Showing papers on "Photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar collector published in 1975"
TL;DR: In this article, a black liquid flat-plate solar collector is proposed, where the liquid is the hottest substance in the collector, and no metals are required anywhere in the design.
300 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a review of photoelectrochemical effects to convert solar energy directly to electric power or synthetic fuel is given, with a brief reference to the thermodynamics of photoelectric transducers.
Abstract: Current research and development work in solar energy utilization is very briefly reviewed. Attention is drawn to the possible use of photoelectrochemical effects to convert solar energy directly to electric power or synthetic fuel. Photoelectrochemical cells that have been proposed for this purpose are classified into three types, and a detailed description of their mode of action is given. The solar spectrum at the earth's surface and terrestrial receipts of solar energy are discussed. The factors that limit the power conversion efficiency of photoelectrochemical cells are described, and a brief reference is made to the thermodynamics of photoelectric transducers. Some work that, although not directly related to solar energy conversion, is of possible relevance, is summarized: the topics covered are the photosensitization of processes at semiconductor electrodes, pigment films on metal electrodes, and the primary processes of energy and charge transfer in natural and artificial photosynthetic membranes.
123 citations
Patent•
28 Jul 1975TL;DR: In this paper, an electrolyte is an aqueous solution of hydrogen iodide, and the hydrogen produced by the electrochemical reaction may be stored, burned as a fuel or used in a fuel cell to produce electrical energy.
Abstract: Solar energy conversion is provided by a structure formed of a plurality of photovoltaic sources. An electrolyte wets the sources. Upon exposure to light the photovoltaic sources cause a current to flow in the electrolyte producing an electrochemical reaction. The products of this reaction may then be collected and stored. In a preferred embodiment the electrolyte is an aqueous solution of hydrogen iodide, and the hydrogen produced by the electrochemical reaction may be stored, burned as a fuel or used in a fuel cell to produce electrical energy.
105 citations
Patent•
08 Sep 1975
TL;DR: In this paper, the use of a large proportion of the solar spectrum in the coversion of solar energy to electricity by means of photovoltaic cells is discussed. But the authors do not specify the number of cells to be used.
Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed which permits the use of a large proportion of the solar spectrum in the coversion of solar energy to electricity by means of photovoltaic cells. The apparatus comprises a collecting element which concentrates the incident radiation, a collimating element which forms the concentrated incident radiation into a beam of parallel photons, a spectral separation element, such as a prism, prism plate or diffraction grating which spectrally separates the solar radiation in the collimated beam and a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed in the separated spectrum, the energy gap of the cells being matched to the energy of the photons in that portion of the spectrum in which the cells are located.
104 citations
Patent•
07 Jul 1975TL;DR: In this paper, a solar energy converter uses gallium arsenide photovoltaic cells to convert light to direct current, and optical concentrators reduce the needed area of cells.
Abstract: A solar energy converter uses gallium arsenide photovoltaic cells to convert light to direct current. Optical concentrators reduce the needed area of cells. Gallium arsenide retains high conversion efficiency up to several hundred degrees, so the waste heat may be used to produce mechanical power in a Rankine cycle engine.
97 citations
64 citations
Patent•
18 Jun 1975
TL;DR: In this article, a solar generator panel in which a channel contains water, and has a cover which is transparent to solar radiation, allowing solar radiation to pass into water in the channel whereby to absorb energy in the water from the radiation, and including an absorber for solar energy forming the front of said channel and in contact with the water to absorb, as heat, that solar energy which passes through the water and re-radiates and conducts such heat energy back to the water.
Abstract: A solar generator panel in which a channel contains water, and has a cover which is transparent to solar radiation to allow solar radiation to pass into water in the channel whereby to absorb energy in the water from the radiation, and including an absorber for solar energy forming the front of said channel and in contact with the water to absorb, as heat, that solar energy which passes through the water, and re-radiates and conducts such heat energy back to the water.
60 citations
Patent•
03 Jun 1975
TL;DR: In this paper, a flat plate solar heat collector unit is integrated as a structural unit so that the collector also functions as the building roof, and the functions of efficient heat collection, liquid coolant flow passages, roof structural support and building insulation are combined into one unit.
Abstract: Herein is disclosed a flat plate solar heat collector unit. The solar collector is integrated as a structural unit so that the collector also functions as the building roof. The functions of efficient heat collection, liquid coolant flow passages, roof structural support and building insulation are combined into one unit.
57 citations
Patent•
11 Jun 1975TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe a photovoltaic device that includes a plurality of solar cells on a flat surface of a heat sink, and means for concentrating solar radiation on the solar cells.
Abstract: Solar radiation is concentrated on a solar cell of a photovoltaic device in the range of 500 to 1600 suns. the photovoltaic device includes a plurality of solar cells on a flat surface of a heat sink, and means for concentrating solar radiation on the solar cells. The solar cells have a surface on which the solar light is incident. This high concentration of solar energy on the solar cell will increase the solar cell operating temperature. The dimensions of the solar cells and the center to center spacing between solar cells is such that good thermal dissipation is maintained in the photovoltaic device.
46 citations
Patent•
10 Nov 1975
TL;DR: A solar energy heat collector and use system wherein heat is directly absorbed into a moving column of air and stored in the structure thereof dependent upon the availability of solar radiation and time period of use of said heated air as related to said availability is described in this paper.
Abstract: A solar energy heat collector and use system wherein heat is directly absorbed into a moving column of air and stored in the structure thereof dependent upon the availability of solar radiation and time period of use of said heated air as related to said availability, use being made of large volume-high specific heat material in the collector construction for heat retention without adverse effect upon direct heat absorption into said moving column of air, the use of essentially dry product air being diversified and controllably ducted for utilitarian uses including dwelling interior heating and cloths drying.
Patent•
14 Apr 1975
TL;DR: In this article, a system for recovering solar energy, comprising: collector or absorber means for radiant solar energy; a circuit with means for unidirectionally circulating the fluid heated by said collector means, heat exchanger utilization means traversed by said fluid for directly transferring the collected heat to its place of use; and means for preventing circulation when operation of the circulation control means ceases.
Abstract: System for recovering solar energy, comprising: collector or absorber means for radiant solar energy; a circuit with means for unidirectionally circulating the fluid heated by said collector means, heat exchanger utilization means traversed by said fluid for directly transferring the collected heat to its place of use; and means for preventing circulation when operation of the circulation control means ceases.
TL;DR: In this article, three flat-plate solar collectors were tested for over six months: a water trickle collector, a typical collector with double glazing, and a thermal trap collector.
TL;DR: In this article, three alternatives for hydrogen production from solar energy have been analyzed on both efficiency and economic grounds, and the analysis showed that the alternative using solar energy followed by thermochemical decomposition of water to produce hydrogen is the optimum one.
TL;DR: The optical characteristics of this system and the axial variation of its concentration ratio are developed to provide information for the engineering design and sizing of this type of solar energy collector system.
Abstract: This article presents an analysis of the optical design characteristics of a stationary reflecting/tracking absorber solar energy collector. This type of collector consists of a segment of a spherical mirror placed in a stationary position facing the sun, but having a linear absorber that can track the image of the sun by a simple pivoting motion about the center of curvature of the reflector. The optical characteristics of this system and the axial variation of its concentration ratio are developed to provide information for the engineering design and sizing of this type of solar energy collector system.
Patent•
03 Mar 1975TL;DR: Cadmium stannate has been found to be useful as a window for solar heat absorbing systems in which advantage is taken of the unique optical properties of cadmium Stannate as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Cadmium stannate has been found to be useful as a window for solar heat absorbing systems in which advantage is taken of the unique optical properties of cadmium stannate. When cadmium stannate is in an electrically conductive state, having a conductivity of greater than 103 ohm- 1 cm- 1, it becomes transparent to solar radiation and reflective of thermal infrared radiation. This enables the cadmium stannate to function as a window which allows passage of solar radiation through it and incident onto a black body, and at the same time serve as a reflector of thermal infrared radiation emitted from said body. This results in more efficient solar heat transfer to the solar heat collector provided with such a window.
Patent•
18 Aug 1975
TL;DR: In this paper, a perforated plate is used to divide a container into upper and lower chambers for heating liquid, and an electrical heating coil is used for further heating the liquid when the solar heat supply is inadequate.
Abstract: Heater comprises a container divided into upper and lower chambers by a perforated plate. The container is connected to receive heated liquid from a solar collector and deliver it to radiators or the like. The container is equipped with an electrical heating coil for further heating the liquid when the solar heat supply is inadequate.
Patent•
25 Feb 1975TL;DR: A thermal collector of solar energy includes an elemental semiconductor material to absorb a substantial portion of the energy of solar radiation that is incident upon the material, whereby the efficiency of energy collection at high temperatures is improved.
Abstract: A thermal collector of solar energy includes an elemental semiconductor material to absorb a substantial portion of the energy of solar radiation that is incident upon the material. At longer wavelengths, such material reradiates absorbed energy at a substantially reduced rate, whereby the efficiency of energy collection at high temperatures is improved. In a solar electric power plant collected heat is transferred from such collectors to a motive fluid, which drives a turbine-generator. The high operating temperature of the energy-absorbing material permits efficient conversion of the collected energy to electrical energy, while a required number of solar collectors is correspondingly reduced by the improved collection efficiency.
Patent•
06 Oct 1975
TL;DR: A solar energy collector floating on water is supported by fluid cushion and comprises elements each of them consist of a solar energy absorbing layer arranged between two heat insulating layers as mentioned in this paper, and the collector is equipped with a battery.
Abstract: A solar energy collector floating on water is supported by fluid cushion and comprises elements each of them consist of a solar energy absorbing layer arranged between two heat insulating layers.
TL;DR: In this paper, a thermal simulation of the Colorado State University solar house is presented and the results are in the form of monthly integrated values for the pertinent energy quantities, which show the effect on the system performance of the collector tilt, collector area and number of covers.
Patent•
24 Jul 1975TL;DR: In this paper, a fixed, linear, ground-based primary reflector having an extended curved-sawtooth contoured surface covered with a metallized polymeric reflecting material, reflects solar energy to a movably supported collector that is kept at the concentrated line focus of the reflector primary.
Abstract: A fixed, linear, ground-based primary reflector having an extended curved-sawtooth contoured surface covered with a metallized polymeric reflecting material, reflects solar energy to a movably supported collector that is kept at the concentrated line focus of the reflector primary. The primary reflector may be constructed by a process utilizing well-known freeway paving machinery. The solar energy absorber is preferably a fluid-transporting pipe. Efficient utilization leading to high temperatures from the reflected solar energy is obtained by cylindrical shaped secondary reflectors that direct off-angle energy to the absorber pipe. To obtain higher temperature levels, refocusing secondary reflectors, that cause a series of discrete spots of highly concentrated solar energy to fall on the fluid-transporting pipe, are utilized. A seriatim arrangement of cylindrical secondary reflector stages and spot-forming reflector stages produces a high temperature solar energy collection system of greater efficiency.
TL;DR: Semi-transparent window solar collectors which can be integrated with opaque wall collectors for space heating and ventilation are described for buildings containing large quantities of glass in this article, where the achievement of 20 per cent greyscale light transmission combined with 75 per cent thermal utilization of the total solar energy seems feasible.
Patent•
23 Sep 1975
TL;DR: In this article, a terrestrial solar cell generator including a plurality of solar cells mounted in a housing and interconnected by a plurality leads with the solar cells being protected against adverse environmental conditions is described.
Abstract: A terrestrial solar cell generator including a plurality of solar cells mounted in a housing and interconnected by a plurality of leads with the solar cells being protected against adverse environmental conditions. The housing is entirely formed of the same radiation resistant material and encloses the solar cells and the connecting leads on all sides.
TL;DR: In this article, a flat-glass solar heat collector has been designed and constructed that can be manufactured economically for commercial use, and four of the collectors, 34 by 76 in. (approximately 18 ft 2 ) were installed to provide hot water to a private home in Melbourne, Florida.
Patent•
20 Jan 1975
TL;DR: In this paper, a solar heat collecting and storage system in which mirrors reflect sunlight on a heat storing material such as a pile of pebbles, with air being drawn into the pile of PEBbles so the heat accumulating on the surface of the pile is drawn to the center of the PEBBL, is located an artificial light of the correct color so that it will produce crop growth.
Abstract: In a solar heat collecting and storage system in which mirrors reflect sunlight on a heat storing material such as a pile of pebbles, with air being drawn into the pile of pebbles so the heat accumulating on the surface of the pile is drawn into the center of the pile of pebbles, is located an artificial light of the correct color so that it will produce crop growth. When the sun is not shining the mirrors, that have been used to collect solar heat, are used to reflect this artificial light over growing crops and thus produce crop yields greater than normal.
TL;DR: In this article, a 3 m deep and 150 m2 in area salt-gradient solar ponds were constructed to provide low-temperature heat at a cost of perhaps $0.010 per kW-hr thermal.
Abstract: Salt-gradient solar ponds function as systems to collect and store solar energy. The upper zone of the pond is rendered non-convective by the salt gradient and serves as a partially transparent insulator, permitting some of the incident solar energy to penetrate to the bottom and heat the lower zone to a temperature as high as 95°C. A pond 3 m deep and 150 m2 in area is expected to provide all of the winter heat required by a house of the same area in Columbus, Ohio.Solar ponds occur in Nature. Research on artificial solar ponds was first begun in Israel in 1958 and some research has since been done in other countries. Recent results obtained by the author and collaborators indicate that solar ponds will be simple to operate and will provide low-temperature heat at a cost of perhaps $0.010 per kW-hr thermal. Experiments to obtain more definitive cost information are now in progress.
01 Jun 1975
TL;DR: In this paper, a flat-plate solar collector with high collection efficiency, high durability, and requiring little maintenance was designed and tested using computer-aided math models of the heat transfer processes in the collector.
Abstract: The relevant design parameters in the fabrication of a solar collector for heating liquids were examined. The objective was to design, fabricate, and test a low-cost, flat-plate solar collector with high collection efficiency, high durability, and requiring little maintenance. Computer-aided math models of the heat transfer processes in the collector assisted in the design. The preferred physical design parameters were determined from a heat transfer standpoint and the absorber panel configuration, the surface treatment of the absorber panel, the type and thickness of insulation, and the number, spacing and material of the covers were defined. Variations of this configuration were identified, prototypes built, and performance tests performed using a solar simulator. Simulated operation of the baseline collector configuration was combined with insolation data for a number of locations and compared with a predicted load to determine the degree of solar utilization.
TL;DR: In this article, a simple passive concept that can be used to protect water-type solar collectors from freeze damage is described, where the water is allowed to freeze and expands against a compliant region, and thus, the expansion does not damage the system.
TL;DR: In this article, a simple closed-form expression for the infrared emittance and the solar absorptance of honeycomb solar collectors has been obtained in terms of the passage transmittance function.
Patent•
17 Oct 1975
TL;DR: In this paper, the solar heating system component combines a surge tank for a closed solar heat collecting system along with heat exchange means for transferring heat from the primary fluid in the solar heat collection system to secondary fluid flowing in a secondary circuit which is used for a purpose such as to supply warm water, space heating or cooling and the like.
Abstract: The solar heating system component combines a surge tank for a closed solar heat collecting system along with heat exchange means for transferring heat from the primary fluid in the solar heat collecting system to secondary fluid flowing in a secondary circuit which is used for a purpose such as to supply warm water, space heating or cooling and the like.