Rapidly deployable and transportable high-power-density smart power generators
AssigneeSigmagen, Inc.
InventorMehrdad M. Moslehi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A portable solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity generator module comprises a plurality of smart power slat (SPS) units, each SPS unit comprising a plurality of solar cells electrically connected together based on a specified cell interconnection design, and, at least one power maximizing integrated circuit collecting electricity generated by the plurality of solar cells. The plurality of SPS units are mechanically connected such that the SPS units can be retracted for volume compaction of the module, and can be expanded for increasing PV electricity generation by the module. The module can be used as part of an electric power supply with a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) power optimizer, storage battery and leads to connect to a load. The load can be AC or DC.
Claims20
A solar photovoltaic (PV) module comprising:
- a plurality of parallel smart power slat (SPS) units, each SPS unit having two shorter sides and two longer sides defining a plane, and said each SPS unit comprising a laminate comprising:
- a single layer of a plurality of coplanar bifacial solar cells having electrical cuts and electrically connected together along said longer sides;
- and
- an in-laminate peripheral frame made of an electrically-insulating material for-structurally supporting said single layer of a plurality of coplanar bifacial solar cells having electrical cuts, wherein said material is one material or a combination of materials comprising injection-moldable material;
- wherein the plurality of parallel SPS units are mechanically connected such that the SPS units can be retracted for volume compaction of the module, and can be expanded for increasing PV electricity generation by the module;
- wherein a collapsible mechanical connector attached to the plurality of parallel SPS units has a first part and a second part, the first part connecting one edge of all the SPS units, and the second part connecting the opposite edge of all the parallel SPS units, thereby producing a retractable and expandable module structure, where all the parallel SPS units are structurally and electrically connected, wherein the planes of each of the SPS units remain parallel during retraction and expansion of the module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.