Passively cooled solar concentrating photovoltaic device
US7851693B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 5, 2006 |
| Grant date | Dec 14, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 8, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/52
Abstract
A Cassegrain-type concentrating solar collector cell includes primary and secondary mirrors disposed on opposing convex and concave surfaces of a light-transparent (e.g., glass) optical element. Light enters an aperture surface surrounding the secondary mirror, and is reflected by the primary mirror toward the secondary mirror, which re-reflects the light onto a photovoltaic cell. The photovoltaic cell is mounted on a central portion of heat spreader that extends over the primary mirror. The heat spreader transmits waste heat from the photovoltaic cell in a manner that evenly distributes the heat over the optical element, thereby maximizing the radiation of heat from the aperture surface into space. The heat spreader includes a thick copper layer formed on a flexible substrate (e.g., polyimide film) that is patterned with radial arms that facilitate mounting onto the convex surface of the optical element.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.