Floating photovoltaic sheet

Abstract

Floating photovoltaic sheet The invention relates to a floating electrical production device for a boat. It consists of a floating photovoltaic sheet connected to the boat by electrical connection means and mechanical fasteners, consisting of a flexible photovoltaic element or a plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements and supported by a sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water which ensures the flotation of the photovoltaic structure on the surface of a body of water. When not in use, this photovoltaic sheet is stored on board the boat or at the rear of the boat, rolled up on a mandrel or folded in an accordion. Figure for abstract: Figure 6

Description

Title of the invention: Floating photovoltaic sheet Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a floating photovoltaic element intended for the production of electricity in a marine, lake or river environment. State of the art

[0002] It is known to produce floating structures to support photovoltaic modules on bodies of water, in particular watertight polymer boxes on which photovoltaic modules are attached. These structures are generally used for photovoltaic farms on bodies of water not subject to swell, for example basins or lakes. The photovoltaic modules are electrically connected to each other by cables and connectors held above the water level by the structure formed by the watertight polymer boxes.

[0003] It is also known to integrate a photovoltaic function into a boat by installing photovoltaic modules on the structure of the boat, for example on the railing, the cabin roof, a gantry or on the deck of the boat with photovoltaic slats.

[0004] These photovoltaic elements placed on the boat have the disadvantages of having to modify certain elements of the boat to be fixed there and of being subject to the shading conditions imposed by the other elements of the boat, and in particular the sails and masts when the boat is a sailing boat.

[0005] In addition, as the surfaces available on the boat are limited, the installed power remains low, typically less than 1,000 Watts under standard conditions.

[0006] Object of the invention

[0007] The invention aims to remedy these drawbacks and relates to a photovoltaic element external to the boat which makes it possible to circumvent the preceding difficulties.

[0008] The invention relates to a floating photovoltaic sheet connected to the boat by electrical connection means and mechanical attachments and which allows significant electrical production without direct interaction with the structural elements of the boat.

[0009] According to a first embodiment of the invention, the photovoltaic sheet consists of a flexible photovoltaic element attached to a sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water which ensures the flotation of the photovoltaic structure on the surface of a body of water. When not in use, this photovoltaic sheet is stored on board the boat or at the rear of the boat, wound on a mandrel. To be used, this sheet is unrolled and spread out on the surface of the water. It nevertheless remains connected to the boat by at least one element of electrical connection and by at least one mechanical connecting element.

[0010] According to a second embodiment of the invention, the photovoltaic sheet is made up of a plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements connected together by flexible electrical connection elements and by at least one flexible mechanical connection element. The plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements connected together is attached to a sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water. The sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water ensures the flotation of the photovoltaic structure. When not in use, this photovoltaic sheet is stored on board the boat or at the rear of the boat, rolled up on a mandrel or folded back on itself in an accordion. To be used, this sheet is unrolled or unfolded and spread out on the surface of the water. It nevertheless remains connected to the boat by at least one electrical connection element and by at least one mechanical connection element.

[0011] According to a variant of this second embodiment of the invention, the sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water provides the function of mechanical connection between the plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements.

[0012] According to a third embodiment of the invention, the photovoltaic sheet is made up of a plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements connected together by flexible electrical connection elements and by at least one flexible mechanical connection element and by a plurality of sheets of a material with a density lower than that of water affixed and fixed opposite the plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements. When not in use, this photovoltaic sheet is stored on board the boat or at the rear of the boat, wound on a mandrel or folded on itself in an accordion. To be used, this sheet is unrolled or unfolded and spread out on the surface of the water. It nevertheless remains connected to the boat by at least one electrical connection element and by at least one mechanical connection element.

[0013] Brief description of the drawings

[0014] Other advantages and characteristics will emerge more clearly from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention shown in the attached drawings, in which:

[0015] [Fig. 1] represents a photovoltaic sheet according to the first embodiment of the invention, the photovoltaic sheet being made up of a flexible photovoltaic element attached to a sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water.

[0016] [Fig.2] represents in section a photovoltaic sheet according to the first embodiment of the invention in the case where the sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water provides the function of mechanical connection to the boat.

[0017] [Fig.3] represents a top view of a photovoltaic sheet according to the first mode embodiment of the invention in the case where the sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water provides the function of mechanical connection to the boat.

[0018] [Fig.4] shows in section a photovoltaic sheet according to the first embodiment of the invention in the case where the sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water provides the function of mechanical connection to the boat, the sheet being partially wound on its storage mandrel.

[0019] [Fig.5] represents in section a photovoltaic sheet according to the second mode of embodiment of the invention, the photovoltaic sheet being made up of a plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements connected to each other by flexible electrical connection elements and by a flexible mechanical connection element made up of a sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water.

[0020] [Fig.6] represents in section a photovoltaic sheet partially folded on itself- even in accordion.

[0021] [Fig.7] represents in section a photovoltaic sheet according to the third mode of embodiment of the invention, the photovoltaic sheet being made up of a plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements connected to each other by flexible electrical connection elements and by at least one flexible mechanical connection element and by a plurality of sheets of a material with a density lower than that of water.

[0022] [Fig. 8] represents in section a photovoltaic sheet according to [Fig.7] and by partially folded on itself like an accordion.

[0023] [Fig.9] represents in section the detail of a photovoltaic sheet according to the third embodiment of the invention, the photovoltaic sheet being made up of a plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements, flexible electrical connection elements, a flexible mechanical connection element and a plurality of sheets of a material with a density lower than that of water.

[0024] [Fig. 10] represents in section the detail of a photovoltaic sheet according to the third embodiment of the invention, the photovoltaic sheet being made up of a plurality of photovoltaic elements whose rigidity has been reinforced, flexible electrical connection elements, a flexible mechanical connection element and a plurality of sheets of a material with a density lower than that of water.

[0025] Description of particular embodiments

[0026] According to the first embodiment of the invention, the flexible photovoltaic element [2] is made up of a thin photovoltaic layer, typically less than two micrometers thick, such as amorphous silicon, CIGS (Copper-Indium-Gallium-Selenium), CdTe (Cadmium Telluride) or perovskites. This thin layer is encapsulated between a first sheet and a second sheet of organic materials as is known to those skilled in the art. Each of the first sheet and second sheet of organic materials is typically a sheet composed of one or more layers of polyolefin materials, in particular chosen from polyethylene, polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate or a fluorinated polymer as is known from the state of the photovoltaic art. The first sheet forming the front face of the photovoltaic element is composed of transparent polymers. The flexible photovoltaic element is attached by gluing or by heat-sealing to a sheet

[60] of a material with a density lower than that of water. The sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water ensures the flotation of the photovoltaic structure. It is typically made of a closed-pore foam of a polymer material, in particular chosen from polyolefins, silicones or polyurethanes. Its density is typically between 0.1 and 0.7 kg / dm3.Its thickness depends on the density of the photovoltaic element, it is chosen so that the density of the photovoltaic sheet is less than 1 kg / dm3 and that the sheet then floats on the surface of a body of water. Rigid elements

[10] and

[11] are linked to the photovoltaic element [2] to give it rigidity in its width. When not in use, this photovoltaic sheet is stored on board the boat or at the rear of the boat, wound on a mandrel

[40] . To be used, this sheet is unrolled and spread on the surface of the water. It nevertheless remains connected to the boat by at least one electrical connection element

[31] and by at least one mechanical connection element [20, 21]. This at least one mechanical connection element can be a metal or polymer cable, a textile element, a rope or a strap.

[0027] In a variant of this first embodiment of the invention shown diagrammatically in figures 2, 3 and 4, the sheet

[60] of a material with a density lower than that of water provides the function of mechanical connection to the boat.

[0028] According to the second embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6, the photovoltaic sheet is made up of a plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements [3] connected together by flexible electrical connection elements [4] and by at least one flexible mechanical connection element made up of a sheet

[61] of a material with a density lower than that of water which also ensures the flotation of the photovoltaic structure. This sheet is typically made up of a closed-pore foam of a polymer material, notably chosen from polyolefins, silicones or polyurethanes. Its density is typically between 0.1 and 0.7 kg / dm3. Its thickness depends on the density of the photovoltaic element, it is chosen so that the density of the photovoltaic sheet is less than 1 kg / dm3 and so that the sheet then floats on the surface of a body of water.At one end of the photovoltaic sheet, the last rigid photovoltaic element [3] is replaced by an inert element

[12] secured to a means of connection to the boat

[41] . The inert element

[12] is a plate or a hollow plate. The means of connection to the boat

[41] is typically an axis allowing the inert element

[12] to be tilted and the photovoltaic sheet to be folded in an accordion fashion as illustrated in [Fig.6].

[0029] In a variant of this second embodiment of the invention, the flexible mechanical connecting element connecting the plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements [3] is constituted by a flexible sheet

[24] placed between the plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements [3] and the sheet

[61] of a material with a density lower than that of water. This sheet is typically constituted by a flexible polymer material, with a thickness typically between 0.5 mm and 2 mm, the polymer being chosen in particular from polyolefins or polyurethanes.

[0030] According to the third embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 7 and 8, the photovoltaic sheet is made up of a plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements [3] electrically connected to each other by flexible electrical connection elements [4] and mechanically connected to each other by at least one flexible mechanical connection element

[25] . This flexible mechanical connection element

[25] is typically a sheet made up of a flexible polymer material, with a thickness typically between 0.5 mm and 2 mm, the polymer being chosen in particular from polyolefins or polyurethanes or silicones. A plurality of sheets

[62] of a material with a density lower than that of water are affixed and fixed to the flexible mechanical connection element

[25] and opposite the plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements [3].At one end of the photovoltaic sheet, the last rigid photovoltaic element [3] is replaced by an inert element

[12] secured to a means of connection to the boat

[41] . The inert element

[12] is a plate or a hollow plate of composition chosen in particular from aluminum or polyolefins or polyurethanes or thermoset composites. The means of connection to the boat

[41] is typically an axis allowing the inert element

[12] to be tilted and the photovoltaic sheet to be folded in an accordion fashion as illustrated in [Fig. 8].

[0031] Other advantages and characteristics will emerge more clearly from the following description of examples of embodiments of the invention given without limitation.

[0032] First example

[0033] A photovoltaic sheet [1] consists of a flexible photovoltaic element [2] attached by gluing to a sheet

[60] of a material with a density lower than that of water. The flexible photovoltaic element [2] consists of a photovoltaic module based on CIGS (Copper-Indium-Gallium-Selenium) with a thickness of 1.5 micrometers, a length of 6 meters and a width of 1.2 meters. This photovoltaic element, produced as is known to those skilled in the art, contains in particular a first sheet of polyethylene terephthalate with a thickness of 250 micrometers, the optical transmission of which is greater than 94% between 400 nm and 1000 nm of wavelength which represents the front face of the photovoltaic element, i.e. the one exposed to sunlight, and a second sheet of polyethylene terephthalate 350 micrometers thick which represents the back face of the photovoltaic element, i.e. the one not exposed to sunlight. This photovoltaic element has a peak power of 880 W measured under standard STC conditions (1000 W / m2, 25°C, AM 1.5) under an electrical voltage of 48 Volts.

[0034] This flexible photovoltaic element [2] is attached by gluing using an adhesive which is a two-component silicone compound which crosslinks at 50°C in 40 minutes on the sheet

[60] consisting of a closed-pore silicone foam 4 mm thick and with a density equal to 0.20 kg / dm3, a width equal to that of the module increased by 4 cm, i.e. 1.24 m and a length of 8 meters. The photovoltaic element is centered in width on the sheet

[60] and positioned 40 mm from one edge of the sheet

[60] along its length. This sheet

[60] protrudes 1.96 meters from the photovoltaic element. The part of the sheet free from the photovoltaic element is attached by gluing to an aluminum mandrel

[40] , the mandrel itself being integral with the boat. A two-conductor electrical cable

[31] is connected on one side to the photovoltaic element and on the other to the boat's electrical system. It transfers the electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic element to the boat's electrical system.When not in use, the photovoltaic sheet is rolled up by rotation of the mandrel and is no longer in contact with water.

[0035] Second example

[0036] A photovoltaic sheet shown in [Fig.9] is made up of 18 photovoltaic elements rigid tovoltaic

[80] electrically connected to each other by flexible electrical and mechanical connection elements

[81] .

[0037] Each rigid photovoltaic element

[80] consists of 8 monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic cells with an area of ​​182 x 182 mm2 interconnected in series to form a photovoltaic assembly

[50] , an assembly often called a string. This string

[50] is encapsulated using two sheets

[52] and

[53] of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) with a thickness of 0.63 mm between a rigid transparent front substrate

[54] with a thickness of 0.4 mm, a width of 225 mm and a length of 1,500 mm made of polyethylene terephthalate whose face in contact with the layer

[53] has been treated with an adhesion primer and a flexible rear substrate

[26] with a thickness of 1 mm and a width of 1,500 mm. Each string

[50] is associated with a rigid front substrate

[54] . The rear substrate

[26] of length 4,475 mm is common to the 18 strings

[50] making up the photovoltaic sheet.Each string

[50] is also associated with a sheet

[62] made of a closed-pore foam of an ethylene-propylene-diene monomer polymer (called EPDM), 4 mm thick and with a density equal to 0.15 kg / dm3 glued opposite the string

[50] on the sheet

[26] with a silicone-based glue

[70] .

[0038] The rigid photovoltaic elements

[80] are connected to each other by the electrically conductive elements

[51] encapsulated using the two sheets

[52] and

[53] of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) with a thickness of 0.63 mm between the EPDM sheet

[26] and an EPDM sheet

[27] with a thickness of 0.8 mm, a width of 40 mm and a length of 1,500 mm.

[0039] One of the ends of the photovoltaic sheet consists of a rigid element

[13] encapsulated using the two sheets

[52] and

[53] of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) with a thickness of 0.63 mm between the EPDM sheet

[26] and an EPDM sheet

[28] with a thickness of 0.8 mm, a width of 265 mm and a length of 1,500 mm.

[0040] An element

[32] for collecting the ends of the electrical conductors

[57] from all 18 rigid photovoltaic elements

[80] , often called a junction box, is glued to the sheet

[28] which has been pierced in the center of the element

[32] to allow the passage of the conductors

[57] as is known to be done in photovoltaic modules. Conductors

[33] are connected on one side to the conductors

[57] in the element

[32] and are intended to be connected at their other end to the boat's energy system.

[0041] All of the layers and elements making up the photovoltaic sheet are encapsulated in a single heat treatment step during which the two layers of EVA

[52] and

[53] are crosslinked as is known in the manufacture of photovoltaic modules.

[0042] A mechanical connecting element to the boat

[41] is made integral with the element

[13] using screws as is known in the mechanical industry. The element

[41] is pierced in its center to allow rotation of the element

[13] and accordion folding of the 18 rigid photovoltaic elements

[80] .

[0043] Third example

[0044] A photovoltaic sheet shown in [Fig. 10] is made up of 18 rigid photovoltaic elements

[83] electrically connected to each other by flexible electrical and mechanical connection elements

[84] .

[0045] Each rigid photovoltaic element

[83] consists of 8 monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic cells with an area of ​​182 x 182 mm2 interconnected in series to form a photovoltaic assembly

[50] , an assembly often called a string. This string

[50] is encapsulated using two sheets

[52] and

[53] of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) with a thickness of 0.63 mm between a transparent rigid front substrate

[54] with a thickness of 0.4 mm, a width of 225 mm and a length of 1,500 mm made of polyethylene terephthalate, the face in contact with the layer

[53] of which has been treated with an adhesion primer, and a flexible rear substrate

[29] with a thickness of 0.8 mm and a width of 1,500 mm. Each string

[50] is associated with a rigid front substrate

[54] . The rear substrate

[29] of length 4475 mm is common to the 18 strings

[50] making up the tablecloth photovoltaic. Each string

[50] is mechanically reinforced by the addition on its front face

[54] of an EVA sheet

[55] and a transparent rigid substrate

[56] 0.4 mm thick, 225 mm wide and 1,500 mm long made of polyethylene terephthalate.

[0046] Each string

[50] is mechanically reinforced by the addition on its rear face of a sheet of EVA

[58] and a transparent rigid substrate

[59] of thickness 0.4 mm, width 225 mm and length 1,500 mm made of polyethylene terephthalate.

[0047] Each string

[50] is also associated with a sheet

[63] made of a closed-pore foam of an ethylene-propylene-diene monomer polymer (called EPDM), 4 mm thick and with a density equal to 0.12 kg / dm3 glued opposite the string

[50] on the sheet

[29] with a silicone-based glue

[71] .

[0048] The rigid photovoltaic elements

[83] are connected together by the electrically conductive elements

[51] encapsulated using the two sheets

[52] and

[53] of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) between the EPDM sheet

[29] and an EPDM sheet

[27] of thickness 0.8 mm, width 40 mm and length 1500 mm.

[0049] One of the ends of the photovoltaic sheet consists of a rigid element

[13] encapsulated using the two sheets

[52] and

[53] of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) between the EPDM sheet

[29] and an EPDM sheet

[28] of thickness 1 mm, width 265 mm and length 1,500 mm.

[0050] An element

[32] for collecting the ends of the electrical conductors

[57] from all 18 rigid photovoltaic elements

[83] , often called a junction box, is glued to the sheet

[28] which has been pierced in the center of the element

[32] to allow the passage of the conductors

[57] as is known to be done in photovoltaic modules. Conductors

[33] are connected on one side to the conductors

[57] in the element

[32] and are intended to be connected at their other end to the boat's energy system.

[0051] All of the layers and elements making up the photovoltaic sheet are encapsulated in a single heat treatment step during which the EVA layers

[52] ,

[53] ,

[55] and

[58] are crosslinked as is known in the manufacture of photovoltaic modules.

[0052] A mechanical connecting element to the boat

[41] is made integral with the element

[13] using screws as is known in the mechanical industry. The element

[41] is pierced in its center to allow rotation of the element

[13] and accordion folding of the 18 rigid photovoltaic elements

[83] .

[0053] The invention is not limited to the embodiments previously described and extends to all embodiments covered by the claims.

[0054] The invention also applies to a floating photovoltaic sheet connected to a floating object other than a boat by electrical connection and attachment means. mechanical and which allows significant electrical production without direct interaction with the structural elements of the object.

[0055] The invention also applies to a floating photovoltaic sheet connected to a submerged object by electrical connection means and mechanical attachments and which allows significant electrical production without direct interaction with the structural elements of the submerged object.

[0056] The invention also applies to a floating photovoltaic sheet connected to an object located on land by electrical connection means and mechanical attachments and which allows significant electrical production without direct interaction with the structural elements of the object located on land.

Claims

Claims

1. Floating photovoltaic sheet intended for the production of electrical energy for a boat, characterized in that it consists of a photovoltaic element attached to at least one sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water and that it is connected to the boat by at least one electrical connection element and by at least one mechanical connection element without direct interaction with the structural elements of the boat.

2. Floating photovoltaic sheet intended for the production of electrical energy for a boat according to claim 1 characterized in that the photovoltaic element is flexible and that it can be wound on a mandrel.

3. Floating photovoltaic sheet intended for the production of electrical energy for a boat according to claim 2 characterized in that the sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water provides the function of mechanical connection to the boat.

4. Floating photovoltaic sheet intended for the production of electrical energy for a boat according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the flexible photovoltaic element consists of a thin photovoltaic layer with a thickness typically less than two micrometers chosen from amorphous silicon or CIGS (Copper-Indium-Gallium-Selenium) or CdTe (Cadmium Telluride) or perovskites.

5. Floating photovoltaic sheet intended for the production of electrical energy for a boat according to claim 1 characterized in that it is made up of a plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements connected to each other by flexible electrical connection elements and by at least one flexible mechanical connection element and in that the plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements connected to each other is attached to a sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water.

6. Floating photovoltaic sheet intended for the production of electrical energy for a boat according to claim 5 characterized in that the sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water provides the function of mechanical connection between the plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements.

7. Floating photovoltaic sheet intended for energy production electric for a boat according to claim 5 characterized in that a flexible sheet placed between the plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements and the sheet of a material with a density lower than that of water ensures the function of mechanical connection to the boat.

8. Floating photovoltaic sheet intended for the production of electrical energy for a boat according to claim 1 characterized in that it is made up of a plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements connected together by flexible electrical connection elements and by at least one flexible mechanical connection element and in that a plurality of sheets of a material with a density lower than that of water are affixed and fixed to the at least one flexible mechanical connection element opposite the plurality of rigid photovoltaic elements.

9. Floating photovoltaic sheet intended for the production of electrical energy for a boat according to claim 8 characterized in that the photovoltaic elements are mechanically reinforced by the addition on their front face of an EVA sheet and a transparent rigid substrate and on their rear face of an EVA sheet and a rigid substrate.

10. Floating photovoltaic sheet intended for the production of electrical energy for a boat according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that at one of the ends of the photovoltaic sheet, the last rigid photovoltaic element [3] is replaced by an inert element secured to a means of connection to the boat.

11. Floating photovoltaic sheet intended for the production of electrical energy for a boat according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it is folded in an accordion when not in use.

12. Floating photovoltaic sheet intended for the production of electrical energy for a boat according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the material with a density lower than that of water is a closed-pore foam of a polymer material chosen from polyolefins, including EPDM, silicones or polyurethanes.

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