Liquid-Filled Solar Concentrator With Internal Folded Focus
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Solar concentrator systems face cooling challenges at high sun concentration levels, and the use of liquid cooling systems with spheres to focus light results in limitations on energy collection due to the focal point being outside the sphere, and the additional cost of optics and tracking systems outweighs the benefit of reduced semiconductor elements.
Innovation Solution
A solar concentration system using an optically clear shell filled with liquid, where solar energy is guided through the liquid and folded back towards a solar receiver using a reflective system within the shell, allowing the solar receiver to be shifted to track the sun, and a heat sink with fins for convective cooling, achieving high solar concentration levels without external focal points and minimizing the need for complex tracking systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If liquid cooling systems with spheres are used to focus light, then cooling capability is improved, but energy collection efficiency deteriorates because the focal point is outside the sphere
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of allowing light to pass through the sphere to an external focal point, the invention inverts the approach by using a reflective surface inside the sphere to bounce light back through the liquid medium, creating an internal focal point where the receiver is positioned within the sphere itself
Solution Approach 2:
The solar receiver is nested within the sphere, containing the focal point inside the cooling medium. This nesting allows the receiver to be directly immersed in the liquid cooling system, maximizing both energy collection and cooling efficiency simultaneously
2Quantity of substance
If solar concentrator systems use fewer semiconductor elements, then system cost is reduced, but device complexity increases due to additional optics and tracking systems
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid medium serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the cooling agent, the optical focusing medium through refraction, and the heat transfer fluid. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cooling systems and complex optics, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining fewer semiconductor elements
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the cooling system and optical focusing system into a single integrated liquid-filled sphere. The liquid medium combines thermal management and optical functions, while the reflective surface integrates focusing capability without requiring external lenses or mirrors, thereby reducing complexity
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 enables efficient energy conversion at high solar concentration levels (up to 2000 suns) with reduced costs and complexity, as the liquid acts as a heat exchange medium and dampener, minimizing oscillations and eliminating the need for costly fluid circulation systems, while maintaining low costs per watt and improving energy collection efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
guiding the solar energy through a liquid contained in the optically clear shell
Implementation Method 2
the liquid acts as a heat exchange medium
Implementation Method 3
folding the solar energy back through the liquid toward a solar receiver
Implementation Method 4
the solar energy collected by the solar receiver is converted into electrical energy
Implementation Method 5
a heat sink with fins for convective cooling
Data Source
AI summary
A method of concentrating solar energy includes receiving solar energy through a surface of an optically clear shell, guiding the solar energy through a liquid contained in the optically clear shell, folding the solar energy back through the liquid toward a solar receiver, and shifting the solar receiver within the optically clear shell to track the sun, wherein the solar energy collected by the solar receiver is converted into electrical energy.