التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
| العنوان: |
PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES WITH ELECTRICALLY COUPLED SUPPORTS |
| Document Number: |
20120266936 |
| تاريخ النشر: |
October 25, 2012 |
| Appl. No: |
13/090567 |
| Application Filed: |
April 20, 2011 |
| مستخلص: |
Apparatus and methods related to photovoltaic energy are provided. A device includes electrically conductive supports in electrical contact with one or more photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic cells are secured with respect to the supports by a clamping force soldering or other means. Optics concentrate and guide photonic energy onto the photovoltaic cells. Generated electrical energy is coupled to a load using the conductive supports. Heat is rejected from the photovoltaic cells using at least one of the supports and a fluid flow, thermal conduction, and so on. |
| Inventors: |
Weibezahn, Karl S. (Corvallis, OR, US); Lerner, Scott (Corvaliis, OR, US) |
| Claim: |
1. A device, comprising: a photovoltaic cell having a first electrode and a second electrode of respectively opposite electrical polarities; a first metallic support electrically coupled to the first electrode, the first metallic support configured to transfer heat away from the photovoltaic cell; and a second metallic support electrically coupled to the second electrode. |
| Claim: |
2. The device according to claim 1, the photovoltaic cell held in place with respect to at least the first metallic support or the second metallic support by way of a clamping force. |
| Claim: |
3. The device according to claim 2, the clamping force applied by way of at least an electrically non-conductive insulator, or an electrically non-conductive jack screw. |
| Claim: |
4. The device according to claim 1, the photovoltaic cell held in place with respect to at least the first metallic support or the second metallic support by way of soldering or another electrically conductive bond. |
| Claim: |
5. The device according to claim 1, at least a portion of the first metallic support disposed within at least a portion of the second metallic support. |
| Claim: |
6. The device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one electrically non-conductive material disposed to isolate the first metallic support from the second metallic support. |
| Claim: |
7. The device according to claim 1, the first metallic support configured to transfer heat away from the photovoltaic cell by way of thermal conduction. |
| Claim: |
8. The device according to claim 1, the first metallic support configured to transfer heat away from the photovoltaic cell by way of a flow of fluid through an internal passageway. |
| Claim: |
9. The device according to claim 1 further comprising an optical element to concentrate photonic energy onto the photovoltaic cell. |
| Claim: |
10. A system, comprising: a plurality of photovoltaic cells to convert incident photonic energy into electrical energy; a first support electrically coupled to a first electrode of each of the photovoltaic cells, the first support configured to transfer heat away from the photovoltaic cells by way of a fluid flow through an internal passageway; a second support electrically coupled to a second electrode of each of the photovoltaic cells; a primary optical element to concentrate incident photonic energy; and a secondary optical element to guide the concentrated photonic energy onto the photovoltaic cells. |
| Claim: |
11. The system according to claim 10, the photovoltaic cells held in place with respect to the first support and the second support by way of a clamping force. |
| Claim: |
12. The system according to claim 10, the photovoltaic cells held in place by way of soldering or another electrically conductive bond to at least the first support or the second support. |
| Claim: |
13. The system according to claim 10 further comprising a heat transfer apparatus to remove heat from the photovoltaic cells by way of driving a flow of fluid coolant thought the internal passageway of the first support. |
| Claim: |
14. The system according to claim 10, the secondary optical element being defined by a portion of at least the first support or the second support. |
| Claim: |
15. The system according to claim 10, the primary optical element being defined by a parabolic reflector. |
| Claim: |
16. The system according to claim 10 further comprising an electrical load coupled to receive electrical energy from the photovoltaic cells by way of the first and second supports. |
| Claim: |
17. A method, comprising: disposing a photovoltaic cell in clamped relationship with a first support and a second support, the first and second supports electrically coupled to respective electrodes of the photovoltaic cell; concentrating photonic energy onto the photovoltaic cell by way of a first optical element and a second optical element so as to generate electrical energy; providing the electrical energy to a load by way of the first and second supports; and transferring heat away from the photovoltaic cells by way of at least the first support. |
| Current U.S. Class: |
136/246 |
| Current International Class: |
01; 01; 01 |
| رقم الانضمام: |
edspap.20120266936 |
| قاعدة البيانات: |
USPTO Patent Applications |