WO2022177433A1

WO2022177433A1 - Prefabricated façade panel

Info

Publication number: WO2022177433A1
Application number: PCT/NL2022/050088
Authority: WO
Inventors: Reinier Helmig BOSCH
Original assignee: Studio Solarix B.V.
Priority date: 2021-02-19
Filing date: 2022-02-18
Publication date: 2022-08-25
Also published as: NL2027598A; EP4295482A1; NL2027598B1

Abstract

What is disclosed is a prefabricated facade panel (10) arranged to be applied to the face of a building, which facade panel comprises: a support framework comprising a fixing module arranged for fixing said facade panel to said face of said building; a solar panel (12) for generating electrical energy from photons impinging on said solar panel, and wherein said solar panel is accommodated internally within the facade panel and supported by said support framework; characterized in that said facade panel further comprises: a facade cover structure (13, 14) covering said solar panel, wherein an outer surface of said facade structure directed away from said face of said building comprises a colorized patterned layer (14) having a partial transparency for enabling said photons to impinge on said solar panel, and wherein said patterned layer comprises a honeycomb pattern of hexagonal shaped printed dyes defining said partial transparency of said outer surface of said facade structure.

Description

Title: Prefabricated fagade panel

Description

The present invention relates, in general, to prefabricated fagade panels. In particular the present invention relates to prefabricated fagade panels have a solar panel comprised therein.

Prefabricated fagade panels form part of fagade cladding systems. Fagade claddings form the outer skin of a building. It not only adds protection of a building against environmental conditions, but maybe even more importantly, it largely determines the appearance of, and thereby adds to the character of the building. Fagade panels may be considered one of the most important distinguishing aspects of a building.

In addition to various other reasons, this is what makes facade panels particularly popular with architects because they can easily give the building a high- quality aesthetic character.

Tile based fagade panels are becoming increasingly popular since they can provide the high-quality aesthetic character and are easy to install and can be fabricated prior to being attached. To this end, the cladding system consist of a fixture mechanism of beams or other structural elements to which the panels can be attached.

Within architecture, sustainability is also becoming increasingly popular as a demand for more eco-friendly approach to modern day building encompasses most aspects of the construction process. This not only includes the choice and footprint of building materials but also the implementation of modern, eco- friendly utilities such as heating, cooling, ventilation and electricity. Partly because of this, solar panels have already taken an important position in the transition from traditional construction and architecture towards a more future-oriented sustainable construction. Traditionally, solar panels are used on roofs because they are generally seen as elements that detract from the aesthetic character of the building. The need for energy generated from solar panels is however increasing. This while for many buildings, especially in populated areas, roof surface is limited. Further expansion of solar panels is therefore sometimes not possible. Moreover, not every roof is suitable for installing solar panels.

The need to install solar panels on other parts of the building, i.e. the fagade, is therefore increasing.

From an aesthetic point of view, however, the solar panels are often seen as undesirable. When a part or an entire facade of a building has to be provided with solar panels, this will limit the creative freedom of the architect, who for this reason is less inclined to include solar panels on the facade in the design.

The solar panels could be integrated into prefabricated fagade panel and provided with a cladding to ensure aesthetic freedom for the architect. However, such cladding will decrease the efficiency of the solar panel to such a degree that it is unlikely that such panels are able to generate the energy required to be profitable.

Therefore there is a need for a prefabricated fagade panel arranged to generate electrical energy by use of a solar panel, which provides a high degree of aesthetic freedom, at a high level of efficiency of the solar panel.

This goal is achieved, in a first aspect, by providing a prefabricated fagade panel arranged to be applied to the face of a building, which fagade panel comprises: a support framework comprising a fixing module arranged for fixing said fagade panel to said face of said building; a solar panel for generating electrical energy from photons impinging on said solar panel, and wherein said solar panel is accommodated internally within the fagade panel and supported by said support framework; characterized in that said fagade panel further comprises: a fagade cover structure covering said solar panel, wherein an outer surface of said fagade structure directed away from said face of said building comprises a colorized patterned layer having a partial transparency for enabling said photons to impinge on said solar panel, and wherein said patterned layer comprises a honeycomb pattern of hexagonal shaped printed dyes defining said partial transparency of said outer surface of said fagade structure.

The proposed prefabricated fagade panel is arranged to be attached on the fagade of a building by a cladding system which may consist of a plurality of structural elements. To these structural element the prefabricated fagade panel is attached and fixed by a fixing module. The fixing module form part of a support framework which provided support for both the solar panel and a fagade cover structure which fully covers the solar panel.

Hence, the solar panel is either a dedicated solar panel or an off-shelf solar panel which may be retro-fitted onto the support framework and is accommodated internally within the fagade panel.

The solar panel is covered fully by the fagade cover structure. And an outer surface, being the surface directed away from the building enables at least partial transparency for the solar panel in the fagade panel.

The partial transparency provides the fagade panel or fagade tile the ability to select the appearance of the building as desired by the architect and building owner. Providing both a selectable appearance without significant reduction of the number of, and electrical energy of the photons impinging on said solar panel, is very challenging.

The inventors have come to insight that such transparency can be provided by a colorized patterned layer which patterned layer comprises a honeycomb pattern of hexagonal shaped printed dyes defining said partial transparency of said outer surface of said fagade structure. The colorized patterned layer may thus comprise a layer of hexagonal shaped dots or printed dyes, which layer is preferably applied with a layer thickness of between 0.1 pm and 25 mm, more preferably between 0.1 pm, and 1 mm , more preferably between 0.1 pm and 100 pm, even more preferably between 0.1 pm and 10 pm and most preferably between 0.5 pm and 4 pm as this gives the most optimal esthetic effect but still sufficient transparency for light to obtain optical solar energy conversion by the solar panel.

Preferably, the

The honeycomb pattern of hexagonal shaped printed dyes enables a highly accurate transparent spacing between the dyes since due to the uniform configurable character of the pattern. By selecting a certain hexagonal shaped printed dyes size and dye spacing the transparent can be defined very accurately.

The hexagonal shaped printed dyes further provide sufficient creative freedom for a designer to create a large number of visual appearance of the fagade cover such that there is always a design that the architect deems suitable for use on the facade of the building to be designed.

In an example, said partial transparency of said outer surface of said fagade structure is in the range between 10% and 90% transparency, more preferably between 20% and 85% transparency, and most preferably between 30% and 80% transparency.

In an example, said transparency is defined by a spacing of said hexagonal shaped printed dyes in said honeycomb pattern.

In an example, said transparency is defined by one or more of a dye colour, and dye opaqueness. Dark colour may be used for more opacity to achieve more efficient panels.

In an example, the panel and the patterned layer may comprise dyes of different colours or different levels of opaqueness, e.g. dyes with a lower and a higher level of opaqueness may be alternated or combined in groups to obtain a darker appearance.

In an example, said panel having a ratio of dye surface to dye spacing surface in the range between 25:1 and 2:1.

In an example, a dye size of said pattern is in the range between 1mm and 5mm, and preferably between 2mm and 4mm and most preferably approximately 2.5mm.

In an example, a dye spacing size of said pattern is in the range between 0.2mm and 1mm, and preferably between 0.3mm and 0.6mm and most preferably approximately 0.5mm.

In an example, said fagade cover structure is comprised on a glass substrate, and wherein said glass substrate preferably fully covers said solar panel.

In an example, said fagade cover structure is comprised on one glass substrate of a glass sandwich structure comprising two glass substrates in between which said solar panel is sandwiched

In an example, said fagade cover structure is comprised on a thin foil arranged for covering said solar panel, and wherein said thin foil is preferably provided with an adhesive layer for attaching said thin foil to said solar panel.

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of the invention are illustrated in the following description with reference to the enclosed drawings which are provided by way of illustration only and which are not limitative to the present invention.

Brief description of the Drawings:

Fig. 1. a detail of a side view from a glas-glas solar panel which is printed on fase 1; Fig. 2. a detail of a side view from a glas-glas solar panel which is printed on fase 2;

Fig. 3. a detail of a side view from a glas-backsheet solar panel which is printed on fase 1;

Fig. 4. a detail of a side view from a glas-backsheet solar panel which is printed on fase 2;

Fig. 5. a detail of a side view from a glas-backsheet solar panel with additional front sheet;

Fig. 6. a detail of a side view from a glas-glas solar panel with additional front sheet;

Fig. 7. a detail of a side view from a plastic-carrier based solar panel with additional front sheet;

Fig. 8. a detail of a side view from a plastic-carrier based solar panel with a patterned layer which is sandwiched between two front sheets;

Fig. 9. a patterned layer of a fagade panel according to an aspect of the present disclosure, with a detailed view of the pattern;

Fig. 10. another patterned layer of a fagade panel according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

In Fig. 1 a first example is shown of the present invention. It discloses a detail of a prefabricated fagade panel 10. The fagade panel is arranged to be applied or fixed, and preferably in a manner which allows safe, quick and easy removing of the panel of the face of a building. The fagade panel consist of several components. A first component is the support framework which allows the fixation of the fagade panel to a support structure which is fixed to a face of the building. The support framework therefor comprises a fixating module such that the fagade panel can be can be detachably attached to the face of the building. The advantage of having panels which are detachable, is that it they allow easy maintenance to each individual panel of the fagade of the building. In case of any problems with for example an electric port, connection, or functioning of the solar panel, the fagade panel as a whole can be detached and replaced very easily. A further effect of the fact that the panels are detachable, is that this add to the circularity, since they can be detached, and recycled. The support framework for example comprises a backplane 11 or glass back panel 11 or a glass support layer 11. This layer 11 is preferably black and non-transparent for visible light. The fagade panel 10 further comprises a solar panel 12, for generating electrical energy from photons impinging on the solar panel. The panel 12 itself is accommodated internally within the fagade panel and supported by said support framework. The fagade panel also comprises a cover structure 13, 14 covering the solar panel. An outer surface of the fagade structure directed away from said face of said building comprises a colorized patterned layer 13 having a partial transparency for enabling the photons to impinge on the solar panel 10. The patterned layer 14 comprises a honeycomb pattern of hexagonal shaped printed dyes defining a partial transparency of the outer surface 14 of the fagade structure 10.

The fagade panels 10, 20, 30, 40 according to the present disclosure may be manufactured in several different ways. The solar panels 12, 22, 32, 42, may either be attached to a glass carrier or to a back sheet, and in any combination the patterned layer 14, 24, 34, 44 may either be located at the outside of the stack of layers, facing away from the building, or may be encapsulated by a glass layer 13, 23, 33, 43. These combinations allow at least four alternative embodiments of the fagade panel 10, 20, 30, 40 as shown in detail in Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.

Having the patterned layer on the outside, i.e. the side facing away from the building or fagade, like the examples shown in Fig. 1 and 3, will have improved coloring which results in less dye needed to achieve the same effect. Hence, these panels which allow more light to be transmitted such that the efficiency of the solar panel is increased.

Having the patterned layer on the inside, i.e. covered by the glass layer 23, 43, as shown in Fig. 2 and 4, will provide improved resistance to weather influences but at the costs of the efficiency of the solar panel.

The patterned layer 14, 24, 34, 44, 54, 64, 74, 84, 94, 104, preferably also comprises an ultra violet blocking layer on top of the patterned layer, to protect the foil or the ceramic layer. Such a protective layer may also be applied in the form of a nano-coating, a (nano)protective spay or even a layer of varnish. In Fig. 2 an alternative fagade panel 20 is shown. The fagade panel 20 is buildup of the same layers as the fagade panel 10 shown in Fig. 1 but the patterned layer 24 is positioned differently since it is attached directly to the solar panel 22. On top of the patterned layer 24 is a glass layer 23 which layer is preferably comprised of a transparent solar glass, which is at least transparent for visible, but preferably also in the UV and IR/N-IR spectrum.

The stack of layers 21 , 22, 24, 23 form the fagade panel 20 which can be attached to the fagade of the building. Hence, the panel 20 has a first main surface which is directed away, and second main surface which faces the building. The backplane or glass substrate 21 is directed towards the building, whereas the solar glass layer 24 is directed away from the building. The viewing path is thus in Fig. 1 formed by layer 24, followed by layer 23, then layer 22, and in Fig. 2 first layer 23, followed by layer 24, and layer 22. Whereas in Fig. 3 the viewing path is formed similarly by 34, 33, 32 and in Fig. 4 by 43, 44, 42. Layers 11, 21, 31, 41 do not form part of the viewing path since these are black non transparent layers which only serve to provide stability for the stack.

In Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 are further alternative panels 30, 40 shown. These panels are to a large extend similar to panels 10 and 20, except for the fact that these do not contain a glass to glass stack, but a glass to backsheet panel. Hence, in Fig. 1 and 2. the solar panel 12, 22 is sandwiched between two glass panels or glass layers 11, 21 , and 13, 23, whereas the solar panel 32, 42 of Fig. 3 and 4. are sandwiched between a glass panel 33, 43 and a black sheet 31, 41.

The patterned layer 14, 24, 34, 44 is a layer which comprises a colorized patterned which has a partial transparency for enabling the photons to impinge on the solar panel 12, 22, 32, 42, and wherein the patterned layer 14, 24, 34, 44 comprises a honeycomb pattern of hexagonal shaped printed dyes that define the partial transparency of the outer surface of the fagade structure.

The patterned layer 14, 24, 34, 44 may either be made from a ceramic print or from a (thin) foil. The person skilled in the art will appreciate that providing a colorized pattern on a ceramic layer or on a foil require different manufacturing methods. The embodiment in which a thin foil is used 14, 24, 34, 44 for covering the solar panel, may also comprise an adhesive layer for attaching the thin foil to the solar panel. The adhesive layer is not shown in the figures but the skilled person will appreciate which adhesives may be used.

Alternatively, the patterned layer may comprise a PET (Polyethylenterephthalat) foil. This foil does not stick to the other layers of the stack and hence, is not adhesive. The foil may preferably be treated with a plasma to increase the adhesion to the other layers, e.g. the solar panel and or the glass layer 13, 23, 33, 43.

These panels are to a large extend similar to panels 10 and 20, except for the fact that these do not contain a glass to glass stack, but a glass to backsheet panel. Hence, in Fig. 1 and 2. the solar panel 12, 22 is sandwiched between two glass panels or glass layers 11, 21 , and 13, 23, whereas the solar panel 32, 42 of Fig. 3 and 4. are sandwiched between a glass panel 33, 43 and a black sheet 31 , 41.

Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 show more examples of fagade panels 50, 60 according to the present disclosure. The panel of Fig. 5 is comprised of a backsheet layer 51, which is to be situated towards the face of the building. On top of the backsheet layer 51 is the solar panel 52, a solar glass layer 53, and the foil, print or patterned layer 54. The patterned layer is covered with a frontsheet layer 55. This frontsheet layer 55 protects the patterned layer 54, e.g. from degradation by UV light. Hence, the frontsheet 55 may comprise an UV blocker. Such a protective layer 55 may also be applied, as indicated, in the form of a nano-coating, a (nano)protective spay or even a layer of varnish. Similar to Fig. 5, the panel 60 of Fig. 6 comprises a stack of a solar panel 62, solar glass layer 63, patterned layer 64 and frontsheet 55, except that the stack is formed on a glass carrier 61.

Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 show yet even more examples of fagade panels 70, 80 according to the present disclosure, except with plastic carriers 71, 81. The solar panel 72, 82, is placed on top of these plastic carriers 71 , 81. In Fig. 7, the patterned layer is placed on top of the solar panel 72, and is covered with the frontsheet layer 75, whereas in Fig. 8, the patterned layer is stacked between two layers of frontsheet material 85, 86. The example in Fig. 8 illustrates a post-processing example of adding the patterned layer 84, as the patterned layer may be added to a finished end product of a solar panel 82 which is attached to a plastic carrier 81 and covered by a frontsheet 86 to protect the solar panel 82. Once the patterned layer 84 is retro-fitted on the frontsheet 86, it is covered once again with a frontsheet 85 to protect it similar to the protection provided to the solar panel 82 by frontsheet 86. By way of example, as also illustrated in Fig. 7, the patterned layer 74 is applied on or in the inside of the front sheet 75. Hence, in this example, contrary to the example shown in Fig. 8 in which the patterned layer is retro-fitted, the patterned layer is applied in the production process of the solar panel by integration into the frontsheet 75 at the side directed towards the building.

The plastic carriers 71, 81, may be formed from a synthetic or semi synthetic material such as (an organic) polymer. Such a plastic carrier has several advantages for being low in weight, providing sufficient strength and allowing efficient recycling.

The glass carriers 11 , 21 , 61 based panels 10, 20, 60 have the advantage for being low in weight, being durable and are very appealing from an esthetic point of view. The backsheet carrier 31, 41 , 51, based panels 30, 40, 50, have the advantage of being low in weight, being cheap and since it uses less material it is advantageous from a circularity point of view.

As indicated, the patterned layers shown in the examples may be provided as a glass based layer in which the patterned dyes are applied through a ceramic printing process, whereas in an alternative the patterned layer may also comprise a foil based layer in which the patterned dyes are applied through an inkjet- based printing process such as a continuous inkjet method or a drop-on-demand inkjet method.

In Fig. 9 the patterned layer 94 is shown which may be formed form a printed thin foil or from a ceramic printed (glass)plate. The pattern on the layer 94 is formed from a honeycomb pattern of hexagonal shaped printed dyes 97. These dyes 55 with a hexagonal shape are tiny such that, at least from the viewing distance of the panel, these resolve into a colorized layer in which the individual pixels 97 formed by the hexagonal shaped dyes aren’t visible any more from a certain distance, e.g. at least 1, more in particular at least 5, more in particular at least 10, even more in particular at least 20 meters. The dyes in particular have a dimension of approximately 2.5 mm, but at least in the range between 1mm and 5mm, and more preferably between 2mm and 4mm. The spacing between the dyes is preferably approximately 0.5mm, and at least in the range between 0.2mm and 1mm, and more preferably between 0.3mm and 0.6mm.

As can be seen in Fig. 9, the hexagonal shaped dyes 97 are spaced apart from each other with a certain spacing. The ratio between the surface of the individual dyes 97 and the spacing between the dyes 97 may define the level of transparency. The transparency is configurable to such a degree, that there is still sufficient coloring to provide esthetic effect to the layer 94, whereas on the other end, the transparency is sufficient for the photons to pass through the layer and impinge on the solar panel in the layer below. Preferably the transparency is set at a range between 10% and 90%, more preferably between 20% and 85% transparency, and most preferably between 30% and 80% transparency.

The patterned layer 14, 24, 34, 44, 54, 64, 74, 84, 94, 104, of hexagonal shaped dyes 97 preferably consists of 2 or more layers of colour, i.e. dyes. The first layer is a white hexagonal pattern or full white layer, whereas the second layer is formed by a hexagonal pattern as well, but with a coloured dye. These layers will preferably have the same thickness but may also have different ratio’s to configure the level of colouring and the transparency of the layer. For example, a first white layer may be applied and subsequently a second coloured layer, wherein the first white layer may have a coverage of the dye of between 50% and 100%, and the second coloured layer of between 70% and 100% coverage.

The hexagonal shaped dyes which are positioned such that they form a honeycomb, provide a special esthetic effect which not only provides a depth perspective, or illusion of depth in the pattern, but also a very appealing color pallet. In Fig. 10 yet another example is shown of the fagade panel 100, and in particular the patterned layer 104. The layer is, just as the patterned layer 94 of Fig. 9, buildup of a large number of hexagonal shaped dyes 107 which form a honeycomb pattern. One or more of the dye opaqueness and/or colour, dye size and surface area and dye spacing create the ability to show further esthetic effects of a further layer hexagonal shaped pattern 108 as shown in Fig. 6. This way even more designs can be created which are all buildup of the same hexagonal shaped dyes.

The solar panels 12, 22, 32, 42, 52, 62, 72, 82, are preferably off- shelf solar panels which for example are monocrystalline solar panels with a high level of efficiency.

Based on the above description, a skilled person my provide modifications and additions to the method and arrangement disclosed, which modifications and additions are all comprised by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A prefabricated fagade panel arranged to be applied to the face of a building, said fagade panel comprising: a support framework comprising a fixing module arranged for fixing said fagade panel to said face of said building; a solar panel for generating electrical energy from photons impinging on said solar panel, and wherein said solar panel is accommodated internally within the fagade panel and supported by said support framework; characterized in that said fagade panel further comprises: a fagade cover structure covering said solar panel, wherein an outer surface of said fagade structure directed away from said face of said building comprises a colorized patterned layer having a partial transparency for enabling said photons to impinge on said solar panel, and wherein said patterned layer comprises a honeycomb pattern of hexagonal shaped printed dyes defining said partial transparency of said outer surface of said fagade structure.

2. The prefabricated fagade panel according to claim 1, wherein said partial transparency of said outer surface of said fagade structure is in the range between 10% and 90% transparency, more preferably between 20% and 85% transparency, and most preferably between 30% and 80% transparency.

3. The prefabricated fagade panel according to any of the previous claims, wherein said transparency is defined by a spacing of said hexagonal shaped printed dyes in said honeycomb pattern.

4. The prefabricated fagade panel according to any of the previous claims, wherein said transparency is defined by one or more of a dye colour, and dye opaqueness.

5. The prefabricated fagade panel according to any of the previous claims, having a ratio of dye surface to dye spacing surface in the range between 25:1 and 2:1.

6. The prefabricated fagade panel according to any of the previous claims, wherein a dye size of said pattern is in the range between 1 m and 5mm, and preferably between 2mm and 4mm and most preferably approximately 2.5mm.

7. The prefabricated fagade panel according to any of the previous claims, wherein a dye spacing size of said pattern is in the range between 0.2mm and 1mm, and preferably between 0.3mm and 0.6mm and most preferably approximately 0.5mm.

8. The prefabricated fagade panel according to any of the previous claims, wherein said fagade cover structure is comprised on a glass substrate, and wherein said glass substrate preferably fully covers said solar panel.

9. The prefabricated fagade panel according to any of the previous claims, wherein said fagade cover structure is comprised on one glass substrate of a glass sandwich structure comprising two glass substrates in between which said solar panel is sandwiched

10. The prefabricated fagade panel according to any of the previous claims, wherein said fagade cover structure is comprised on a thin foil arranged for covering said solar panel, and wherein said thin foil is preferably provided with an adhesive layer for attaching said thin foil to said solar panel.