Building integrated photovoltaic roofing assemblies and associated systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10673373-B2
Application number	US-201615246475-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2016
Priority date	Feb 12, 2016
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems provide for solar panel arrays that can be aesthetically pleasing and appear seamless to an observer. BIPV systems can be incorporated as part of roof surfaces as built into the structure of the roof, flush or forming a substantively uniform plane with roof panels or other panels mimicking a solar panel appearance. Pans supporting BIPV solar panels can be coupled by standing seams, in both lateral and longitudinal directions, to other photovoltaic-supporting pans or pans supporting non-photovoltaic structures, having both functional and aesthetic advantages. In some configurations, the appearance of BIPV systems can be particularly aesthetically pleasing and generally seamless to an observer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A building integrated photovoltaic system comprising:
a plurality of non-photovoltaic (non-PV) roof pans arranged in one or more non-PV roof pan columns on a support structure extending in an up-roof/down-roof direction to form a first part of a roof, each of the plurality of non-PV roof pans having a left side and a right side, wherein each of the left and right side comprise a vertically extending sidewall;
a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) module-pans arranged in one or more PV module-pan columns on the support structure extending in the up-roof/down-roof direction to form a second part of the roof, each of the plurality of PV module-pans having a left and a right side, wherein each of the left and right side comprise a vertically extending sidewall;
wherein each of the one or more PV module-pan columns and each of the one or more non-PV roof pan columns comprises a top and a bottom;
a plurality of transition pans located along at least the top of and bottom of the one or more PV module-pan columns, each of the plurality of transition pans having a left and a right side, wherein each of the left and right side comprise a vertically extending sidewall;
wherein the plurality of non-PV roof pans, the plurality of PV module-pans and the plurality of transition pans are arranged to form a plurality of columns that include the one or more non-PV roof pan columns and the one or more PV module-pan columns, wherein the vertically extending sidewalls of the left and right sides of the plurality of non-PV roof pans and the plurality of PV module-pans in adjacent columns are engaged with each other along a seam; and
a plurality of seam clips and seam covers arranged to secure the seam between the left and right sides of the plurality of non-PV roof pans and the plurality of PV module-pans in adjacent columns to each other.

2. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 1 , further comprising grounding clips configured to engage with and electrically ground one or more of the plurality of PV module-pans, one or more of the plurality of non-PV roof pans, or both.

3. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-PV roof pan columns, the one or more PV module-pan columns, the plurality of transition pans, and the seam covers form a substantially planar surface.

4. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 1 , wherein each of the PV module-pans comprises a PV module layer having bypass diodes configured to bypass one or more solar cell sub-strings affected by a shade pattern of one or more standing seams.

5. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-PV roof pan columns, the one or more PV module-pan columns, the plurality of transition pans, and the seam covers form a surface with a generally uniform appearance.

6. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of PV module-pans further comprises a compartment having a phase change material having a heat capacity such that the phase change material can transition from a first phase to a second phase at a transition temperature.

7. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of vented battens positioned between the plurality of PV module-pans and the support structure, wherein the plurality of vented battens provide for an airflow path between the plurality of PV module-pans and the support structure.

8. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of non-PV pans and each of the plurality of PV module-pans are metal roof pans comprising a sheet of metal.

9. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 1
wherein the one or more non-PV roof pan columns comprises at least a first column that is entirely non-PV roof pans;
wherein the one or more PV module-pan columns comprises at least a second column that comprises a partial column having a first set of PV metal roof pans, each having one or more PV modules arranged on a top surface thereof, and at least one transition pan.

10. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of PV module-pans and each of the plurality of non-PV roof pans comprises a pair of standing seams running substantially an entire length of each of the plurality of PV module-pans and each of the plurality of non-PV roof pans on each side.

11. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 10 ,
wherein the plurality of seam clips are positioned between laterally adjacent PV metal roof pans in adjacent columns, wherein each of the plurality of seam clips includes tab portions configured to bend away from each other and cover one standing seam of the pair of standing seams.

12. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 11 ,
a wherein the seam covers are positioned over at least part of the plurality of seam clips and one standing seam of the pair of standing seams, wherein seam clip tab portions are configured to have wing portions having a spring tension, the wing portions being configured to mechanically couple with engagement portions of a seam cover and to frictionally interface with an interior surface of the seam cover.

13. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 9 , further comprising a heat storage material, wherein the heat storage material comprises at least one compartment having a phase change material having a heat capacity such that the phase change material can transition from a first phase to a second phase at a transition temperature.

14. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of PV module-pans further comprises a structural support pan having stand-off sections forming one or more wells in which pouches of the heat storage material are contained.

15. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 9 , wherein one or more of the plurality of non-PV roof pans comprise one or more non-PV modules configured to mimic the appearance of the one or more PV modules.

16. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 11 , wherein one or more of the plurality of PV module pans comprises a bypass diode configured to bypass one or more solar cell sub-strings affected by a shade pattern of one or more of the standing seams or seam cover.

17. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a plurality of vented battens positioned between the plurality of PV module pans and an underlying support structure, wherein the plurality of vented battens mount the plurality of PV module-pans and provide an airflow path between the plurality of PV module-pans.

18. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one transition pan comprises up-roof transition pans disposed proximate to a roof ridge and is configured to have a low solar reflectance and a low thermal emittance such that about 90% of heat from incident solar energy can be absorbed.

19. The building integrated photovoltaic system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one transition pan comprises a down-roof transition pan disposed proximate to a roof eave and is configured to have a high solar reflectance and a low thermal emittance such that about 50% of heat from incident solar energy can be absorbed.

20. A building integrated photovoltaic system comprising:
a plurality of non-photovoltaic (non-PV) roof pans arranged in one or more non-PV roof pan columns on a

Assignees

• Solarcity Corp

Inventors

• Hudson Tyrus Hawkes
• Almy Charles
• Seery Martin
• Flanigan Daniel Preston
• Devine Ryan
• Broussard River

Classifications

• Y02B10/20

  Solar thermal · CPC title

• E04D3/361

  by specially-profiled marginal portions of the slabs or sheets · CPC title

• H02S20/23 Primary

  specially adapted for roof structures · CPC title

• Y02A30/62

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• E04D12/004

  Battens · CPC title