Thermal management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11353274-B2
Application number	US-202016869368-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2020
Priority date	May 8, 2019
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

A thermal management system for a body to be exposed to solar radiation includes an infrared radiating element and a solar-scattering cover disposed on or integrated with the infrared radiating element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal management system for a photovoltaic (PV) power generator, comprising:
an infrared radiating element;
a solar-scattering cover disposed on the infrared radiating element; and
a thermal storage sub-system in fluid connection with a solar panel via thermal interconnections;
wherein:
the solar-scattering cover is to scatter sunlight diffusely or directionally toward an underside of the solar panel; and
the solar-scattering cover is substantially transparent to infrared radiation to allow the infrared radiating element to emit infrared radiation through the solar-scattering cover.

2. The thermal management system as defined in claim 1 wherein the solar-scattering cover comprises a nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer.

3. The thermal management system as defined in claim 2 wherein the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer is nanostructured polyethylene (nanoPE).

4. The thermal management system as defined in claim 2 wherein the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer is nanostructured polyacrylonitrile (nanoPAN).

5. The thermal management system as defined in claim 2 , further comprising a dielectric material disposed on or embedded in the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer to increase solar scattering of the solar-scattering cover and to protect the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer from ultra-violet radiation, wherein the dielectric material is deposited on the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer by physical vapor deposition or by a solution-based process, or embedded into the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer by electrospinning, wherein the dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of ZnS, ZnO, TiO 2 and combinations thereof.

6. A thermal management system for a photovoltaic (PV) power generator, comprising:
an infrared radiating element;
a solar-scattering cover disposed on the infrared radiating element; and
a thermal storage sub-system in fluid connection with a solar panel via thermal interconnections;
wherein:
the thermal storage sub-system is to shift and distribute a peak solar heat load over a twenty-four hour time period;
the thermal storage sub-system is to store excess off-peak cooling for use during peak hours;
the thermal storage sub-system is to store natural convection energy; and
the thermal storage sub-system comprises a container to store a coolant.

7. The thermal management system as defined in claim 6 wherein the container is located under the infrared radiating element or the container is thermally connected to the infrared radiating element via the thermal interconnections.

8. The thermal management system as defined in claim 6 wherein the container is connected to the solar panel with a circulating coolant line or with heat pipes, wherein the heat pipes are stationary or wherein the heat pipes are to oscillate.

9. The thermal management system as defined in claim 1 wherein the thermal interconnections comprise a circulating fluid loop or a heat pipe.

10. The thermal management system as defined in claim 1 wherein the thermal interconnections are passive.

11. A thermal management system for a photovoltaic (PV) power generator, comprising:
an infrared radiating element;
a solar-scattering cover disposed on the infrared radiating element; and
a thermal storage sub-system in fluid connection with a solar panel via thermal interconnections;
wherein:
the solar panel is a member of an array of tracking solar panels arranged in rows;
the infrared radiating element is a solar-scattering radiator located between the rows of the array of tracking solar panels;
a radiating area of the solar-scattering radiator is about equal to an area of the solar panel;
the solar-scattering radiator is to work in tandem with natural convection from the array of tracking solar panels; and
the thermal storage sub-system includes a ground-based liquid reservoir.

12. The thermal management system as defined in claim 11 , further comprising:
a sun-facing surface defined on at least one member of the array of tracking solar panels;
a distal surface defined on the at least one member of the array of tracking solar panels opposite the sun-facing surface; and
a heat exchanger attached to the distal surface of the at least one member of the array of tracking solar panels, wherein:
the heat exchanger includes a serpentine tube; and
the heat exchanger is to obscure less than 20 percent of the distal surface of the solar panel to which the heat exchanger is attached.

13. The thermal management system as defined in claim 11 wherein the ground-based liquid reservoir is covered by the solar-scattering radiator, wherein the solar-scattering radiator includes:
a layer of mirrored aluminum;
a coating disposed on the layer of mirrored aluminum, the coating to absorb or emit radiation having wavelengths ranging from mid-wavelength infrared to long-wavelength infrared, wherein the coating is a selected from the group consisting of: polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or an other polymer; an inorganic material; and combinations thereof;
a solar scattering cover including a nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer including nanostructured polyethylene (nanoPE) or nanostructured polyacrylonitrile (nanoPAN) overlaid on the coating, wherein the solar scattering cover is substantially transparent to infrared radiation to allow the solar-scattering radiator to emit infrared radiation through the solar-scattering cover; and
a dielectric material disposed on or embedded in the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer to increase solar scattering of the solar-scattering cover and to protect the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer from ultra-violet radiation, wherein the dielectric material is deposited on the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer by physical vapor deposition or by a solution-based process, or embedded in to the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer by electrospinning, and wherein the dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of ZnS, ZnO, TiO 2 and combinations thereof.

Assignees

• Univ Michigan Regents

Inventors

• Lenert Andrej
• Kim Hannah Meekyung

Classifications

• F28F21/089 Primary

  Coatings, claddings or bonding layers made from metals or metal alloys (F28F19/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F24S40/52 Primary

  by modifying the heat collection, e.g. by defocusing or by changing the position of heat-receiving elements · CPC title

• H02S40/22

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

• H02S40/425

  using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation · CPC title

• F24S40/55

  Arrangements for cooling, e.g. by using external heat dissipating means or internal cooling circuits (by venting F24S40/53) · CPC title