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US 8,941,000 B2Granted
Solar concentrator cooling by vortex gas circulation
AssigneesInternational Business Machines Corporation, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Tehnology
InventorsYves C. Martin, Robert L. Sandstrom, Theodore G. Van Kessel, Hussam Khonkar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A convective method is employed to cool a solar concentrator device. The convective method employs formation of a vortex gas circulation inside an enclosure of the solar concentrator device, which is bounded by at least one light-path altering component, sidewalls, and a back panel. Optionally, a heat sink assembly can be provided within the enclosure. Internal convention through the vortex gas circulation transfers the heat generated at a photovoltaic cell to all surfaces of the solar concentrator device to facilitate radiative and/or convective cooling at the outside surfaces of the enclosure.
Claims23
A solar concentrator device comprising:
- an enclosure containing an enclosed volume of an enclosed ambient gas therein and defined by at least one focusing component located at a front side, a back panel located at a back side, and at least one side panel extending from said at least one focusing component to said back panel, said enclosed ambient gas sealed off from any ambient outside said enclosure;
- at least one photovoltaic cell located within said enclosure and on said back panel;
- wherein a vertical axis of said enclosure passes through a geometrical center of said at least one photovoltaic cell within said enclosure and is perpendicular to a surface of said back panel
- a fan located within said enclosure and configured to provide circulation of said enclosed volume of said enclosed ambient gas confined entirely within said enclosure, said fan is affixed within said enclosure at a position that is offset from said vertical axis and is oriented such that a rotational axis of said fan is not parallel to said vertical axis and said fan generates an azimuthal component around said vertical axis within a circulation pattern of said enclosed gas ambient, wherein said azimuthal component combines with a toroidal gas circulation pattern including an updraft and a downdraft due to a temperature differential between surfaces of said at least one photovoltaic cell and said at least one focusing component during operation of said solar concentrator device, and generates a combined circulation pattern in which said enclosed ambient gas travels in a three-dimensional spiral path around said vertical axis of said enclosure with a same rotational direction throughout said three-dimensional spiral path;
- and
- a heat sink located within said enclosure and in contact with said enclosed ambient gas within said enclosure and including a planar surface to which said at least one photovoltaic cell is mounted through a mounting structure and further including conductive fins that protrude inward from said planar surface and contact said enclosed ambient gas inside said enclosure and radiate, or conduct, heat from said conductive fins to said enclosed ambient gas, said enclosed ambient gas in said three-dimensional spiral path impinging on surfaces of said conductive fins with said azimuthal component.
3 more elements
A method of operating a solar concentrator device comprising:
- providing a solar concentrator device comprising:
- an enclosure containing an enclosed volume of an enclosed ambient gas therein and defined by at least one focusing component located at a front side, a back panel located at a back side, and at least one side panel extending from said at least one focusing component to said back panel, said enclosed ambient gas sealed off from any ambient outside said enclosure;
- at least one photovoltaic cell located within said enclosure and on said back panel;
- wherein a vertical axis of said enclosure passes through a geometrical center of said at least one photovoltaic cell within said enclosure and is perpendicular to a surface of said back panel
- a fan located within said enclosure and configured to provide circulation of said enclosed volume of said enclosed ambient gas confined entirely within said enclosure, said fan is affixed within said enclosure at a position that is offset from said vertical axis and is oriented such that a rotational axis of said fan is not parallel to said vertical axis and said fan generates an azimuthal component around said vertical axis within a circulation pattern of said enclosed gas ambient, wherein said azimuthal component combines with a toroidal gas circulation pattern including an updraft and a downdraft due to a temperature differential between surfaces of said at least one photovoltaic cell and said at least one focusing component during operation of said solar concentrator device, and generates a combined circulation pattern in which said enclosed ambient gas travels in a three-dimensional spiral path around said vertical axis of said enclosure with a same rotational direction throughout said three-dimensional spiral path;
- and
- a heat sink located within said enclosure and in contact with said enclosed ambient gas within said enclosure and including a planar surface to which said at least one photovoltaic cell is mounted through a mounting structure and further including conductive fins that protrude inward from said planar surface and contact said enclosed ambient gas inside said enclosure and radiate, or conduct, heat from said conductive fins to said enclosed ambient gas, said enclosed ambient gas in said three-dimensional spiral path impinging on surfaces of said conductive fins with said azimuthal component;
- and
- generating a vortex gas circulation within said enclosed volume of said enclosed ambient gas within said enclosure by running said fan while said at least one photovoltaic cell generates electricity.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.