Solar-Microwave Fabric Phased Array for Remote Power Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies lack effective solutions for generating electrical energy from solar power and efficiently transmitting it over long distances, particularly in remote or difficult-to-access locations, and for applications such as powering military bases, defending against airborne threats, and clearing orbital debris.
Innovation Solution
A solar-microwave fabric system that uses photovoltaic cells and microwave transmitters integrated into a flexible surface, capable of forming stronger microwave beams by combining weaker ones, which can operate on the ground, as a balloon in the atmosphere, or in space, and can transmit power wirelessly over long distances, and manipulate the orbits of debris objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If solar power is collected and transmitted over long distances, then remote locations can be powered, but transmission efficiency and power density decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple microwave transmitters into a phased array system that merges their individual beams into a single high-power density beam. This consolidation maintains transmission efficiency over long distances by focusing energy rather than dispersing it, enabling effective power transmission to remote locations while minimizing energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from individual point-source transmitters to a distributed array configuration, utilizing spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions. By positioning transmitters in a two-dimensional array and controlling their phase relationships, the system creates constructive interference patterns that concentrate power in the desired direction, overcoming the inverse-square law limitations of single-point transmission.
2Power
If microwave beam power is increased, then transmission distance and power delivery improve, but beam control and precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the high-power microwave transmission task into multiple smaller transmitter units, each contributing a portion of the total power. By segmenting the array into individual controllable elements, the system can precisely adjust the phase and amplitude of each element's beam contribution, maintaining overall beam control precision even as total power increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The phased array system dynamically adjusts the phase and amplitude of each transmitter element in real-time based on feedback and targeting requirements. This dynamic control allows the system to maintain precise beam direction and focus while varying total power output, enabling both high power delivery and accurate beam control depending on operational needs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If photovoltaic cells are dispersed on flexible surface, then system adaptability and deployment ease improve, but power collection efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines multiple dispersed photovoltaic cell modules into a unified power collection array. By integrating the output of numerous smaller cells distributed across the flexible surface into a centralized power distribution system, the system maintains the deployment flexibility of dispersed cells while achieving the power collection efficiency of a unified array through constructive combination of their outputs.
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
The system efficiently generates and transmits electrical energy, provides self-defense capabilities against airborne threats, and effectively de-orbits or boosts debris objects, offering a versatile and powerful solution for various applications.
Implementation Method 1
generating electrical energy from a plurality of photovoltaic cells dispersed on a flexible surface
Implementation Method 2
controllably forming one or more stronger microwave beams by combining a larger plurality of weaker individual microwave beams
Implementation Method 3
transmit power wirelessly over long distances
Implementation Method 4
momentum transfer to space object by microwave radiation pressure
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention generally is a system and method for ground, atmospheric and space based solar powered electrical energy generation and transmission of beamed microwave power. Specifically it is a system and method for generating electrical energy from a plurality of photovoltaic cells dispersed on a flexible surface each in close proximity to and functionally connected to microwave generating and transmitting means for controllably forming one or more stronger microwave beams by combining a plurality of much weaker individual microwave beams. The invention can be a microwave beam weapon for detecting and transferring microwave energy to non-cooperative targets or it clear orbital debris by momentum transfer to space object through microwave radiation pressure. Most practically it can provide electric power and microwave beam weapon defense to remote military and civilian facilities, including forward operating bases.