Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
HIGH EFFICIENT SPACE SHELL SOLAR ENERGY UNIT
=, = =
TECHNICAL FIELD
' = = = This disclosure relates to solar energy applications. This
disclosure specially relates to the high efficient
space shell solar energy unit. The unit uses at least two different solar
energy absorbing materials to
absorb solar energy from different spectrum bands of sunlight. At least one
transparent solar energy
. .
absorbing material is used to absorbing solar energy mainly from ultraviolet
ray and/or infrared ray.
-.......=== BACKGROUND
=,=
This application claimed the priority applications of PCT/C.A/2016/000085 and
FCT/CA2016/000086.
We are entering a new energy era. Solar energy will be the key and the most
important energy in the new
energy era. There are many solar energy application products are developed and
in operation. More R&D
is going to improve the existing products and try to achieve a high efficient
solar energy unit, and system.
.=.== =
What is an idea high efficient solar energy unit? How to achieve a high
efficiency?
==
'
The energy of sunlight is mainly in three spectrum regions: ultraviolet,
visible and infrared. There are
three solar energy application areas: solar thermal, solar electricity and
lighting. The idea high efficient
solar energy unit may have most of the following features:
1, The unit not only can transfer solar to electricity, but also can transfer
solar to heat, and provide both
,If;= :;,
solar electricity and solar heat. It is a solution to Integrate solar
electricity and solar thermal in one
unit.
2. The unit can absorb solar energy from three main solar energy regions of
solar spectrum. At least two
solar energy absorbing materials may require.
..µ
3. Local generation, local storage and local consumption to reduce the
transmission losses. The space
7... I
shell solar energy unit may be a solution.
4, It is hest to take into account of the lighting of the space. It
may he a solution that translucent unit
including at least one transparent solar energy absorbing material.
5. Can be adapted to the local weather and economic statues. This may mean the
time is over that to use
1 one single product for all areas. Solar industry needs to enter into
the time of precision solar energy
industry.
'µ..
Based on above analysis, most of the solar application products in the market
have some rooms for
improvement. Following are the examples:
1
=
CA 3019049 2018-09-28
The panels of 1)V cell and thin film cell are most popular solar electricity
products in market now. But
their efficiency is less than 10%. 70% solar energies are wasted.
The central power stations based on solar cell technologies further need to
add energy loss in transmission,
The single solar thermal products have very high energy heat efficiency, but
less flexibility in use,
= Some integrated solar electricity and solar thermal products are not
completely idea, du to the elements
=. are not high efficiency.
There are solar energy saving glasses, e.g low emissivity glass (low-E glass),
or the like, e.g. heat
= insulation glass. They are insulating glasses placed with solar thermal
coating. Their energy efficiency
= also can be increased in some areas, after consider the local weather
conditions.
Therefore there is room to improve the existing products or to develop new
product. In our prior art of
PCT/CA2013/000856 and the priority applications PCT/CA/2016/000085 and
PCT/CA2016/000086we,
we have introduced the reasons, ideas, steps and solutions. Here will not
repeat them again.
The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a high efficient solar energy
unit to bc used as space shell.
The unit can also be used as a basic element of a central energy station in a
community. The space shell
means an object covers the space fully or partially and separates the space
from surroundings. The
examples of the space are the buildings and transportation devices. The
examples of the building include
industrial, commercial and residential buildings. The transportation device
may be selected from a group
of: 8 road transportation device, a rail way transportation device, a maritime
transportation device; an air
transportation device, The examples of the shell unit include window, door,
roof, wall and their
combinations of buildings and transportation devices.
The basic idea and technical route of this disclosure is as following:
The unit comprises at least two separable or electrically insulated solar
energy materials. The unit can
absorb solar energy from three main spectrum bans of sunlight: ultraviolet ray
(UV), visible light ray (W..)
and infrared ray (M). The unit needs to covert solar energy to electricity
first and as much as possible.
Then the unit convert the remained solar energy to heat. The unit can be used
as space shell, so it not only
can provide solar electricity, but also can heat and cool the space by
received solar energy locally. At least
one of said two absorbing materials Is transparent. So the sunlight can
partially pass through the first
absorbing material and reach second one. It is better the sunlight can get
into the space for lighting. The
unit takes account of the weather situations in different areas. The new
technology not only can produce
new products, but. also can be used to renovate existing solar energy
products.
= 2
CA 3019049 2018-09-28
SUMMARY
= The present disclosure provides a high efficient space shell solar energy
unit in claim I. The unit
comprises: at (east two different solar energy absorbing materials for absorb
solar energy; said absorbing
materials comprising at least one transparent solar energy absorbing material
absorbed solar energy
mainly from ultraviolet ray and/or infrared ray of sunlight; at least one
transparent carrier material for
arranging said absorbing materials; and a fluid channel for transferring
absorbed solar heat for use.
The solar energy absorbing material of above mentioned unit can be selected
from a group of: a
=
. ,
. .
translucent coating material for low-E glass; a solar heat absorbing material
for heat insulation glass; a
solar thermal material for solar thermal products; a solar cell material
converted solar energy to electricity
mainly from visible light and comprising semiconductor (c,g, silicon) and said
solar cell also can convert
solar energy to thermal; an organic solar energy coat; a transparent solar to
electricity material converted
received solar energy to electricity mainly from the Ultraviolet ray and/or
infrared ray of the sunlight; a
transparent solar to thermal material converted received solar energy to
thermal mainly from the infrared
= . ray and/or ultraviolet ray of the sunlight and a smart film
based on Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals
(PDLCs) and required power supply.
. .
The unit according to claim 1, wherein said smart film comprises a control
device comprising one or more
selected from a group of: a transformer; a photometer; a timer and a
controller,
= The unit according to claim 1, wherein said carrier material is selected
from a group of: one transparent
carrier material; two carrier materials parallel connected and separated by
air gap; three carrier materials
= parallel connected and separated by air gap.
When the unit mentioned above comprises a solar to electricity material, the
further comprises an
= electricity connecting device for transferring said electricity for use.
The device comprising one Of more
selected from a group of: a DC/AC converter, a transformer, a photometer and a
controller.
. = ,
The unit mentioned above wherein said carrier material may select from a group
of: an insulating glass;
= a glass; a polymer; a film/foil; a surface of an element of the space
shell able to receive sunlight; an
insulating glass, or double glazing; a heat insulation glass; and a solar
panel or thin film based on solar
cells.
The unit mentioned above, wherein said solar fluid channel comprising one or
more selected from a group
of: air surround solar thermal absorbing material; a liquid channel; a gas
channel; a fan; a pump; and a
controller for transferring said fluid.
3
=
=
=
CA 3019049 2018-09-28
. .
:= The unit mentioned above, wherein said two solar energy absorbing
materials are arranged on two sides
= = of one transparent material; and wherein said transparent
material is removeably inserted in a slot located
,
in a insulating glass.
The unit mentioned above, comprising a frame in the space shell for receiving
said unit, and wherein said
=
, unit can be removed from said frame; and wherein said carrier material
with solar energy absorbing
. .
. .
material can be detached from said unit for replacing and repairing. This is
because the operation live
= time of the solar energy absorbing material is shorter than the glass.
The unit mentioned above, wherein said solar absorbing materials arid carrier
materials are integrated in a
= form selected from a group of; a laminated unit; and an assumable unit,
wherein said solar absorbing
materials and carrier materials separated by separator and air gap.
. .
The unit according to claim 1, further comprising one or more selected from a
group of: a heat insulation
material arranged at the back of the unitz a phase change material arranged
under the unit for storing heat
and limiting the working temperature of the unit; and a fluid channel for
transferring the absorbed heat.
=
= . .
The present application also provides a space and space share comprises a high
efficient space shell solar
energy unit comprising: at least two different solar energy absorbing
materials for absorb solar energy:,
= said absorbing materials comprising at least one transparent solar energy
absorbing material absorbed
solar energy mainly from ultraviolet ray and/or infrared ray of sunlight; at
least one transparent carrier
material for arranging said absorbing materials; and a fluid channel for
transferring absorbed solar heat
for use.
. ,
= Other aspects and features of the present disclosure will become apparent
to those ordinarily skilled in the
art up review of the following description of specific embodiments of the
invention in conjunction with
. ,
the accompanying figures. They may include in the claims of this application.
=
BRIF.',F DESCRIPTION of THE DRAWINGS
= Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the images and symbols of the
components of the solar energy
unit;
. .
,
Fig:2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a high efficient solar energy unit;
Fig.3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a high efficient space shell solar
energy unit
. .
Fig.4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a renovated f,ow-E glass or heat
insulation glass
=
=
CA 3019049 2018-09-28
,=
Fig.5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a light adjustable solar energy
unit.
=
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS
Following are the detailed descriptions of the examples how a high efficient
solar energy unit can he built.
The examples also explain how to modify and upgrade existing solar energy
units and increase their
efficiency by adding new elements. Some of the claimed materials in this
disclosure are very thin pieces
such as coating and thin film etc. Some of them are transparent or
translucent. It is very difficult to draw
and identify them in the drawings. We first defined the images and symbols of
the elements in Fig, 1. The
= drawings in Fig. 2 will use the symbols to present the components of the
unit. The introductions of the
components are for all deserosure.
Refer to Fig. I; Fig. 1 provides the components of the claimed unit and their
introduction, images and
= symbols for identify those elements easies in the following drawings and
descriptions. They are as
follows:
=
01: Sunlight, the resource of all solar energy.
1 1 Solar energy absorbing material, that covert solar energy to photo-
electricity and photo thermal or to
solar thermal only.
=
HI:=
Solar cell material converted solar energy to electricity mainly based on
solar cells. The solar cell
material also generates solar heat. Their examples are PV cell and thin film
cell that are used popularly.
The solar cell materials usually comprise semi-conductor (e.g. silicon)
material. The solar cells mainly
absorb visible ray. Solar cells are not the transparent solar energy material.
The cell, module and panel of
=
solar cell material are translucent or opaque.
= 112: Solar thermal material converted solar energy to thermal,
121: Transparent solar electricity material converted solar energy to
electricity mainly from ultraviolet ray
and/or inflated ray.
122: Transparent solar thermal material converted solar energy to heat mainly
from inflated ray and/or
ultraviolet ray.
123: PDLCs for smart film or light switchable film. The solar to thermal
material also comprises Polymer
Dispersed Liquid Crystals (PDLC5). Smart film or Switchable Film is made of
Polymer Dispersed Liquid
Crystal (PDLCs). It is a product that is capable of adjusting light
transmission between transparent and
1
CA 3019049 2018-09-28
. ,
=
. .
=
. .
opaque by a controlled electric field. Because it can be full transparent, so
in this disclosure, a smart film
also traded tts a transparent solar thermal absorbing material,
. .
. Note: There are several kinds of transparent solar energy absorbing
materials. The common feature of this
material is that they absorber solar energy mainly from ultraviolet ray or
infrared ray or both. In this
= disclosure, the transparent solar absorbing material comprises the
transparent solar to electricity material,
the transparent solar to thermal material and PDLCs. The transparent solar
energy absorbing materials
may include organic solar anew/ absorbing coat,
=
13. Carrier material: The carrier material is for arrange and support the
materials. It also isolates and/or
insulate the solar energy absorbing materials and with other material or air.
The carrier material may be
= =
transparent, translucent or opaque_ The examples of the transparent carrier
material comprise transparent
glass, polymer and film etc. The popular translucent carrier material is
transparent material applied with
translucent coating. The space shell elements are also the carrier material.
They may comprise the
material of roofs, walls, windows, doors of the buildings and transportation
devices,
131: Glass and hard transparent material.
. . .
132: Film and soft transparent material.
. . 133: Surface materials of the space shell.
=
. =
14: Fluid channel: the fluid channel is a channel of liquid or gas (e.g. air)
for transferring absorbed solar
= heat. The front or back surface without heat insulation is an air channel
too for air to transfer the heat, The
. ,
fluid channel may selectively comprise: driving device (e.g. pump and fan),
sencer and controller to force
=
and direct the flow of the fluid for heat transferring.
. .
141: Liquid channel.
142: Gas (e.g, air) channel
15: Air gap
=
16: Reflect material.
. .
17: Electric connecting device: it is a device for connecting the solar
electricity material to transfer said
= electricity for use or to connect two solar electricity materials, The
electricity connecting device may
selectively comprise: connector. switcher, DC/AC converter, transformer and
controller.
IS: Heat insulation material.
, .
=
6
.=
CA 3019049 2018-09-28
16: Reflect material.
17: Electric connecting device: it is a device for connecting the solar
electricity material to transfer said
electricity for use or to connect two solar electricity materials. The
electricity connecting device may
selectively comprise: connector, switcher, DC/AC converter, transformer and
controller.
, .
18: Heat insulation material,
=
Refer to Fig. 2, an exemplary high efficient solar energy unit illustrated
with unit symbols as shown in
Fig. I . In Fig. 2, the unit A comprises a glass or transparent film 131, a
reflect material 16, a solar to
electricity material Illthat is solar cell, and a cover of glass or
transparent film, second 131. The solar
cell material Ill may one layer or more layers. The key point is that the cell
contains silicon and mainly
absorbs solar energy from visible ray. A case is a typical arrangement of
popular used solar panel or thin
film solar cell in market. To increase the efficiency of the unit, we may add
a transparent solar to
electricity material 121 on the top of the unit A. For example, to apply a
coating 121 on the front glass
131 of the laminated unit A to generate more electricity. This is B case of
Fig I. To get the solar heat
absorbed by unit B. we can add an air gap or air channel 142 above 121 and
under a third transparent
material 131. The channel 142 may comprises a fun or pump 19 for transferring
heat including power
. .
supply and controller. This is shown in C of Fig. 1. Furthermore, to increase
the solar thermal efficiency,
a transparent solar thermal absorbing material 122 may be added in between of
III and 16. The materials
in between of first transparent material 131 and second 13! can be laminated
in one unit. We even can put
121 under second 131 for laminating, This is the case D of Fig. 1. The unit D
needs a frame (not shown
in Fig. 1) for assembling the unit. When sunlight 01 shin on the unit I), the
light passes through third 131
and 142, the transparent solar electric material 121 absorbs first part of
solar energy mainly from UV ray
, = .
and converts to electricity. The electricity transferred for use through an
electricity connecting device (not
shown in Fig.2)_ The remained light passes 131 and arrives at 111, the solar
cell of 111 absorbs solar
energy mainly from visible ray of the sunlight and converts it to electricity
too for use. The solar thermal
= absorbing material 122 absorbs the solar energy mainly from infrared ray
of the sunlight and converts it to
heat. The reflect material 16 reflects all the sunlight arrives at its surface
and repeat the processing at a
reverse direction to further increase the solar energy efficiency of the
sunlight.
It is not necessary to arrang;e the material in Fig. I in the order as shown
in Fig. 1. The order of the
= = material can he changed according to the engineering situation.
For example, 142 and 121 can change the
locations each other in C case. The coating 121 can he applied on thirs
transparent material 131 and above
the fluid channel 142. En this case, a glass with a transparent solar
electricity coating can be easily add to
=
. .
an existing PV panel in field to increase the panel's efficiency. It is also
not necessary the materials in
7
==.
CA 3019049 2018-09-28
= ..
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area. The heat insulation material 15 also can be replaced by a phase change
material arranged under the
, unit for storing heat and limiting the working temperature of the
unit. Sometime the phase change
, material comprises fluid channel.
We may provide more modified samples to meet the different economy and weather
situations. All of the
=
units in Fig. 2 comprise at least two different solar energy absorbing
materials, and said solar energy
absorbing materials comprising at least one transparent solar energy absorbing
material absorbed solar
energy mainly from ultraviolet ray and/or infrared ray.
Refer to Fig. 3 an exemplary high efficient solar energy unit 30 is
illustrated in vertical section view.
The unit 30 may have one transparent carrier material 31 (e.g. glass) having
first side 311 and second side
312. The two different solar absorbing materials 3110 and 3120, claimed in
claim 1, can be arranged on
. . =
both Sides of the unit 30. The rules are provided bellow,
= =
.
The unit may have two transparent carrier materials 31 and 32. The material 32
(e.g. glass too) has first
sick 321 and second side 322. The two different solar absorbing materials,
claimed in claim 1, can be
arranged on any two sides selected from the four sides of the unit 30. The
rules are same as the rules
= ,
provided bellow, But usually the two glass unit has a spacer (35+36) to
separate the two glasses 31 and 32.
. So the solar energy materials 3120 and 3220, claimed in claim 1, are
applied on the sides 312 and 322 for
' protection reason.
The unit 30 can have three transparent materials (e.g. glasses too) 31, 32 and
13. The glass 33 has the first
side 331 and second side 332. The two different solar absorbing materials,
claimed in claim 1, can be
arranged on any two sides selected from the six sides of the unit 30. They may
two materials selected
from the group of 3 I 10, 3120, 3210, 3220, 3310 and 3320. The rules are same
as the rules mentioned
. ,
bellow, In this case, the spacer is 35 or 36, here is 35, may he also is a
fluid channel for the fluid 3501 and
. . .
3502 to transfer the solar heat for space beating and cooling. When the solar
energy absorbing material
1. comprising one solar to electricity material (e.g. solar cell,
transparent solar to electricity material and a
smart film etc.) the electricity connecting device 301 will pick up the solar
electricity for use. If the solar
. energy absorbing material comprises two solar to electricity
materials (e.g. solar cell, transparent solar to
. . . =
=
. electricity material and a smart film etc.) the electricity
connecting device 301 and 302 will pick up the
solar electricity respectively for use. The electricity connecting device 301
and 302 may comprise one or
more selected from a group of a DC/AC converter, a DC/AC converter, a
transformer, a photometer and a
=
8
. .
CA 3019049 2018-09-28
4., .....
controller If the voltages of the two solar electricity materials are
different, a voltage adapter may also
: . require.
=
Following are some rules that the unit 30 needs to follow: a. The solar to
electricity material is at the front
= of sunlight 300 rather than the solar to thermal material. b. The
Transparent solar absorbing material is at
the front of sunlight rather than translucent and opaque material. c. The
material absorbed more solar heat
is arranged at the location closer to space in a cool weather area. It is
reversed in a hot weather area We'll
use the unit 30 to descript how to a new high efficient solar energy space
shell unit can be created or
renovated by using an existing unit according to local weather and economy
situation.
õ.
A frame 39 is for the assembled unit 30 to fix in the space shell of a space
(not show in the Figure). The
unit 30 can be removably received and removed from the slot of the frame, The
glasses 31.32 and 33
with their solar energy absorbing materials (if any) also can be detached from
the unit 30 for the recoating,
repairing or replacing the unit and/or the coatings on the glasses.
Furthermore to save the wasted glass and save the replace cost, the two
claimed materials can be applied
on the two sides of glass 33 in between the insulating glass formed by first
glass 31 and second glass 32.
A slot 333 in insulating glass removably receives the glass 32 including the
solar energy absorbing
materials 3310 and 3320. Other components such as the spacer 36, fluid channel
35, electricity connecting
devices 301 and 302 are the same as mentioned in above samples. The operation
processing is also similar
as mentioned above. The difference is when the solar absorbing materials need
to replace, the unit can be
removed from the frame and the glass 33 in between the insulating glass can be
removed and replaced.
The most of the unit components are kept no change.
It is not necessary to limit the solar absorbing materials in two materials.
For example, in Fig. 3, 3310 is a
=
transparent solar to electricity material, 3320 is a solar cell material and
3230 is a translucent solar
thermal material. When the sunlight 30 shine on the unit 30, the transparent
solar to electricity material
3310 absorb the ultraviolet ray first and transfer to electricity to the
connector 301. The solar cell material
3220 absorbs the visible light and converts it to electricity and delivered to
the connector 302. The
translucent solar thermal materia1.3330 absorbs pan of the rest sunlight and
covert to solar heat. The last
part of the light gets into the space room for lighting.
For all above mentioned samples, we also can remove the spacer(s) and replaced
it/them by cross-linking
material to manufacture the laminated units.
Refer to Fig, 4. an exemplary renovated Low-E glass or heat insulation glass
is specially illustrated in
vertical section view. This is considering that the low-E glasses and heat
insulation glass are so popular
9
,
CA 3019049 2018-09-28
=
= . =
=
=
õ = translucent solar thermal material .3330 absorbs part of the rest
sunlight and covert to solar heat, The last
= part ofthe light gets into the space room for lighting.
=
=
For all above mentioned samples, we also can remove the spacer(s) and replaced
it/them by cross-linking
= material to manufacture the laminated units.
. .
= Refer to Fig. 4. an exemplary renovated Low-F glass or heat insulation
glass is specially illustrated in
vertical section view. This is considering that the low-E glasses and heat
insulation glass are so popular
.= . . in the existing buildings, especially in the curtain walls of the
tower buildings and in the windows of the
= residential buildings.
. õ
===
The low-E glass and heat insulation glass comprise an insulating glass (hollow
glass) and a heat
absorbing material. The insulating glass has two parallel glasses that are
separated and enclosed by a
= =
. spacer to form a hollow space in between of the glasses. The spacer
contains drier/desiccant to protect the
coatings. The glasses are applied by transparent or translucent heat absorbing
material on the two inner
sides of the hollow space, The heat absorbing material usually is a coating.
The heat absorbing material of
low-E glass is low emissivity material. The heat absorbing material of the
heat insulation glass is one of
many different kinds of heat absorbing materials. Some of them may contain
heat reflecting materials.
The difference of the insulating glass and the heat insulation glass is
whether or not there is the heat
absorbing material on the glass. Under sunlight, all of them are solar heat
absorbing materials. In this
application they may be called as Low-E glass and/or heat insulation glass,
either of them represents both
= of them and has same meaning. The main advantage of the heat insulation
glass is that the first coat
= = absorbs solar heat to reduce the solar heat getting into inner
space of a building at day time or at hot
. .
weather. The second coat protects the heat transferring to outdoor at night
time or cool weather. Usually
=
. . . the coating of the heat insulation glass is semi-transparent. The
heat insulation curtain wall can replace
. .
the traditional wall. The disadvantages of the heat insulation glass and low-G
glass are as following: The
solar heat absorbed in the hollow space of the heat insulating glass has to be
transferred either indoor or
outdoor of the building by heat emission, conduction and eonvention. So from
solar energy application
= , point of view, the basic function of heat insulation glass is to
block heat and store heat in its hollow space
for transferring the heat to indoor and outdoor of the space. But at cool
weather the temperature of the
heat insulation glass is far higher than the temperature or the surrounding
air and the air in door. When the
two solar thermal absorbing materials are the same, the solar heat is mainly
absorbed by the first coat. The
solar heat absorbed at first coat is transferred to outdoor environment
easier. This part of solar energy is
= ' wasted that should be used for heating building. At het
weather, the temperature in the space is the lowest
,=
temperature comparing to the temperatures or the heat insulating glass and the
surrounding air of the
. .
. .
CA 3019049 2018-09-28
= =
In Fig. 4, glasses 32 and 33 including the spacer 36 form an insulating glass
38. Translucent solar
absorbing material is applied on the two inner sides 332 and 322. The two
coatings are 3220 and 3320.
=
Here the two coatings of the heat insulation glass can be treated as a solar
thermal absorbing material.
To increase the solar energy efficiency and renovate a low-E glass or an
insulation glass, according to the
claimed technology of this application, following are the solutions and
examples:
First we can simply add a transparent solar to electricity material (e.g.
coating) 3310 on the side of 331 of
the glass 33. The coating is connected to the electricity connecting device
301 for the generated electricity
to be used. The coating 3310 also can be replaced by a transparent solar to
thermal material to absorbing
solar heat and keep more solar heat out of the space.
'
Second we can arrange a parallel glass 31 at the front of 38 toward sunlight
300. A new hollow space 37
is separated by a new added spacer 35. 35 may comprise a fluid channel 3501
with fan or pump. A frame
39 fixes all the parts in one unit 30. When sunlight shines, the heat absorbed
by low-E glass 38 is blocked
by glass 33 at the front. At hot season, the air in hollow space 37 can be
pumped out for cooling the space
SI At cool season or night time, the heat in the space Si will be blocked by
the unit 30 that has stronger
= heat insulation feature compering to before renovation. We also can move
the glass 31 to the back of the
insulation glass 38. (riot shown in Fig. 4) The feature is similar to the
front case, It is depend on the local
weather situation to add the glass 31 at front or back.
To increase the solar energy efficiency of the unit 30, the claimed solar
energy absorbing materials can be
arranged on the sides of the glasses 3), 32 and 33 except 3320 and 3220. Here
the two coatings of the
heat insulation glass can be treated as a solar thermal absorbing material.
What we need to do is to apply
, .
a transparent solar to electricity coating 3120 on the side surface 312 of the
glass 31. The generated
electricity can be delivered to connecting 301 for use. The transparent solar
to electricity coating 3120 can
be replaced by the transparent solar thermal material. Both of them can help
the unit 30 to absorb more
solar energy.
The alternative way is that a transparent solar thermal material 3310 can be
added on the side 331 of the
glass 33_ The solar to electricity material 3120 keeps no change. When
sunlight shines, the coating 3120
absorbs the solar energy mainly from the ultraviolet ray and convers it to
electricity. The electricity
connecting device 301 picks up the generated electricity for use. The device
301 also selectively
comprises connector, svvitcher, DC/AC convertor, controller etc. The coating
3310 absorbs the solar
energy and coverts to heat mainly from infrared ray. The other sunlight passes
through the two heat
absorbing materials 3320 and 3220 and converts part of the energy to solar
heat too. The light finally gets
11
CA 3019049 2018-09-28
,
into the space $1 for lighting. The hat absorbed by the solar heat absorbing
materials 3310, 3320 and
3220 will be stored in hollow spaces 37 and 38 for transmission. At the hot
season, the air in hollow space
37 will be pumped out for cooling the space SI. At cool season or night time,
the heat in the space SI will
be blocked by the unit 30 that has stronger heat insulation feature.
All the components of the electric connecting device and the fluid channel can
be used in above cases.
They do not repeat again.
õ
Refer to Fig. 5, an exemplary light adjustable solar energy unit 50 is
illustrated in vertical section view. Tt
can be used for roof, wall and windows of a space shell. The carrier material
of said absorbing material is
an insulating glass 57 having a first glass 51 closer to outside of the space,
and second glass 52 closer to
interior of the space sl. A spacer 55 closes the surrounding edge of the
glasses add form a hollow space
57. The solar energy absorbing materials are: (1) a transparent solar to
electricity coating 5110 applied on
a surface 511 of the first glass 51. (2) a smart film 5220 based on PDLCs
arranged on a surface 521 of
the second glass 52. A power supply and control device 56 connects the solar
electricity coating 5220 of
the smart film for providing the control power. The device 56 may comprise one
or more elements
selected from a group of following: a battery to store the solar energy, a
converter to convert between DC
and AC, a transformer to get required voltage, a utility power supply 571 for
receiving the generated
electricity of the unit and supply utility power if required, a controller
with photometer for light control,
;.
Usually the two solar energy absorbing materials are applied on the inner
sides 512 and 522 of the hollow
space of the insulating glass for protection purpose. But the solar to
electricity coating and the smart film
;
can also be applied on either one side 511, 512, 521 or 522 of the two sides
of the glass according to the
local weather situation, the glass type and the weather sensitivity of the
solar energy absorbing materials.
For example, to arrange the solar to electricity material on the surface
directly connect the atmosphere can
get more electricity, but less operation time. The smart. film on the surface
in the hollow space can get
more heat, but less operation time. The transparent solar electricity coating
usually is more close to
sunlight comparing with the smart film. This is a "warm" light self-powered
solar energy unit.
In above case, the transparent solar to electricity coating can be replaced or
added by a transparent solar
thermal material to apply on a surface of the first glass 51. When the
replacement is happened, an
independent power supply 57 with controller connects the smart film 5220 to
provide a controlled electric
field. The power supply also can be utility power supply 571 or a separated
solar electricity panel (not
shown in Fig. 5), When sunlight 500 shines on the unit 50, the solar thermal
material (e.g. 5110) will
mainly absorb the infrared ray. The smart film controls the "cool "light
transmission into the space SI.
This is a so called "cool" light adjustable unit mainly used in hot area.
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Of cause, the carrier material 51 and 52 can also be one layer of transparent
material 51 or three layers of
the transparent material (as shown in Fig. 3),
The existing smart film in market may combine many new functions such as
color, blocking of UV ray
and IR ray, The functions may be caused by intentionally adding new materials
to change the functions of
PDL,Cs Or by laminating material. The new functions may be also caused by
unintentional manufacturing
process, such as covering materials for PIXEs, or the cross-linking material
51211 (slash part in Fig. 5 C)
for lamination or sealing. From solar energy application point of view, they
are not high efficient for use.
For example an infrared ray blocked film is not a high efficient product for
solar energy saving in cool
area. The reason is similar as the reason of low-E glass. Therefore a "pure"
smart film is required. The
light adjustable solar energy unit may comprise a so called "pure" smart film.
A pure smart film 5121 (as shown in Fig. SC) is a film or a laminated element
that made of two
transparent materials containing P1)1.,Cs in between, The sunlight spectrum at
two sides of the smart film
is as similar as possible. The feature and function of the film is mainly for
adjusting sunlight transmission.
= For the protection of the PDLCs material, the transparent cover material
(e.g. glass and polymer plate or
film) can be laminated (e.g. glass) or sealed (e.g. film) along the perimeter
edge. To prevent the glass,
some net shape cross-liking material 51211may be added as show in Fig.5 C.
Because not full area of the
glass is cross liked, a temperate glass is preferred.
== =
,
. .
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