Solar energy harvesting device using stimuli-responsive material

US8884156B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated · US

Inventors

• Philipp H. Schmaelzle · Los Altos, US
• Gregory Whiting · Menlo Park, US
• Joerg Martini · San Francisco, US
• David K. Fork · Mountain View, US
• Patrick Y. Maeda · Mountain View, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 29, 2010
• Grant date: Nov 11, 2014
• Expiry date: Jul 30, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/52
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A solar energy harvesting system including a sunlight concentrating member (e.g., a lens array) for focusing direct sunlight at predetermined focal points inside a waveguide containing a stimuli-responsive material (SRM) that is evenly distributed throughout the waveguide material such that the SRM assumes a relatively high transparency state away from the focused sunlight, and small light-scattering portions of the SRM change to a relatively opaque (light scattering) state only in focal zone regions adjacent to the concentrated sunlight. The outer waveguide surfaces are locally parallel (e.g., planar) and formed such that sunlight scattered by the light-scattering SRM portions is transmitted by total internal reflection through the remaining transparent waveguide material, and outcoupled to one or more solar energy receivers (e.g., PV cells) that are disposed outside the waveguide (e.g., along the peripheral edge).