Indoor solar power generation building and photoelectric transformer

Abstract

The present invention provides an indoor solar power generation building that can efficiently utilize sunlight received inside the building to perform more efficient solar power generation, and a photoelectric converter suitable for use in this indoor solar power generation building. [Solution] A building having a floor 10, walls 20 and a ceiling 30, and a power generation space GS for installing a photoelectric converter 50 that receives sunlight SL and converts it into electricity, wherein at least the ceiling 30 of the power generation space GS is provided with a sunlight-transmitting section 40 that receives sunlight SL into the building, and at least a portion of the floor 10 and walls 20 of the power generation space GS is provided with a reflector 41 that reflects the sunlight SL received into the building from the sunlight-transmitting section 40.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a building for indoor solar power generation and a photoelectric conversion body suitable for use in this building for indoor solar power generation.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as seen in Patent Documents 1 to 4, for example, Buildings in which a photoelectric conversion body that receives sunlight and converts it into electricity is installed inside are known. According to such buildings, solar power generation can be performed inside the buildings.

[0003] However, these conventional technologies do not have a technical concept of efficiently using the sunlight received inside the building to perform more efficient solar power generation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a building for indoor solar power generation that can efficiently use the sunlight received inside the building to perform more efficient solar power generation, and a photoelectric conversion body suitable for use in this building for indoor solar power generation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides an indoor solar power generation building, A building having a floor, walls, and ceiling, and having a power generation space for installing a photoelectric converter that receives sunlight and converts it into electricity, At least the ceiling portion of the power generation space is provided with a sunlight-transmitting section that allows sunlight to enter the room. The power generation space is characterized in that at least a portion of the floor and wall is provided with a reflector that reflects sunlight received into the room from the sunlight-transmitting portion.

[0007] Given the above configuration, the following effects can be obtained from this indoor solar power generation building. By exposing a photoelectric converter installed within the power generation space to sunlight received into the room through a sunlight-transmitting section at least on the ceiling, solar power generation can be performed indoors. Furthermore, since at least a portion of the floor and walls in the power generation space is provided with reflectors that reflect sunlight received into the room from the sunlight-transmitting section, it is possible to generate electricity by directing the sunlight reflected by these reflectors onto the photoelectric converter. Therefore, this indoor solar power generation building makes it possible to efficiently utilize the sunlight received inside the building and perform more efficient solar power generation.

[0008] In this indoor solar power generation building, The aforementioned building is a building with two or more floors, and the power generation space can be configured to be located on the top floor of this building.

[0009] When configured in this way, By locating the power generation space on the top floor, which is expected to receive the most sunlight in the building, more efficient solar power generation is anticipated, and the floors below the top floor can be used for purposes other than solar power generation.

[0010] In this indoor solar power generation building, The aforementioned photoelectric converter is A direct light receiving section that can directly receive sunlight that has entered the room through the aforementioned sunlight-transmitting section, A reflected light receiving section that can primarily receive reflected light reflected by the reflector, The configuration can be made to include the following:

[0011] When configured in this way, In addition to the fact that sunlight received into the building from the aforementioned sunlight-transmitting section is mainly received directly by the direct light-receiving section, sunlight received into the building from the sunlight-transmitting section and reflected by the reflector is mainly received by the reflected light-receiving section which can receive the reflected light reflected by the reflector, thus enabling more efficient solar power generation.

[0012] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, the photoelectric converter of the present invention is A photoelectric converter provided within the power generation space of the aforementioned indoor solar power generation building, A direct light receiving unit that can directly receive sunlight that has entered the building through the aforementioned sunlight transmitting unit, A reflected light receiving section capable of receiving reflected light reflected by the reflector, Features

[0013] According to this photoelectric converter, In addition to the fact that sunlight received into the building from the aforementioned sunlight-transmitting section is mainly received directly by the direct light-receiving section, sunlight received into the building from the sunlight-transmitting section and reflected by the reflector is mainly received by the reflected light-receiving section which can receive the reflected light reflected by the reflector, thus enabling efficient solar power generation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] A front view showing an embodiment of an indoor solar power generation building and photoelectric converter according to the present invention. [Figure 2]Schematic front view of an embodiment in which a power generation space is provided on the top floor of a building. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an embodiment in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion bodies are provided in a building for indoor solar power generation. (a) is a schematic plan view, (b) is a view taken along the b-b arrow in FIG. (a), and (c) is a view taken along the c-c arrow in FIG. (a). [Figure 4] Front view showing an embodiment of the photoelectric conversion body.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of a building for indoor solar power generation or a photoelectric conversion body according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same parts or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0016] The building 1 for indoor solar power generation shown in FIG. 1 has a floor portion 10, a wall portion 20, and a ceiling portion 30, and is a building having a power generation space GS for installing a photoelectric conversion body 50 that receives sunlight SL and converts it into electricity inside. At least in the ceiling portion 30 in the power generation space GS, a sunlight transmission portion 40 for receiving sunlight SL indoors (power generation space GS) is provided. At least a part of the floor portion 10 and the wall portion 20 in the power generation space GS is provided with a reflector 41 for reflecting the sunlight SL1 received indoors from the sunlight transmission portion 40.

[0017] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the entire south wall portion 20s and the entire ceiling portion 30 are the sunlight transmission portion 40, but the sunlight transmission portion 40 may be provided at least in a part of the ceiling portion 30 and a part of the wall portion 20. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the reflector 41 is provided on the entire surface of the floor 10, the entire surface of the north wall 20n, the entire surface of the east wall 20e (see Figure 3(a)), and the entire surface of the west wall 20w (see Figure 3(a)). However, the reflector 41 may be provided on at least a portion of the floor 10 and wall 20 in the power generation space GS. For example, it may be provided on a part or all of the floor 10, a part or all of the wall, or a part and / or all of the floor 10 and a part and / or all of the wall. If the sunlight-transmitting section 40 is not provided on the south wall 20s, the reflector 41 may be provided on all or part of the south wall 20s. Here, "entire" or "entire surface" includes the entire surface of the building excluding columns and beams, or the entire surface of the building excluding entrances and exits.

[0018] With the above configuration, the following effects can be obtained from this indoor solar power generation building 1.

[0019] By directing sunlight SL1, which is received into the room through a sunlight-transmitting section 40 provided on the ceiling 30, onto a photoelectric converter 50 installed in the power generation space GS, solar power generation can be performed indoors.

[0020] Furthermore, since at least a portion of the floor 10 and wall 20 in the power generation space GS is provided with reflectors 41 that reflect sunlight SL1 received into the room from the sunlight transmission section 40, it is possible to generate electricity by directing the sunlight SL2 reflected by these reflectors 41 onto the photoelectric converter 50.

[0021] Therefore, with this indoor solar power generation building 1, it becomes possible to efficiently utilize the solar energy SL received within the building (power generation space GS) to perform more efficient solar power generation.

[0022] For example, as shown in Figure 2, Building 1 can be a building with two or more floors, and the power generation space GS can be provided on the top floor 1 of Building 1.

[0023] When configured in this way, By installing a power generation space GS on the top floor 1t of building 1, which is expected to receive the most sunlight, more efficient solar power generation is anticipated, and the floors 1b below the top floor 1t can be used for purposes other than solar power generation.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the photoelectric converter 50 is The main components are a direct light receiving unit 51 that can directly receive sunlight SL1 received indoors from the sunlight transmitting unit 40, It primarily comprises a reflected light receiving section 52 capable of receiving reflected light SL2 reflected by the reflector 41.

[0025] According to this photoelectric converter 50, In addition to the fact that sunlight SL1 received indoors from the sunlight-transmitting section 40 is mainly directly received by the direct light-receiving section 51, the reflected light SL2 received indoors from the sunlight-transmitting section 40 and reflected by the reflector 41 is mainly received by the reflected light-receiving section 52, thus enabling efficient solar power generation.

[0026] Depending on the installation position of the sunlight-transmitting section 40, the shape and structure of the direct light-receiving section 51, the shape and structure of the reflected light-receiving section 52, and the installation position, shape and structure of the reflector 41, sunlight SL1 may be directly received by the reflected light-receiving section 52, or reflected light SL2 may be directly received by the direct light-receiving section 51.

[0027] Further details will be provided below. The basic structure of Building 1 can adopt any publicly known and appropriate basic structure.

[0028] The sunlight-transmitting section 40 can be made of a known sunlight-transmitting material (for example, glass, transparent synthetic resin).

[0029] The reflectors 41 provided on the floor 10 and wall 20 can be made of a known and suitable reflective material (including sheet-type reflective material and tape-type reflective material) that can reflect sunlight. The reflective surface should preferably be an uneven surface, such as the one shown in Figure 1, so that light is diffused within the building (within the power generation space GS). The uneven surface may be a corrugated surface or a surface made up of continuous hemispherical surfaces (including spherical surfaces). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, for example, it is desirable to make the reflectors 41e and 41w installed on the east-facing wall 20e and the west-facing wall 20w into curtain-like or blind-like reflective materials that can be opened and closed in accordance with the direction of the sun, in order to improve the efficiency of solar power generation.

[0030] The light-receiving section of the photoelectric converter 50 can use a known solar cell. Multi-junction batteries, space batteries, sheet-type or film-type solar cells, etc., can be used. The photoelectric converter 50 is preferably composed of a power generation device that is lightweight enough to be handled manually and is not restricted by the power generation method. In the photoelectric converter 50 shown in Figure 1, the direct light receiving section 51 that receives direct light (SL1) is structured to generate electricity with a focusing degree of 100 to 2000 times using a parabolic dish type Cassegrain optical system tracking and focusing device, a rod lens, and a multi-junction battery, while the reflected light receiving section 52 is structured to receive scattered light (SL2) by being made of a solar cell sheet (52) attached in a cylindrical shape parallel to the direct light on the outer circumference of the main mirror that makes up the direct light receiving section 51.

[0031] Further explanation will be provided regarding the inventions related to indoor solar power generation buildings or indoor solar power generation as described above.

[0032] This invention relates to an indoor solar power generation building in which a solar power generation device (50) is housed inside a building equipped with an exterior wall that transmits sunlight. This building 1 can be designed on the premise that no external forces other than seismic forces and outside air act upon it, and it is sufficient for the building to have sufficient strength to perform the predetermined power generation function. The constituent materials can be expanded from metal materials to lightweight materials such as wood materials, fiber materials, resin materials, membrane materials, carbon materials, ceramic materials, paints, and composite materials with metal.

[0033] Photoelectric converters can be expanded to include multi-junction batteries, space batteries, and sheet or film-type solar cells. Using them in indoor environments expands the range of materials that make up the solar cells, allowing for the construction of a power generation device (50) that is lightweight enough to be handled manually. More specifically, designed under the assumption that no external forces other than seismic forces and outside air act upon it, and possessing sufficient strength to perform the predetermined power generation function, the constituent materials can be made from lightweight materials such as metals, wood materials, fiber materials, resin materials, film materials, carbon materials, ceramic materials, paints, and composite materials with metals.

[0034] In this invention, building 1 can trap sunlight incident inside the building using reflective materials (41) installed on the walls and floor, thereby reinforcing the amount of light received. The synergistic effect of direct and reflected light allows for high power generation capacity, and the building and the power generation device (group (Figure 3)) function as an integrated power generation device.

[0035] This invention can achieve longer lifespan, higher efficiency, labor savings, and lower costs by improving factors that reduce power generation due to indoor storage and adding factors that promote power generation.

[0036] Factors that reduce power generation include dust, rain, snow, wind, sleet, hail, lightning, typhoons, tornadoes, downbursts, particulate matter, yellow sand, volcanic ash, salt damage, pollen, flying debris, vibration, shock, damage and deformation due to external forces, metal fatigue, moisture, ultraviolet rays, and temperature degradation, high-temperature losses, electrical leakage, fire, difficulty of maintenance and inspection, damage from birds and animals, weed control, theft, light pollution, ground erosion, and damage to the natural environment and landscape. The building of this invention can improve the factors that reduce power generation. In addition, the power generation device (50) can be protected by blocking outside air, and the power generation environment can be improved.

[0037] Factors that promote power generation include cleanroom design, air conditioning, low-temperature gain, reduction of malfunction causes, liberalization of equipment structure, larger battery area, Pb·As·Ca-containing solar cells, compound-containing solar cells that are difficult to use outdoors, automation, reduced and standardized maintenance work, easier equipment upgrades, utilization of digital technology, and relaxation of system development requirements. The building according to this invention can add factors that promote power generation.

[0038] This invention allows for the use of floors below the top floor for other purposes by installing an indoor power generation system (power generation space GS) on the top floor of a building with two or more floors. Therefore, it enables the effective use of limited land.

[0039] The following explanation will also refer to Figure 4. In the photoelectric converter 50, the direct light receiving section 51 that receives direct light (SL1) is structured to generate electricity with a focusing degree of 100 to 2000 times using a parabolic dish type Cassegrain optical system tracking and focusing device 53, a rod lens 54, and a multi-junction battery 55. The reflected light receiving section 52 is structured to receive scattered light (SL2 (Figure 1)) by providing solar cell sheets 52s on both the inner and outer surfaces of a cylindrical base 52b attached to the outer circumference of the main mirror that constitutes the direct light receiving section 51, parallel to the direct light. With this configuration, power generation is increased by simultaneously receiving direct and scattered light from slope solar radiation. In addition, the long wavelength range that does not contribute to power generation by the multi-junction cell is converted into thermoelectric by spectral spectroscopy of the focused direct light by the dichroic mirror 56. Furthermore, in buildings, the amount of light received can be further increased by using a reflective structure that confines incident light to irradiate the photoelectric converter 50 with reflected light (SL2 (Figure 1)) that misses the direct light receiving unit 51. The ratio of the axial lengths of the cylindrical solar cell sheets 52s provided inside and outside the substrate 52b shown in Figure 4 is 0.5:1.

[0040] Current commercial solar power generation equipment and systems are predominantly fixed-location systems where solar panels are laid out on large outdoor plots of land, tilted at approximately 30 degrees to the south. As system operation increases, concerns have been raised about the destruction of the natural environment and landscape, as well as light pollution, and regulations are moving towards stricter enforcement. While various forms of outdoor tracking and concentrated solar power generation have been devised, they remain in the research and experimental stage and have not yet reached the practical stage of widespread adoption. This is presumably due to the low cost-effectiveness resulting from the weight of the equipment and the durability of the equipment structure against external environments. The effective utilization of solar energy is an international and national imperative for curbing global warming.

[0041] In view of the above, this invention proposes a practical, highly safe, and cost-effective power generation system.

[0042] The hangar or shelter covered with a transparent material that transmits sunlight, which can constitute Building 1 of the present invention, could be, for example, a system building, an agricultural greenhouse, a glass greenhouse, a tent warehouse, or a prefabricated warehouse, and could employ a structure specifically designed for power generation. Since it can basically be warehouse-like, it can be subject to warehouse building standards. Regarding the technical difficulty of resisting external forces, warehouse buildings, for which design standards are established, offer high reliability, and although there are various forms, a membrane structure exterior wall is currently considered advantageous.

[0043] When installing an indoor power generation system (power generation space GS) on the top floor of a building with two or more floors, two approaches are possible: either adding a hangar or shelter-like structure to the rooftop, or designing the top floor as part of the building. The higher the installation location, the fewer obstacles there are, which is advantageous for power generation. By installing an indoor power generation system (power generation space GS) on the second floor, the basement can be used for other purposes, effectively doubling the land utilization rate.

[0044] The power generation capacity according to this invention is expected to be about twice that of a fixed power generation system installed at 30 degrees south, so the utilization rate will be tripled, allowing for more effective land use and improving cost-effectiveness.

[0045] The power generation environment is affected by shading from the building's structural materials, and the building itself requires maintenance and inspection. Shading of the structural material reduces the amount of incident light and lowers the amount of power generated, but scattered light does not create shade. Therefore, by providing the reflected light receiving section 52, the decrease in power generation efficiency can be suppressed.

[0046] The maintenance and inspection of the building according to the present invention mainly involves cleaning the exterior walls, which are made of a transparent material (40). Because the area is large and uniform, it can be mechanized, and efficiency can be improved by using drones and cleaning equipment.

[0047] From the above, it can be seen that indoor power generation, which has a high effect in improving and promoting the factors that reduce power generation, is superior in terms of gain compared to outdoor power generation.

[0048] Conventional power generation systems installed outdoors have been devised and developed using a wide variety of methods, making it inappropriate to specify a particular type. The same applies indoors, and various systems can be considered in the present invention as well. According to the present invention, indoor installation allows for weight reduction and improvement and maintenance of the power generation environment. This is expected to greatly expand design options, such as enabling the use of chemical substances that are difficult to use outdoors in a controlled indoor environment, and is anticipated to accelerate the development of new power generation systems.

[0049] The size and placement of the equipment correspond to the building size determined by the terrain constraints. In terms of high efficiency and weight reduction, the aforementioned two-axis tracking concentrating power generation device (50) appears to be advantageous in the current market. Expensive multi-junction batteries or space batteries can be miniaturized by concentrating light 100 to 2000 times, reducing manufacturing costs and mass to 1 / 100 to 1 / 2000, and changing from major power generation components to just a part of the system. As a result, the main parts of the device become a unitized BOS structure (support frame structure), and the cost structure is shifted to parts where the effect of reducing manufacturing costs through weight reduction is high.

[0050] Solar power generation systems, like automobiles, can become a collection of unitized parts, increasing the proportion of mechanical components. For example, as shown in Figure 4, it can be divided into a base 60, a drive control device (stepping motor) 61, a horizontal rotation unit 62, a vertical rotation unit (51), a support column (62), a primary mirror (51), a Cassegrain optical light-gathering unit 53, a direct light-generating unit 55, a scattered light-reflected light-generating unit (52s), and so on, making it possible to reduce the weight to a level that can be handled by a person. In Figure 4, 57 is the secondary mirror (reflecting mirror / multilayer thin film), 51b is the primary mirror support frame (reinforced resin / wood) and skeletal material (reinforced resin / wood / metal), 51c is the back surface reflective film (multilayer thin film), 58 is the infrared light power generation unit (Peltier power generation (PETE power generation)), 63 is the electric reel for vertical rotation, and 64 is the wire for vertical rotation.

[0051] In the event of a device malfunction, the affected unit will be replaced to simplify the repair process, and faulty parts other than the solar cells and motors will be reused after repair. Because the behavior of tracking the sun is simple, the areas of concern can be identified by accumulating fault data.

[0052] As a result, maintenance and repair of the equipment, as well as replacement of solar cells and improvement of the BOS structure to restore power generation efficiency and upgrade to the latest equipment, can be easily carried out. Furthermore, with 500x light concentration, power generation efficiency improves by approximately 25% compared to when light is not concentrated, demonstrating the high effectiveness of multi-junction batteries. Sheet-type or film-type solar cells eliminate the glass and frame materials of conventional plate-type solar cells, resulting in a significant reduction in weight. Furthermore, the coating-type manufacturing method reduces production costs and enables large-area applications. Their flexibility also allows for greater design flexibility, making them suitable for use in the aforementioned power generation device (50).

[0053] When multiple photoelectric converters (power generation devices) 50 are installed in the power generation space GS, for example, as shown in Figure 3, it is desirable to arrange the power generation devices (50) with the primary mirrors 51 arranged in a stepped pattern from the south face to the north face in order to maximize the amount of power generated. A stepped arrangement allows for a reduction in the spacing between devices on a flat surface, thereby increasing the number of devices that can be used. It also expands the light-receiving range in the vertical direction. When the sun is low in the sky, the amount of light received by each individual device decreases due to the shadow cast by the device itself, but the group of devices together still performs its power generation function. Expanding the light-receiving range in the vertical direction is effective during winter when the sun is low in the sky and shadows are longer.

[0054] In an indoor power generation system, there are four types of sunlight that enter the power generation device: (1) direct light and (2) scattered light from the slope solar radiation, (3) long-wavelength region (infrared light) related to the thermoelectric conversion of direct light, and (4) reflected light from direct light due to the light confinement effect inside the building. In this invention's system, both tracked and focused direct and scattered light are simultaneously used for power generation. This maximizes the utilization of slope solar radiation, which is approximately 1.6 times higher than horizontal solar radiation, resulting in increased power generation and a greater number of areas where cost-effectiveness is achieved.

[0055] The increased power generation capacity of the power generation device (50) promotes weight reduction, increased efficiency, and cost reduction of the device, thereby enabling better utilization of the building's functions. This is an advantage that only indoor power generation systems can offer.

[0056] In the future, it will be possible to maximize the total amount of electricity generated and the cost-effectiveness by utilizing the four types of solar energy mentioned above. There are no restrictions on the method of power generation, but the following are currently envisioned methods, including those requiring technological development, excluding the high-efficiency solar cell project currently underway as a national project.

[0057] Method 1: Power generation method using the power generation device (50) of the present invention (tracking and focusing type: direct light + scattered light + reflected light + infrared light) Method 2: Power generation method using a group of spherical or cylindrical power generation films (fixed type: direct light + scattered light + reflected light) Method 3: Tracking bifacial power generation method (Tracking type: direct light + scattered light + reflected light) Method 4: Lightweight fixed bifacial power generation method (fixed type: direct light + scattered light + reflected light)

[0058] The indoor power generation system according to the present invention has the following advantages: In an indoor power generation system, the total cost of the power generation system is the sum of the construction cost of the hangar and the cost of the power generation equipment. Since the cost of indoor power generation equipment can be significantly reduced, ultimately, the choice between outdoor and indoor power generation methods will depend on a comparison of the cost of the outdoor power generation system, the building construction cost, and the total amount of electricity generated. Indoor power generation systems have a high construction cost component, making them more of a real estate investment and thus a stable investment. Furthermore, improving or upgrading power generation systems is easy because it involves indoor work using unitized, lightweight components, resulting in low equipment and maintenance costs, and thus offering a high return on investment. The lifespan of an outdoor, fixed-location power generator is determined by the solar panels themselves and is generally said to be 25 years. The service life of an indoor system is determined by the building, given that the equipment is protected indoors and easily replaceable. The lifespan of a building is determined by the specifications of its structural materials, but buildings with a lifespan of 30 years or more are generally constructed, and the lifespan of an indoor power generation system can be made equivalent to that of a building, with further extensions possible. Extending the service life increases power generation and reduces initial costs. This promotes increased revenue and decreased expenses, which are the most important factors in business management, leading to higher profit margins. In the future, the technology will evolve towards optimizing land use and business activities by constructing buildings with solar power generation capabilities on the top floor (second floor or higher), while pursuing power generation, building safety and durability, and cost reduction. The indoor power generation system is an invention that focuses on the fact that sunlight, which generates a large amount of energy, has no mass. The significant reduction in weight and durability of the power generation equipment, the use of buildings specifically for power generation, and the benefits of multi-layered land use are noteworthy features not found in outdoor solar power generation or other power generation methods.

[0059] Although embodiments and specific examples of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and specific examples, and can be appropriately modified and implemented within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1: Building for indoor solar power generation 10: Floor part 20: Wall 30: Ceiling 40: Sunlight transmission part 50: Photoelectric converter 41: Reflector 51: Direct light receiving section 52: Reflected light receiving part

Claims

[Claim 1] A direct light receiving unit (51) that can directly receive sunlight (SL1), A reflected light receiving section (52) that can receive reflected light (SL2), Equipped with, The photoelectric converter is characterized in that the direct light receiving section (51) is of the parabolic dish type, and the reflected light receiving section (52) is a cylindrical reflected light receiving section provided parallel to the direct light on the circular outer circumference of the direct light receiving section (51), with scattered light reflected light power generation sections (52s) provided inside and outside the cylindrical section, and the scattered light reflected light power generation section (52s) is composed of a solar cell sheet 52s that generates electricity by receiving scattered light.

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