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Title: Photovoltaic solar concentrator

A photovoltaic solar concentrator is disclosed with one or more transverse-junction solar cells (also termed point contact solar cells) and a lens located above each solar cell to concentrate sunlight onto the solar cell to generate electricity. Piezoelectric actuators tilt or translate each lens to track the sun using a feedback-control circuit which senses the electricity generated by one or more of the solar cells. The piezoelectric actuators can be coupled through a displacement-multiplier linkage to provide an increased range of movement of each lens. Each lens in the solar concentrator can be supported on a frame (also termed a tilt plate) having three legs, with the movement of the legs being controlled by the piezoelectric actuators.
Inventors:
; ; ;
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
1243033
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM) SNL-A
Patent Number(s):
9,287,430
Application Number:
11/933,458
Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2007 Nov 01
Research Org:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org:
USDOE
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; 30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
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Works referenced in this record:

Silicon point contact concentrator solar cells
journal, August 1985
  • Sinton, R. A.; Kwark, Y.; Swirhun, S.
  • IEEE Electron Device Letters, Vol. 6, Issue 8, p. 405-407
  • DOI: 10.1109/EDL.1985.26171
Design criteria for Si point-contact concentrator solar cells
journal, October 1987
  • Sinton, R. A.; Swanson, R. M.
  • IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 34, Issue 10, p. 2116-2123
  • DOI: 10.1109/T-ED.1987.23205
Microstructure to substrate self-assembly using capillary forces
journal, March 2001
  • Srinivasan, U.; Liepmann, D.; Howe, R. T.
  • Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, Vol. 10, Issue 1, p. 17-24
  • DOI: 10.1109/84.911087

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