US 9,813,017 B2
Adiabatic secondary optics for solar concentrators used in concentrated photovoltaic systems
Raymond Gilbert, Saint-Augustin-de Desmaures (CA); Artashes Yavrian, Québec (CA); Marc Levesque, Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures (CA); and Steeve Tremblay, Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures (CA)
Assigned to OPSUN TECHNOLOGIES INC., Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec (CA)
Appl. No. 14/781,984
Filed by OPSUN TECHNOLOGIES INC., Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures (CA)
PCT Filed Apr. 4, 2014, PCT No. PCT/CA2014/050345
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 2, 2015,
PCT Pub. No. WO2014/165987, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 16, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/810,431, filed on Apr. 10, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2016/0056758 A1, Feb. 25, 2016
Int. Cl. H02S 40/22 (2014.01); F24J 2/06 (2006.01); F24J 2/08 (2006.01); H01L 31/054 (2014.01); G02B 6/32 (2006.01); G02B 6/42 (2006.01); G02B 19/00 (2006.01); F21V 8/00 (2006.01)
CPC H02S 40/22 (2014.12) [F24J 2/067 (2013.01); F24J 2/08 (2013.01); F24J 2/085 (2013.01); G02B 6/32 (2013.01); G02B 6/4202 (2013.01); G02B 19/0042 (2013.01); H01L 31/054 (2014.12); G02B 6/0006 (2013.01); Y02E 10/43 (2013.01); Y02E 10/52 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
1. A solar concentrator for concentrating solar radiation toward a solar cell, the solar concentrator comprising:
a primary optical element configured to collect and focus the solar radiation; and
a secondary optical element having an input end and an output end, the secondary optical element being arranged to receive the solar radiation collected and focused by the primary optical element to a focal point on the input end of the secondary optical element,
wherein the secondary optical element comprises
a straight input section having a constant cross-sectional area and extending from the input end to an intermediate location along the length of the secondary optical element, and
an adiabatically tapered section tapering at a tapering angle from the intermediate location down toward the output end, the tapering angle being less than five degrees, the adiabatically tapered section having at the intermediate location the same cross-sectional area as the straight input section,
wherein the straight input section is configured to guide the solar radiation from the focal point at the input end to the adiabatically tapered section, and
wherein the adiabatically tapered section is configured to concentrate and adiabatically guide by total internal reflection the solar radiation received from the straight input section toward the output end where the solar radiation exits the secondary optical element.