# US 10,771,009 B2 · Maintaining a solar power module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,009 B2 - Document ID: US10771009B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/506,610 - Filed: 2019-07-09 - Published: 2019-10-31 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-03 - Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Inventors: James Clyde Hassell, Jr.; Luiz Gustavo Do Val - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771009B2 ## CPC - H02S 40/425: {using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation} - H01F 1/012: {adapted for magnetic entropy change by magnetocaloric effect, e.g. used as magnetic refrigerating material (refrigeration systems using magnetic effects F25B21/00)} - H02S 20/30: Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment - H02S 30/10: Frame structures - H02S 40/10: Cleaning arrangements - H02S 40/42: Cooling means - H10F 19/00: Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one photovoltaic cell covered by group H10F10/00, e.g. photovoltaic modules - H10F 77/60: Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or compensating for temperature fluctuations - Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV] - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - 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) - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A solar power system includes a plurality of solar power cells mounted on an outer surface of a spherical frame, the spherical frame including an inner surface that defines an interior volume; a heat sink that includes a hollow housing mounted within the interior volume of the spherical frame; and a phase change material positioned in the hollow housing of the heat sink, the phase change material thermally coupled to the inner surface of the spherical frame to receive heat from the outer surface of the spherical frame. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for cooling a solar power system, comprising: operating a solar power system that comprises a plurality of solar power cells mounted on an outer surface of a spherical frame that comprises an inner surface that defines an interior volume; transferring heat from an outer surface of the spherical frame to the inner surface of the spherical frame and to a heat sink that comprises a hollow housing mounted and enclosed within the interior volume of the spherical frame, the hollow housing fluidly isolating an inner volume of the hollow housing from a housing volume defined between the hollow housing and the inner surface of the spherical frame the housing volume comprising an annulus cross-section; transferring the heat from the hollow housing of the heat sink to a phase change material positioned in, and fluidly sealed within, the inner volume of the hollow housing of the heat sink such that the phase change material is fluidly isolated from the housing volume of the interior volume of the spherical frame; and transforming at least a portion of the phase change material from a solid phase to a semi-solid or liquid phase based on the heat received from the outer surface of the spherical frame. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of solar power cells comprise a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) cells. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the phase change material comprises at least one paraffin wax. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating a magnetic field within the housing volume of the spherical frame with at least one magnet; transferring heat from an outer surface of the spherical frame to a magnetized fluid contained within the housing volume; and circulating the magnetized fluid within the housing volume between the inner surface of the spherical frame and the heat sink based on the generated magnetic field and an amount of heat transferred from the outer surface to the magnetized fluid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the magnetized heat transfer fluid comprises a ferrofluid liquid that comprises a plurality of magnetized particles, and the at least one magnet comprises a permanent magnet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein generating the magnetic field comprises generating the magnetic field from the at least one magnet mounted within the interior volume on a shaft that extends through a diameter of the spherical frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one magnet comprises a spherical hollow magnet that encloses the phase change material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein generating the magnetic field comprises generating the magnetic field with a plurality of ring magnets mounted adjacent the spherical frame. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein circulating the magnetized fluid within the housing volume comprises circulating the magnetized fluid through a flowpath within the housing volume formed by a plurality of baffles mounted within the interior volume of the spherical frame. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: rotating, based at least partially on circulation of the magnetized fluid within the housing volume, the spherical frame about an axis of rotation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of solar power cells comprise a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) cells. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the phase change material comprises at least one paraffin wax. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of solar power cells comprise a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) cells. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the phase change material comprises at least one paraffin wax. ### Claim 15 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein generating the magnetic field comprises generating the magnetic field with: with a spherical hollow magnet mounted within the housing volume on a shaft that extends through a diameter of the spherical frame; and with a plurality of ring magnets mounted adjacent the spherical frame. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the spherical hollow magnet comprises a permanent magnet. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the spherical hollow magnet encloses the phase change material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein circulating the magnetized fluid within the housing volume comprises circulating the magnetized fluid through a flowpath within the housing volume formed by a plurality of baffles mounted within the interior volume of the spherical frame. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: rotating, based at least partially on circulation of the magnetized fluid within the housing volume, the spherical frame about an axis of rotation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: rotating, based at least partially on circulation of the magnetized fluid within the housing volume, the spherical frame about an axis of rotation.