公开(公告)号：US20190115869A1

公开(公告)日：2019-04-18

申请号：US16089294

申请日：2017-03-28

申请人： The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund

发明人： Matthew David Escarra ,  Qi Xy ,  Yaping Ji ,  Brian C. Riggs ,  Adam Ollanik ,  Kazi M. Islam ,  Daniel Codd ,  Vince Romanin ,  Nicholas David Farrar-Foley

IPC分类号： H02S40/42 ,  H01L31/052 ,  H02S40/22 ,  H02S20/32 ,  H01L31/048 ,  H02S40/44 ,  H01L31/0687

摘要： A spectrum splitting, transmissive concentrating photovoltaic (tCPV) module is proposed and designed for a hybrid photovoltaic-solar thermal (PV/T) system. The system may be able to fully utilize the full spectrum of incoming sunlight. By utilizing III-V triple junction solar cells with bandgaps of approximately 2.1 eV, 1.7 eV, and 1.4 eV in the module, ultraviolet (UV) and visible light (in-band light) are absorbed and converted to electricity, while infrared (IR) light (out-of-band light) passes through and is captured by a solar thermal receiver and stored as heat. The stored heat energy may be dispatched as electricity or process heat as needed. The tCPV module may have an overall power conversion efficiency exceeding 43.5% for above bandgap (in-band) light under a standard AM1.5D solar spectrum with an average concentration ratio of 400 suns. Passive and/or active cooling methods may be used to keep cells below 110° C. while transmitting >75% of out-of-band light to the thermal receiver, which may attain thermal energy capture at temperatures as high as 500° C. or more. A transparent active cooling system may improve the CPV module efficiency by about 1% (absolute) relative to a passive cooling system by reducing the maximum cell working temperature by about 16° C.

公开(公告)号：US12015378B2

公开(公告)日：2024-06-18

申请号：US17619185

申请日：2020-06-14

申请人： THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TULANE EDUCATIONAL FUND

发明人： Matthew David Escarra ,  Luke Artzt ,  Yaping Ji ,  Daniel Codd ,  Matthew Barrios ,  Kazi M. Islam ,  David M. Bar-On ,  Jacqueline C. Failla ,  Claire C. Davis ,  Maxwell W. Woody

IPC分类号： H02S40/44 ,  F24S10/70 ,  F24S20/20 ,  F24S70/65 ,  F24S23/72 ,  F24S30/452 ,  H01L31/0304 ,  H01L31/0336 ,  H01L31/05 ,  H01L31/06

CPC分类号： H02S40/44 ,  F24S10/744 ,  F24S20/20 ,  F24S70/65 ,  F24S23/72 ,  F24S30/452 ,  H01L31/03046 ,  H01L31/0336 ,  H01L31/0512 ,  H01L31/06

摘要： A hybrid receiver for a concentrator photovoltaic-thermal power system combines a concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) module and a thermal module that converts concentrated sunlight into electrical energy and thermal heat. Heat transfer fluid flowing through a cooling block removes waste heat generated by photovoltaic cells in the CPV module. The heat transfer fluid then flows through a helical tube illuminated by sunlight that misses the CPV module. Only one fluid system is used to both remove the photovoltaic-cell waste heat and capture high-temperature thermal energy from sunlight. Fluid leaving the hybrid receiver can have a temperature greater than 200° C., and therefore may be used as a source of process heat for a variety of commercial and industrial applications. The hybrid receiver can maintain the photovoltaic cells at temperatures below 110° C. while achieving overall energy conversion efficiencies exceeding 80%.

公开(公告)号：US11121278B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-14

申请号：US15322417

申请日：2015-06-29

申请人： The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund

发明人： Matthew David Escarra ,  Benjamin Lewson ,  Yaping Ji ,  Qi Xu ,  Adam Ollanik

IPC分类号： H01L31/0687 ,  H01L31/048 ,  H01L31/0693 ,  H01L31/054 ,  H01L31/042 ,  H02S40/44 ,  H01L31/02 ,  H01L31/0216 ,  H01L31/052

摘要： The use of photovoltaic (PV) cells to convert solar energy to electricity is becoming increasingly prevalent; however, there are still significant limitations associated with the widespread adoption of PV cells for electricity needs. There is a clear need for a high efficiency solar power system that supplies electricity at a competitive cost and that provides for an on-demand supply of electricity as well as energy storage. By combining aspects of concentrated solar power and concentrated photovoltaics, the present invention provides a device that enables the conversion of sunlight to electricity at very high efficiencies and that enables the transmission of thermal energy to heat storage devices for later use. The disclosed device enables transmissive CPV through the use of a multijunction PV cell mounted on a transparent base. The use of a multijunction cell allows for highly efficient absorption of light above the bandgap of the lowest bandgap subcell. The transparent base permits transmission of a high percentage of the remaining light below the bandgap of the lowest bandgap subcell. The present invention also discloses a method of generating electricity through the use of a transmissive CPV device. Sunlight is concentrated onto one or more surfaces of the device. High energy light is absorbed by a multijunction PV cell and converted directly to electricity, while low energy light is transmitted through the device into a thermal storage device, which may then be coupled to a heat engine to generate dispatchable electricity.

公开(公告)号：US11909352B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-20

申请号：US16089294

申请日：2017-03-28

申请人： The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund ,  Qi Xu ,  Daniel Codd ,  Vince Romanin ,  Nicholas David Farrar-Foley

发明人： Matthew David Escarra ,  Qi Xu ,  Yaping Ji ,  Brian C. Riggs ,  Adam Ollanik ,  Kazi M. Islam ,  Daniel Codd ,  Vince Romanin ,  Nicholas David Farrar-Foley

IPC分类号： H02S40/42 ,  H02S20/32 ,  H02S40/22 ,  H02S40/44 ,  H01L31/048 ,  H01L31/052 ,  H01L31/0687 ,  H01L31/0693

CPC分类号： H02S40/425 ,  H01L31/048 ,  H01L31/052 ,  H01L31/0521 ,  H01L31/0687 ,  H01L31/0693 ,  H02S20/32 ,  H02S40/22 ,  H02S40/42 ,  H02S40/44 ,  Y02E10/52 ,  Y02E10/60

摘要： A spectrum splitting, transmissive concentrating photovoltaic (tCPV) module is proposed and designed for a hybrid photovoltaic-solar thermal (PV/T) system. The system may be able to fully utilize the full spectrum of incoming sunlight. By utilizing III-V triple junction solar cells with bandgaps of approximately 2.1 eV, 1.7 eV, and 1.4 eV in the module, ultraviolet (UV) and visible light (in-band light) are absorbed and converted to electricity, while infrared (IR) light (out-of-band light) passes through and is captured by a solar thermal receiver and stored as heat. The stored heat energy may be dispatched as electricity or process heat as needed. The tCPV module may have an overall power conversion efficiency exceeding 43.5% for above bandgap (in-band) light under a standard AM1.5D solar spectrum with an average concentration ratio of 400 suns. Passive and/or active cooling methods may be used to keep cells below 110° C. while transmitting >75% of out-of-band light to the thermal receiver, which may attain thermal energy capture at temperatures as high as 500° C. or more. A transparent active cooling system may improve the CPV module efficiency by about 1% (absolute) relative to a passive cooling system by reducing the maximum cell working temperature by about 16° C.

公开(公告)号：US20180212091A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-26

申请号：US15322417

申请日：2015-06-29

申请人： The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund

发明人： Matthew David Escarra ,  Benjamin Lewson ,  Yaping Ji ,  Qi Xu ,  Adam Ollanik

IPC分类号： H01L31/0687 ,  H01L31/0693 ,  H01L31/048 ,  H01L31/0216 ,  H01L31/054 ,  H01L31/02 ,  H01L31/052

CPC分类号： H01L31/0687 ,  H01L31/0201 ,  H01L31/02168 ,  H01L31/042 ,  H01L31/048 ,  H01L31/0488 ,  H01L31/0521 ,  H01L31/0547 ,  H01L31/0693 ,  H02S40/44 ,  Y02E10/52 ,  Y02E10/544 ,  Y02E10/60

摘要： The use of photovoltaic (PV) cells to convert solar energy to electricity is becoming increasingly prevalent; however, there are still significant limitations associated with the widespread adoption of PV cells for electricity needs. There is a clear need for a high efficiency solar power system that supplies electricity at a competitive cost and that provides for an on-demand supply of electricity as well as energy storage. By combining aspects of concentrated solar power and concentrated photovoltaics, the present invention provides a device that enables the conversion of sunlight to electricity at very high efficiencies and that enables the transmission of thermal energy to heat storage devices for later use. The disclosed device enables transmissive CPV through the use of a multijunction PV cell mounted on a transparent base. The use of a multijunction cell allows for highly efficient absorption of light above the bandgap of the lowest bandgap subcell. The transparent base permits transmission of a high percentage of the remaining light below the bandgap of the lowest bandgap subcell. The present invention also discloses a method of generating electricity through the use of a transmissive CPV device. Sunlight is concentrated onto one or more surfaces of the device. High energy light is absorbed by a multijunction PV cell and converted directly to electricity, while low energy light is transmitted through the device into a thermal storage device, which may then be coupled to a heat engine to generate dispatchable electricity.