Photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) system for desalination
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsThomas A. Davis, Malynda A. Cappelle
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Abstract
A photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) system and a method of cooling photovoltaic (PV) cells in the system is described herein. Energy from an excitation source such as the sun hits the PV cells in the PV-T system causing heating that reduces PV efficiency. The PV cells are cooled by fluid in an intact heat-transfer system making a heated water byproduct while the PV cells release a form of energy. In addition, the PV-T system can be implemented in a desalination plant to harvest energy and heat for desalination processes. The present invention also includes methods for transferring heat from PV cells to the earth to improve PV performance and reduce thermal shock to the PV cells.
Claims20
A photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) based desalination system, the PV-T based desalination system comprising:
- at least one array of PV-T cells in thermal communication with solar irradiation, wherein the array PV-T cells comprise a photovoltaic portion configured to collected electrical energy from the sun and a thermal portion configured to collect thermal energy from the sun;
- a cooling system in contact with the array of PV-T cells, wherein a fluid traversing the cooling system beneficially cools the array of PV-T cells and produces a heated water byproduct;
- and
- a desalination system connected to the array of PV-T cells, wherein the heated water byproduct increases the temperature of saltwater entering the desalination process thereby reducing the viscosity of the saltwater with a consequent reduction in the pumping power required to desalt the saltwater, and wherein the photovoltaic portion of the array of PV-T cells provides electrical energy to drive a plurality of water pumps that pressurize water for a pressure-driven desalination process thereby utilizing both the electrical and thermal energy provided by the sun.
A photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) based desalination system, the PV-T based desalination system comprising:
- at least one array of PV-T cells in communication with solar irradiation, the PV-T cells comprising a means of collecting electrical energy and a means of collecting thermal energy from the sun;
- a cooling system in contact with the array of PV-T cells, wherein a fluid traversing the cooling system beneficially cools the array of PV-T cells and produces a heated water byproduct;
- and
- a desalination system connected to the PV-T cells, wherein the heated water byproduct increases the electrical conductivity of saltwater entering the desalination process reducing the electrical power required to desalt the saltwater, and the means for collecting electrical energy provides electrical energy to an electrodialysis desalination process, thereby utilizing both the electrical and thermal energy provided by the sun.
A photovoltaic-thermal(PV-T) based desalination system, the PV-T based desalination system comprising:
- at least one array of PV-T cells in thermal communication with solar irradiation, wherein the array PV-T cells comprise a photovoltaic portion configured to collected electrical energy from the sun and a thermal portion configured to collect thermal energy from the sun;
- a cooling system in contact with the array of PV-T cells, wherein a fluid traversing the cooling system beneficially cools the PV-T cells and produces a heated water byproduct;
- and
- a desalination system connected to the array of PV-T cells, wherein the heated water byproduct increases the temperature of saltwater entering the desalination process thereby reducing the thermal power required to desalt the saltwater and the photovoltaic portion of the array of PV-T cells provides electrical energy to drive pumps and auxiliary equipment for a thermally driven desalination process, thereby utilizing both the electrical energy and thermal energy provided by the sun.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.