# US 10,320,328 B2 · Photovoltaic thermal hybrid systems and method of operation thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,320,328 B2 - Document ID: US10320328B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/205,360 - Filed: 2016-07-08 - Published: 2016-11-03 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2012-03-30 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation; Egypt Nanotechnology Center - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation; Egypt Nanotechnology Center - Inventors: Werner Escher; Bruno Michel; Stephan Paredes; Rami Ghannam - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10320328B2 ## CPC - H02S 40/44: Means to utilise heat energy, e.g. hybrid systems producing warm water and electricity at the same time (directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H10F77/67) - F24S 10/502: {having conduits formed by paired plates and internal partition means} - F24S 10/55: with enlarged surfaces, e.g. with protrusions or corrugations (collectors comprising porous materials or permeable masses directly contacting the working fluids F24S10/80) - F24S 20/20: Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants - F24S 23/70: with reflectors - H02S 10/20: Systems characterised by their energy storage means (H02S40/38 takes precedence) - H02S 20/00: Supporting structures for PV modules - H02S 20/10: Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground (H02S20/30 takes precedence) - H10F 77/488: {Reflecting light-concentrating means, e.g. parabolic mirrors or concentrators using total internal reflection} - H10F 77/68: {using gaseous or liquid coolants, e.g. air flow ventilation or water circulation} - F24S 2020/17: {Arrangements of solar thermal modules combined with solar PV modules} - Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers - Y02E 10/44: Heat exchange systems - Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators - Y02E 10/60: Thermal-PV hybrids - Y02E 70/30: Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin - H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00) - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A method is disclosed for operating a photovoltaic thermal hybrid system having a hybrid solar receiver with a photovoltaic module, operatively coupled to the system to deliver an electrical output power for a power user, a thermal collector distinct from the photovoltaic module, wherein the photovoltaic module and/or the thermal collector are movably mounted in the system, a collector thermal storage thermally connected to the thermal collector to store heat collected at the thermal collector, and a positioning mechanism adapted to move the photovoltaic module and/or the thermal collector. The method includes instructing the positioning mechanism to move the photovoltaic module and/or the thermal collector to change a ratio of an intensity of radiation received at the photovoltaic module to an intensity of radiation received at the thermal collector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photovoltaic thermal hybrid system, comprising: a hybrid solar receiver, having a photovoltaic module movably mounted in the system and designed for electrical output power delivery; a thermal collector distinct from the photovoltaic module and fixedly mounted within the system; a collector thermal storage thermally connected to the thermal collector to store heat collected at the thermal collector; a positioning mechanism adapted to translate a position of the photovoltaic module with respect to the thermal collector; and a control unit configured to control the positioning mechanism to translate the position of the photovoltaic module with respect to the thermal collector and to change a ratio of an intensity of radiation received at the photovoltaic module to an intensity of radiation received at the thermal collector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises: a first heat circuit connecting the photovoltaic module to a photovoltaic thermal storage distinct from the collector thermal storage, to cool the photovoltaic module; and a second heat circuit, distinct from the first heat circuit, and connecting the collector thermal storage to the thermal collector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a heat exchanger thermally connected to a photovoltaic thermal storage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the thermal collector extends in a first plane and comprises an aperture; and the photovoltaic module comprises a photo-active area within an area of the photovoltaic module that extends in a second plane, at a distance of the aperture, the photo-active area being vis-à-vis the aperture, a projection of the aperture perpendicularly to the second plane essentially corresponding to the photo-active area, and wherein the thermal collector further comprises one or more of: one or more mirror elements provided in an intermediate section between the first plane and the second plane, the one or more mirror elements thermally connected to the collector thermal storage, by a same heat circuit that connects the thermal collector to the collector thermal storage; and a band pass filter arranged at a level of the aperture. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a concentrator, arranged to concentrate radiation towards an optical focus of the concentrator, and wherein the positioning mechanism is adapted to move the photovoltaic module in or out of the optical focus.