Concentrator Solar Power Tiles for Lightweight Space Power Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional space-based solar power systems require large satellite platforms to generate sufficient electrical power, leading to high launch costs and reduced economic viability due to the size and weight of the structures needed.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of power generation tiles with concentrators that redirect solar radiation onto photovoltaic materials, reducing the amount of photovoltaic material required and incorporating microscale structures to increase thermal emissivity and radiative cooling, thereby enhancing efficiency and reducing mass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If conventional space-based solar power systems use large satellite platforms to generate sufficient electrical power, then power generation capability is improved, but mass increases leading to high launch costs
Solution Approach 1:
The satellite platform is segmented into modular power generation tiles, each containing concentrated photovoltaic cells. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high power generation capability through numerous small, lightweight modules rather than requiring a single large heavy structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The photovoltaic cells undergo parameter changes through concentration - using optical concentrators to increase the solar flux on small-area high-efficiency cells. This parameter change (increasing energy density) allows small mass components to generate large amounts of power, resolving the contradiction between power capability and mass.
2Power
If concentrators are used to redirect solar radiation onto photovoltaic materials, then power generation efficiency per unit mass is improved, but thermal management challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes phase transitions of water (evaporation and condensation) in a closed-loop thermal management system. Water absorbs heat from the concentrated photovoltaic cells through evaporation, and the vapor is then condensed and reused, providing passive thermal control without adding significant mass.
Solution Approach 2:
Water vapor acts as an intermediary in the thermal management system, carrying heat away from the photovoltaic cells through phase change. This intermediary mechanism efficiently manages thermal loads generated by the concentrators without requiring direct thermal contact or complex active cooling systems.
3Temperature
If microscale structures are incorporated to increase thermal emissivity, then radiative cooling is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The surface morphology parameter is changed by incorporating microscale structures (such as micropillars or textured patterns) on the thermal emission surfaces. This parameter change increases thermal emissivity in the infrared range, enhancing radiative cooling capability while maintaining compatibility with standard microfabrication techniques.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for a significant reduction in the mass of the power generation tiles, lowering launch costs and improving the power generation efficiency per unit mass, while maintaining or exceeding the power generation capabilities of conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
a first concentrator configured to reflect incident solar radiation towards the first photovoltaic material such that the photovoltaic material experiences a greater solar flux
Implementation Method 2
a first photovoltaic material; a first concentrator configured to reflect incident solar radiation towards the first photovoltaic material
Implementation Method 3
each of the non-reflective sides of the first and second solar concentrators are characterised by: a textured surface in thermal communication with the non-reflective surface of each of the first and second solar concentrators, the surface texture being provided by discrete microscale structures disposed on the surface and having characteristic dimensions between 1 μm and 100 μm, thereby operating to increase the thermal emissivity
Data Source
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AI summary
A space-based solar power station, a power generating satellite module and/or a method for collecting solar radiation and transmitting power generated using electrical current produced therefrom is provided. Each solar power station includes a plurality of satellite modules. The plurality of satellite modules each include a plurality of modular power generation tiles including a photovoltaic solar radiation collector, a power transmitter and associated control electronics. Numerous embodiments relate to efficient power generation tiles. In one embodiment, an efficient power generation tile includes: at least one photovoltaic material; and at least one concentrator that redirects incident solar radiation towards a photovoltaic material such that the photovoltaic material experiences a greater solar flux relative to the case where the photovoltaic material experiences unaltered solar radiation.