# US 9,437,766 B2 · Photovoltaic thermal hybrid systems and method of operation thereof

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 9,437,766 B2
- Document ID: US9437766B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/853,431
- Filed: 2013-03-29
- Published: 2013-10-03
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-30
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation; Egypt Nanotechnology Center
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation; Egypt Nanotechnology Center
- Inventors: Werner Escher; Bruno Michel; Stephan Paredes; Rami Ghannam
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437766B2

## CPC

- 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 10/502: {having conduits formed by paired plates and internal partition means}
- F24S 10/55: with enlarged surfaces, e.g. with protrusions or corrugations (collectors comprising porous materials or permeable masses directly contacting the working fluids F24S10/80)
- F24S 20/20: Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
- F24S 23/70: with reflectors
- H02S 10/20: Systems characterised by their energy storage means (H02S40/38 takes precedence)
- H02S 20/00: Supporting structures for PV modules
- H02S 20/10: Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground (H02S20/30 takes precedence)
- H10F 77/488: {Reflecting light-concentrating means, e.g. parabolic mirrors or concentrators using total internal reflection}
- H10F 77/68: {using gaseous or liquid coolants, e.g. air flow ventilation or water circulation}
- F24S 2020/17: {Arrangements of solar thermal modules combined with solar PV modules}
- Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- Y02E 10/44: Heat exchange systems
- Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators
- Y02E 10/60: Thermal-PV hybrids
- Y02E 70/30: Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
- 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)
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A method is disclosed for operating a photovoltaic thermal hybrid system having a hybrid solar receiver with a photovoltaic module, operatively coupled to the system to deliver an electrical output power for a power user, a thermal collector distinct from the photovoltaic module, wherein the photovoltaic module and/or the thermal collector are movably mounted in the system, a collector thermal storage thermally connected to the thermal collector to store heat collected at the thermal collector, and a positioning mechanism adapted to move the photovoltaic module and/or the thermal collector. The method includes instructing the positioning mechanism to move the photovoltaic module and/or the thermal collector to change a ratio of an intensity of radiation received at the photovoltaic module to an intensity of radiation received at the thermal collector.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of operating a photovoltaic thermal hybrid system having a hybrid solar receiver with a photovoltaic module, operatively coupled to the system to deliver an electrical output power for a power user, a thermal collector distinct from the photovoltaic module, wherein the photovoltaic module and/or the thermal collector are movably mounted in the system, a collector thermal storage thermally connected to the thermal collector to store heat collected at the thermal collector, a heat engine, thermally connected to the collector thermal storage, and a positioning mechanism adapted to move the photovoltaic module and/or the thermal collector, the method comprising:
receiving data indicative of an electrical power demand;
repeatedly comparing the electrical power demand with the electrical output power;
moving, using the positioning mechanism, to move the photovoltaic module and/or the thermal collector to decrease a ratio of an intensity of radiation received at the photovoltaic module to an intensity of radiation received at the thermal collector, when the electrical output power is larger greater than the electrical power demand; and
delivering the electrical output power generated by the photovoltaic module to the power user to meet the electrical power demand when the electrical output power matches the electrical power demand.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
starting, at the heat engine, a process of thermal-to-electrical conversion of heat stored in the collector thermal storage when the electrical output power generated by the photovoltaic device is less than the electrical power demand.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
triggering a desalination process and/or an adsorption cooling process in order to dissipate heat from the collector thermal storage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
cooling the photovoltaic module using a first heat circuit, wherein the first heat circuit thermally connects the photovoltaic module to a photovoltaic thermal storage and the first heat circuit thermally connects to the collector thermal storage; and
connecting the collector thermal storage to the thermal collector using a second heat circuit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising:
providing heat stored in the photovoltaic thermal storage to a thermal user via a first heat exchanger, thermally connected to the photovoltaic thermal storage.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
providing additional heat stored in the collector thermal storage to the first heat exchanger while providing heat stored in the photovoltaic thermal storage to the thermal user via the first heat exchanger.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
providing a second heat exchanger thermally connected to the heat engine and a given thermal user, the given thermal user being further thermally connected to the photovoltaic thermal storage or to both the photovoltaic thermal storage and the collector thermal storage, via the second heat exchanger; and
starting, at the heat engine, a process of thermal-to-electrical conversion of heat stored in the collector thermal storage using the given thermal user as a low temperature pool.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a temperature in the collector thermal storage is higher than a temperature in the photovoltaic thermal storage by at least 30° C.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a temperature in the collector thermal storage is higher than a temperature in the photovoltaic thermal storage by at least 50° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
mounting a photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar receiver in the photovoltaic thermal hybrid system such that the positioning mechanism is configured to move the photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar receiver as a whole.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
extending the thermal collector in a first plane, wherein the thermal collector comprises an aperture;
and
extending a photo-active area within an area of the photovoltaic module in a second plane, at a distance of the aperture, the photo-active area being vis-à-vis the aperture, a projection of the aperture perpendicularly to the second plane essentially corresponding to the photo-active area,
wherein the thermal collector further comprises one or more of:
one or more mirror elements provided in an intermediate section between the first plane and the second plane, the mirror elements thermally connected to the collector thermal storage, by a same heat circuit that connects the thermal collector to the collector thermal storage; and
a band pass filter arranged at the level of the aperture.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
concentrating radiation towards an optical focus of a concentrator; and
moving the photovoltaic module in or out of the optical focus using the positioning mechanism.