Integrated photovoltaic and electrochromic windows
A variety of methods for integrating an organic photovoltaic-based SolarWindow™ module and electrochromic materials to create dynamic, variable transmittance, energy-saving windows and/or window films are described. Stand-alone or building integrated, independent or user-controllable, battery supported or building integrated, and insulated glass unit or aftermarket film implementations are all described, providing for a diversity of applications. Low-cost fabrication options also allow for economical production.
1. A two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) comprising:
an outer pane on a sun-ward side of the two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU),
an inner pane on an opposite side of the outer pane from the sun-ward side of the two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU),
wherein the outer pane is coated on substantially an entire inside surface of the two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) with a semitransparent organic photovoltaic module including one or more cells connected in series and/or parallel, and
wherein the inner pane is coated on an inside surface of the two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) with a single-polarity electrochromic element,
the outer pane and the inner pane being electrically connected such that a voltage produced by the organic photovoltaic module, when illuminated, drives the single-polarity electrochromic element into a low visible light transmission (VLT) state.
2. The two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) of claim 1 , further comprising manual controls and a battery.
3. The two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) of claim 2 , wherein the outer pane and the inner pane are electrically connected and include the manual controls and the battery arranged in parallel and configured to drive the single-polarity electrochromic element to a dark state in an absence of a photovoltage.
4. The two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) of claim 2 , wherein the semitransparent organic photovoltaic module is configured to charge the battery.
5. The two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) of claim 2 , further comprising:
a polarity inverter between the battery and the single-polarity electrochromic element, wherein the polarity inverter is configured to enable the battery to be used to speed a bleaching process of the single-polarity electrochromic element.
6. The two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) of claim 2 , further comprising:
a polarity inverter between the battery and the single-polarity electrochromic element,
wherein the polarity inverter is configured to drive the single-polarity electrochromic element in reverse to allow rapid return to a high visible light transmission (VLT) state.
7. The two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) of claim 1 , wherein substantially an entire inside surface of the inner pane is coated with the single-polarity electrochromic element.
8. A two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) comprising:
an outer pane on a sun-ward side of the window unit,
an inner pane on an opposite side of the outer pane from the sun-ward side of the window unit,
wherein a full window area of the outer pane is coated on an inside surface of the two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) with a semitransparent organic photovoltaic module including one or more cells connected in series and/or parallel, and
wherein the inner pane is coated on an inside surface of the two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) with a single-polarity electrochromic element,
the outer pane and the inner pane being electrically connected such that a voltage produced by the organic photovoltaic module, when illuminated, drives the single-polarity electrochromic window into a low visible light transmission (VLT) state,
wherein the two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) is electrically connected to a building infrastructure and includes manual controls configured to drive the single-polarity electrochromic element to a dark state in an absence of a photovoltage using building power.
9. The two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) of claim 8 , wherein the single-polarity electrochromic element includes a plurality of different materials.
10. The two-pane insulated glass window unit (IGU) of claim 8 , wherein a full window area of the inner pane is coated with the single-polarity electrochromic element.