WO2016124338A1 - Agencement de modules solaires et procédé de rattrapage d'un élément de module solaire - Google Patents

Agencement de modules solaires et procédé de rattrapage d'un élément de module solaire Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2016124338A1
WO2016124338A1 PCT/EP2016/000225 EP2016000225W WO2016124338A1 WO 2016124338 A1 WO2016124338 A1 WO 2016124338A1 EP 2016000225 W EP2016000225 W EP 2016000225W WO 2016124338 A1 WO2016124338 A1 WO 2016124338A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
solar module
heat
cooling system
heat dissipation
arrangement according
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Ceased
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PCT/EP2016/000225
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English (en)
Inventor
Mirko Dudas
Pierre-Alexandre HUHN
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Individual
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Individual
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Publication of WO2016124338A1 publication Critical patent/WO2016124338A1/fr
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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S40/00—Components or accessories in combination with PV modules, not provided for in groups H02S10/00 - H02S30/00
    • H02S40/40—Thermal components
    • H02S40/42—Cooling means
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S40/00—Safety or protection arrangements of solar heat collectors; Preventing malfunction of solar heat collectors
    • F24S40/50—Preventing overheating or overpressure
    • F24S40/55—Arrangements for cooling, e.g. by using external heat dissipating means or internal cooling circuits
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S50/00—Arrangements for controlling solar heat collectors
    • F24S50/40—Arrangements for controlling solar heat collectors responsive to temperature
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S60/00—Arrangements for storing heat collected by solar heat collectors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S40/00—Components or accessories in combination with PV modules, not provided for in groups H02S10/00 - H02S30/00
    • H02S40/40—Thermal components
    • H02S40/44—Means to utilise heat energy, e.g. hybrid systems producing warm water and electricity at the same time
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
    • F28D20/00—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00
    • F28D20/02—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 using latent heat
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
    • F28F13/00—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing
    • F28F2013/005—Thermal joints
    • F28F2013/008—Variable conductance materials; Thermal switches
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/40—Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/60—Thermal-PV hybrids

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a solar module arrangement, in particular to a cooled solar module arrangement.
  • the invention relates to a cooling system for heat generating devices.
  • the invention relates to a method of retrofitting a solar module element.
  • such modules comprise a plurality of photovoltaic cells which only convert a small amount of the incoming radiation energy into electric energy while a-the bigger amount is converted into heat.
  • the generated heat will heat up the photovoltaic cell leading to a decrease in the electric output in voltage as well as in power.
  • a solar module arrangement or photovoltaic (PV) power generation systems wherein the system includes a PV module having an integrated frame structure, PV cell rows, solar tracking system, and cooling system.
  • a protective cover may be included with the frame structure to form an enclosed area in which the PC cell rows, cooling system, and tracking system are placed, thereby protecting them from the elements.
  • the cooling system may be a water circulation based cooling system, and the integrated frame of the PV module may be directly mounted on a foundation consisting of a water tank.
  • the water tank may serve as the storage unit for the water cooling system, with the water from the tank being pumped through the cooling profiles at each cell row in the frame and then returned to the tank.
  • a solar module arrangement which comprises at least one solar module element; and a cooling system, wherein the cooling system comprises a heat dissipation element thermally connected to the at least one solar module element; and a heat storage element thermally connectable to the at least one solar module element.
  • the heat storage element may be thermally connectable to the heat dissipation element, which in turn is connectable to the solar module element (more particularly to the photovoltaic cell(s) of the solar module element) so that the heat storage element may be (indirectly) coupled to the solar module element.
  • the connectability may be a controlled or uncontrolled or fixed
  • the solar module elements may be photovoltaic elements and may comprise a plurality of photovoltaic cells, which may be arranged in a framed or frameless solar module element.
  • the cooling system may be a passive cooling system.
  • the term "passive” may particularly denote a cooling system comprising no elements or units (e.g. a pump, like a water pump) supplied with (electrical) power or the like.
  • the cooling system may be free of a powered (liquid) pump for pumping a cooling liquid like water, for example.
  • a cooling system may still be called “passive” in case a powered control unit is provided which controls a (powered) pump or (powered) actuator configured to couple and/or decouple the heat dissipation element and/or heat storage element from each other or from the solar module element.
  • the heat dissipation element and the heat storage element may be thermally coupled by a heat pipe which is a passive element but may be suitable to transfer the heat from the heat dissipation element to the heat storage element, may be coupled by a common body or housing and/or coupling features.
  • the cooling system may comprise electrically powered elements, like a ventilator or fan or a Peltierelement.
  • active cooling elements may be controllable and may be switched on and off according to the needs.
  • the cooling system may be a retrofit package which can be combined with common regular module elements possibly even in case these are already installed, e.g. in a field array of a ground mounted installation.
  • heat dissipation element may particularly denote an element or unit which is configured or designed to dissipate or discharge heat from a heat generating element or device, e.g. the photo cell of a solar module element or an electrical transformer, to an ambient medium, e.g. air or ground.
  • a heat generating element or device e.g. the photo cell of a solar module element or an electrical transformer
  • the heat dissipation element has a high surface interfacing with the ambient medium.
  • the heat dissipation element may comprise surface structures increasing the total outer surface, like cooling fins, cooling filaments or wires, or a cooling web.
  • the heat dissipation element is in particular an element dissipating or discarching the heat to an ambient environment, e.g. the atmospheric or ambient air.
  • the heat dissipation element is a part of a cooling system, i.e. a system used for cooling the solar module element, so that the heat discharged or dissipated cannot be technically used
  • heat storage element may particularly denote an element or unit configured to store a relative high amount of heat energy. Therefore, the heat storage element comprises or consists of a medium having a relatively high specific heat capacity.
  • the dissipation to an ambient medium e.g. the ambient air or ground
  • the ambient medium e.g. the ambient air or ground
  • a cooling system for a heat generating device comprising a heat dissipation element thermally connectabie to a heat generating device; and a heat storage element thermally connectabie to the heat generating device.
  • the heat generating device may be a solar module element or a transformer or any other device generating waste heat which has to be dissipated.
  • the size and/or capacity of the cooling system may be adapted to the size of common solar module elements or surfaces of typical transformers or the like.
  • the cooling system may be a passive cooling system. In particular, it may have a planar surface adapted to be thermally coupled to a planar backside of a solar module element or any other heat generating device.
  • the heat storage element may be coupled directly to the heat generation device or may be indirectly coupled (e.g. via the heat dissipation device) to the heat generating device.
  • a method of retrofitting a backside of a solar module element with a cooling system comprises providing a cooling system which
  • thermosipation element thermally connectabie to the at least one solar module element
  • heat storage element thermally connectabie to the at least one solar module element
  • the retrofitting may be performed by fixing the cooling system to the backside of the solar module element by screwing, pinning, gluing, soldering, a self-adhering process, adhering or any other suitable methods to fix and thermally coupling the two parts together.
  • the heat storage element may particularly be useful at higher temperatures, i.e. during times at which the sun is standing at its highest zenith angle over the solar module elements. At that times the waste heat production (of photovoltaic cells) is quite high, so the heat dissipation element typically is dimensioned to this daytime.
  • the temperature peaks may be buffered by the heat storage elements which then, at lower ambient temperatures, convey the stored heat energy to the heat dissipation elements which dissipate the intermediately stored heat to the environment or itself may as well dissipate some heat energy to the environment.
  • a gist of an exemplary embodiment may be seen in providing a solar module arrangement comprising a cooling system which may particularly be useful for cooling photovoltaic cells during the time period of the highest energy production so that the performance and/or efficiency of the photovoltaic cells and thus of the solar module
  • a basic principle may be to provide the solar module arrangement with a cooling system or cooling body which discharge the heat directly to the environment (e.g. ambient air) or (in particular at the phase of the highest energy production) buffering the heat and discharge or dissipate the heat time delayed (e.g. during night time).
  • the cooling system may be a (passive) hybrid cooling system combining two principles, namely one component or element having a good thermal conductivity which may function as a heat exchanger, i.e. dissipate waste heat to the ambient environment, and a second component or element functioning as a (buffering) heat storage.
  • the solar module elements or more particularly the photovoltaic cell(s) of the solar module element
  • a moderate temperature in particular at noon
  • the stored heat may then be dissipated via the relatively small heat dissipation element during a time of the day where the ambient
  • the heat dissipation element comprises a material having a high heat conductivity coefficient.
  • the heat conductivity coefficient may be above a predetermined threshold.
  • the predetermined threshold may be about 10W/(nvK) preferably above 100W/(m K).
  • the heat conductivity coefficient of the material may be higher than the one of another material used for example for the heat storage element.
  • Suitable materials may be metals, metallic alloys, sintered materials or the like.
  • the heat dissipation element comprises a material selected out of the group consisting of: aluminum; copper; ceramics; silicon;
  • heat conductive liquid or ductile material like heat transfer paste or thermal conductance paste may be used as well, which may provide for an improved thermal coupling of the heat dissipation element to the solar module element and/or the heat storage element.
  • the heat storage element comprises a material having a high specific heat capacity.
  • the specific heat capacity may be above a
  • the predetermined threshold may be about 500 J/(kg-K) preferably above 2,000 J/(kg K).
  • the specific heat capacity of the material may be higher than the one of another material used for the heat dissipation element.
  • the material may be a material having a phase transition in the temperature range corresponding to temperatures typically achieved in the field of solar module arrangements, e.g. salts.
  • the phase transition temperature of such a phase change material may be in the range of 0°C and 100°C, in particular, in the range of 20°C to 80°C, preferably in the range of 30°C to 60°C, e.g. in the range of 25°C to 50°C.
  • a suitable solidification temperature of the PCM may be (in particular, a couple of °C, e.g. 5°C or 10°C) above the expected ambient temperature.
  • it may be possible to ensure that the heat energy causing the phase transition is supplied by the photovoltaic cells (to be cooled) of the solar module element and not from the ambient air.
  • the heat capacity of a used heat storage element may be above 500 J/K, in particular above 1,000 J/K, preferably above 2,000 J/K, e.g. above 5,000 J/K.
  • these values are of course dependent on the size or power generation of the respective solar module element(s) the heat storage element is
  • the heat capacity of the heat storage element may be in the range of 500 J/K to 1 MJ/K per installed kilowatt electrical (peak) power.
  • the total heat storage capacity may be of course much higher.
  • the heat storage element may be thermally and mechanically coupled to the solar module element.
  • the heat storage element may be attached or fixed to the backside of the solar module element and may be supported or carried together with the solar module elements in a field array. Thus, it may be different to a large water tank installed on ground.
  • the heat storage element comprises a material selected out of the group consisting of: water; paraffin; silicone; oil; grease, salts; and a combination thereof.
  • the salts may be phase change materials.
  • organic materials like grain, fruit stones, wood may be used as well, which may be immersed into water oil or another fluid.
  • Other possible options are mixtures of a solid and a liquid material, e.g. wet sand or wet timber.
  • the heat dissipation element and the heat storage element are formed by two different elements.
  • the heat dissipation element and the heat storage element may be formed by one single or combined element or unit.
  • the single or combined element may comprise or may be made of a material which has as well a relatively high coefficient of thermal conductivity and a high specific heat capacity, e.g. a wet timber product.
  • the combined element may comprise parts of different material one having a high thermal conductivity while the other has a high specific heat capacity.
  • such a combined element may comprise heat conductive silicone in which phase changing material granulate embedded or incorporated in (micro) capsules.
  • the single element may be a simple mat-like element which can be fixed, e.g. glued, to the back side of the solar module element.
  • Such a fixing may be a retrofitting or backfitting to the backside of an already manufactured or even installed solar module element.
  • a simple mat-like element may be sufficient (although the specific surface of such a mat-like element is often rather low) for dissipating or dicharging the heat, since, due to the buffering capacity, the heat may be discharged lateron (during times when the waste heat generation is lower).
  • a mat-like element may comprise additional cooling fins for increasing the specific (outer) surface.
  • the cooling system may be formed by elements of an installation system for the solar module elements.
  • a hollow profile of the installation system may be filled with a phase change material, or the heat dissipation element and/or of the heat storage element may be attached or mounted to the installation system.
  • an installation system may comprise or may be formed by an aluminum or steel mounting structure or the like. Such a mounting structure or system may also be used to convey heat energy into the environment, e.g. into ground or external heat dissipating or storage elements.
  • the radiation may dissipate or discharge the heat energy to the environmental air or medium via cooling elements or cooling structures like cooling fins or the like.
  • cooling elements or cooling structures like cooling fins or the like.
  • the heat energy may be dissipated via heat conduction, e.g. into the ground the solar module arrangement is arranged on or mounted to. Furthermore, the heat energy may be dissipated via convection to the surrounding medium, like air or a further cooling medium.
  • the heat storage element comprises a cavity filled with a heat storing material.
  • the cavity may be formed by a single cavity filled with the heat storing material (in particular, a heat storing material having a high specific heat capacity) or may be formed by a plurality of sub-cavities filled with identical or different material.
  • the cavity may be filled with water, paraffin, silicone or a mixture thereof.
  • the material may be formed by an emulsion or dispersion or a chemical compound.
  • the heat storing material may be encapsulated in a cartridge.
  • the cavity or sub-cavities may form a honeycomb structure or any structure providing sufficient space to accommodate the material while reducing the amount of necessary material to build the structure bust still providing sub-cavities enabling a flexible amount of heat storing material.
  • the at least one solar module element comprises a housing, wherein the cooling system is thermally coupled to the housing.
  • the cooling system forms a portion of the housing, e.g. a backside of the solar module element.
  • the cooling system may be separate to the housing but may be arranged partially within the housing.
  • the housing may comprise an opening through which a part of the cooling system extends.
  • the cooling system is attached, e.g. mounted, glued, screwed, attached by needles or nails, adhered or a likewise fixed to the backside of the housing.
  • it may be advantageous to provide a good thermal connection e.g. by using metallic mounting (screws or nails) or a thermally conductive adhesive.
  • the screws or nails may penetrate the backside of the housing in order to provide a good thermal conductivity.
  • a backside of the at least one solar module element comprises a heat conductive material.
  • the backside may comprise or may be made by a metallic material or a material in which heat conductive ceramics or plastics are mixed.
  • a good thermal coupling may be achieved.
  • arrangement comprises a plurality of solar module elements.
  • each of the plurality of solar module elements may comprise an own cooling system separate to the cooling systems of the other solar module elements.
  • some or all of the solar module elements may have a common (single) cooling system.
  • the cooling system may comprise or may consist of a plane like or planar sheet like element or unit connected to a single or a plurality of solar module elements.
  • such a plane or sheet like cooling system may cover the backside of a single or a plurality of solar module elements or its housing. It should be noted that further parts of the cooling system may be attached or implemented in such a carpet like element.
  • the cooling system is scalable.
  • scalable may particularly denote the fact that a cooling power or cooling ability may be scalable according to the needs.
  • additional heat dissipation elements and/or heat storage elements may be combined or attached together to form a single cooling system.
  • the scalability may be given by providing a plurality of cavities or sub-cavities which can be filled or emptied according to the cooling needs, e.g. by inserting and pulling out cartridges.
  • the heat dissipation element and the heat storage system are configured to be coupleable and decoupleable from each other.
  • the two elements may be substantially thermally and/or mechanically decoupled by an air gap or a gap filled by a suitable fluidic or solid medium thermally decoupling the two elements from each other, e.g. oil, gas, gel, plastic foam or the like.
  • a suitable fluidic or solid medium thermally decoupling the two elements from each other, e.g. oil, gas, gel, plastic foam or the like.
  • a fluidic medium different pressures, e.g. pressure below atmospheric pressure or above atmospheric pressure may be used.
  • the use of different pressures may as well be used to thermally decouple or couple the two elements from or to each other.
  • the two elements may still touch each other at some points or small areas even in the decoupling state.
  • the two elements may be fixedly connected or coupled to each other, e.g. may form a single cooling body.
  • the solar module arrangement comprises a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to control a process decoupling and coupling the heat dissipation element and the heat storage element.
  • the control unit may (also or alternatively) be configured to couple and decouple the total cooling system from the at least one solar module element.
  • the control unit may be configured in such a way that the heat storage element is coupled and/or decoupled to the solar module element at a later or earlier time than the heat dissipation element. It may also be possible that the heat dissipation element is coupled to the solar module element all the time (fixed thermal connection) and only the heat storage element is coupleable and decoupleable.
  • the coupling is performed in such a way that the heat dissipation element and the heat storage element have a large contact area directly coupling the two with each other in the coupling state in order to provide a good heat transfer.
  • additional material or substances may be used in order to improve the thermal coupling and/or to increase the contact area, e.g. heat conductive paste.
  • the coupling may be by use of suitable fluidic, solid or combined media, e.g. oil filled with graphite.
  • control unit is configured to perform the decoupling or coupling process based on a temperature measurement.
  • the decoupling and coupling process may be based on a temperature difference between the heat dissipation element and the heat storage element.
  • possible parameter used for controlling the decoupling/coupling process may be absolute temperatures, like ambient temperature, or temperature of solar cells of the solar module element, day time, position of the sun, intensity of solar irradiation, and so on.
  • arrangement further comprises a heat cycle thermally connected to the cooling system.
  • the heat cycle may be used for heating (e.g. in case the solar module arrangement is set up on a roof of a dwelling house or company building) or may be used to transfer the thermal energy to an (external) latent heat accumulator so that it may be used in winter time to keep the solar module arrangement ice-free.
  • the heat radiation of the heat dissipation element may be used to generate electrical energy as well, e.g. by using the radiation to activate eribium atoms.
  • the heat storage element comprising a coupling feature configured to be coupled to the heat dissipation element and/or the at least one solar module element.
  • Examples for such a coupling feature may be structural features, like a projection and/or recess.
  • such coupling features may have a shape matching complementary coupling features at the
  • the coupling feature may be an open cavity having a round, trapezoidal triangular, or rectangular cross- section, while a corresponding complementary matching coupling element of the corresponding element may have a spherical, a pyramidal, or cuboid shape.
  • a size or dimension of the cavity may be slightly larger than the size of the complementary element at lower temperatures (e.g. below a predetermined threshold temperature, like typical night temperatures, e.g. below 20°C).
  • the coupling features may abut each other only at small portions if at all. At higher
  • Figs. 1 schematically illustrates a cooling system according to an exemplary embodiment
  • FIG. 2A to 2C schematically illustrate the operation of a cooling system according to another exemplary embodiment
  • Fig. 3 shows graphs illustrating schematically an effect of a cooling system according to an exemplary embodiment
  • Fig. 4 describes a flowchart of a method of retrofitting a solar module element.
  • Fig. 1 schematically illustrate a cooling system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment.
  • Fig. 1 shows a backside of a solar module element 101 to which a cooling system 102 is attached.
  • the cooling system 102 comprises a housing 103 having formed on an outer surface thereof a plurality of cooling fins 104.
  • the housing and the cooling fins may be formed of one or a mixture of different materials having a good thermal conductivity, e.g. above a given threshold (e.g. above 10W/(m K)).
  • Suitable materials may be metal, like aluminum or copper, graphite, or heat conductive plastic, like silicone or the like.
  • a cavity 105 is formed which is filled with a material 106 having a high specific heat capacity, e.g. 500 J/kg-K.
  • Suitable materials may be oil, water, silicone oil, grease which may be mixed or filled with other materials like grain, fruit stones, wood.
  • Advantageous materials may also be phase change materials, like paraffins or salts.
  • phase change materials having the respective phase transition temperature in the region of the daily temperature cycle (caused by different intensity of the solar radiation), e.g. between 20°C and 60°C, may be advantageous.
  • the filled cavity forms a heat storage element which is permanently thermally coupled to the heat dissipation element.
  • one cavity may be divided into a plurality of sub-cavities which may be filled with the same or different materials.
  • fluid materials also solid materials or emulsions and dispersions may be used to fill the cavity to act as a heat storing medium.
  • the cooling system according to Fig. 1 comprises a single cooling body (having a cavity formed therein) functioning as a body or corpus of the heat dissipation element and the heat storage element (a medium filled in the cavity), i.e. may form a combined heat dissipation and heat storage element.
  • Figs. 2A to 2C schematically illustrate the operation of a cooling system according 200 to another exemplary embodiment.
  • Fig. 2 shows the operation of a passive cooling system which can perform a coupling and decoupling action automatically depending on the temperature.
  • Fig. 2A shows the cooling system 200 attached to a backside of a solar module element 201 and comprising two separate elements.
  • a first element 202 is a heat dissipation element comprising a main body 203 to which a plurality of surface increasing structures 204, like cooling fins are attached or formed thereon.
  • a coupling feature 205 is formed or attached to an end of the main body. According to Fig. 2A this coupling feature is formed by a roughly spherical form but it may take any suitable other geometrical form as well.
  • the heat dissipation element is shown to be fixedly connected to the backside of the solar module element 201 but may as well be coupleable and decoupleable from the same.
  • a second element 206 of the cooling system is similar to the one shown in Fig. 1.
  • the second element comprises a housing 207 forming a cavity 208 in which a material or matter 209 having a high specific heat capacity is filled.
  • the second element forms a heat storage element of the cooling system.
  • further cooling fins 210 are formed at the outside of the housing of the second element 206 as well further increasing a contact interface to the environment.
  • a coupling feature 211 is formed at the heat storage element as well having a form or shape substantially complementary to the one of the coupling feature 205 of the heat dissipation element 202.
  • the coupling feature 211 of the heat storage element 206 is formed by a cavity roughly having a spherical shape.
  • the materials of the embodiment of Fig. 2 may be the same as described in the context of Fig. 1. It should further be noted that the further cooling fins 210 are optional.
  • Fig. 2A shows the cooling system in a first state, e.g. in the morning, when both elements are relatively cold, i.e. not heated by waste heat of the solar module element 201.
  • a small gap 212 is given between the two coupling features 205 and 211 substantially thermally decoupling the heat dissipation element 202 and the heat storage element 206 although a small contact point or ring is given between the two elements.
  • Fig. 2B shows the cooling system of Fig. 2A at another state, namely a state or point in time at which the heat dissipation element 202 is warmed up due to increasing solar radiation, e.g. at noon or some time before noon, wherein the degree of heating up depends on the relative sizes of the solar module element (and the specific solar radiation at that day) and the performance or size of the heat dissipation element.
  • the two elements 202 and 206 are thermally coupled to each other, i.e. the gap is reduced or has disappeared.
  • the reduction of the gap is due to a thermal expansion of the spherical coupling feature 205 due to the increasing temperature of the heat dissipation element 202 which is thermally coupled (directly) to the solar module element and thus is heated up by waste heat. Due to this thermal expansion the two coupling features abut each other at a great area providing for a good thermal coupling.
  • the heat storage element may be heat up absorbing waste energy.
  • the heat storage element 206 may absorb and store waste heat. This absorption of waste heat may reduce the load off the cooling fins 204 to dissipate the waste heat to the surrounding environment.
  • the heat storage element 206 may act as a buffer for storing heat energy.
  • Fig. 2C shows the cooling system of Fig. 2A at yet another state, namely a state or point in time at which the heat dissipation element 202 is cooled down again (due to heat dissipation) while the heat storage element 206 still has a high temperature due to the high heat capacity of the heat storage element. This may correspond to a time at which the radiation of the sun (and thus the generation of waste heat) is reduced again, e.g. during evening or cloudy periods.
  • the design of the coupling features 205 and 211 the temperature distribution or states of the two elements 202 and 206 causes that the two coupling features are
  • the gap may even be larger than in the state of Fig. 2A, since at this point in time, the heat storage element 206 may be hotter (and thus the cavity of the coupling element 211 may be larger) than the heat dissipation element 202.
  • the cooling system shown in Fig. 2 may comprise more than one heat storage elements which may be coupled to each other with identical or similar coupling features as described above.
  • the heat storage element 206 may comprise a second coupling feature (e.g. as the coupling feature of the heat dissipation element 202) at the side opposite to the one the coupling feature 211 is formed on so that a second heat storage element may be attached to the second coupling feature.
  • a kind of chain of heat storage elements may be achieved.
  • other coupling methods are also possible, like simply gluing or screwing the different heat storage and/or heat dissipation elements together.
  • Fig. 3 shows graphs illustrating schematically an effect of a cooling system according to an exemplary embodiment.
  • Fig. 3 shows a schematic temperature course during one day (e.g. summer time).
  • Graph 300 illustrates the ambient air temperature during a day increasing from morning till some time after noon and then decreasing again.
  • Graph 301 shows a principle course of a temperature of
  • photovoltaic cells of a solar module which rises steeply during the morning up to temperatures high above the ambient temperature and then dropping down again.
  • Graph 302 shows, in contrast, a temperature of photovoltaic cells of a cooled solar module.
  • the temperature of the cooled solar module rises but less steep than the rise of the uncooled solar module and steeper than the ambient temperature.
  • a maximum temperature level is reached before noon.
  • the additional waste heat generated by the solar module is buffered by the heat storage element leading to the fact that the temperature is not (or at least not substantially) rising any more.
  • the heat storage element leading to the fact that the temperature is not (or at least not substantially) rising any more.
  • the heat storage element transfers its stored heat energy either back to the heat dissipation element and/or dissipate the energy itself.
  • the temperature of the cooled solar module starts to drop.
  • the temperature peak about noon is truncated, which is advantageous since at that daytime the radiation of the sun is highest so that the energy production at the highest peak is less reduced by overheating of the photovoltaic cells. Possibly leading to a substantially improved total electric energy production.
  • Fig. 4 describes a flowchart of a method 400 of retrofitting a solar module element.
  • the method 400 comprises providing a cooling system which comprises a heat dissipation element thermally connectabie to the at least one solar module element; and a heat storage element thermally connectabie to the at least one solar module element (step 401).
  • the cooling system is coupled to a backside of a solar module element particularly to a solar module element which is already installed in a solar module arrangement, e.g. a ground mounted installation.
  • the coupling may be performed by gluing, nailing, screwing, by way of an adhesive, e.g. by providing a self-adhesive layer to the cooling system.
  • the cooling system may comprise a mat-like layer configured or suitable to be fitted to the backside of one or a plurality of solar module elements.
  • a cooling system may be provided which is based on two different elements or effects.
  • a heat dissipation element is provided configured to discharge heat generated by a solar module element, (photovoltaic cells of the same) via a relative great outer surface (which may be increased by surface structures like cooling fins or cooling filaments) or to the ground the solar module element is installed at.
  • this heat dissipation element is directly coupled or fixed to the backside of the solar module element. It may even replace a backside of a housing of the solar module element or may pass through the backside housing.
  • the (backside of the) housing may particularly include some materials having a good heat conductivity (e.g. heat conducting ceramics).
  • the size, dimension or number of the heat dissipation element(s) may be adapted or adjusted to the waste heat generation of the solar module element.
  • the size may be smaller, (substantially) identical, or larger than a base size of the solar module element.
  • the heat dissipation elements, directly coupled to the solar module element may have the size of several solar module elements and have the shape of a carpet-like layer suitable to be fixed to a backside of several (PV) modules.
  • PV backside of several
  • a heat storage element which may be coupled to the heat dissipation element and/or to the solar module element.
  • a heat storage element comprises a material which has a high specific heat capacity and forms a buffer storage for peak
  • the heat dissipation element and the heat storage element may be scaleable, e.g. by providing the possibility to couple a plurality of elements together.
  • one or both types may be designed in a modular form. For example, different numbers of heat energy storage cartridges may be filled in the heat storage element or a different number of heat storage elements may be coupled to each other, e.g. in the form of a chain.
  • the dissipation element and the storage element are dimensioned with respect to each other that the temperature of the solar module element (in particular the photovoltaic cell) is kept at a (substantially) constant relatively cool temperature level, e.g. below 45°C, preferably below 40°C, e.g. about 35°C.
  • a constant relatively cool temperature level e.g. below 45°C, preferably below 40°C, e.g. about 35°C.
  • these temperature levels may of course depend on the installation place, the degree of latitude, climate zone, etc. In principle the temperature level may be in the range of the mean summer temperature increased by a couple of °C.
  • the dissipation element may be over-dimensioned with respect to the storage element leading to the fact that the storage element may particularly buffer short time temperature spikes.
  • the storage element may be over-dimensioned leading to the fact that the stored heat energy may be kept for a long time in the storage element.
  • the cooling system according to such an exemplary embodiment may form a hybrid cooling system suitable to keep the temperature of a solar module element at a (relatively) lower

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
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  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Photovoltaic Devices (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un agencement de modules solaires, comprenant : au moins un élément de module solaire (201); un système de refroidissement (200), ledit système de refroidissement (200) comprenant un élément de dissipation de chaleur (202) couplé thermiquement audit/auxdits élément(s) de module solaire (201); et un élément de stockage de chaleur (206) pouvant être couplé thermiquement audit/auxdits élément(s) de module solaire (201).
PCT/EP2016/000225 2015-02-06 2016-02-04 Agencement de modules solaires et procédé de rattrapage d'un élément de module solaire Ceased WO2016124338A1 (fr)

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2018128814A1 (fr) * 2017-01-03 2018-07-12 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Maintien d'un module d'énergie solaire
US10374546B2 (en) 2017-01-03 2019-08-06 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Maintaining a solar power module
US10469027B2 (en) 2017-01-03 2019-11-05 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Maintaining a solar power module

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DE2909453A1 (de) * 1979-03-10 1980-09-11 John & Co Sonnenkollektor
BE897700A (fr) * 1983-09-07 1984-01-02 Ind Dev En S A Ide Dispositif de limitation des pertes thermiques d'un chauffe-eau solaire a stockage incorpore
JPS59164852A (ja) * 1983-03-11 1984-09-18 Hitachi Ltd 太陽熱集熱器の過熱防止器
JPH07273360A (ja) * 1994-03-28 1995-10-20 Misawa Homes Co Ltd 太陽電池パネル及びこれを用いた建物の屋根
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EP2012366A2 (fr) * 2007-07-05 2009-01-07 Federico Pirovano Système photovoltaïque à efficacité améliorée et procédé incrémentiel de la production d'énergie électrique d'au moins un module solaire thermo-photovoltaïque
JP2010040940A (ja) * 2008-08-07 2010-02-18 Fujikura Ltd 集光型太陽光発電装置
EP2354712A1 (fr) * 2010-01-15 2011-08-10 Electricité de France (EDF) Capteur solaire thermique, systeme solaire thermique comprenant un tel capteur solaire thermique et procédé pour chauffer un espace habitable.
US20140130844A1 (en) * 2012-11-14 2014-05-15 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Solar power generator
US20140338713A1 (en) * 2011-12-26 2014-11-20 Tadashi Nakanuma Thermoelectric generator
WO2014199394A2 (fr) * 2013-05-07 2014-12-18 Vasantkumar Thakkar Dhaval Dispositif d'ultilisation d'énergie thermique
WO2014203167A2 (fr) 2013-06-17 2014-12-24 Andes Mining & Energy Corporate S.A. Module photovoltaïque à système intégré de refroidissement et de suivi

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3988166A (en) * 1975-01-07 1976-10-26 Beam Engineering, Inc. Apparatus for enhancing the output of photovoltaic solar cells
DE2909453A1 (de) * 1979-03-10 1980-09-11 John & Co Sonnenkollektor
JPS59164852A (ja) * 1983-03-11 1984-09-18 Hitachi Ltd 太陽熱集熱器の過熱防止器
BE897700A (fr) * 1983-09-07 1984-01-02 Ind Dev En S A Ide Dispositif de limitation des pertes thermiques d'un chauffe-eau solaire a stockage incorpore
JPH07273360A (ja) * 1994-03-28 1995-10-20 Misawa Homes Co Ltd 太陽電池パネル及びこれを用いた建物の屋根
JP2006090659A (ja) * 2004-09-24 2006-04-06 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd ソーラーシステム、ソーラーシステムの運転方法、プログラム、及び記録媒体
EP2012366A2 (fr) * 2007-07-05 2009-01-07 Federico Pirovano Système photovoltaïque à efficacité améliorée et procédé incrémentiel de la production d'énergie électrique d'au moins un module solaire thermo-photovoltaïque
JP2010040940A (ja) * 2008-08-07 2010-02-18 Fujikura Ltd 集光型太陽光発電装置
EP2354712A1 (fr) * 2010-01-15 2011-08-10 Electricité de France (EDF) Capteur solaire thermique, systeme solaire thermique comprenant un tel capteur solaire thermique et procédé pour chauffer un espace habitable.
US20140338713A1 (en) * 2011-12-26 2014-11-20 Tadashi Nakanuma Thermoelectric generator
US20140130844A1 (en) * 2012-11-14 2014-05-15 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Solar power generator
WO2014199394A2 (fr) * 2013-05-07 2014-12-18 Vasantkumar Thakkar Dhaval Dispositif d'ultilisation d'énergie thermique
WO2014203167A2 (fr) 2013-06-17 2014-12-24 Andes Mining & Energy Corporate S.A. Module photovoltaïque à système intégré de refroidissement et de suivi

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2018128814A1 (fr) * 2017-01-03 2018-07-12 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Maintien d'un module d'énergie solaire
US10374546B2 (en) 2017-01-03 2019-08-06 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Maintaining a solar power module
US10396708B2 (en) 2017-01-03 2019-08-27 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Maintaining a solar power module
CN110383679A (zh) * 2017-01-03 2019-10-25 沙特阿拉伯石油公司 维护太阳能模块
US10469027B2 (en) 2017-01-03 2019-11-05 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Maintaining a solar power module
US10658970B2 (en) 2017-01-03 2020-05-19 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Maintaining a solar power module
US10771009B2 (en) 2017-01-03 2020-09-08 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Maintaining a solar power module
US10892706B2 (en) 2017-01-03 2021-01-12 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Maintaining a solar power module
CN110383679B (zh) * 2017-01-03 2022-07-08 沙特阿拉伯石油公司 维护太阳能模块

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