SYSTEM FOR MAXIMIZING SOLAR INSOLATION UTILIZATION IN POWER GENERATION

Abstract

A solar stack system includes a plurality of solar panels, a light concentrating mechanism, and a plurality of light guides or light diffusers. These materials are arranged such that the light concentrating mechanism feeds concentrated light into the light guide or light diffuser which is in between two or more solar panels depending on the length of the light guide. The light that enters the edge or smaller surface of the light guide will be emitted out of the face or larger surface of the light guide and illuminate the solar panels on either side. This design is modular, and several such arrangements can be stacked on top of each other or as deep as the light will travel along the light guide.

Claims

1. A packaging system comprising of: a plurality of solar light concentrators supported by a structure; a plurality of light guides or diffusers; a plurality of photovoltaic solar panels; where the light guides of diffusers are disposed between the panels such that the depth of the solar panels is increased but the surface area needed to face the sun is reduced and the number of photovoltaic cell panels is doubled.

2. A packaging system in accordance with claim 1 where the arrangement, is equipped with a solar tracker to maximize sun exposure.

3. A packaging system in accordance with claim 1, where photovoltaic panels, and the diffusers are stacked such that the concentrators ultimately occupy the same (or greater) area as the singular solar panel might occupy, but now feeds a multitude of panels instead of just one.

4. In another embodiment, a plurality of light pipes is used for light dispersion instead of a plurality of light guides; these light pipes are beneficial because they are stiffer than fiber optic cable and are easier to handle for manufacture.

5. Yet in another embodiment, a linear concentrating lens is used instead of a circular lens; this reduces the tolerance stack up of how the light is cast onto the light guide making for more smooth and consistent light dispersion out of the light guide; and allows using flat panel light guide instead of circular light pipes.

6. In another embodiment, side-emitting fiber optic cables are used for light dispersion as they have a better efficiency than light pipes.

7. In another embodiment, a plurality of circular convex lens concentrates the light along a conical prism directly into a light pipe or side emitting fiber optic cable; this is done to minimize a deviation of the focal point from the end of the light dispersing medium.

8. A packaging system in accordance with claim 5 where; a solar track or heliostat is connected to a motor actuator system to constantly reposition the system towards the light source; such an arrangement will further maximize the amount of light captured by the solar stack system.

9. A packaging system in accordance with claim 5 where; a solar track or heliostat is connected to only the lenses, repositioning the lenses towards the light source; such an arrangement will may be useful for situations in which the system is moving, like electric transportation applications.

10. In yet another embodiment, multiple solar panels are positioned horizontally next to one another along the length of the light guide thus increasing depth but decreasing surface area needed for insolation.

11. In another embodiment, the concentrating array is isolated as a separate device from the solar panel stack; this concentrating array can consist of a concentrating medium, like the aforementioned Fresnel lens, linear concentrating lens, or simple convex lens, and this concentrating medium concentrates sunlight into fiber optic cables; these fiber optic cables travel a distance and connect to a light dispersing medium; the light dispersing medium is in between solar panels and illuminates the solar panels.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1—A perspective drawing of one of the above detailed embodiments in which there is a concentrating lens that tapers into a light pipe between two solar panels in an enclosure.

[0012] FIG. 2—A perspective drawing of one of the above detailed embodiments in which there are several concentrating lenses that tapers into a light pipe between two solar panels in an enclosure arranged so that they are stacked atop each other.

[0013] FIG. 3—A perspective drawing of one of the above detailed embodiments in which there is a linear concentrating lens that feeds the sunlight into a light guide panel on either side of which there are three solar panels.

[0014] FIG. 4—A cut-away section of the second embodiment as detailed in FIG. 2

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Referring now to the drawings in detail, where in like numerals identify similar elements throughout, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the solar panel stack assembly system in accordance with the principles outlined in the summary section of this patent. FIG. 2 shows a variation of several of the embodiments in FIG. 1 stacked on top of each other. FIG. 3 shows a similar embodiment that uses variations of specific elements but also adheres to the principles of using solar panels, a light concentrating medium, a light dispersing medium, and a housing to support all sub elements.

[0016] In FIG. 1 the assembly 100 consists of a U-shaped housing 110 fitted with two grooves on each of the long arms of the housing for a total of four grooves. In these grooves, solar panels 120 are slid in and secured. On the face of the housing there are four through holes that are sized to fit in the light concentrating and light dispersing mediums 130. Here, the light concentrating and light dispersing mediums are one and the same. The light concentrating portion is a convex lens 140 that concentrates sunlight, like a magnifying lens. This is connected by a conical glass piece to the light dispersing light pipe 150. This light pipe is a long, thin piece of glass designed to maximize light dispersion out the length off the piece. The tail ends of the light pipes go in between the solar panels fitted in their slots. The conical glass connection serves to align the cast concentrated light directly into the light pipe.

[0017] FIG. 2 consists of several of the assemblies described in FIG. 1 stacked on top of each other. A similar stacked arrangement could also be done with FIG. 3 or the other embodiments described above.

[0018] In FIG. 3 the housing assembly 200 consists of a linear concentrating lens 210 as the light concentrating medium, an edge lit light guide 220 for the light dispersion medium, and a housing 230 that holds a total of six panels 240, the light guide 220, and the linear concentrating lenses 210. The front of the housing has a slot 250 that allows three linear concentrating lenses, in this embodiment. The face 250 of the housing tapers down to a linear hole, which is where the light will be cast. This hole is also where the edge lit light guide 220 will receive the concentrated light. This hole also leads to where the light guide 220 and the solar panels 240 will be housed. The solar panels 240 and light guides 220 can be slid in and out.

[0019] FIG. 4 is the cut-way section of the second embodiment.

[0020] The light concentrating medium is a linear concentrating lens 210 instead of a Fresnel lens, which concentrates sunlight into a thin line. The light concentrating medium is separate from the light dispersing medium in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the light dispersing medium is an edge lit light panel 220 (sometimes also called an edge lit light guide or edge lit light pane). The concentrated light is cast into a thin line, which is cast onto the edge of this light panel. The panel will take this light and disperse it out of the face of the panel. The light guide will then illuminate out the faces. One each side of the light guide three solar panels can be slid in, for a total of 6 solar panels.