Photovoltaic solar energy system with improved gain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10998852-B2
Application number	US-201816183939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2018
Priority date	Nov 9, 2017
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

In order to improve the gain of a photovoltaic solar energy system, the system comprises: a plurality of bifacial photovoltaic solar cells, defining together a direct absorption surface as well as an indirect absorption surface, both surfaces being opposite and intended to absorb a solar radiation energy; a support chassis for supporting the cells, the chassis comprising a support structure on which the cells are attached. The chassis further includes a suspension for suspending the support structure, the suspension comprising a top end connected to a first end of the support structure, and the suspension defines a reflective surface configured to reflect light towards the indirect absorption surface defined by the cells.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A photovoltaic solar energy system including:
a plurality of bifacial photovoltaic solar cells, defining together a direct absorption surface as well as an indirect absorption surface, both surfaces being opposite and intended to absorb a solar radiation energy;
a support chassis for supporting said cells, said chassis comprising a support structure on which the cells are attached,
wherein said chassis further includes a suspension means having a top end connected to a first end of the support structure such that the support structure is suspended from the suspension means, and in that the suspension means defines a first reflective surface configured to reflect light towards said indirect absorption surface defined by the plurality of cells, and a second reflective surface configured to reflect light towards another direct absorption surface of another photovoltaic solar energy system located rearwardly of the photovoltaic solar energy system, the second reflective surface facing a direction opposite to a direction that the first reflective surface faces,
and in that the support chassis further includes an input reflector a first end of which is connected to a bottom end of the suspension means, the input reflector defining a reflective input surface configured to reflect light towards said first reflective surface, and in that said indirect absorption surface, the first reflective surface, as well as the reflective input surface delimit together a light reflection and propagation space open between a second end of the input reflector opposite to the first end of said input reflector, and a second end of the support structure opposite to the first end of said support structure.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the support chassis further includes a moving device for pivoting the whole formed by the suspension means and the support structure, and in that the moving device includes a telescopic arm one end of which is hinged to the input reflector.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the input reflector, the support structure as well as the suspension means are each of a substantially planar shape, and in that they substantially have the same width along a width direction parallel to junction lines between the support structure, the suspension means, and the input reflector.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the input reflector is tilted by an angle substantially equal to 90° with respect to the suspension means, and in that the suspension means is tilted by an angle substantially equal to 45° with respect to the support structure.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the input reflector has, between its first and second ends, a first length substantially identical to the length of the suspension means between its top and bottom ends, and in that the support structure has between its first and second ends a second length such that a squared value of the first length is substantially equal to twice the squared value of the second length.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said suspension means comprises at least one of the following elements:
a framework on which a net forming a reflective element is attached;
a framework on which a set of parallel lamellae forming a reflective element is attached;
one or more reflective panels, each reflective panel having at least one aperture equipped with wind energy recovering means.

7. A solar power plant comprising a plurality of systems according to claim 1 , said systems being arranged so as to form a plurality of rows.

Assignees

• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Pilat Eric
• Sayritupac Vera José

Classifications

• H10F10/148

  Double-emitter photovoltaic cells, e.g. bifacial photovoltaic cells · CPC title

• Y02E10/547

  Monocrystalline silicon PV cells · CPC title

• H02S40/22 Primary

  Light-reflecting or light-concentrating means (directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H10F77/42) · CPC title

• H02S20/30

  Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment · CPC title

• H02S20/10

  Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground (H02S20/30 takes precedence) · CPC title