IP Library Granted Patent US 10,014,803
Granted Patent B2
US 10,014,803 · App. 14/233,685 · Granted Jul 3, 2018

Active cooling for a concentrated photovoltaic cell

Inventors: Rainer Krause (Mainz-Kostheim, DE); Bruno Ghyselen (Seyssinet, FR)
Assignee: SAINT-AUGUSTIN CANADA ELECTRIC INC.
H02N11/002H01F41/14H01L31/052H01L37/04H02S40/44Y02E10/50Y10T29/4902
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,014,803
App. No.
14/233,685
Granted
Jul 3, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wasted heat harvesting device for harvesting electricity including a switching device configured to convey a magnetic field from a first region to at least a second region when the temperature of the switching device crosses a predetermined temperature.

Claims (28)

1. A photovoltaic cell including at least one wasted heat harvesting semiconductor device including a switching device configured to convey a magnetic field from a first region to at least a second region when a temperature of the switching device crosses a predetermined temperature; and further including:

a magnetic device configured to generate the magnetic field;

a magnetic flux conveyor configured to convey a magnetic flux generated by the switching of the switching device; and

an electricity-generating device configured to generate electricity from the magnetic flux, wherein a surface of the switching device and a surface of the electricity-generating device are on a same plane.

2. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the switching device is a magnetic alloy switch.

3. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein a first side of the magnetic flux conveyor is connected to one pole of the magnetic device and the switching device is located between a second side of the magnetic flux conveyor and another pole of the magnetic device.

4. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the electricity-generating device includes a coil wound around the magnetic flux conveyor.

5. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic flux conveyor comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of iron and a ferromagnetic alloy.

6. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic device comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of SmCo 5 , Sm 2 Co 15 , Nd 2 Fe 14 B and Ba ferrite.

7. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the switching device comprises Gd 5 (Si x Ge 1-x ) 4 .

8. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , further comprising a wasted heat harvesting system including the at least one wasted heat harvesting device, and wherein the at least one wasted heat harvesting device comprises at least two wasted heat harvesting devices, each of the at least two wasted heat harvesting devices further including a device power output for outputting electricity generated by the electricity-generating device.

9. The photovoltaic cell of claim 8 , wherein the device power outputs of the at least two wasted heat harvesting devices are connected in parallel or in series.

10. The photovoltaic cell of claim 9 , further comprising an AC/DC converter connected to the device power outputs, an output of the AC/DC converter connected to a power output of the wasted heat harvesting system.

11. The photovoltaic cell of claim 8 , further comprising a first AC/DC converter connected to the device power output of one of the at least two wasted heat harvesting devices, and a second AC/DC converter connected to the device power output of another of the at least two wasted heat harvesting devices.

12. The photovoltaic cell of claim 11 , wherein an output of the first AC/DC converter and an output of the second AC/DC converter are connected in series or in parallel, and a combined output of the first AC/DC converter and the second AC/DC converter is connected to a power output of the wasted heat harvesting system.

13. The photovoltaic cell of claim 8 , wherein the at least two wasted heat harvesting devices are configured to operate out of phase.

14. The photovoltaic cell of claim 8 , wherein the first of the at least two wasted heat harvesting devices is configured to output electricity while the second of the at least two wasted heat harvesting devices does not output electricity.

15. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the electricity-generating device is configured to generate an alternating current.

16. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein a dimension of the wasted heat harvesting device is about 5 mm by about 5 mm.

17. An energy harvesting system comprising:

at least one photovoltaic cell comprising:

a photovoltaic comprising at least one surface; and

at least one lens configured to focus light on the at least one surface of the photovoltaic, and

at least one wasted heat harvesting device in thermal contact with the at least one photovoltaic cell, the at least one wasted heat harvesting device comprising:

a magnetic device configured to generate a magnetic field;

a switching device configured to convey a magnetic field from a first region to at least a second region when a temperature of the switching device crosses a predetermined temperature;

a magnetic flux conveyor configured to convey a magnetic flux generated by a switching of the switching device; and

an electricity-generating device configured to generate electricity from the magnetic flux, wherein a surface of the switching device and a surface of the electricity-generating device are on a same plane.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE'S ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 042027 FRAME 0329. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 12, 2018
From: SOITEC
To: SAINT-AUGUSTIN CANADA ELECTRIC INC.
Reel/Frame 047059/0989 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2017
From: SOITEC
To: SAINT-AUGUSTIN CANADA ELECTRIC INC.
Reel/Frame 042027/0329 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2014
From: KRAUSE, RAINER; GHYSELEN, BRUNO
To: SOITEC
Reel/Frame 034042/0900 →
Priority Claims (1)
FR 11 56837 · Jul 26, 2011 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140144486A1 · May 29, 2014