Inflatable Non-Imaging Solar Concentrator for Ship Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solar-powered ships face challenges due to the low efficiency, high cost, and significant weight of conventional photovoltaic systems, making it impractical to power heavy-duty cargo ships using solar energy, as they require vast areas of solar collectors and tracking systems, which are economically and weight-wise inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of inflatable non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrator-based concentrating photovoltaic systems on portable floating barges, which extend the solar collection area and use ultra-high efficiency photovoltaic cells to generate power for electric ships, reducing the semiconductor area, cost, and weight, while not requiring sun tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional flat plate photovoltaic panels are used to power ships, then the system is simple in structure, but the conversion efficiency is low and the cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters by introducing concentrating photovoltaic systems with non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrators that achieve concentration ratios up to 500 times, transforming the system from diffuse radiation collection to concentrated radiation collection, thereby dramatically improving conversion efficiency while maintaining economic feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite structures combining reflective materials (such as aluminum or silver coated surfaces) with photovoltaic cells, creating a hybrid system that utilizes both reflection and photovoltaic conversion to achieve high efficiency while reducing the area of expensive semiconductor material required
2Productivity
If conventional concentrating photovoltaic systems with sun tracking are used, then the conversion efficiency is improved, but the cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the sun tracking mechanism from the concentrating photovoltaic system, retaining only the essential concentrating function through non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrators, thereby eliminating the complexity and cost of tracking systems while maintaining high conversion efficiency through optical concentration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical sun tracking system with a stationary optical concentration system using non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrators that passively concentrate sunlight onto photovoltaic receivers without requiring mechanical movement or active control, thus eliminating mechanical complexity
3Productivity
If conventional rigid body solar concentrators are used, then the conversion efficiency is improved, but the self-weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible thin film photovoltaic materials and lightweight reflective surfaces instead of conventional rigid solar panels, creating a flexible concentrating photovoltaic system that maintains high conversion efficiency while dramatically reducing the weight and self-cost of the system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces flexible deployable structures that can be configured and deployed as needed, allowing the system to transition from a compact low-weight state to an expanded high-efficiency state, optimizing the weight-to-performance ratio for ship applications
4Power
If vast area solar collectors are deployed to power heavy duty cargo ships, then the power generation capacity is sufficient, but the cost and auxiliary equipment requirements become prohibitive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the area parameter by using optical concentration to achieve up to 500 times concentration ratio, reducing the collector area from vast extents to compact configurations, thereby reducing both cost and auxiliary equipment requirements while maintaining sufficient power generation capacity for heavy duty cargo ships
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 solution provides an ultra-high efficiency, extremely low-cost, and super-light photovoltaic system capable of powering heavy-duty cargo ships by extending solar radiation collection areas and eliminating the need for fossil fuels, enabling efficient and cost-effective solar power generation at sea.
Implementation Method 1
inflatable non-imaging non-tracking high concentration ratio solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic systems
Implementation Method 2
photovoltaic cells to generate electric power
Implementation Method 3
multiple inflatable barges are taken to extend the canopy areas of electric ships
Data Source
AI summary
A solar powered electric ship system comprises an electric ship, multiple inflatable barges, and multiple inflatable non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic systems. The entire system is configured with the multiple inflatable non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrator based concentrating photovoltaic systems mounted on the inflatable barges, and with the inflatable barges mechanically and electrically connected to the electric ship. When in operation, the electric ship dragged the barges to navigate together with it, and have the inflatable non-imaging non-tracking solar concentrator based photovoltaic system to power it. The configuration dramatically reduce the battery bank size of the electric ship and make the portable floating concentrating photovoltaic system ultra-high efficiency, extremely low cost, and super light.