WO2009007832A2 - A concentrator array device for a photovoltaic -generating system - Google Patents

A concentrator array device for a photovoltaic -generating system Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2009007832A2
WO2009007832A2 PCT/IB2008/001804 IB2008001804W WO2009007832A2 WO 2009007832 A2 WO2009007832 A2 WO 2009007832A2 IB 2008001804 W IB2008001804 W IB 2008001804W WO 2009007832 A2 WO2009007832 A2 WO 2009007832A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
concentrator
concentrator device
primary
sunlight
curved
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2008/001804
Other languages
French (fr)
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WO2009007832A3 (en
WO2009007832A8 (en
Inventor
Andrea Antonini
Pierangelo Di Benedetto
Davide Uderzo
Maurizio Armani
Antonio Parretta
Original Assignee
Cpower S.R.L.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cpower S.R.L. filed Critical Cpower S.R.L.
Priority to EP08776346A priority Critical patent/EP2176890A2/en
Publication of WO2009007832A2 publication Critical patent/WO2009007832A2/en
Publication of WO2009007832A3 publication Critical patent/WO2009007832A3/en
Publication of WO2009007832A8 publication Critical patent/WO2009007832A8/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B5/00—Optical elements other than lenses
    • G02B5/08—Mirrors
    • G02B5/10—Mirrors with curved faces
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S23/00—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S23/00—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
    • F24S23/70—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors
    • F24S23/80—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors having discontinuous faces
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/054—Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means
    • H01L31/0547—Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means comprising light concentrating means of the reflecting type, e.g. parabolic mirrors, concentrators using total internal reflection
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S23/00—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
    • F24S23/70—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors
    • F24S2023/83—Other shapes
    • F24S2023/832—Other shapes curved
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S23/00—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
    • F24S23/70—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors
    • F24S2023/83—Other shapes
    • F24S2023/837—Other shapes hyperbolic
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S23/00—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
    • F24S23/70—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors
    • F24S2023/87—Reflectors layout
    • F24S2023/872—Assemblies of spaced reflective elements on common support, e.g. Fresnel reflectors
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/40—Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
    • Y02E10/44—Heat exchange systems
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y02E10/52—PV systems with concentrators

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a sunlight-concentrator device for a photovoltaic-generating system.
  • a photovoltaic-generating system typically comprises a plurality of photovoltaic cells, designed to convert sunlight into electrical energy, and at least one concentrator device for concentrating the sunlight onto the photovoltaic cells, said concentrator device possibly being of the type with reflecting surfaces, and in particular with mirror surfaces, or of the lens type.
  • One of the simplest amongst the concentrator devices with reflecting surfaces of a known type comprises reflecting surfaces set in a V designed to be located alongside respective sides of a common panel of photovoltaic cells .
  • the light concentration factor that can be achieved is less than 5.
  • concentrator devices of the type with two-dimensional ' compound curved reflecting- surfaces for example, two-dimensional compound parabolic concentrator devices, comprising a pair of surfaces, each of which has, in the direction of arrival of the sun rays, a section constituted by a branch of parabola.
  • Another known type of concentrator device with reflecting surfaces comprises a primary concentrator constituted -by a wide reflecting disk with curved surface, for example, a paraboloid surface, for concentrating, with a very high concentration factor comprised between 30 and 1000, a beam of sunlight on a small focal area, set in a region, corresponding to which is a dense array of photovoltaic cells .
  • Said concentrator device enables use of modules of photovoltaic cells of an integrated type, which, however, must be impinged upon by a beam of sunlight with a high degree of uniformity. This requirement is frequently met using a secondary concentrator device set in the focal area in front of the photovoltaic cells .
  • This secondary concentrator device can be of the type with a compound curved surface, for example a three-dimensional compound parabolic concentrator (3D CPC) , which is obtained by rotation of a segment of parabola about an optical axis.
  • 3D CPC three-dimensional compound parabolic concentrator
  • the device with reflecting disk presents the disadvantage of requiring an active-cooling system for preventing overheating of the photovoltaic cells set in the focal area.
  • a known type of lens concentrator device comprises a plurality of lens-type optical units, each of which is designed to receive the sunlight directly and to concentrate the sunlight received onto a respective photovoltaic cell.
  • the . concentration factor that can be achieved is between 20 and 1000.
  • the advantage of said concentrator device is that the heat produced by concentration of sunlight is dissipated in a passive way, but presents the " disadvantage of suffering optical losses due to the reflection of sunlight on the outer surfaces of the lenses, to the reduced tolerances, and to the errors produced during fabrication of the lenses, as well as to the deterioration the materials used.
  • the aim of the present invention is to provide a sunlight- concentrator device and a photovoltaic-generating system using said concentrator device, which will enable a concentration factor of between 10 and 150 to be achieved and the drawbacks described above to be overcome, and, at the same time, will be easy and inexpensive to produce.
  • a sunlight-concentrator device for a photovoltaic-generating system and a photovoltaic-generating system are provided in accordance with the annexed claims.
  • Figure Ia illustrates a photovoltaic-generating system comprising the sunlight-concentrator device in accordance with the present invention
  • Figure Ib illustrates in greater detail a portion of the concentrator device of Figure Ia
  • FIG. 5 and 6 illustrate some variants of the concentrator device in accordance with the present invention provided with the optical units shown in Figure 4;
  • FIG. 9 illustrates- a portion of the concentrator device in accordance with the present invention provided with the optical units shown in Figures 8 and 10, respectively.
  • the reference number 1 designates as a whole a photovoltaic-generating system comprising a plurality of photovoltaic cells set in an array, some of which are illustrated with a dashed line and are designated by the number 2, and a sunlight-concentrator device 3, which is illustrated in a substantially front perspective view and comprises a plurality of optical units 4, each of which is designed to receive the sunlight directly and to concentrate the sunlight received onto a respective photovoltaic cell 2.
  • the photovoltaic cells 2 are, for example, of the silicon type.
  • each optical unit 4 comprises a respective primary concentrator 5 with a compound curved surface .
  • the primary concentrator 5 has an inlet aperture 6 for direct entry of sunlight, an outlet aperture 7 for exit of the concentrated sunlight towards the respective photovoltaic cell 2, an optical axis 8 traversing the inlet aperture 6 and the outlet aperture 7, and a reflecting curved internal surface 9, for example, a mirror surface, for reflecting the rays of sunlight that enter the inlet aperture 6 towards the outlet aperture 7 in a direction that forms, with the optical axis 8 , an angle smaller than or equal to a given acceptance angle.
  • the optical units 4 are also arranged in an array in such a way that the primary concentrators 5 are set alongside one another with the optical axes 8 parallel to define an overall inlet aperture 10 (Figure Ia) of the concentrator device 3 for entry of sunlight.
  • the inlet aperture 6 defines, in a plane (not illustrated) orthogonal to the optical axis 8, an inlet boundary 11 constituted by a broken line delimiting a regular polygon, and in particular a square, in such a way that the overall inlet aperture 10 is completely covered by the set of the inlet apertures 6 of the primary concentrators 5 ( Figure Ia) .
  • the outlet aperture 7 defines, in a plane (not illustrated) orthogonal to the optical axis 8, a outlet boundary 12 of a circular shape.
  • the primary concentrator 5 is of the type with a compound curved surface obtained starting from a three-dimensional compound parabolic concentrator truncated at the inlet and longitudinally by four planes PP parallel to the optical axis 8 .and set in such a way that the inlet boundary 11 delimits a square .
  • the primary concentrator 5 comprises an inlet portion 13 , which comprises four plane walls 14 , each lying in a respective one of the planes PP and four curved interconnection portions 15 tapered towards the inlet aperture 6 for interconnecting the plane walls 14 to one another in such a way that each plane wall 14 is partially defined between two mutually adjacent interconnection portions 15; and an outlet portion 16 with a curved surface, said curvature being generated by a movement of a curved generatrix G, which is constituted by a segment of parabola and lies in a plane (not illustrated) parallel to the optical axis 8, along the outlet boundary 12.
  • the movement of the generatrix G consists in a movement of the plane of the generatrix G such that an end point P of the generatrix G shifts along the outlet boundary 12 and said plane is always traversed perpendicularly by the outlet boundary 12 in a region corresponding to the point P.
  • the movement of the generatrix G consists in a simple rotation about the optical axis 8.
  • the generatrix G has a length such that also the curvature of the interconnection portions 15 will be defined by the movement of generation described above.
  • Figure 2 illustrates, in fact, the generatrix G positioned in a point corresponding to one of the four interconnection portions 15.
  • the primary concentrators 5 are set alongside one another each with its own plane walls 14 facing, and in contact with, respective plane walls 14 of as many primary concentrators 5.
  • the optical unit 4 comprises a secondary concentrator device 17, which is set between the outlet aperture 7 of the primary concentrator 5 and the corresponding photovoltaic cell 2, which is shown slightly set at a distance from the optical unit 4 for clarity, and has a respective outlet aperture 17a having substantially the plane shape of the photovoltaic cell 2.
  • the secondary concentrator device 17 is preferably full and. made of a transparent dielectric material presenting a refractive index higher than 1 so as to function via total internal reflection on the surface of separation of the material from the external air.
  • the purpose of the secondary concentrator device 17 is principally to adapt the concentrated light beam to the geometry of the photovoltaic cell 2 and in the second place to perform a homogeneization and a further concentration of the sunlight received from the primary concentrator 5.
  • the inlet boundary 11 delimits a rectangle, the minor sides of which are designated by 18 and the major sides of which are designated by 19.
  • the curvature of the surface of the outlet portion 16 is generated by movements of at least two curved generatrices Gl, G2 constituted by respective segments of parabola lying in respective planes (not illustrated) parallel to the optical axis 8.
  • the movements of the generatrices Gl and G2 are similar to the movement of the generatrix G described previously with the difference that a first generatrix Gl is designed to generate curved portions 20 of the outlet portion 16, corresponding to which, in the inlet portion 13, are respective minor sides 18, and a second generatrix G2 is designed to generate curved portions 21 of the outlet portion 16, corresponding to which, in the inlet portion 13, are respective major sides 19.
  • a first generatrix Gl is designed to generate curved portions 20 of the outlet portion 16, corresponding to which, in the inlet portion 13, are respective minor sides 18, and a second generatrix G2 is designed to generate curved portions 21 of the outlet portion 16, corresponding to which, in the inlet portion 13, are respective major sides 19.
  • the curvature of the outlet portion 16 ⁇ is optimized for the different directions of symmetry of the rectangle defined by the inlet aperture 6.
  • the primary concentrator 5 of Figure 3 further comprises curved radiusing portions 22 -constituted by curved surfaces, each of which is set between a curved portion 20 and a curved portion 21 for radiusing said portions with respect to one another and which extend from the outlet aperture 7 to the inlet aperture 6 in such a way as to comprise, each, a respective interconnection portion 15.
  • the curved radiusing portions 22 are obtained via techniques of interpolation known as "lofting" techniques in such a way that rays of sunlight that impinge upon the internal surface of said curved radiusing portions 22 in a direction parallel to the optical axis 8 will be reflected towards the outlet aperture 7.
  • the generating segments G, Gl and G2 are constituted by a respective segment of ellipse or else by a respective segment of hyperbole.
  • each optical unit 4 comprises a respective primary concentrator 23, which is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 5 of Figure 2, with the difference that the four interconnection portions 15 interconnect ideal walls 24, each lying in a respective one of the planes PP.
  • the primary concentrator 23 is without the plane walls 14 of the primary concentrator 5. Said solution enables reduction in the overall weight of the concentrator device 3 that adopts the primary concentrator 23 ( Figure 5) and simplifies the application of reflecting materials on the internal surface of the primary concentrator 23 during its fabrication.
  • the concentrator device 3 comprises a housing 25 with a substantially square base for housing the array of optical units 4 provided with the primary concentrators 23.
  • the housing 25 is open on the side of the inlet apertures 6 of the primary concentrators 23 so as to delimit the overall inlet aperture 10 of the concentrator device 3.
  • Figure 6 illustrates a variant of the photovoltaic-generating system 1, in which the photovoltaic cells 2 are set in a row and the concentrator device 3 comprises a corresponding row of optical units 4, each provided with a respective primary concentrator 23.
  • the concentrator device 3 comprises a housing 26 with a substantially rectangular base. It is, in any case, obvious that the particular arrangement in an array or in a row of the optical units 4 dependsexclusively upon the arrangement of the photovoltaic cells 2 and is hence independent of the particular type of primary concentrator 5 or 23 used.
  • each optical unit 4 comprises a respective primary concentrator 27, which is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 5 of Figure 2, but with the differences described in what follows.
  • the plane walls 14 have a respective notch 14a open on the side of the inlet aperture 6 in such a way that the plane walls 14 themselves substantially assume a crescent shape.
  • the outlet boundary 12 has four portions 12a having respective radiuses of curvature and radiusing arcs 12b set between the portions 12a.
  • Each radiusing arc 12b has a radius of curvature smaller than that of any one of the portions 12a and such that the radiusing arc 12b itself functions as radiusing portion between two portions 12a adjacent to one another.
  • the outlet portion 16 comprises curved portions 28 constituted by surfaces obtained by the movement of the generatrix G along the portions 12a of the outlet boundary 12.
  • Curved radiusing portions 29 are set between the curved portions 28 for radiusing the latter portions with respect to one another and extend from the outlet aperture 7 to the inlet aperture 6 in such a way as to comprise, each, a respective interconnection portion 15.
  • Each curved radiusing portion 29 is obtained by applying the aforementioned lofting techniques along a respective radiusing arc 12a in such a way that the rays of sunlight that impinge upon the internal surface of said curved radiusing portions 29 in a._ direction parallel to the optical axis 8 will be reflected towards the outlet aperture 7.
  • outlet boundary 12 defined in the way described above and the corresponding way of • shaping the surface of., .the curved radiusing portions 29 enables a better adaptation of the outlet aperture 7 to the geometry of the photovoltaic cell 2, typically having a square or rectangular shape, rendering the use of the secondary concentrator device 17 superfluous.
  • optical units 4 are illustrated in Figures 8 to IS. .
  • Figure 8 illustrates a primary concentrator 30, which is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 5 of Figure 2, with the difference that the inlet portion 13 comprises six plane walls 14, which lie on six respective planes (not illustrated) parallel to the optical axis 8 and set in such a way that the inlet boundary 11 will delimit a regular hexagon, and as many interconnection portions 15 set between the plane walls 14.
  • Figure 9 illustrates, in perspective view, how the primary concentrators 30 will be set alongside one another to form the concentrator device 3.
  • Figure 10 illustrates a primary concentrator 31 that is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 30 of Figure 9, but is without the plane walls 14, and the six interconnection portions 15 are set between as many ideal plane walls 24 parallel to the optical axis 8 so as to define the hexagonal inlet boundary- " 11.
  • Figure 11 illustrates, in perspective view, how the primary concentrators 31 will be set alongside one another to form the concentrator device 3.
  • Figure 12 illustrates a primary concentrator 32, which is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 5 of Figure 2, with the difference that it is full and provided with transparent dielectric material presenting a refractive index higher than 1 to operate via total internal ' reflection on the internal surface of separation 33 between the material and the external air.
  • the inlet aperture 6 and outlet aperture 7 are understood as apertures in a lateral direction, i.e., apertures for the passage of sunlight.
  • Figure 13 illustrates a primary concentrator 34, which is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 32 of Figure 12, with the difference that it is partially hollow in such a way as to present only internal surfaces 35 parallel to the optical axis 8 and/or internal surfaces 36 lying in planes orthogonal to the optical axis 8.
  • Figure 14 shows a view in longitudinal section of the primary concentrator 34.
  • the primary concentrator 34 has a weight that is obviously lower than that of the primary concentrator 32, shown in Figure 12, and substantially comparable to that of the primary concentrators 5, 23, 27, 30 and 31, which are of the type with reflecting surface.
  • Figure 15 illustrates a primary concentrator 37, which is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 5 of Figure 2, with the difference, that the curvature of the outlet portion 16 and the curvature' of the interconnection portions 15 of the inlet portion 13 are obtained by radiusing, according to the aforesaid lofting techniques, a plurality of reference curves, some of which, are illustrated in Figure 15 and designated by G3 , constituted by respective segments of parabola or ellipse or hyperbole and lying in respective planes (not illustrated) parallel to the optical axis 8.
  • G3 a plurality of reference curves, some of which, are illustrated in Figure 15 and designated by G3 , constituted by respective segments of parabola or ellipse or hyperbole and lying in respective planes (not illustrated) parallel to the optical axis 8.
  • the outlet portion 16 • and the interconnection portions ' 15 of the primary concentrator 37 form a body shaped like a .
  • cup- shaped body without a bottom (outlet aperture 7) , said cup- shaped body being made. up of a plurality of curved portions 38 contiguous to one another in an area corresponding to the reference curves G3 and each, obtained by radiusing two successive reference curves G3 via a lofting interpolation such that rays of sunlight that impinge upon the internal surface of the curved portion 38 in a direction parallel to the optical axis 8 will -be reflected towards the outlet aperture 7.
  • the main advantage of the concentrator device 3 in the various embodiments described above is that it enables good concentration factors to be obtained with a simple and light embodiment.
  • the individual optical units 4 are simple to produce, are light and do not call for a system for active cooling of the photovoltaic cells in so far as the heat produced by concentration of sunlight undergoes passive dissipation.

Abstract

In a photovoltaic power generating system (1) having a plurality of photovoltaic cells (2), a -sunlight-concentrator device (3) is equipped with a plurality of optical units (4), which are provided with respective primary concentrators with a compound curved surface (5; 23; 27; 30; 31; 32; 34; 37), each of which has an inlet aperture (6) for the direct entry of sunlight, an outlet aperture- (7) for exit of the concentrated sunlight towards a respective photovoltaic cell (2) and an optical axis (8) traversing the inlet aperture (6) and outlet aperture (7). The optical units are seamlessly arranged in an array form.

Description

"A SUNLIGHT-CONCENTRATOR DEVICE FOR A PHOTOVOLTAIC-GENERATING SYSTEM"
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a sunlight-concentrator device for a photovoltaic-generating system.
BACKGROUND ART
A photovoltaic-generating system, and in particular a concentration photovoltaic-generating system, typically comprises a plurality of photovoltaic cells, designed to convert sunlight into electrical energy, and at least one concentrator device for concentrating the sunlight onto the photovoltaic cells, said concentrator device possibly being of the type with reflecting surfaces, and in particular with mirror surfaces, or of the lens type.
One of the simplest amongst the concentrator devices with reflecting surfaces of a known type comprises reflecting surfaces set in a V designed to be located alongside respective sides of a common panel of photovoltaic cells . The light concentration factor that can be achieved is less than 5.
Higher concentration factors are obtained by concentrator devices of the type with two-dimensional' compound curved reflecting- surfaces, for example, two-dimensional compound parabolic concentrator devices, comprising a pair of surfaces, each of which has, in the direction of arrival of the sun rays, a section constituted by a branch of parabola.
Another known type of concentrator device with reflecting surfaces comprises a primary concentrator constituted -by a wide reflecting disk with curved surface, for example, a paraboloid surface, for concentrating, with a very high concentration factor comprised between 30 and 1000, a beam of sunlight on a small focal area, set in a region, corresponding to which is a dense array of photovoltaic cells .
Said concentrator device enables use of modules of photovoltaic cells of an integrated type, which, however, must be impinged upon by a beam of sunlight with a high degree of uniformity. This requirement is frequently met using a secondary concentrator device set in the focal area in front of the photovoltaic cells . This secondary concentrator device can be of the type with a compound curved surface, for example a three-dimensional compound parabolic concentrator (3D CPC) , which is obtained by rotation of a segment of parabola about an optical axis.
However, the device with reflecting disk presents the disadvantage of requiring an active-cooling system for preventing overheating of the photovoltaic cells set in the focal area.
A known type of lens concentrator device -comprises a plurality of lens-type optical units, each of which is designed to receive the sunlight directly and to concentrate the sunlight received onto a respective photovoltaic cell. The. concentration factor that can be achieved is between 20 and 1000.
The advantage of said concentrator device, as compared to ones based upon reflecting disks, is that the heat produced by concentration of sunlight is dissipated in a passive way, but presents the "disadvantage of suffering optical losses due to the reflection of sunlight on the outer surfaces of the lenses, to the reduced tolerances, and to the errors produced during fabrication of the lenses, as well as to the deterioration the materials used.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION The aim of the present invention is to provide a sunlight- concentrator device and a photovoltaic-generating system using said concentrator device, which will enable a concentration factor of between 10 and 150 to be achieved and the drawbacks described above to be overcome, and, at the same time, will be easy and inexpensive to produce.
According to the present invention, a sunlight-concentrator device for a photovoltaic-generating system and a photovoltaic-generating system are provided in accordance with the annexed claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will now be described with reference to the annexed drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting example of embodiment thereof, and in which:
Figure Ia illustrates a photovoltaic-generating system comprising the sunlight-concentrator device in accordance with the present invention;
- Figure Ib illustrates in greater detail a portion of the concentrator device of Figure Ia;
- Figures 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10 and 12 to 15 illustrate different embodiments of the optical units of the concentrator device in accordance with the present invention;
- Figures 5 and 6 illustrate some variants of the concentrator device in accordance with the present invention provided with the optical units shown in Figure 4; and
- Figures 9. and 11 illustrate- a portion of the concentrator device in accordance with the present invention provided with the optical units shown in Figures 8 and 10, respectively.
BEST MODE ' FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
In Figure Ia, the reference number 1 designates as a whole a photovoltaic-generating system comprising a plurality of photovoltaic cells set in an array, some of which are illustrated with a dashed line and are designated by the number 2, and a sunlight-concentrator device 3, which is illustrated in a substantially front perspective view and comprises a plurality of optical units 4, each of which is designed to receive the sunlight directly and to concentrate the sunlight received onto a respective photovoltaic cell 2. The photovoltaic cells 2 are, for example, of the silicon type.
With reference to Figure Ib, which illustrates in greater detail and in an axonometric view a set of optical units 4 of the concentrator device 3 of Figure Ia, each optical unit 4 comprises a respective primary concentrator 5 with a compound curved surface . The primary concentrator 5 has an inlet aperture 6 for direct entry of sunlight, an outlet aperture 7 for exit of the concentrated sunlight towards the respective photovoltaic cell 2, an optical axis 8 traversing the inlet aperture 6 and the outlet aperture 7, and a reflecting curved internal surface 9, for example, a mirror surface, for reflecting the rays of sunlight that enter the inlet aperture 6 towards the outlet aperture 7 in a direction that forms, with the optical axis 8 , an angle smaller than or equal to a given acceptance angle. The optical units 4 are also arranged in an array in such a way that the primary concentrators 5 are set alongside one another with the optical axes 8 parallel to define an overall inlet aperture 10 (Figure Ia) of the concentrator device 3 for entry of sunlight.
With reference to Figure 2, which illustrates one of the optical units 4 isolated and in an axonometric view, the inlet aperture 6 defines, in a plane (not illustrated) orthogonal to the optical axis 8, an inlet boundary 11 constituted by a broken line delimiting a regular polygon, and in particular a square, in such a way that the overall inlet aperture 10 is completely covered by the set of the inlet apertures 6 of the primary concentrators 5 (Figure Ia) . The outlet aperture 7 defines, in a plane (not illustrated) orthogonal to the optical axis 8, a outlet boundary 12 of a circular shape.
The primary concentrator 5 is of the type with a compound curved surface obtained starting from a three-dimensional compound parabolic concentrator truncated at the inlet and longitudinally by four planes PP parallel to the optical axis 8 .and set in such a way that the inlet boundary 11 delimits a square .
In particular, the primary concentrator 5 comprises an inlet portion 13 , which comprises four plane walls 14 , each lying in a respective one of the planes PP and four curved interconnection portions 15 tapered towards the inlet aperture 6 for interconnecting the plane walls 14 to one another in such a way that each plane wall 14 is partially defined between two mutually adjacent interconnection portions 15; and an outlet portion 16 with a curved surface, said curvature being generated by a movement of a curved generatrix G, which is constituted by a segment of parabola and lies in a plane (not illustrated) parallel to the optical axis 8, along the outlet boundary 12. More precisely, the movement of the generatrix G consists in a movement of the plane of the generatrix G such that an end point P of the generatrix G shifts along the outlet boundary 12 and said plane is always traversed perpendicularly by the outlet boundary 12 in a region corresponding to the point P. In the particular case of Figure 2, where the outlet boundary 12 has a circular .shape, the movement of the generatrix G consists in a simple rotation about the optical axis 8. In addition, the generatrix G has a length such that also the curvature of the interconnection portions 15 will be defined by the movement of generation described above. Figure 2 illustrates, in fact, the generatrix G positioned in a point corresponding to one of the four interconnection portions 15.
As is shown in Figure Ib, the primary concentrators 5 are set alongside one another each with its own plane walls 14 facing, and in contact with, respective plane walls 14 of as many primary concentrators 5.
Once again with reference to Figure 2 , the optical unit 4 comprises a secondary concentrator device 17, which is set between the outlet aperture 7 of the primary concentrator 5 and the corresponding photovoltaic cell 2, which is shown slightly set at a distance from the optical unit 4 for clarity, and has a respective outlet aperture 17a having substantially the plane shape of the photovoltaic cell 2. The secondary concentrator device 17 is preferably full and. made of a transparent dielectric material presenting a refractive index higher than 1 so as to function via total internal reflection on the surface of separation of the material from the external air.
The purpose of the secondary concentrator device 17 is principally to adapt the concentrated light beam to the geometry of the photovoltaic cell 2 and in the second place to perform a homogeneization and a further concentration of the sunlight received from the primary concentrator 5.
According to a further embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, in which the corresponding elements are designated • by the same numbers or letters as in Figure 2, the inlet boundary 11 delimits a rectangle, the minor sides of which are designated by 18 and the major sides of which are designated by 19. The curvature of the surface of the outlet portion 16 is generated by movements of at least two curved generatrices Gl, G2 constituted by respective segments of parabola lying in respective planes (not illustrated) parallel to the optical axis 8. The movements of the generatrices Gl and G2 are similar to the movement of the generatrix G described previously with the difference that a first generatrix Gl is designed to generate curved portions 20 of the outlet portion 16, corresponding to which, in the inlet portion 13, are respective minor sides 18, and a second generatrix G2 is designed to generate curved portions 21 of the outlet portion 16, corresponding to which, in the inlet portion 13, are respective major sides 19. In this way, the curvature of the outlet portion 16 ■ is optimized for the different directions of symmetry of the rectangle defined by the inlet aperture 6.
The primary concentrator 5 of Figure 3 further comprises curved radiusing portions 22 -constituted by curved surfaces, each of which is set between a curved portion 20 and a curved portion 21 for radiusing said portions with respect to one another and which extend from the outlet aperture 7 to the inlet aperture 6 in such a way as to comprise, each, a respective interconnection portion 15. The curved radiusing portions 22 are obtained via techniques of interpolation known as "lofting" techniques in such a way that rays of sunlight that impinge upon the internal surface of said curved radiusing portions 22 in a direction parallel to the optical axis 8 will be reflected towards the outlet aperture 7.
According to other alternative embodiments, the generating segments G, Gl and G2 are constituted by a respective segment of ellipse or else by a respective segment of hyperbole.
According to a variant illustrated in Figure 4, each optical unit 4 comprises a respective primary concentrator 23, which is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 5 of Figure 2, with the difference that the four interconnection portions 15 interconnect ideal walls 24, each lying in a respective one of the planes PP. In other words, the primary concentrator 23 is without the plane walls 14 of the primary concentrator 5. Said solution enables reduction in the overall weight of the concentrator device 3 that adopts the primary concentrator 23 (Figure 5) and simplifies the application of reflecting materials on the internal surface of the primary concentrator 23 during its fabrication.
With reference to Figure 5, the concentrator device 3 according to said variant comprises a housing 25 with a substantially square base for housing the array of optical units 4 provided with the primary concentrators 23. The housing 25 is open on the side of the inlet apertures 6 of the primary concentrators 23 so as to delimit the overall inlet aperture 10 of the concentrator device 3.
Figure 6 illustrates a variant of the photovoltaic-generating system 1, in which the photovoltaic cells 2 are set in a row and the concentrator device 3 comprises a corresponding row of optical units 4, each provided with a respective primary concentrator 23. In this case, the concentrator device 3 comprises a housing 26 with a substantially rectangular base. It is, in any case, obvious that the particular arrangement in an array or in a row of the optical units 4 dependsexclusively upon the arrangement of the photovoltaic cells 2 and is hence independent of the particular type of primary concentrator 5 or 23 used.
According to a further variant illustrated in Figure 7, each optical unit 4 comprises a respective primary concentrator 27, which is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 5 of Figure 2, but with the differences described in what follows.
The plane walls 14 have a respective notch 14a open on the side of the inlet aperture 6 in such a way that the plane walls 14 themselves substantially assume a crescent shape.
The outlet boundary 12 has four portions 12a having respective radiuses of curvature and radiusing arcs 12b set between the portions 12a. Each radiusing arc 12b has a radius of curvature smaller than that of any one of the portions 12a and such that the radiusing arc 12b itself functions as radiusing portion between two portions 12a adjacent to one another.
The outlet portion 16 comprises curved portions 28 constituted by surfaces obtained by the movement of the generatrix G along the portions 12a of the outlet boundary 12.
Curved radiusing portions 29 are set between the curved portions 28 for radiusing the latter portions with respect to one another and extend from the outlet aperture 7 to the inlet aperture 6 in such a way as to comprise, each, a respective interconnection portion 15. Each curved radiusing portion 29 is obtained by applying the aforementioned lofting techniques along a respective radiusing arc 12a in such a way that the rays of sunlight that impinge upon the internal surface of said curved radiusing portions 29 in a._ direction parallel to the optical axis 8 will be reflected towards the outlet aperture 7.
The primary concentrator 27, albeit having, like the primary concentrator 5, plane walls 14 that guarantee a better rest between one optical unit 4 and the other, from the optical, standpoint behaves substantially like the primary concentrator 23 thanks to the notches 14a.
In addition, the outlet boundary 12 defined in the way described above and the corresponding way of • shaping the surface of., .the curved radiusing portions 29 enables a better adaptation of the outlet aperture 7 to the geometry of the photovoltaic cell 2, typically having a square or rectangular shape, rendering the use of the secondary concentrator device 17 superfluous.
From the above description, it is clear that the particular shape of the outlet aperture 7 illustrated in Figure 7 and the corresponding way of shaping the surface of the curved radiusing portions 29 can be applied irrespective of the presence or otherwise of the plane walls in the inlet portion 13 and of the shape of the inlet boundary 11.
Further variants of the optical units 4 are illustrated in Figures 8 to IS. .
Figure 8 illustrates a primary concentrator 30, which is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 5 of Figure 2, with the difference that the inlet portion 13 comprises six plane walls 14, which lie on six respective planes (not illustrated) parallel to the optical axis 8 and set in such a way that the inlet boundary 11 will delimit a regular hexagon, and as many interconnection portions 15 set between the plane walls 14. Figure 9 illustrates, in perspective view, how the primary concentrators 30 will be set alongside one another to form the concentrator device 3.
Figure 10 illustrates a primary concentrator 31 that is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 30 of Figure 9, but is without the plane walls 14, and the six interconnection portions 15 are set between as many ideal plane walls 24 parallel to the optical axis 8 so as to define the hexagonal inlet boundary- "11. Figure 11 illustrates, in perspective view, how the primary concentrators 31 will be set alongside one another to form the concentrator device 3.
Figure 12 illustrates a primary concentrator 32, which is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 5 of Figure 2, with the difference that it is full and provided with transparent dielectric material presenting a refractive index higher than 1 to operate via total internal' reflection on the internal surface of separation 33 between the material and the external air. In this case, the inlet aperture 6 and outlet aperture 7 are understood as apertures in a lateral direction, i.e., apertures for the passage of sunlight. Figure 13 illustrates a primary concentrator 34, which is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 32 of Figure 12, with the difference that it is partially hollow in such a way as to present only internal surfaces 35 parallel to the optical axis 8 and/or internal surfaces 36 lying in planes orthogonal to the optical axis 8. Figure 14 shows a view in longitudinal section of the primary concentrator 34. The primary concentrator 34 has a weight that is obviously lower than that of the primary concentrator 32, shown in Figure 12, and substantially comparable to that of the primary concentrators 5, 23, 27, 30 and 31, which are of the type with reflecting surface.
Figure 15 illustrates a primary concentrator 37, which is substantially similar to the primary concentrator 5 of Figure 2, with the difference, that the curvature of the outlet portion 16 and the curvature' of the interconnection portions 15 of the inlet portion 13 are obtained by radiusing, according to the aforesaid lofting techniques, a plurality of reference curves, some of which, are illustrated in Figure 15 and designated by G3 , constituted by respective segments of parabola or ellipse or hyperbole and lying in respective planes (not illustrated) parallel to the optical axis 8. In other words, the outlet portion 16 • and the interconnection portions' 15 of the primary concentrator 37 form a body shaped like a . cup without a bottom (outlet aperture 7) , said cup- shaped body being made. up of a plurality of curved portions 38 contiguous to one another in an area corresponding to the reference curves G3 and each, obtained by radiusing two successive reference curves G3 via a lofting interpolation such that rays of sunlight that impinge upon the internal surface of the curved portion 38 in a direction parallel to the optical axis 8 will -be reflected towards the outlet aperture 7. It should be noted that the generation of a curvature via radiusing of a number of reference curves G3 can be applied irrespective of the shape of the inlet boundary 11 and of the outlet boundary 12 and, moreover, even in the- absence of the plane walls 14, i.e., it can be applied to obtain the curvature of a primary concentrator similar to the primary concentrator 23 shown in Figure 4.
The main advantage of the concentrator device 3 in the various embodiments described above is that it enables good concentration factors to be obtained with a simple and light embodiment. In fact, the individual optical units 4 are simple to produce, are light and do not call for a system for active cooling of the photovoltaic cells in so far as the heat produced by concentration of sunlight undergoes passive dissipation.

Claims

C L A I M S
1.- A sunlight-concentrator device for a photovoltaic- generating system (1) comprising a plurality of photovoltaic cells (2) ; the concentrator device (3) comprising a respective plurality of optical units (4) , each of which is designed to receive directly and to concentrate the sunlight on a respective one of the photovoltaic cells (2) ; the concentrator device (3) being characterized in that the optical units (4) comprise respective primary concentrators with a compound curved surface (5; 23; 27; 30; 31; 32; 34; 37), each of which has .an inlet aperture (6) for direct entry of sunlight, an outlet aperture (7) for exit of the concentrated sunlight, and an optical axis (8) traversing the inlet aperture (6) and outlet aperture (7); the primary concentrators (5; 23; 27; 30; 31; 32; 34; 37) being set alongside one another with the optical axes (8) parallel to one another to define an overall inlet aperture (10) for the sunlight; each of the inlet apertures (6) defining, in a plane orthogonal to the corresponding optical axis (8) , an inlet boundary (11) shaped in such a way that the overall inlet aperture (10) is completely covered by the set of the inlet apertures (6) of the primary concentrators (5; 23; 27; 30; 31; 32; 34; 37).
2.- The concentrator device according to Claim 1, wherein each of said primary concentrators (23; 31) comprises an inlet portion (13) presenting a plurality of curved interconnection portions (15) between ideal walls (24) parallel to said optical axis (8) , set in such a way as to define said inlet -boundary (11) ; the curved interconnection portions (15) being tapered towards said inlet aperture (6) of the primary concentrator (23; 31).
3.- The concentrator device according to Claim 1, wherein each of said primary concentrators (5; 27; 30; 32; 34; 37) comprises an inlet portion (13) presenting a plurality of plane walls (14) parallel to said optical axis (8) and set in such a way as to define said inlet boundary (11) ; and a respective plurality of curved interconnection portions (15) between said plane walls (14) , said curved interconnection portions (15) being tapered towards said inlet aperture (6) of the primary concentrator (5; 27; 30; 32; 34) .
4. - The concentrator device according to Claim 3 , wherein at least one of said plane walls (14) of each of said primary concentrators (5; 27; 30; 32; 34; 37) is set facing, and in contact with, a respective plane wall (14) of another of said primary concentrators (5; 27; 30; 32; 34; 37).
5. - The concentrator device according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 , wherein each of said plane walls (14) has a respective notch (14a) open on the side of said inlet aperture (6) of the corresponding said primary concentrators (27) .
6. - The concentrator device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said primary concentrator (5; 23, 27, 30; 31; 37) has an internal curved reflecting surface (9) for reflecting and concentrating the sunlight received towards the said corresponding outlet aperture (7) .
7. - The concentrator device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said primary concentrator (32) is full and is provided with a transparent dielectric material presenting a refractive index higher than 1 for concentrating, towards the corresponding said outlet aperture (7) , the sunlight received via total internal reflection.
8. - The concentrator device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said primary concentrator (34) is provided with a transparent dielectric material and is partially hollow in such a way as to present first internal surfaces (35) parallel to said optical axis (8) and second internal surfaces (36) lying in planes orthogonal to the optical axis (8) ; said transparent dielectric material presenting a refractive index higher than 1 for concentrating, towards the corresponding said outlet aperture (7) , the sunlight received via total internal reflection.
9. - The concentrator device according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein said outlet aperture (7) of the primary concentrator (5; 23; 27; 30; 31; 32; 34; 37) defines, in a plane orthogonal to the corresponding optical axis (8), an outlet boundary (12); said primary concentrator (5; 23; 27; 30; 31; 32; 34; 37) comprising an outlet portion (16) presenting a curvature generated by a movement, in the outlet boundary (12) , of at least one first curved generatrix (G; Gl) . ■
10.- The concentrator device according to Claim 9, wherein said first generatrix (G; Gl) is a segment of parabola.
11. - The concentrator device according to Claim 9 , wherein said first generatrix (G; Gl) is a segment of ellipse.
12. - The concentrator device according to any one of Claims 9 to 11, wherein said outlet boundary (12) comprises at least two first boundary portions (12a) , which have respective first "radiuses of curvature, and at least one second boundary portion (12b) , which is set between the first boundary portions (12a) and has a second radius of curvature less than any one of the first radiuses of curvature and such that the second boundary portion (12b) functions as radiusing between the first boundary portions (12a) , and said outlet portion (16) comprises first curved portions (28) generated by a movement of said first . generatrix (G) in the first boundary portions (12a) ; said primary concentrator (27) comprising at least one first radiusing portion (29) , which radiuses at least two of the first curved portions (28) and is obtained by an interpolation in the second boundary portion (12b) such that rays of sunlight that impinge upon the internal surface of said radiusing portion (29) in a direction parallel to said optical axis (8) will be reflected towards said outlet aperture (7) .
13. - The concentrator device according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, wherein said inlet boundary (11) is a broken line delimiting a regular polygon.
14. - The concentrator device according to Claim 13 , wherein said regular polygon is a square .
15. - The concentrator device according to Claim 13 , wherein said regular polygon is a hexagon.
16.- The concentrator device according to any one of Claims 9 to 11, wherein said inlet boundary (11) delimits a rectangle; said outlet portion (16) comprising at least one second curved portion (20) , which is generated by a movement of said first generatrix (Gl) and corresponding to which is a minor side
(18) of said rectangle, and at least one third curved portion (21) , which is generated by a movement of a second curved generatrix (G2) and corresponding to which is" a major side
(19) of said rectangle.
17.- The concentrator device according to Claim 16, wherein said primary concentrator (5) comprises at least one second radiusing portion (22) , which radiuses said second curved portion (20) and said third curved portion (21) and is obtained via an interpolation such that rays of sunlight that impinge upon the internal surface of the second radiusing portion (22) in a direction parallel to said optical axis (.8) will be reflected towards said outlet aperture (7) .
18. - The concentrator device according to Claim 16 or Claim 17, wherein said second generatrix (G2) is a segment of parabola .
19. - The concentrator device according to Claim 16 or Claim 17, wherein said second generatrix (G2) is a segment of ellipse.
20.- The concentrator device according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein said primary concentrator (37) comprises a cup- shaped body (15, 16), which comprises a plurality of fourth curved portions (38) contiguous to one another in an area corresponding to reference curves (G3) ; each fourth curved portion (38) radiusing two consecutive ones of said reference curves (G3) by means of an interpolation such that rays of sunlight that impinge upon the internal surface of the fourth radiusing portion (38) in a direction parallel to said optical axis (8) will be reflected towards said outlet aperture (7) .
21.- The concentrator device according to any one of Claims 1 to 20, wherein each of said optical units (4) comprises a respective secondary concentrator device (17) , which is set between said outlet aperture (7) of said primary concentrator (5; 23; 27; 30; 31; 32; 34; 37), and the respective said photovoltaic cell (2) and has an outlet aperture (17a) of its own having substantially the shape of the photovoltaic cell
(2) .
22.- A photovoltaic-generating system comprising a plurality of photovoltaic cells (2) and a sunlight-concentrator device
(3) for receiving directly and concentrating the sunlight on the photovoltaic cells (2) themselves; the photovoltaic- generating system (1) being characterized in that the concentrator device (3) is of the type claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 21.
PCT/IB2008/001804 2007-07-11 2008-07-10 A concentrator array device for a photovoltaic -generating system WO2009007832A2 (en)

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IT000471A ITBO20070471A1 (en) 2007-07-11 2007-07-11 SOLAR LIGHT CONCENTRATOR DEVICE FOR A PHOTOVOLTAIC GENERATION SYSTEM

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WO2009007832A8 (en) 2010-04-01

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