System for maximizing solar insolation utilization in power generation
OwnerNasir Sharafinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solar stack system includes a plurality of solar panels, a light concentrating mechanism, and a plurality of light guides or light diffusers. These materials are arranged such that the light concentrating mechanism feeds concentrated light into the light guide or light diffuser which is in between two or more solar panels depending on the length of the light guide. The light that enters the edge or smaller surface of the light guide will be emitted out of the face or larger surface of the light guide and illuminate the solar panels on either side. This design is modular, and several such arrangements can be stacked on top of each other or as deep as the light will travel along the light guide.
Claims11
A packaging system comprising of:
- a plurality of solar light concentrators supported by a structure;
- a plurality of light guides or diffusers;
- a plurality of photovoltaic solar panels;
- where the light guides of diffusers are disposed between the panels such that the depth of the solar panels is increased but the surface area needed to face the sun is reduced and the number of photovoltaic cell panels is doubled.
In another embodiment, a plurality of light pipes is used for light dispersion instead of a plurality of light guides;
- these light pipes are beneficial because they are stiffer than fiber optic cable and are easier to handle for manufacture.
Yet in another embodiment, a linear concentrating lens is used instead of a circular lens;
- this reduces the tolerance stack up of how the light is cast onto the light guide making for more smooth and consistent light dispersion out of the light guide;
- and allows using flat panel light guide instead of circular light pipes.
In another embodiment, side-emitting fiber optic cables are used for light dispersion as they have a better efficiency than light pipes.
In another embodiment, a plurality of circular convex lens concentrates the light along a conical prism directly into a light pipe or side emitting fiber optic cable;
- this is done to minimize a deviation of the focal point from the end of the light dispersing medium.
In yet another embodiment, multiple solar panels are positioned horizontally next to one another along the length of the light guide thus increasing depth but decreasing surface area needed for insolation.
In another embodiment, the concentrating array is isolated as a separate device from the solar panel stack;
- this concentrating array can consist of a concentrating medium, like the aforementioned Fresnel lens, linear concentrating lens, or simple convex lens, and this concentrating medium concentrates sunlight into fiber optic cables;
- these fiber optic cables travel a distance and connect to a light dispersing medium;
- the light dispersing medium is in between solar panels and illuminates the solar panels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.