Tool to analyze performance of power-beam photovoltaic receiver
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorBrian J. TILLOTSON
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Abstract
A tool to analyze the performance of a power-beam photovoltaic (PV) receiver is disclosed that includes a system and method for determining the output of a PV array under non-uniform, inconstant illumination. The system and method includes providing PV cells in a user-defined physical layout with various user-defined electrical connections among the PV cells and optional devices forming the PV array. The disclosure provides an analysis tool for designing optical power-beaming systems.
Claims24
An analysis tool for a photovoltaic (PV) receiver, comprising:
- a microprocessor;
- a memory device;
- a first data structure stored in the memory device comprising a PV cell characteristic of each PV cell of a PV array;
- a second data structure stored in the memory device comprising the intensity of illumination striking a predetermined number of points of the PV array;
- a means for computing the total illumination on each cell in a PV array based on data from the first data structure and the second data structure;
- a third data structure stored in the memory device comprising an electrical connectivity among each PV cell;
- and
- a means for computing the total power output of the PV array from the total illumination of each PV cell in the PV array.
A method of analyzing a PV receiver, comprising to following steps:
- (a) providing a first data structure comprising a PV cell characteristic of each PV cell of a PV array;
- (b) providing a second data structure comprising an intensity of illumination striking a predetermined number of points of the PV array;
- (c) computing a total illumination on each PV cell from step (a) and step (b);
- (d) providing a third data structure comprising an electrical connectivity among each PV cell;
- and
- (e) computing the total power output of the PV array from the total illumination of each PV cell;
- and
- (f) modifying a characteristic of at least one PV cell of the PV receiver in response to the computed total power output.
A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium and executable by a microprocessor for determining the total power output of a PV array of a PV receiver, the computer program product comprising computer instructions for executing the steps of:
- (a) receiving a first data structure comprising a PV cell characteristic of each PV cell of a PV array;
- (b) receiving a second data structure comprising an intensity of illumination striking a predetermined number of points of the PV array;
- (c) computing a total illumination on each PV cell from step (a) and step (b);
- (d) receiving a third data structure comprising an electrical connectivity among each PV cell;
- and
- (e) receiving the total power output of the PV array from the total illumination of each PV cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.