# US 7,745,723 B2 · Concentrating type solar collection and daylighting system within glazed building envelopes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,745,723 B2 - Document ID: US7745723B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/294,482 - Filed: 2005-12-06 - Published: 2006-06-22 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2003-06-03 - Assignees: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Inventors: Anna H. Dyson; Michael K. Jensen; David N. Borton - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7745723B2 ## CPC - F24S 30/452: Vertical primary axis - F24S 23/31: {having discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lenses} - G02B 3/08: with discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lens {(diffractive Fresnel lenses G02B5/1876)} - H02S 20/23: specially adapted for roof structures - H02S 40/22: Light-reflecting or light-concentrating means (directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H10F77/42) - H10F 77/484: {Refractive light-concentrating means, e.g. lenses} - Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV] - Y02B 10/20: Solar thermal - Y02E 10/47: Mountings or tracking - Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - 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) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - 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 Fresnel lens comprising a substantially polygonal focusing portion adapted to focus solar radiation to a area having the same geometry as the focusing portion of the lens. Also a solar module comprising the Fresnel collecting lens and a substantially polygonal photovoltaic cell. The photovoltaic cell is mounted at distance from the Fresnel collecting lens so that the size of the area substantially matches the size of the photovoltaic cell. Also a solar panel having multiple modules within a glazed building envelope system. The solar panel also includes an actuating mechanism within the glazed window envelope system. The actuating mechanism is operatively connected to the plurality of solar modules and is adapted to move the solar modules to track the sun. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A structure, comprising: a glazed building envelope; a plurality of spaced apart solar modules located in a space between two transparent glass layers in the glazed building envelope; and an actuating mechanism operatively connected to the plurality of solar modules and adapted to move the solar modules in two dimensions about two axes track the sun; wherein each module comprises a back support structure, a photovoltaic cell, a heat sink on which the photovoltaic cell is mounted, and a concentrating device which is adapted to concentrate solar radiation onto the photovoltaic cell; the back support structure comprises a translucent material, a Fresnel diverging material or a diffusing material such that diffuse light is admitted into the glazed building envelope through each module; the back support structure connects the concentrating device and the heat sink in a fixed geometry; and wherein the plurality of solar modules are spaced apart from each other such that partially or substantially unobstructed views of objects are available through spaces between the plurality of solar modules and through the two transparent glass layers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The structure of claim 1, wherein the actuating mechanism is adapted to move the solar modules in two dimensions about two axes to track the sun such that the concentrating device is positioned perpendicular to sunlight rays throughout a day. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The structure of claim 2, wherein the glazed building envelope comprises a portion of a building facade envelope or a transparent atrium ceiling of a multistory building. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The structure of claim 2, wherein: the concentrating device comprises a collecting lens which has a substantial portion adapted to concentrate solar radiation to a specified area and shape; and the photovoltaic cell is mounted at distance from the collecting lens such that the active area of the photovoltaic cell is irradiated by the light collected and concentrated by the collecting lens. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The structure of claim 4, wherein each solar module further comprises: a concentrating lens located between the collecting lens and the photovoltaic cell; and the back support structure connecting the collecting lens and the heat sink in a fixed geometry. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The structure of claim 1, wherein: each solar module has a substantially pyramidal or a substantially conical shape where the concentrating device forms a base of the shape and the back support structure forms at least one wall of the shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The structure of claim 6, wherein the heat sink includes a cooling scheme which comprises at least one channel adapted to carry cooling liquid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The structure of claim 2, further comprising connecting devices which connect the actuating mechanism to the plurality of modules. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The structure of claim 1, wherein each module has a cross sectional area that is less than 0.2 m2. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The structure of claim 1, wherein the two transparent glass layers comprise a building window or a transparent atrium ceiling. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The structure of claim 1, wherein the back support structure comprises the translucent material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The structure of claim 1, wherein the back support structure comprises the Fresnel diverging material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The structure of claim 1, wherein the back support structure comprises the diffusing material. ### Claim 14 A structure, comprising: a glazed building envelope; a plurality of spaced apart solar modules located in a space between two transparent glass layers in the glazed building envelope, wherein each module comprises a back support structure, a photovoltaic cell, a heat sink on which the photovoltaic cell is mounted, and a concentrating device which is adapted to concentrate solar radiation onto the photovoltaic cell; and an actuating mechanism operatively connected to the plurality of solar modules and adapted to move the solar modules in two dimensions about two axes to track the sun such that the concentrating device is positioned perpendicular to sunlight rays throughout a day; wherein the back support structure comprises a translucent material, a Fresnel diverging material or a diffusing material such that diffuse light is admitted into the glazed building envelope through each module; the back support structure connects the concentrating device and the heat sink in a fixed geometry; and wherein the plurality of solar modules are spaced apart from each other such that partially or substantially unobstructed views of the outside are available by looking past the spaced apart solar modules through the two transparent glass layers from inside the glazed building envelope. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The structure of claim 14, wherein: each solar module has a substantially pyramidal or a substantially conical shape where the concentrating device forms a base of the shape and the back support structure forms at least one wall of the shape. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The structure of claim 14, wherein: the two transparent glass layers comprise a building window or a transparent atrium ceiling. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The structure of claim 14, wherein the heat sink comprises at least one cooling liquid carrying channel. ### Claim 18 A structure, comprising: a glazed building envelope; a plurality of spaced apart solar modules located in a space between two transparent glass layers in the glazed building envelope, wherein each module comprises a back support structure, a photovoltaic cell and a concentrating device which is adapted to concentrate solar radiation onto the photovoltaic cell; and an actuating mechanism operatively connected to the plurality of solar modules and adapted to move the solar modules in at least a single dimension to track the sun such that the concentrating device is positioned perpendicular to sunlight rays throughout a day; wherein: the back support structure comprises a translucent material, a Fresnel diverging material or a diffusing material such that diffuse light is admitted into the glazed building envelope through each module; and each solar module has a substantially pyramidal or a substantially conical shape where the concentrating device forms a base of the shape and the back support structure forms at least one wall of the shape. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The structure of claim 18, wherein the plurality of modules are spaced apart from each other such that objects may be viewed through spaces between the plurality of modules. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The structure of claim 18, wherein: the two transparent glass layers comprise a building window or a transparent atrium ceiling; and the actuating mechanism is adapted to move the solar modules in two dimensions about two axes to track the sun. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The structure of claim 18, wherein each module further comprises a heat sink which comprises at least one cooling liquid carrying channel. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The structure of claim 18, wherein the back support structure comprises the translucent material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The structure of claim 18, wherein the back support structure comprises the Fresnel diverging material. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The structure of claim 18, wherein the back support structure comprises the diffusing material.