WO2016042583A1

WO2016042583A1 - Photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting device

Info

Publication number: WO2016042583A1
Application number: PCT/IT2015/000216
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto FRONTERRE
Original assignee: Fronterre Roberto
Priority date: 2014-09-17
Filing date: 2015-08-28
Publication date: 2016-03-24

Abstract

Photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting device prism-shaped or truncated pyramid, whose faces are coated by a plurality of photovoltaic cells. On the inside there is appropriately spaced, a second photovoltaic multisided device prism-shaped or truncated pyramid, whose faces are coated by a plurality of photovoltaic cells. The two devices form a single monolithic structure.

Description

PHOTOVOLTAIC MULTIFACETED INTERCEPTING DEVICE

01) The present invention relates to a photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting 5 device, coated with a plurality of photovoltaic cells, able to pick up both the direct solar radiation and the indirect diffused into the surrounding environment.

02) Today PV modules composed of a plurality of photovoltaic cells, regardless of the type or shape of the photovoltaic cells used, have just one

10 intercepting surface (so one-sided), or two intercepting surfaces (so double- sided) that is, one directed to the sunlight and another directed to the indirect light.

03) The intercepting capacity of the above one sided or double-sided photovoltaic modules is proportional to the surface of the ground occupied,

15 given that these modules extend horizontally, then they subtract useful surface to agricultural crops, gardens, terraces of housing or any other space intented to other purposes.

04) To increase the power of the single-sided photovoltaic modules, are employed multilayer solar cells (example US 4,297,717), or special reflectors

20 concentrators (example US 2014209148), or placing before fresnel lenses (example US 8,058,547) or employing photovoltaic cells with particular conformations (example DE 102 009 019 937), which require mandatory mechanical structures for moving the module to compensate sun's apparent motion.

25 05) The bifacial photovoltaic modules, compared to the single-sided, make a better use of the space they occupy, in particular if they are placed in particular grids (example WO 2009129156) able to intercept the mutual reflection of light. This necessarily requires special mechanical structures to follow sun's apparent motion.

30 06) Another solution that uses bifacial modules and does not require mechanical structures to follow the apparent motion of the sun, is to include them in the blades of a wind turbine (example JP 2012246912).

07) Another technique is based on the realization of three-dimensional scaffolds on which affix a plurality of photovoltaic modules (example CN 35 203218283), solution best for medium to large structures and that has a good intercepting surface respect the land occupied.

08) Another technique involves a photovoltaic module in the form of a polygonal pyramid or cone (example JPH 09213982), solution best for small to medium sized structures and that has a decent intercepting surface respect the busy ground.

09) Another technique relates to a photovoltaic module in the form of a cylinder, whose photovoltaic cells are arranged in the inner wall receiving the light from the reflecting grid placed in the upper base and from the convex reflective surface placed in the lower base (example JP 2011249654). This solution is best suited for small to medium sized structures and it has a good intercepting surface respect the busy ground.

10) Another technique relates to a structure composed of a plurality of photovoltaic modules assembled horizontally and vertically in the shape of a "tree" (example MX 2013006189), solution of complex realization and suitable for medium-large structures not suitable, aesthetically, for installation in urban areas with no gardens or free open spaces.

11) Therefore, to remedy some of the problems of the previous technical solutions, the photovoltaic multifaceted device of the present invention, has the favorable intercepting capacity inversely proportional to the busy ground, or rather this capacity increases with the height of the photovoltaic multifaceted device, allowing the installation in agricultural or urban spaces without compromising the use of cultivated fields, gardens, terraces of houses etc. 12) In fact, the present invented photovoltaic multifaceted device, picks up the direct solar radiation and the indirect reflected and diffused of the surrounding ambient to 360°, for the merit of the multifaces of which is equipped with the device, coated by a plurality of simple or multilayer photovoltaic cells already known in the tecnique. In addition, the photovoltaic multifaceted device can also operate without a mechanical device for solar tracking.

13) The invented photovoltaic multifaceted device (Fig.2) has the form of right or oblique prism, or a right or oblique truncated pyramid, empty inside, whose sides of the bases, and then the faces can be planar, convex or concave. The faces and the upper base are made of light-transparent material and covered by a plurality of photovoltaic cells. Inside of that device appropriately spaced by white walls (3) (Fig.4), there is a smaller second photovoltaic multifaceted device (2) (Fig.4), empty inside, in the shape of a right or 75 oblique prism, or right or oblique truncated pyramid, whose faces and the upper base are made of light-transparent material and covered by a plurality of photovoltaic cells. The internal photovoltaic multifaceted device (2) (Fig.4) is integrated to the outer (1) (Fig.4) to form a single monolithic structure of a photovoltaic multifaceted interceptimg device.

80 14) The photovoltaic cells that cover the faces of the second photovoltaic device placed inside (2) (Fig.4) , intercept the light that leaks out from the appropriate windows (15 and 18) (Fig.2) present in the faces and in the base of the outer part (1) (Fig.4) of the photovoltaic multifaceted device.

15) The upper base of the invented photovoltaic multifaceted device, is 85 inclined to prevent water stagnation.

16) At upper and lower ends of the invented photovoltaic device, trhere are ventilation apertures (17) (Fig.2).

17) According to another aspect of the invention, some external faces of the photovoltaic device are coated by thermal collectors (11) (Fig.3), opportunelly

90 insulated, to capture heat and to be accumulated for laboratory systems, heating or to generate electricity by turbine.

18) According to another aspect of the invention, the outside of the photovoltaic device can have the form of a right or oblique cylinder or truncated cone (Fig.7) whose surface, made of a transparent material to light

95 and coated by a plurality of photovoltaic cells, circumscribes, opportunelly spaced apart, the second photovoltaic internal device (2) (Fig.8) in the shape of a right or oblique prism or truncated pyramid, truncated cone or cylinder, whose surface is made of light-transparent material and covered by a plurality of photovoltaic cells. Also in this case the photovoltaic cells, placed in the

100 internal surface of the photovoltaic device (2) (Fig. 8), receive the light from the provided windows in the surface of the external device (15) (Fig. 7 and 8). The internal photovoltaic device (2) (Fig. 8) is integrated to the outer (1) (Fig. 8) to form a single structure of photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting device. The upper base is inclined to avoid the stagnation of water.

105 19) According to another aspect of the invention, the central interior zone (19) (Fig.4-6-8), empty, of the photovoltaic multifaceted device can accommodate the control circuits, voltage conversion and electic or thermal accumulators. 110 20) According to another aspect of the invention, the photovoltaic multifaceted device can be built only from the outside, so without the second photovoltaic device inside (Fig.l).

21) The substrate of the photovoltaic cells (4) (Fig.5) that cover the outer photovoltaic multifaceted device (1) (Fig.4-6-8), that is the part of the

115 photovoltaic cells faced to the interior, is white to allow diffuse reflection of part of the light that leaks out from the windows (18 and 15) (Fig. 2-3-7-8) directed towards the photovoltaic cells of the internal device (2) (Fig. 4-6-8).

22) In the photovoltaic multifaceted device in the shape of prism or truncated pyramid, the base and each face contains at least one group of photovoltaic

120 cells connected electrically in series. Each face, protected by diodes, is electrically connected in parallel to the others. The outside and the inside of the photovoltaic multifaceted device have indipendent electrical circuits.

23) In the photovoltaic multifaceted device in the shape of cylinder or truncated cone, the arrangement of the photovoltaic cells in the lateral

125 surfaces is exclusively in longitudinal columns. This allows to have a uniform illumination on each column. Each column is composed by a group of photovoltaic cells electrically connected in series. Every column is electrically connected to the other in parallel. Also in this case, the outside and the inside of the photovoltaic multifaceted device have independent electrical circuits.

130 Description of the drawings

24) The Fig. 1 shows an example of a simple photovoltaic multifaceted device with upper ventilation apertures (17), covered with photovoltaic cells

(16);

25) The Fig. 2 shows an example of a complete photovoltaic multifaceted 135 device, covered with photovoltaic cells (16), in which there are two types of windows (15 and 18) for the passage of light to the interior device ventilation openings greater than (17);

26) In the Fig.3 example of the photovoltaic multifaceted device coated by photovoltaic cells (16), with two types of windows (15 and 18) for the

140 passage of light, with thermal collector panel (11) and the upper aeration openings (17);

27) The Fig. 4 shows the horizontal section of Fig.2 with double photovoltaic multifaceted device, an internal (2) and an external (1), covered whith photovoltaic cells, white partition walls (3), empty middle area (19);

28) The Fig. 5 shows the cross section of an example of the photovoltaic cell: the external module (1) made by a white substrate (4), two conductor layers

(5) (8), two photosensitive semiconductor layers (6) (7), and protection of transparent material (9) of big thickness; internal module made by a substrate (10), two conductor layers (5) (8), two photosensitive semiconductor layers

(6) (7), protection of transparent material (9);

29) The Fig. 6 shows the horizontal section of Fig.3 with double phovoltaic multifaceted device, one inside (2) and an external (1), white partitions (3), thermal collector (11) from covered by transparent material (12), heat collector (13) and insulation (14);

30) The Fig. 7 shows an example of the photovoltaic multifaceted device in the shape of cylinder , covered with photovoltaic cells (16), with windows (15) for the passage of light, upper ventilation opening (17);

31) The Fig. 8 shows the horizontal section of the example of Fig. 7 with double photovoltaic multifaceted module, the outer (1) and the inner (2) in quadrangular concave section, with all the windows (15) for the passage of light.

Claims

165 1) Photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting device characterized to be constituted by two three-dimensional structures hollow, in which the first structure (1) encloses the second structure (2), which surfaces of both structures, made of transparent material to light, are coated with a plurality of photovoltaic cells (16).

170 2) Photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting device as claim 1, characterized by having the two upright or oblique structures in the shape of prism or truncated pyramid.

3) Photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting device as claim 1, characterized by having the upper base inclined from 1° to 65° to avoid stagnation of water or

175 snow.

4) Photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting device as claim 1, characterized by having planar faces, convex or concave with a radius of curvature at least equal to the length of the radius of the polygon of bases.

5) Photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting device as claim 1, characterized by 180 having part of the surface coated with thermal collectors to capture or dissipate heat.

6) Photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting device as claim 1, characterized by aeration openings (17) placed sideways to higher margins.

7) Photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting device as claim 1, characterized by 185 having in the first structure of openings (15-18) transparent to light, which means areas not covered by photovoltaic cells and thermal collectors.

8) Photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting device as claim 1, characterized by supports (3) with reflective and not specular coating, that is diffused or mixed reflection, fixed along each vertical edge of the second structure (2), joining

190 the opposite vertical edges of the first structure (1), thus forming a single monolithic structure.

9) Photovoltaic multifaceted intercepting device as claim 1, in reference to the first structure (1), characterized by photovoltaic cells and thermal collectors with a reflective non specular layer (4) that is diffused or mixed

195 reflection facing towards the second structure (2).