Planar optical module for tracking and collimating incident light
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) systems require complex and energy-intensive tracking mechanisms to follow the sun's movement, leading to increased costs, size, and energy waste, as they need to be constantly oriented towards the light source due to the etendue limitation, which restricts their efficiency and suitability for residential installations.
Innovation Solution
A planar optical module with movable optical arrangements that converge and collimate incident light into discrete, concentrated beams with a fixed orientation, allowing for wide angular acceptance without the need for active sun tracking, enabling the use of existing concentrating optics and reducing the risk of optical obstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional CPV systems use active sun tracking by rotating the concentrator panel, then the concentration factor is improved, but the device complexity and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rotating the concentrator panel to track the sun, the patent inverts the approach by keeping the panel fixed and rotating the PV cell assembly. This reversal simplifies the tracking mechanism while maintaining the ability to follow solar movement, resolving the contradiction between concentration factor and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the CPV system into two independent rotatable components: the concentrator panel and the PV cell assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the panel can be large and fixed while the smaller PV assembly handles the tracking rotation, reducing overall system complexity
2Productivity
If conventional CPV systems use active sun tracking by rotating the concentrator panel, then the concentration factor is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the tracking approach by keeping the concentrator panel fixed and rotating only the PV cell assembly. This reduces the mass that needs to be moved and the energy required for tracking, while maintaining the concentration factor through the same optical geometry
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making only the necessary portion of the system (the PV cell assembly) rotatable, rather than rotating the entire large concentrator panel. This localized rotation minimizes energy consumption while maintaining tracking functionality
3Ease of operation
If conventional CPV systems use wide acceptance angles to cover sun position variations, then the ease of operation is improved, but the concentration factor decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the PV cell assembly rotatable, which allows the system to actively adapt to changing sun positions. This dynamic adjustment enables the use of narrow acceptance angles while maintaining high concentration factors, as the system actively tracks rather than relying on passive wide-angle acceptance
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 enhances the concentration factor and reduces the lateral extent of the output light beams, enabling higher efficiency and flexibility in design, while maintaining a fixed orientation independent of the incident light direction, thus overcoming the limitations of existing CPV systems.
Implementation Method 1
a first optical arrangement with at least one optical layer able to converge the incident light beam, forming thereby at least one converging light beam
Implementation Method 2
a second optical arrangement placed downstream the first optical arrangement, said second optical arrangement having at least one optical layer able to collimate said converging light beam(s), forming thereby at least one output light beam
Data Source
Figure 1A~2B
Figure 3A~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Planar optical module (100, 100') for capturing, converging and collimating incident light (3, 3') with a variable incident direction comprising: - a first optical arrangement (10) with an optical layer able to converge the incident light-beam (3, 3'), forming thereby a converging light-beam (4, 4') and - a second optical arrangement (20) placed downstream said first optical arrangement (10), said second optical arrangement (20) having an optical layer collimating said converging light-beam(s) (4, 4'), forming thereby a collimated and concentrated beam (5, 5'), wherein the first and second optical arrangements (10, 20) are movable one relative to the other such that the relative position of first and second optical arrangements (10, 20) allows said collimated and concentrated beam (5, 5') to have an orientation which is, in a plane perpendicular to the main plane (P) of the planar optical module (100, 100'), predetermined, fixed and independent from the direction of the incident light (3, 3'). Preferentially, the first optical arrangement (10) comprises two optical layers (11, 12) movable one relative to the other, the second optical arrangement (20) comprises either an optical layer formed by one or a plurality of reflective elements (26, 27) having a concave surface or comprises only one optical layer with variable refractive- index elements (23) or with fluorescent dyes (25).