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Title: Photovoltaic solar concentrator

Abstract

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:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1243033
Patent Number(s):
9,287,430
Application Number:
11/933,458
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2007 Nov 01
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; 30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Citation Formats

Nielson, Gregory N., Gupta, Vipin P., Okandan, Murat, and Watts, Michael R. Photovoltaic solar concentrator. United States: N. p., 2016. Web.
Nielson, Gregory N., Gupta, Vipin P., Okandan, Murat, & Watts, Michael R. Photovoltaic solar concentrator. United States.
Nielson, Gregory N., Gupta, Vipin P., Okandan, Murat, and Watts, Michael R. 2016. "Photovoltaic solar concentrator". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1243033.
@article{osti_1243033,
title = {Photovoltaic solar concentrator},
author = {Nielson, Gregory N. and Gupta, Vipin P. and Okandan, Murat and Watts, Michael R.},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1243033}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 15 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Tue Mar 15 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}

Works referenced in this record:

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