Airship equipped with a compact solar generator using local concentration and bifacial solar cells

Abstract

The invention relates to an airship equipped with a compact solar generator using local concentration and bifacial solar cells. The airship is equipped with a compact solar generator using concentration to supply the airship in flight with electrical energy from solar radiation. The compact solar generator comprises a first set of row(s) of bifacial photovoltaic solar cells, arranged parallel to alongitudinal central axis of the airship, and a solar radiation concentrator for making solar rays converge towards rear faces of the bifacial solar cells of the first set. The solar radiation concentrator is a second set of one or more local solar radiation concentrator(s), wherein each local concentrator is paired with a corresponding row of solar cells and comprises a reflector of convex formsuitable for making solar radiation converge towards the rear faces of the solar cells of the paired row.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to airships equipped with small solar generators utilizing rows of bifacial solar cells. [0002] The field of the invention relates to solar generators utilizing the focus of solar radiation, intended to supply electrical energy to an airship after installation so that the airship is independent from an energy point of view both for its propulsion and for the power supply of systems embedded on board the airship. Background technique [0003] More specifically, the invention applies to an autonomous stratospheric platform project currently under development, known as a "stratobus", which is designed to be Applied external pressure to maintain a stable position. Such as figure 1 As shown, it is known that such a stratospheric airship 2 is of enormous size and implements a high power electric propulsion system 4 utilizing very large solar panels 6, in other words, a system such as propellers driven by one or more electric...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

First of all, it is difficult to manufacture a radiation concentrator installed in and fixed to the outer skin of the airship, on the one hand with respect to the solar cells in the elastic outer skin subject to deformation, to comply with the geometrical requirements for the accuracy of the concentrator placement, and on the other hand in terms of integration in the at the same time hermetic outer skin

Secondly, from the point of view of the general design of the airship, in other words at the highest level of system design, the configuration of the radiation focuser located at the The interior of the exterior skin, combining the design constraints of the exterior skin and those of the solar generator

Third, at the level of power generation, current solar generator systems require a transparent outer skin at least over its upper region, and due to the absorption of solar radiation that occurs as it passes through the membrane walls of the skin, and the solar cells Infrared radiation on the back side limits heat dissipation, and the material on the back side of the solar cell is transparent in the visible light band and opaque in the infrared band, reducing the efficiency of the solar generator

In addition, since the material of the skin must be both transparent and mechanically very strong over a long period of use (that is, at least 5 years), there are still technical manufacturing difficulties to be overcome, which makes the problem even more difficult. many

Fourth, allowing solar radiation to enter the airship causes internal heating of the airship, thereby increasing the internal pressure of the airship and affecting the mechanical strength of the skin.

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