# US 12,113,143 B2 · Phase change photovoltaic thermal management device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,113,143 B2 - Document ID: US12113143B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/606,549 - Filed: 2024-03-15 - Published: 2024-08-08 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2022-11-29 - Assignees: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals - Applicants: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals - Inventors: Kashif Irshad; Md. Hasan Zahir - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113143B2 ## CPC - H10F 77/67: including means to utilise heat energy directly associated with the photovoltaic cells, e.g. integrated Seebeck elements - 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) - H10N 10/10: operating with only the Peltier or Seebeck effects - H10N 10/13: characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction - H10N 10/17: characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device - H10N 10/82: Interconnections - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - 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) - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A thermal management device for a photovoltaic panel includes a phase change material layer attached to a back side of the photovoltaic panel. The thermal management device includes a Seebeck thermoelectric generator having a first surface attached to the phase change material layer. The thermal management further device includes a heat sink attached to a second surface of the Seebeck thermoelectric generator. The heat sink is configured with a sinuous coil, a water inlet port and a water outlet port connected to the sinuous coil, and a plurality of heat fins. The thermal management further device includes a casing box configured to enclose its various components, and a glass cover attached to the casing box and configured to cover a top surface of the photovoltaic panel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A phase change photovoltaic thermal management device, comprising: a photovoltaic panel configured to convert solar radiation to electric power; a phase change material layer attached to a back side of the photovoltaic panel; wherein the phase change material layer is a continuous layer directly adjacent to the back side of the photovoltaic panel; wherein the photovoltaic panel is removably attached to the thermal management device via the phase change material layer: wherein a phase change material of the phase change material layer comprises polyethylene glycol (PEG) and magnesium doped calcium carbonate (MgCaCO3), and wherein magnesium is present in the MgCaCO3 at a concentration of 5 to 15 mole percent (mol %) based on the total moles of the MgCaCO3; a Seebeck thermoelectric generator having a first surface attached to the phase change material layer; a heat sink attached to a second surface of the Seebeck thermoelectric generator, wherein the heat sink is configured with a sinuous coil, a water inlet port and a water outlet port connected to the sinuous coil, a fan, an exit port and a plurality of heat fins; a casing box configured to enclose a back and sides of an assembly of the photovoltaic panel, the phase change material layer, the Seebeck thermoelectric generator and the heat sink; and a glass cover configured to cover a top surface of the photovoltaic panel, wherein the glass cover is attached to the casing box. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermal management device of claim 1, wherein the phase change material layer is prepared from a mixture of polyethylene glycol (PEG) having an average molecular weight (Mw) of about 6000 grams per mole (g/mol), magnesium doped calcium carbonate (MgCaCO3), and ethanol. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The thermal management device of claim 2, wherein the phase change material layer comprises: a copper housing having an outside surface surrounded by thermal insulation; and a phase change material configured to line an inside of the copper housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The thermal management device of claim 1, further comprising: a water reservoir; a water pump connected at a first end to the water reservoir and at a second end to the water inlet port; and a water pipe connected to the water outlet port, wherein the water pump is configured to pump water from the water reservoir, through the sinuous coil and back to the water reservoir. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The thermal management device of claim 1, wherein the heat sink includes a plate including the sinuous coil and the plurality of heat fins are extending perpendicularly from the plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The thermal management device of claim 1, further comprising: a first electrical junction box attached to the photovoltaic panel, wherein the first electrical junction box is configured to receive the electric power generated by the photovoltaic panel; and a second electrical junction box attached to the Seebeck thermoelectric generator, wherein the second electrical junction box is configured to receive electricity generated by the Seebeck thermoelectric generator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The thermal management device of claim 1, wherein the casing box is made of aluminum. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The thermal management device of claim 1, wherein the casing box is made of aluminum, and a bottom surface of the casing box includes a phase change material liner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The thermal management device of claim 1, wherein heat is generated at the back side of the photovoltaic panel in the conversion of the solar radiation to the electric power. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The thermal management device of claim 9, wherein the phase change material layer is configured to store the heat. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The thermal management device of claim 9, wherein the Seebeck thermoelectric generator is configured to receive the heat stored in the phase change material at the first surface and convert the heat to electricity by utilizing a temperature gradient between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The thermal management device of claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of the PEG to the MgCaCO3 present in the phase change material is about 5:2. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The thermal management device of claim 1, wherein the magnesium is present in the MgCaCO3 at a concentration of 10 mol % based on the total moles of the MgCaCO3, and wherein the phase change material has a melting point in a range of 36 to 55 degree Celsius (OC). ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The thermal management device of claim 1, wherein the phase change material layer has a volume expansion of up to 5 vol. % based on an initial volume of the phase change material layer after about 200 thermal heating and cooling cycles.