A photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system and a method thereof

Abstract

A photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal energy charge and management system 100 includes a PV and solar thermal unit 101 accommodated in a housing 102 and adjustable via an adjustable mechanism 103 (e.g. motors) to receive maximum solar energy, which is converted to electrical energy and thermal energy. The thermal energy is provided to a thermal energy generator 104 (e.g. as steam) and converted into electrical energy. Liquid cooling unit 105 receives the remaining thermal energy / steam from the thermal energy generator and converts it into liquid for storage in a water storage tank 106 which is pumped, via a water pump 107, to the PV and solar thermal unit. Power control unit 108 receives electric energy from the PV and solar thermal unit and the thermal generator; and controls the supply of electrical energy to: an electric motor 109 of a vehicle; at least one battery 110; and an energy discharge unit 111. Interface unit 112 connects with, and operates, the adjustable mechanism, the power control unit and the energy discharge unit. To avoid battery overcharging, excess energy can be discharged to a primary coil which transfers energy, via electromagnetic (EM) induction, to a secondary coil in a roadway.

Claims

I / We CLAIM1. A photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system (100) comprising:at least one photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) adapted to be accommodated in a housing (102) adjustably with the help of an adjustable mechanism (103), being provided to receive maximum solar energy and convert the same into electric energy and also to generate thermal energy;at least one thermal energy generator (104) being provided to receive thermal energy from the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) and convert the said thermal energy into electric energy;at least one liquid cooling unit (105) being provided to receive the remaining thermal energy from the thermal energy generator (104) and convert it into liquid;at least one water storage tank (106) being provided to store cooled liquid received from the liquid cooling unit (105), at least one water pump (107) being provided such that to pump-up the stored liquid in the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101);at least one power control unit (108), adapted to receive electric energy from the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) and thermal energy generator (104), being provided to control the supply of electric energy to an electric motor (109) of a vehicle, at least one battery (110) provided to store electric energy and to an energy discharge unit (111) as and when required;an interface unit (112), adapted to be connected with the adjustable mechanism (103), the power control unit (108), the energy discharge unit (111), being provided to operate the adjustablemechanism (103), the power control unit (108), the energy discharge unit (111).

2. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) comprises a base plate (121) having plurality of photovoltaic cells (122) secured thereon the base plate (121).

3. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) further comprises a plurality support plates (123) being secured over the base plate (121) in a manner such that at least one thermal tube (124) is incorporated therebetween.

4. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) further comprises a glass (125) secured at top of the photovoltaic solar thermal unit (101) is either a concave, convex, double convex, plano-convex, plano-concave or meniscus lens, to receive and magnify the light entering.

5. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 1, wherein the housing (102) comprises a base plate (127) adapted to secure side walls (128) at each side of the base plate such that to hold the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) therein adjustably.

6. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 1, wherein the adjustable mechanism comprises at least one sensor unit (113) secured at top of the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) to sense the direction of the sunlight, at least one motor (126), adapted to receive command from the interface unit (112), being provided between the base plate(127) of the housing (102) and the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) such that to adjust the position of the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) automatically according to sunlight direction.

7. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 6, wherein the sensors unit (113) are at least one ambient light sensor to detect the intensity of the sunlight and at least one compass sensor to detect the earth’s magnetic field and determine the direction of the sun relative to the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101).

8. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 6, wherein four motors (126) are secured at each side of the housing (102) such that the photovoltaic and thermal unit (101) is adjusted by rotating the adjacent side of the motors in the opposite directions.

9. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 6, wherein the motor (126) is a linear actuator motor, direct drive systems; servo systems with encoders; pneumatic or hydraulic actuators; electromagnetic actuators; and / or belt or chain driven system.

10. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 1, wherein the liquid cooling unit (105) comprises a compressor and a working cooling fluid, for example, a refrigerant or coolant, is provided therein to convert the thermal energy into the liquid.

11. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 1, wherein the power control unit (108)is connected with the interface unit (112) to take communication signals to distribute and control the generated electric charge.

12. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 1, wherein a low voltage battery (110) and a high voltage battery (114) are connected via an inverter (115), the electric discharge unit (111) connected with both low and high voltage batteries (110 & 114), and the said low voltage battery (110), the said high voltage battery (114) and the said electric discharge unit (111) are individually connected with the power control unit (108) to control the charging and discharging of the batteries.

13. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 1, wherein the electric discharge unit (111) comprises a primary' coil provided with the vehicle and is configured to generate a moving magnetic field, and to transmit excessive energy wirelessly to a secondary coil provided in a roadway and is configured to accept energy from the moving magnetic field created by said primary coil when induced by the electromagnetic force through electromagnetic induction.

14. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 13, wherein a U-shaped channel adapted to be fitted in the roadway such that an open portion of U-shaped channel faces the charging position of the primary coil, at least one coil embedded within the channel, and an energy management unit provided to storage transmitted charge to supply other vehicles, powering homes; and / or assisting the grid.

15. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 13, wherein the primary coil andsecondary coil have bidirectional modes, for example, the primary coil has a transmitting and a receiving mode to transmit the energy and also receive the energy from the secondary coil wirelessly as when required and vice-versa.

16. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 1, wherein the interface unit (112) comprises at least one controller provided to process various data of the system, an interface provided to show data thereon and take input therethrough to operate multiple modes of the system.

17. The photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 1, wherein the interface unit (112) comprises at least one charging and discharge mode to activate charging and discharging of the batteries and at least one adjusting mode to adjust the positions of the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101).

18. A method of photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system comprising:i. Receiving signals about the position of the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) by an interface unit (112),ii. Adjusting the position of the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) in the direction of the sun using adjusting means (103) such that to receive maximum sunlight energy,iii. Converting solar energy into electric energy using photovoltaic and the solar thermal unit (101) and thermal energy generator (104),iv. Charging battery through power control unit (108) and managing the energy using the interface unit (112) and power control unit (108),v. Supplying electric energy to an electric motor (109) of the vehicle to drive the vehicle and other components of the vehicle and continuously monitoring the status of the charging of the battery,vi. Discharging excess energy by connecting the battery to a primary coil of an electric discharge unit (111) and thus avoiding overcharging of the battery,vii. Disconnecting the battery using the interface unit (112) and power control unit (108) so as to stop the discharging of the electric energy,19. The method of photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 18, wherein the position of the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) is adjusted by sensing the direction of the sunlight by a sensors unit and sending the same to the interface unit (112) to process the sensed signal, a sending command to a motor to adjust the position of the photovoltaic and solar thermal unit (101) with respect to the sunlight direction.

20. The method of photovoltaic and solar thermal energy charge and management system according to claim 18, wherein excess energy is supplied to other vehicles, powering homes; and / or assisting the grid.

Images