Photovoltaic green roof and facade

Abstract

The invention relates to a green roof system, characterized in that it comprises: a. A support (10), a. Plant growth modules (40), each comprising a sealing film and a multi-layer culture composite material comprising in turn at least a first fibrous synthetic material and a flexible mesh, b. A plurality of double-sided orientable photovoltaic panels (21-23), the plurality of double-sided orientable photovoltaic panels are disposed over the plant growth module.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of value-added roofs and facades, and more particularly, to the field of green roofs and facades equipped with orientable photovoltaic panels.

[0002] One example is the Photovoltaic and Green Roof (PROOF) project run by the Institut National de Solaire (INES), which combines an extensive green roof (TVE, in France) and photovoltaic panels to provide a range of benefits:

[0003] - The incident solar energy dissipated by the green roof in summer is mainly in the form of latent heat flux, reducing the local air temperature and providing the right conditions for increasing the electrical output of the photovoltaic panels;

[0004] - The extensive green roof with a structure capable of storing rainwater promotes evapotranspiration flow, and thus can further improve the performance of the panels;

[0005] - At the building scale, the total energy balance of the combined system (energy production / consumption in use + embodied energy) is more favorable than that of a standard bare roof or green roof;

[0006] - Compared with conventional roof configurations, the combined system provides additional ecosystem services that can be evaluated and quantified at the neighborhood scale.

[0007] The combination of green roofs and solar panels improves energy performance: Vegetation captures dust and particles so that they do not end up on the solar panels. As an added benefit, the evapotranspiration of plants keeps the air cooler, thus helping to cool the solar panels. This means that they absorb less heat for higher efficiency. The combination of vegetation and solar equipment increases energy production while improving building insulation.

[0008] For example, in Sydney, a difference of almost 20 degrees Celsius was observed between the solar surface and the hybrid green / solar panel surface.

[0009] The combination of green roofs and orientable solar panels also protects the vegetation from direct solar radiation as the panels cast a shadow between the green roof and the sun. This shading protection limits evapotranspiration flow and helps save water consumption related to irrigation. Prior Art

[0010] Patent SE414804 describes a roof for an outdoor building, which is intended to be covered with vegetation and includes a water-impermeable bottom layer and a layer of material on which plants (especially grass, etc.) can grow. The roof of the outdoor building is characterized in that the water-impermeable bottom layer is composed of corrugated sheets, the corrugated sheets are arranged with grooves, the grooves extend in the direction inclined towards the roof surface, and the cultivable layer is composed of a plurality of independent material sheets on which plants can grow. The material sheets are adjacent to each other at least in the direction inclined towards the roof surface on the bottom corrugated sheets, are placed at a certain distance from each other, and are held on the bottom corrugated sheets by the same holding means.

[0011] Patent KR101572859B1 describes a support for a photovoltaic facility, and more specifically, a support for installing a photovoltaic facility, which can generate solar energy, a representative of renewable energy, at any location and minimize the installation of the structure used therein.

[0012] Patent KR101572859 describes a hybrid greening system for a double-layer roof, which is installed on the top of the double-layer roof to improve the energy efficiency of the building on which the double-layer roof is installed and reduce the rainwater runoff during rainy days. The vegetation unit has partition walls, and an upper surface is formed therein, and it is installed in the roof panel.

[0013] Patent KR20130142977 describes a solar cell module system, which enables solar cells to be stably installed in a roof.

[0014] Utility model CN204392150 describes a photovoltaic module with a roof but without a photovoltaic rail support, characterized in that the photovoltaic module includes: a photovoltaic module connector, which is connected to the photovoltaic module; a clamping element, which is connected to the roof, and there is rotation between the photovoltaic module connector and the clamping element.

[0015] Disadvantages of the prior art

[0016] The solutions of the prior art have several disadvantages. First, they add significant loads to the roof and the building structure, making the solution impractical for many buildings with insufficient strength.

[0017] The solutions of the prior art also degrade quickly because the solar panels create shadows that are unfavorable for plant growth.

[0018] Finally, the wind loads of these solutions of the prior art are significant, and in areas with harsh atmospheric conditions (strong winds, storms, cyclones), these solutions are not suitable.

[0019] Prior art solutions limit the optimal exposure time to solar radiation because the photovoltaic panels are arranged in a stationary manner. Summary of the invention

[0020] In order to remedy the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention in its most general sense relates to a green roof system, characterized in that the green roof system comprises:

[0021] a. A support formed by an assembly of folded metal sheets

[0022] b. Green modules, each of which comprises a sealing membrane and a multi-layer culture composite material, the multi-layer culture composite material in turn comprising at least a first fiber composite material and a flexible mesh

[0023] c. Multiple orientable photovoltaic panels.

[0024] Detailed Description of Non-Limiting Exemplary Embodiments

[0025] The invention will be better understood by reading the following description, which relates to non-limiting exemplary embodiments illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] [ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 A three-quarter perspective view of a system according to the invention is shown.

[0027] [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a system according to the invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The invention is based on a modular system for assembling roofs, in particular flat roofs without inclination restrictions or flat roofs consisting of laying a support formed by a plate of folded metal sheet (10) or any other material (concrete, zinc, slate, wood, etc.), for example a roofing or cladding sheet with parallel ribs. Such sheets are generally used for cladding buildings, whether for roofs or for facades. Sheets equipped with identical adjacent ribs are known. Such uniqueness means that a plurality of sheets can be stacked, thereby facilitating storage and transportation. On the other hand, this means that it is possible to transport and / or store sheets of a given type, thereby producing a uniform building cladding, at least in terms of the configuration of the sheet ribs.

[0029] The term "rib" is understood here to mean a positive or negative topography, i.e. a projection or depression, on a metal sheet. This topography is at a different height from the average plane of the sheet. The shape, number and / or distribution of the ribs on a sheet can vary. The ribs extend parallel to each other. The ribs on the same sheet are identical, or the ribs form a repeating pattern on each sheet.

[0030] The system further includes photovoltaic panels (21, 22, 23) at least partially located above the green area so as to benefit from plant cooling, thereby improving the light conversion performance, and shielding the plants to protect them from direct solar radiation.

[0031] These photovoltaic panels (21, 22, 23) are advantageously hinged relative to a transverse axis (31 - 33), thereby forming a hinge relative to the support (10) so as to enable adjustment of the orientation of the photovoltaic panels (21 - 23).

[0032] The axes (31 - 33) are connected to the support (10) by, for example, angular brackets fixed to the support ribs.

[0033] The photovoltaic panels (21 - 23) can be folded flatly parallel to the plane of the support (10), or erected to face the sun, with the panels being angularly displaced to keep them parallel to each other. The actuation of the panels (21 - 23) is controlled by a drive system which consists of motorized hinges or bearings on which the photovoltaic panels are placed, or by belts or chains (20) driven by motors (24 - 27) and fixed to the top edges of the photovoltaic panels (21 - 23), or by a mechanism similar to that of the bioclimatic pavilion, where the photovoltaic panels replace the pavilion slats such that their positioning based on the sun position enables sunlight to be partially reflected onto the back surfaces of adjacent double-sided PV panels, and so on for each panel.

[0034] When the panels are tilted downwards, they reduce the wind load and protect the plants, especially during tropical storms.

[0035] Finally, the system includes green modules of the type described, for example, in patent EP3755140. This module includes a substrate (41) placed on the support (10). This rigid waterproof substrate (41) is completed by a multi-layer cultivation composite material and optionally a second synthetic fiber material (3), and the multi-layer cultivation composite material in turn includes at least a first synthetic fiber material (42) and a flexible mesh (43).

[0036] These green modules (40) are inserted between the hinges (31 - 33) of the photovoltaic panels (21 - 23).

[0037] When generating electricity, the motors (24 - 27) convert the photovoltaic panels (21 - 23) to an active position facing the sun, where the orientation can be changed to follow the sun path.

[0038] Outside of these periods, the photovoltaic panels (21 - 23) can be tilted horizontally to reduce the wind load and protect the green modules (40), or placed in a position that allows sunlight to irradiate the green modules (40).

[0039] The green module (40) may also include an irrigation system controlled by a pump powered by a battery recharged by the photovoltaic panels (21-23).

[0040] The above description relates to the photovoltaic panels (21-23) which may be fixed and tilted at an angle suitable for exposing the maximum surface area perpendicular to the sun's direction, allowing them to benefit from plant cooling and form an inclined grating that limits wind loads. Preferably, they may be tilted downwards by pivoting about an axis provided in the lower part of the photovoltaic panels (21-23) so that in case of bad weather or tornado, they may be placed horizontally to reduce wind loads and provide plant protection. The photovoltaic panels (21-23) may also be hinged about a central axis or an upper axis to hold them in the inclined position.

[0041] Variant: Double-sided panel

[0042] In one embodiment, the panels are double-sided, i.e., they have photovoltaic cells on both sides in order to utilize indirect sunlight (reflection of solar radiation on adjacent panels, reflected energy, etc.).

Claims

1. A green roof system, characterized in that, the green roof system comprises: a. A support (10), a. Green modules (40), each of the green modules comprising a sealing film and a multi-layer cultivation composite material, the multi-layer cultivation composite material sequentially comprising at least a first fiber synthetic material and a flexible net, b. A plurality of orientable double-sided photovoltaic panels (21 - 23), the plurality of orientable double-sided photovoltaic panels being arranged above the green modules.

2. The green roof system according to claim 1, characterized in that, each of the orientable photovoltaic panels is hinged to tilt between a position parallel to the support and a position facing the sun.

3. The green roof system according to claim 1, characterized in that, each of the photovoltaic panels is hinged about an axis for tilting relative to its lower edge.

4. The green roof system according to claim 1, characterized in that, each of the orientable photovoltaic panels rotates between a position parallel to the support and a position oriented towards the sun by a belt or chain (20) driven by a motor (24 - 27) and fixed to the upper edge of the photovoltaic panel (21 - 23).

5. The green roof system according to claim 1, characterized in that, each of the orientable photovoltaic panels is rotated between a position parallel to the support and a position oriented towards the sun by a drive system composed of a motorized hinge or bearing on which the photovoltaic panel is mounted.

6. The green roof system according to claim 1, characterized in that, the green roof system further comprises profiles transversely arranged on the support, the profiles comprising hinges for hinging one of the photovoltaic panels, the profiles separating two consecutive green modules.

7. The green roof system according to claim 1, characterized in that, the photovoltaic panels are double-sided.

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