receiver is disposed, an outer surface having the same curvature radius ratio as that of the light condensing device may be provided, and the solar cell may be bonded to the outer surface.

5A shows an embodiment using the lens 22-5 as the condensing device 22 of the condensing type solar cell power generation system 20 according to the present invention and FIG. 5B shows an embodiment using the linear reflecting mirror 22 -6). ≪ / RTI >

Since the surface of the solar cell 23 is curved, the sunlight 11-2 condensed by the lens 22-5 in FIG. 5A is equally incident on the surface of the solar cell 23 in the vertical direction 16 And the sunlight 11-2 condensed by the linear reflector 22-6 in FIG. 5B is equally incident on the surface of the solar cell 23 in the vertical direction 16.

The condensing device 22 of the condensing type photovoltaic power generation system 20 according to the present invention may be configured using asymmetrical condensing lenses having different condensing magnifications in the x and y axis directions.

At this time, a Fresnel lens can be used as an asymmetric condensing lens.

The Fresnel lens is a thin lens, and the surface of the lens is divided into a plurality of bands, and each band performs a prism action to reduce the aberration, thereby achieving a light focusing function like a convex lens Can be performed.

Fig. 6A shows a symmetrical condensing lens, and has the same converging magnification of m: 1 on both the x-axis and the y-axis.

However, the asymmetrical condenser lens used in the present invention can be configured such that the condensing magnification in the x-axis and y-axis directions is different from that in the direction of the curved surface as shown in Fig. 6B, and the condensing magnification is increased in the other direction have.

To this end, each lens element of the Fresnel lens used in the light condensing device 22 has the same center point and may be formed in an elliptical shape.

In the asymmetric condensing lens, m and n representing the light-condensing magnification are in the relationship of 'm> n', and the m and n values can be variously configured. As a concrete example, m can be configured to have several tens to several hundreds, and n to have a value of several to several tens.

7 shows an example of a photovoltaic power generation system 20 using an asymmetrical condensing lens and a curved solar cell. Each lens element of the asymmetrical Fresnel lens 22-5 supported by the frame 22-1 has the same And is formed into an ellipse having a center point.

Since the light condensing magnifications in the x- and y-axis directions are different, the distance between the lens elements viewed from the side and the distance between the lens elements viewed from the bottom face are different from each other.

The sunlight condensed through the asymmetric Fresnel lens 22-5 is uniformly incident perpendicularly on the surface of the solar cell of the curved surface.

The condensing lens may be composed of a plurality of condensing lenses, and may be configured to include a photovoltaic cell corresponding to each condensing lens. At this time, the number and arrangement of the focusing lenses can be variously configured.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment in which asymmetrical condensing lenses are arranged in four rows by six, and each of the asymmetrical condensing lenses is provided with curved solar cells, and the sunlight condensed by each asymmetric condensing lens is arranged correspondingly Which is perpendicular to the surface of the solar cell.

The condensing device 22 of the condensing type solar cell power generation system 20 according to the present invention may be constructed using a linear reflector.

9 is a front view, a side view, and a bottom view of an embodiment using a linear reflector. The linear reflector 22-6 is connected to the receiver 27 via a support 22-2, and the linear reflector 22- The condensed sunlight 11-2 is incident on the surface of the curved solar cell 23 provided in the receiver 27 vertically.

The light collecting device 22 may be constructed using a plurality of linear reflectors, in which case solar cells may be provided corresponding to each linear reflector. The number and arrangement of linear reflectors can be varied.

10 shows an embodiment in which the linear reflectors are arranged in three lines in the frame 22-1 in three lines. The solar cells 23 have curved surfaces corresponding to the respective linear reflectors 22-6, The sunlight condensed in the linear reflector is vertically incident on the surface of the corresponding solar cell.

Referring to FIG. 11, the condensing solar power generation system 20 according to the present invention may further include a heat treatment unit 24 having a pipe 24-1 through which refrigerant flows. There may be one piping 24-1 through which refrigerant flows, but a plurality of piping 24-1 may be provided as needed.

The role of the heat treatment device 24 may be configured to be performed by the receiver, and the heat treatment device 24 may be configured as a separate device from the receiver.

11, the heat treatment device 24 may be configured to have various structures and shapes as required, and at least a part of the outer surface of the heat treatment device 24 may be curved The solar cell can be surface-treated to attach the solar cell of FIG.

Heat treatment refers to the treatment of heat or energy generated during the process of solar power generation and can be performed for various purposes. For example, heat dissipation for removing heat generated in the solar cell 23, and recovery and replacement of heat for collecting and using heat can be mentioned.

11 shows an example of a cylindrical heat treatment device 24 having a pipe 24-1 through which a coolant flows, and the solar cell 23 can be attached to the outer surface.

At this time, the portion to which the solar cell 23 is attached can be treated with a material (e.g., metal) that can be well-conducted.

12 shows an embodiment using the linear reflector 22-6. The sunlight condensed in the linear reflector 22-6 is incident on the curved solar light attached to the outer surface of the cylindrical heat processing device 24 And is vertically incident on the cell 23, and the heat treatment device 24 performs heat treatment such as heat radiation and recovery of heat.

Fig. 13 shows an example of a heat treatment apparatus 24 having a semicircular cross section and three pipes 24-1 inside.

The refrigerant can flow through each of the pipes 24-1 to prevent the efficiency from being lowered or damaged due to overheating of the solar cell 23 and the heat generated in the solar cell 23 can be recovered and recycled It is possible.

Referring to FIG. 14, in the case where heat recovery is not required, the heat treatment apparatus 24 may be configured as a heat dissipation structure for removing heat generated in the solar cell 23. To this end, the portion 24-3 to which the curved solar cell 23 is attached may be treated with a material having a good thermal conductivity such as metal, and may have various heat dissipating structures 24-5.

Referring to FIG. 15, the heat treatment apparatus 24 may include a poor water energy recovery means 26 for recovering energy that has not been absorbed by the photovoltaic cell 23.

That is, the insufficient water energy recovery means 26 can be used to recover energy that is not absorbed by the solar cell 23 due to diffuse reflection or non-condensation.

The insufficient water energy recovery means 26 may be configured to have various structures and shapes as required, and may be made of a material capable of absorbing the solar energy that is not absorbed by the solar cell 23 well.

Fig. 15 shows an example of a weak water energy recovery means 26 configured in the form of a rectangular box protruding by a predetermined length along both sides of a cylindrical heat treatment apparatus 24 having a semicircular cross section, The means 26 may also be configured to have one or more piping 26-1 through which refrigerant flows.

The heat treatment device 24 may further include one or more heat storage means for storing the refrigerant flowing through each pipe.

Fig. 16 shows an embodiment in which three pipes provided in a cylindrical heat treatment device 24 having a half-sectional shape are combined into one pipe 29-1 at both ends and then connected to the heat storage means 31 .

The refrigerant flowing through each pipe 29-1 flows via the heat storage means 31. [ Therefore, the heat storage means 31 serves to store the heat energy stored in the refrigerant flowing through the pipe 29-1.

The heat recovery or heat exchange may be configured to occur through several steps.

In this regard, a plurality of heat storage means may be connected to different pipe groups, and each heat storage means may be connected to each other by a pipe through which refrigerant flows. For example, some of the tubing may be configured for primary heating and another for secondary heating.

Referring to FIG. 17, three pipes provided in a cylindrical heat treatment apparatus 24 having a semicircular cross section form one group and are connected to the first heat storage means 31, The two pipes provided in the recovery means 26 form another group and are connected to the second heat storage means 32. [

The first column storing means 31 and the second column storing means 32 are connected to each other through a pipe 29-5 connecting between the heat storing means.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 17, the primary heating through the three pipe groups and the secondary heating through the group of the pipes of the low-water energy recovery means 26 are performed.

The number of heat storage means and the setting of the piping group to be connected to each heat storage means may be variously configured as needed.

As described above, when the curved solar cell 23 and the heat treatment unit 24 are used together, it is possible to improve both the power generation efficiency and the heat utilization efficiency, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the solar power generation system I can expect.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. to be.

12, 22: condensing device 13, 23: solar cell
17, 27: Receiver 20: Concentrated solar power generation system
22-1: frame 22-2: support
22-5: condenser lens 22-6: linear reflector
24: heat treatment apparatus 24-1, 26-1, 29-1, 29-2, 29-5: piping
26: insufficient water energy recovery means 31, 32: heat storage means

Claims (10)

a condensing device for condensing sunlight using a condensing lens having different condensing magnifications in the x- and y-axis directions; And
And a photovoltaic cell for receiving power of the condensed sunlight through the condenser,
The photovoltaic cell has a curved surface that receives the condensed sunlight,
Wherein the focusing lens is a Fresnel lens, each lens element of the Fresnel lens is formed in an elliptical shape having the same center point, and the curvature is increased as the focal point is closer to the center point,
Wherein the light converging device is configured such that the direction of the curvature of the elliptical curved surface of each of the lens elements of the Fresnel lens in the direction of the x axis and the y axis is larger than that of the other direction, Solar power system. delete The method according to claim 1,
The condensing lens is composed of a plurality of lenses,
And a solar cell corresponding to each of the condenser lenses. A condensing device for condensing sunlight using a plurality of linear mirrors; And
And a photovoltaic cell provided corresponding to each of the linear reflectors and performing power generation by receiving the sunlight condensed through the respective linear reflectors,
Wherein the solar cell has a curved surface that receives the condensed sunlight,
Wherein each of the lens elements of the Fresnel lens is formed in an elliptical shape having the same center point, and the curvature increases as the focal point is closer to the center point,
Wherein the light converging device is configured such that the direction of the curvature of the elliptical curved surface of each of the lens elements of the Fresnel lens is larger than that of the other directions in the x- and y- Solar power system. The method according to any one of claims 1, 3, and 4,
Wherein the solar cell is a curved solar cell having a curved surface such that the condensed sunlight enters vertically. The method according to any one of claims 1, 3, and 4,
A condensing solar power generation system using a curved solar cell further comprising a heat treatment apparatus having at least one piping through which a coolant flows. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the heat treatment apparatus includes a curved solar cell including a curved outer surface to which a curved solar cell can be attached. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the heat treatment apparatus further comprises a deficient water energy recovery means for recovering energy not absorbed by the solar cell. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the heat treatment apparatus further comprises one or more heat storage means for storing the refrigerant flowing through the piping. 10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the plurality of heat storage means are respectively connected to different pipe groups, and each heat storage means is connected to a pipe through which refrigerant flows.

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