# US 2019/0356264 A1 · Silver lining liquid-layer solar array

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- Number: US 2019/0356264 A1
- Document ID: US20190356264A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/980,693
- Filed: 2018-05-15
- Published: 2019-11-21
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-15
- Inventors: Jordan Alan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190356264A1

## CPC

- H02S 20/23: specially adapted for roof structures
- A62C 3/0214: {for buildings or installations in fire storms}
- A62C 35/60: wet, i.e. containing extinguishing material even when not in use
- A62C 37/11: heat-sensitive
- F24S 20/02: {for swimming pools}
- H02S 40/22: Light-reflecting or light-concentrating means (directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H10F77/42)
- H02S 40/30: Electrical components
- H02S 40/425: {using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation}
- 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 10/60: the working fluids trickling freely over absorbing elements
- F24S 10/742: {the conduits being parallel to each other}
- F24S 10/748: {the conduits being otherwise bent, e.g. zig-zag}
- F24S 2030/16: {Hinged elements; Pin connections}
- Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV]
- Y02B 10/20: Solar thermal
- Y02B 10/70: Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
- Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators
- Y02E 10/60: Thermal-PV hybrids
- 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)
- A62C: FIRE-FIGHTING (fire-extinguishing compositions, use of chemical substances in extinguishing fires A62D1/00; spraying, applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces in general B05; alarm arrangements G08B, e.g. fire alarms actuated by smoke or gases G08B17/10)
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- 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 Silver Lining solar transfer module incorporates roof solar photovoltaic cells in a cased layer sandwiched between two water-handling layers. The bottom waste heat layer contains heat transfer pipes tuned for absorbing heat from the bottom of the photovoltaic layer and to dissipate heat into cool water pumped through the transfer pipes from ground level. The top cascade layer uses a casing transparent to solar radiation at the wavelengths used by the solar photovoltaic cells and containing a cascade of relatively cool water pumped from ground level, absorbing heat from the photovoltaic layer. The Silver Lining module is installed with a vertical slant, so that water is gravity fed from the top edge to the bottom edge in the waste heat layer and cascade layer. Fire sprinklers are incorporated into the plumbing of a system of Silver Lining solar transfer modules and provide protection to the roof in fire emergencies.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for management of roof solar, roof heat and roof fire suppression comprising:
a first roof-mountable Silver Lining solar transfer module having a higher-tilted edge, a lower-tilted edge, a top surface, a bottom surface, a left edge and a right edge,
said Silver Lining solar transfer module comprising a photovoltaic layer and a waste heat transfer layer,
said photovoltaic layer being disposed on top of the waste heat transfer layer,
said photovoltaic layer comprising a casing with a transparent lid and an array of photovoltaic cells,
said waste heat transfer layer comprising a casing with a lid, a water distribution perforated pipe running across the higher-tilted edge of the interior of the waste heat layer casing, a perforated gutter pipe running across the lower-tilted edge of the interior of the waste heat layer casing, and at least one heat transfer pipe connecting the water distribution perforated pipe with gutter pipe,
the Silver Lining solar transfer module also comprising a cold water pipe connection port adjacent the waste heat layer casing upper-tilted edge capable of allowing cold water pipe connections into the waste heat layer water distribution perforated pipe, a hot water pipe connection port adjacent the waste heat layer casing lower-tilted edge capable of allowing hot water pipe connections into the waste heat layer perforated gutter pipe, and a photovoltaic power outlet port adjacent an edge of the photovoltaic layer casing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one heat transfer pipe connecting the water distribution pipe with the gutter pipe is a coiled pipe.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one heat transfer pipe connecting the water distribution pipe with the gutter pipe is a black pipe.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one heat transfer pipe connecting the water distribution pipe with the gutter pipe has a matte surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one heat transfer pipe connecting the water distribution pipe with the gutter pipe is an array of straight pipes.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a cold water inlet pipe connectable with said cold water pipe connection port;
a hot water return pipe connectable with said hot water pipe connection port; and,
a DC power return cable connectable with said photovoltaic power outlet port.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the Silver Lining module further comprises
a waste heat layer exit cold water pipe connection port opposite the waste heat layer entrance cold water pipe connection port capable of allowing cold water pipe connections exiting the waste heat layer water distribution perforated pipe,
a waste heat layer entrance hot water pipe connection port opposite the entrance hot water pipe connection port capable of allowing hot water pipe connections into the waste heat layer perforated gutter pipe, and
a photovoltaic power inlet port opposite the photovoltaic power outlet port,
the system also comprising:
a second Silver Lining module, wherein
the waste heat layer exit cold water pipe connection port of the first Silver Lining module is functionally connected to the waste heat layer entrance cold water pipe connection port of the second Silver Lining module by an external cold water pipe connector, and wherein
the waste heat layer exit hot water pipe connection port of the first Silver Lining module is functionally connected to the waste heat layer entrance hot water pipe connection port of the second Silver Lining module by an external hot water pipe connector, and wherein
the photovoltaic power outlet port of the first Silver Lining module is functionally connected to the photovoltaic power inlet port of the second Silver Lining module.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, also comprising a water pump.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, also comprising a DC-to-AC converter.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the Silver Lining further comprises a cascade layer,
said cascade layer being disposed on top of the photovoltaic layer,
the cascade layer comprising:
a casing with a lid transparent to light at the wavelengths used by the photovoltaic panels of the photovoltaic layer and a cascade surface transparent to light at the wavelengths used by the photovoltaic panels of the photovoltaic layer,
a cascade layer water distribution pipe with water cascade perforations running across the higher-tilted edge of the interior of the cascade layer casing, said water cascade perforations being of sufficient size to allow water to pour through without vaporizing, and
a gutter pipe running across the lower-tilted edge of the interior of the cascade layer casing, capable of collecting water from the cascade surface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, the Silver Lining solar transfer module also comprising:
a cascade layer entrance cold water pipe connection port adjacent the cascade layer casing upper-tilted edge capable of allowing cold water pipe connections into the cascade layer water distribution perforated pipe, and
a cascade layer exit hot water pipe connection port adjacent the cascade layer casing lower-tilted edge capable of allowing hot water pipe connections to the waste heat layer perforated gutter pipe.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the Silver Lining module further comprises
a cascade layer exit cold water pipe connection port opposite the cascade layer entrance cold water pipe connection port capable of allowing cold water pipe connections exiting the cascade layer water distribution perforated pipe,
a cascade layer entrance hot water pipe connection port opposite the cascade layer exit hot water pipe connection port capable of allowing hot water pipe connections into the waste heat layer perforated gutter pipe, and
a photovoltaic power inlet port opposite the photovoltaic power outlet port,
the system also comprising:
a second Silver Lining module, wherein
the exit cold water pipe connection port of the first Silver Lining module is functionally connected to the entrance cold water pipe connection port of the second Silver Lining module by an external cold water pipe connector, and wherein
the exit hot water pipe connection port of the first Silver Lining module is functionally connected to the entrance hot water pipe connection port of the second Silver Lining module by an external hot water pipe connector, and wherein
the photovoltaic power outlet port of the first Silver Lining module is functionally connected to the photovoltaic power inlet port of the second Silver Lining module by a water-proof electrical connector.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a cold water inlet pipe;
a hot water outlet pipe; and,
a fire sprinkler.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the fire sprinkler is disposed along a straight section of pipe.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, further comprising:
a pipe corner, the fire sprinkler being disposed on the pipe corner.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, further comprising:
a second Silver Lining module;
a water pipe connector disposed between the first Silver Lining module and the second Silver Lining module,
the fire sprinkler being disposed on the water pipe connector.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, the system being disposed on a roof such that
a first portion of the roof is covered by a Silver Lining module and
a second portion of roof at least equal in area to the first portion of roof is not covered by a Silver Lining module;
the system further comprising a second fire sprinkler,
the first fire sprinkler having a spray direction oriented toward the first portion of roof and
the second fire sprinkler having a spray direction oriented toward the second portion of roof.

### Claim 18

A system for management of roof solar, roof heat and roof fire suppression comprising:
a fire sprinkler;
a first roof-mountable Silver Lining solar transfer module having a higher-tilted edge, a lower-tilted edge, a top surface, a bottom surface, a left edge and a right edge,
said Silver Lining solar transfer module comprising a cascade layer, a photovoltaic layer and a waste heat transfer layer,
said photovoltaic layer being disposed on top of the waste heat transfer layer,
said cascade layer being disposed on top of the photovoltaic layer,
said photovoltaic layer comprising
a casing with a transparent lid, and
an array of photovoltaic cells,
said waste heat transfer layer comprising
a casing with a lid,
a water distribution pipe running across the higher-tilted edge of the interior of the waste heat layer casing,
a gutter pipe running across the lower-tilted edge of the interior of the waste heat layer casing, and
at least one heat transfer pipe connecting the water distribution perforated pipe with gutter pipe,
said cascade layer comprising:
a casing with a lid transparent to light at the wavelengths used by the photovoltaic panels of the photovoltaic layer and a cascade surface transparent to light at the wavelengths used by the photovoltaic panels of the photovoltaic layer,
a cascade layer water distribution pipe with water cascade perforations running across the higher-tilted edge of the interior of the cascade layer casing, said water cascade perforations being of sufficient size to allow water to pour through without vaporizing, and
a gutter pipe running across the lower-tilted edge of the interior of the cascade layer casing, capable of collecting water from the cascade surface,
the Silver Lining solar transfer module also comprising
a cold water pipe connection port adjacent the waste heat layer casing upper-tilted edge capable of allowing cold water pipe connections into the waste heat layer water distribution perforated pipe,
a hot water pipe connection port adjacent the waste heat layer casing lower-tilted edge capable of allowing hot water pipe connections into the waste heat layer perforated gutter pipe, and
a photovoltaic power outlet port adjacent an edge of the photovoltaic layer casing.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18,
said photovoltaic layer also comprising
a first main hinge useable to separate the photovoltaic layer from the waste heat transfer layer, and
a middle secondary hinge useable to lift the transparent lid of the photovoltaic layer;
said waste heat transfer layer also comprising
a bottom secondary hinge useable to lift the transparent lid of the waste heat transfer layer;
said cascade layer also comprising:
a second main hinge useable to separate the cascade layer from the photovoltaic layer; and,
and a top secondary hinge useable to lift the transparent lid of the cascade layer.

### Claim 20

A method of managing electricity generation, hot water generation and fire suppression comprising the steps of:
pumping a first volume of water to a waste heat layer of a first Silver Lining solar transfer module mounted on a roof;
receiving a first quantity of solar radiation into a photovoltaic layer of said first Silver Lining solar transfer module;
generating a DC current in said photovoltaic layer of said first Silver Lining solar transfer module;
conducting a DC current from said photovoltaic layer of said first Silver Lining solar transfer module;
generating a first quantity of waste heat in said photovoltaic layer of said first Silver Lining solar transfer module;
transferring said first quantity of waste heat to said first volume of water;
returning said first volume of water from said waste heat layer to a first water storage container;
pumping a second volume of water to a cascade layer of the first Silver Lining solar transfer module;
cascading the second volume of water through the cascade layer;
refracting a second quantity of solar radiation in said second volume of water;
generating a second quantity of waste heat in said photovoltaic layer;
transferring said second quantity of waste heat to said second volume of water;
returning said second volume of water from said waste heat layer to a second water storage container; and,
spraying a portion of said first volume of water or of said second volume of water onto said roof using a fire sprinkler.