Solar tower
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional photovoltaic solar installations face inefficiencies due to misalignment with solar rays, meteorological interference, and high space usage, leading to energy loss and increased installation costs.
Innovation Solution
An elliptical solar tower with a positioning mechanism allowing for tilting and rotation of bifacial photovoltaic collectors, which collect solar radiation from both external and internal faces, and incorporates automatic cleaning systems to maintain efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If photovoltaic cells are arranged horizontally on flat terrain, then installation is simple and covers large area, but space usage efficiency is low and installation costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal ground-mounted photovoltaic arrays to a vertical tower structure with collectors arranged in three-dimensional space around a central core. This dimensional change from 2D horizontal layout to 3D vertical arrangement significantly increases energy density per unit ground area while maintaining installation feasibility through modular collector units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested configuration where photovoltaic collectors are arranged concentrically around a central vertical core structure. Multiple collectors are positioned at different heights and radial distances, creating a nested three-dimensional array that maximizes space utilization and captures solar radiation from multiple angles simultaneously.
2Device complexity
If photovoltaic cells are fixed in orientation, then structure is simple and成本低, but energy capture efficiency decreases when misaligned with sun's rays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a positioning mechanism with rotational and tilting capabilities that allows photovoltaic collectors to dynamically adjust their orientation throughout the day and across seasons. This dynamic adjustment system tracks the sun's movement, ensuring optimal perpendicular alignment and maximizing energy capture efficiency while maintaining relatively simple mechanical actuation through motorized rotation and tilt mechanisms.
3Ease of manufacture
If single-faced photovoltaic collectors are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but energy collection is limited to direct radiation only
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs bifacial photovoltaic collectors that function in multiple modes: they capture direct solar radiation on their outer surfaces and simultaneously capture reflected and refracted radiation on their inner surfaces. This multi-functional design doubles the effective energy collection area without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity, as bifacial cells are commercially available and integrate seamlessly into the tower structure.
4Productivity
If tower structure with movable components is used, then solar radiation capture is optimized, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the tower structure into modular segments including a central core, multiple collector rings at different heights, and independent positioning mechanisms for each collector or collector group. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured, tested, and maintained independently, reducing overall system complexity while enabling optimized solar capture through coordinated movement of individual modules.
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 solution minimizes energy loss by optimizing solar radiation capture, reduces space usage, and enhances energy production while adapting to various conditions, offering a more efficient and cost-effective solar energy generation system.
Implementation Method 1
Photovoltaic cells are electronic devices that enable light energy to be transformed into electrical energy, by means of photoelectric effect, generating photovoltaic solar energy
Implementation Method 2
a movable rod wherein the support structure is fixed and with a rotation and tilting movement with respect to the fixed rod; and a positioning mechanism that relates both rods and facilitates the rotation and tilting of the movable rod with respect to the fixed rod
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a photovoltaic structure with tower geometry that rests on a foundation and comprises a base, a support structure that is internally free and equipped with an elliptical cross section, capable of performing rotation and/or tilting movements depending on the incidence of the solar radiation, together with bifacial photovoltaic collectors incorporated around the support structure in order to collect incident solar radiation directly from the external portion of said photovoltaic structure and indirectly derived from the reflection and/or refraction from the internal portion of the support structure. Additionally, the photovoltaic structure incorporates automatic cleaning devices to clean the bifacial photovoltaic collectors.