FOLDABLE INFLATABLE CONCENTRATING PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM BASED SOLAR TRAILER POWERED ELECTRIC CAR

Abstract

A solar powered electric vehicle comprising a conventional electric vehicle and an inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic system trailer. The trailer is super-light and able to charge the front electric vehicle when it is moving. The inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator can concentrate both beam light and diffuse light. The inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator dramatically reduces the area of the semiconductor receiver of the concentrating photovoltaic system and significantly reduces its cost. The trailer is made foldable by hanging multiple trailer units mounted with the inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic systems.

Claims

1. A solar powered electric vehicle, comprising a conventional electric vehicle and a concentrating photovoltaic trailer, Wherein, the concentrating photovoltaic trailer drives the electric vehicle and charges the battery bank in the said conventional electric vehicle.

2. The electric vehicle of claim 1, is chargeable when it is driving on road.

3. The concentrating photovoltaic trailer of claim 1, is consist of inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic systems mounted on multiple trailer units connected with hinges.

4. The concentrating photovoltaic trailer of claim 3, is formed by hinging multiple trailer units to form a foldable chain.

5. The inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator of claim 3, is inflated into a 3 dimensional Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) at the bottom of the concentrator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0010] FIG. 1 is the schematic structure of the electric vehicle with a foldable inflatable solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic system trailer.

[0011] FIG. 2 is the structure of the foldable inflatable solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic system trailer.

[0012] FIG. 3 is the inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator.

[0013] FIG. 4 is the inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic system unit.

[0014] FIG. 5 is the work principle of the non-imaging solar concentrator which works for both beam light and diffuse light.

[0015] FIG. 6 is the foldable trailer chain.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Reference will now be made in detail to the present exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, the electric vehicle is consist of a conventional electric vehicle 100 which can be charged when it is moving, and a foldable inflatable solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic system trailer 200 which can charge the electric vehicle when it is moving.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 2, the foldable inflatable solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic system trailer is consist of a trailer chain with multiple concentrating photovoltaic units based on the inflatable non-imaging concentrator 210 and the trailer unit frame 220.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 3, the inflatable non-imaging concentrator 210 is a balloon type concentrator made of light thin film materials, which can stand up and against wind load without support materials, and which can be collapsed by leasing air. The volume and the cross section area of the concentrator can be extended largely without cost of too much of the materials.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 4, the inflatable non-imaging concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic unit is made of the transparent film 211, the reflective film 212, and the photovoltaic receiver 213.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 5, the inflatable non-imaging concentrator can concentrate both beam light I.sub.b and diffuse light I.sub.d, as long as the incident light fall in the half-acceptance angle .sub.C.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 6, the trailer chain with the multiple trailer units made of the wheels 221, and the frames 222, can be folded up.

[0023] The work principle of the electric vehicle is elucidated as the following: when in operation, the trailer is unfolded and the inflatable concentrators are inflated up, then the concentrating photovoltaic systems start to generate electric power to charge the electric vehicle in the front. When the electric vehicle is driving on the road, the trailer is generating the power and continuously charging the electric vehicle.

[0024] From the description above, a number of advantages of the electric vehicle become evident. The solar collection area of the electric vehicle is dramatically extended by the trailer and able to generate enough power to drive the electric vehicle. The trailer mounted with the inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic system is light. The inflatable non-imaging concentrators concentrate not only the beam light but also diffuse light, so the electric vehicle is useable in both cloudy areas and sunny areas. The inflatable non-imaging solar concentrators reduce the areas of photovoltaic receivers and significantly reduce the cost of photovoltaic systems. Finally, the trailer is foldable, it can be folded up in urban areas and in parking lots.

[0025] In the preceding specification, various preferred embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be evident that various other modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.

[0026] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.