GB2562751A

GB2562751A - Improved solar panel

Info

Publication number: GB2562751A
Application number: GB1708275.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kim Terence Ong Wee
Original assignee: 7 Corp Pte Ltd
Current assignee: 7 Corp Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2017-05-24
Filing date: 2017-05-24
Publication date: 2018-11-28
Also published as: WO2018215963A1; GB201708275D0

Abstract

A concentrator photovoltaic panel (CPV, see solar cell assembly 3) comprising a light concentrator (lenses 35) for focusing infrared filtered light and a plurality of solar cells (solar panel 39) wherein the light concentrator is provided in a vacuum chamber (21). The concentrator PV includes an IR filtering element (hot mirror panel 11) for filtering out infrared light. The lenses 35 may be bar-type lenses (elongated lenses). Alternatively the light concentrator may include a pair of elongated flat mirrors (80, fig 5) in combination with an elongated parabolic concave mirror (83, fig 5). The concentrator PV can be provided with a solar tracking unit. Alternatively the concentrator PV (3, fig 1) may be included in a hybrid PV-thermal system that includes a solar collector 58 and a solar tracking mechanism 6 (rotatable platform 64). The solar collector may include a reflective steel plate, a heat exchanger 59 and a thermal storage device 60. The reflective steel plate may have a parabolic cross section and the concentrator PV may be positioned at a focal point of the plate. A further invention concerns an ultraviolet (UV) light device for curing a coating.

Description

(56) Documents Cited:

US 5973825 A US 20120152315 A1

US 20110247678 A1 US 20110083720 A1

US 20110048498 A1 US 20100012171 A1 ''Researchgate Internet forum discussion (1014) (58) Field of Search:

INT CLH01L, H02S

Other: EPODOC, WPI, PatentFulltext, INSPEC, XPAIP, ELSEVIER, ΧΡΙΟΡ, ΧΡΙ3Ε, ΧΡΙΕΕ, SPRINGER, NPL (54) Title of the Invention: Improved solar panel

Abstract Title: Concentrator PV using vacuum for thermal insulation (57) A concentrator photovoltaic panel (CPV, see solar cell assembly 3) comprising a light concentrator (lenses 35) for focusing infrared filtered light and a plurality of solar cells (solar panel 39) wherein the light concentrator is provided in a vacuum chamber (21). The concentrator PV includes an IR filtering element (hot mirror panel 11) for filtering out infrared light. The lenses 35 may be bar-type lenses (elongated lenses). Alternatively the light concentrator may include a pair of elongated flat mirrors (80, fig 5) in combination with an elongated parabolic concave mirror (83, fig 5). The concentrator PV can be provided with a solar tracking unit. Alternatively the concentrator PV (3, fig 1) may be included in a hybrid PV-thermal system that includes a solar collector 58 and a solar tracking mechanism 6 (rotatable platform 64). The solar collector may include a reflective steel plate, a heat exchanger 59 and a thermal storage device 60. The reflective steel plate may have a parabolic cross section and the concentrator PV may be positioned at a focal point of the plate. A further invention concerns an ultraviolet (UV) light device for curing a coating.

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IMPROVED SOLAR PANEL

The present application relates to a solar cell assembly. In particular, it relates to a solar cell assembly with a solar tracking mechanism.

A solar cell assembly is an energy conversion device that converts solar radiation into electrical energy. The solar radiation refers to electromagnetic radiation given off by the sun, which includes infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light.

The solar cell assembly often includes a plurality of solar cells for converting the solar radiation into electrical energy, a cover glass for optical filtering and for protecting the solar cells from external influences, such as radiation, air, dust or water, and an adhesive layer for binding the cover glass to the solar cell and for forming an air-tight seal between the cover glass and the solar cell.

A solar cell assembly can be provided with a solar tracking unit for tracking positions of the sun as the sun moves across the sky. The solar tracking unit is configured to position the solar cell assembly for receiving the solar radiation at different times of the day.

CN103258891 discloses a solar cell panel. The solar cell panel includes a solar cell panel body, a metal frame, a lighttransmitting rear glass panel, and a junction box. The metal frame includes two opposing grooves which are inlaid with the solar cell panel body and with the light-transmitting rear glass panel. A cavity, which is formed by the solar cell panel body, by the metal frame, and by the light transmitting real glass panel, is filled with gas. The junction box is provided in an opening junction box cavity that is formed in the metal frame .

US4586488A shows a reflective solar tracking system. The system includes a reflector, which is mounted on an assembly that incorporates a drive mechanism for rotating the reflector about two axes to compensate for altitudinal and azimuthal changes in the position of the sun. The system also includes a sensor device which is adapted to point at the sun and to provide control signals to the drive mechanism for moving the reflector in response to solar movement such that sunlight is always reflected onto the collector and at the same time, the sensor device is moved so as to track the sun.

It is an object of this application to provide an improved solar energy conversion device.

The application provides an improved solar cell assembly for solar energy conversion. The solar cell assembly refers to an energy conversion device using solar cells or photovoltaic cells to convert solar radiation into electrical energy. The solar cell refers to an electrical device which is usually made of silicon that has a photovoltaic effect, in which a voltage or an electric current is generated when the silicon is exposed to light.

In detail, the silicon includes electrons that are usually not free to move from an atom to another atom since the electrons are attracted towards nuclei of atoms by an electrostatic force of attraction. When the light strikes the silicon, the light provides energy that is needed to enable some electrons of the silicon to escape from the atoms to become free electrons. These free electrons later flow through an external circuit, which is electrically connected to the solar cell, to form an electric current.

The number of the free electrons generated depends on the amount of the light energy the electrons receive. The higher the light intensity, the higher the light energy for providing higher number of free electrons, thereby producing a larger electric current.

The solar cell assembly includes an infrared filtering element for receiving solar radiation from the sun and for filtering out infrared light of the solar radiation. The infrared light can be filtered out by reflecting away the infrared light while allowing visible and ultraviolet light of the solar radiation to pass through the infrared filtering element.

The solar cell assembly also includes a light concentrating device for receiving the filtered light from the infrared filtering element and for focusing the filtered light onto a spot or an area. The filtered light can be focused either by reflection or by refraction of light. The focused filtered light provides higher light intensity, which contains more energy.

The solar cell assembly further includes a solar panel comprising a plurality of solar cells for receiving the focused filtered light from the light concentrating device and for converting the received focused light into electrical energy.

The solar cell assembly also includes a vacuum chamber for thermal insulating. The vacuum chamber essentially does not contain anything to allow heat transfer via conduction or convection, thereby providing a thermal insulation layer for minimizing heat transfer through the vacuum chamber.

The light concentrating device is provided in the vacuum chamber .

The improved solar cell assembly advantageously provides higher solar energy conversion efficiency because the solar cells receives the focused filtered light, which contains high intensity of visible and ultraviolet light with higher solar energy for energy conversion. The focused filtered light essentially does not contain heat-generating infrared light, which can heat the solar cells to a higher temperature that will negatively influence the energy conversion efficiency of the solar cells.

The improved solar cell assembly also has a longer operating life as compared to other solar cell assemblies. This is because the vacuum chamber minimizes heat transfer from the surroundings to the solar cells to induce thermal stress on the solar cells.

Different implementations of the light concentrating device are possible.

In one implementation, the light concentrating device includes a plurality of bar-type convex lenses. Each bar-type convex lens refers to a lens that has a shape of a bar with a cross sectional area of a double convex lens. The bar-type convex lenses act to receive light, to refract the received light, and to emit the refracted light. The bar-type convex lenses provide easy and less costly implementation for focusing the filtered light onto numerous solar cells that are located within an area as compared to convex lenses that are available commercially.

In another implementation, the light concentrating device includes at least one receiving mirror for receiving the filtered light and for reflecting the filtered light, and includes a parabolic concave mirror for receiving the filtered light from the receiving mirror and for focusing the received light onto a spot or an area. Such a light concentrating device can be easily implemented.

The infrared filtering element can include an infrared reflective mirror, which reflects the received infrared light away from it.

The application also provides an improved solar energy conversion device. The solar energy conversion device includes the solar cell assembly that is described above and a solar tracking mechanism that is connected to the solar cell assembly for orienting the solar cell assembly to receive solar radiation despite the changing positions of the sun.

The solar tracking mechanism can include a solar sensor, a solar collector, a rotary structure, and a drive mechanism. The solar collector is intended for detecting positions of the sun and for sending detection signals in relation to the position of the sun. The solar collector is used for receiving solar radiation from the sun and for focusing the received solar radiation by reflection onto an area or a spot. The rotary structure is connected to the solar collector and to the solar cell assembly for orienting the solar collector to receive the solar radiation directly from the sun and for positioning the solar cell assembly for receiving the focused solar radiation from the solar collector. The drive mechanism is intended for rotating the rotary structure according to the detection signals from the solar sensor.

The rotary structure can include a rotatable platform with a supporting means that is attached to the solar collector and attached to the solar cell assembly.

The application also provides a light concentrating module for focusing light onto a spot.

The light concentrating module includes an infrared filtering element for receiving light from a light source, which emits visible light, infrared light, ultraviolet light or a combination of thereof and for filtering out the infrared light of the received light while allowing the other light to pass through.

The light concentrating module also includes a light concentrating device for receiving the filtered light and for focusing the filtered light to generate a high intense light beam either by reflection or refraction.

The light concentrating module further includes a vacuum chamber for thermal insulating. The vacuum chamber is essentially vacuum, which acts as a thermal insulation layer for minimizing heat transfer through the vacuum chamber. The light concentrating device is provided in the vacuum chamber.

The light concentrating device can include a plurality of bartype convex lenses, which are described above.

In one implementation, the light concentrating device includes at least one receiving mirror for receiving the filtered light and for reflecting the filtered light, and includes a concave mirror for focusing the received filtered light that is reflected from the receiving mirror onto a focal point or a focal area.

In a special implementation, the infrared filtering element includes an infrared reflective mirror, which reflects the received infrared light away from it.

The application also provides an ultraviolet (UV) light device for curing a coating. The coating refers to a layer of material such as ink, adhesive, or a coating material, which is bonded onto a surface.

The UV light device includes an UV light source for emitting light comprising essentially UV light and a reflector for receiving the emitted light as well as for focusing the received light. The UV light device also includes a light concentrating module described above. The light concentrating module is intended for receiving the focused emitted light from the reflector and for filtering out infrared light of the focused emitted light while allowing the UV light of the focused emitted light to pass through. The light concentrating module also acts to focus the filtered UV light onto the coating.

Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a solar energy conversion device,

Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of a solar concentrator assembly of the solar energy conversion device of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a portion of the solar concentrator assembly of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 illustrates an elongated convex lens of solar concentrator assembly of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram of another solar concentrator assembly, which is a variant of the so lar concentrator assembly of Figs. 1 and 2,

Fig. 6	illustrates a schematic diagram of a further solar concentrator assembly, which is another variant of the solar concentrator assembly of Figs. 1 and 2,
Fig. 7	illustrates an exploded perspective view of a portion of the solar concentrator assembly of Fig. 6,
Fig. 8	illustrates a schematic diagram of another variant of the solar concentrator assembly of Fig. 1, which is used for ultraviolet light (UV) curing, and
Fig. 9	illustrates a schematic diagram of an UV light device comprising the solar concentrator assembly of Fig. 8.
In the	following description, details are provided to de-
scribe	embodiments of the application. It shall be apparent to

one skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments may be practiced without such details.

Some parts of the embodiment have similar parts. The similar parts may have the same names or similar part numbers. The description of one similar part also applies by reference to another similar part, where appropriate, thereby reducing repe-

tition	of text without limiting the disclosure.
Fig. 1	shows an improved solar energy conversion device 1. The

improved solar energy conversion device 1 includes an improved solar concentrator assembly 3 with a reflective solar tracking mechanism 6. The solar concentrator assembly 3 is connected to the solar tracking mechanism 6.

The reflective solar tracking mechanism 6 includes a rotary structure 51 with a drive mechanism 54, a parabolic solar radiation and a thermal collector 58 with a heat exchanger 59 and with a thermal storage device 60, and a solar tracker 61.

The rotary structure 51 is connected to the solar collector

58, to the solar concentrator assembly 3, and to the driving mechanism 54. The driving mechanism 54 is also electrically connected to the solar tracker 61. The solar collector 58 is connected to the heat exchanger 59, which is connected to the thermal storage device 60.

The drive mechanism 54 includes an actuation device such as an electric motor.

The rotary structure 51 includes a rotatable platform 64, a vertical arm 67, and an inclined arm 70. The rotatable platform 64 is connected to the drive mechanism 54 while the vertical arm 67 is connected to the rotatable platform 64 and to the inclined arm 70.

In detail, the rotatable platform 64 has a rotational axis that is perpendicular to a major surface of the platform 64. A first end of the vertical arm 67 is connected to a part of the major surface of the rotatable platform 64 such that the vertical arm 67 is substantially perpendicular to the major surface of the platform 64. A part of the vertical arm 67 is connected to a first end of the inclined arm 70 such that the inclined arm 70 is inclined relative to the vertical arm 67. A second end of the vertical arm 67 is attached to the solar concentrator assembly 3.

A second end of the inclined arm 70 is connected to the solar collector 58 such that the solar collector 58 faces the solar concentrator assembly 3.

The parabolic solar collector 58 is made of an elongated steel plate with a cross-sectional shape of a parabola. The solar collector 58 is positioned such that the solar concentrator assembly 3 is approximately at a focal point of a concave reflective surface of the steel plate.

The solar tracker 61 includes a sensor device 73.

The heat exchanger 59 include pipes that contain heat transfer fluid.

The thermal storage device 60 refers to, for examples, a hot water tank or phase change materials that store thermal energy .

As better seen in Figs. 2,3, and 4, the solar concentrator assembly 3 includes a hot mirror panel 11, a light-concentrator unit 13, and a solar panel 39. The light-concentrator unit 13 is located between the hot mirror panel 11 and the solar panel 39.

The hot mirror panel 11 includes a rectangular panel of infrared-reflecting mirror.

The light-concentrator unit 13 includes a vacuum chamber body 21 and a plurality of bar-type convex lenses 35 with a support 42, which are provided inside the vacuum chamber body 21.

The vacuum chamber body 21 is made of, for an example, glass and is provided in a cuboid shape. The vacuum chamber body 21 includes an inner cavity 27, in which air, which transmits heat by conduction or convection, has been essentially evacuated or removed. In other words, the inner cavity 27 is essentially vacuum.

The vacuum chamber body 21 includes a first outer surface 30 and a second outer surface 33 that is opposite to the first outer surface 30. The first outer surface 30 is adhered to a surface the hot mirror panel 11 while the second outer surface is adhered to a surface the solar panel 39. Edge portions of the hot mirror panel 11, of the vacuum chamber body 21, and of the solar panel 39 are sealed together with sealants 41.

Each convex lens 35 has a bar-like lens body having a crosssectional shape of a convex lens. The lens body includes an elongated convex light incident surface 37 and an elongated convex light emission surface 38, which is opposite to the elongated light incident surface 37. Two ends the lens body are connected to the support 42, which is attached to inner side walls of the vacuum chamber body 21. The convex lenses 35 are arranged in rows separating from each other such that the light incident surfaces 37 face the hot mirror panel 11 and the light emission surfaces 38 face the solar panel 39.

The solar panel 39 includes a plurality of solar cells 49 with a cover glass plate 48, which is provided on surfaces of the solar cells 49 facing the light emission surfaces 38 of the convex lenses 35. The solar cells 49 are arranged at a focal plane of the convex lenses 35. Each solar cell 49 includes a photovoltaic cell, which is provided by silicon that is deposited on a substrate, such as glass.

In use, the hot mirror panel 11 of the solar concentrator assembly 3 is intended for reflecting infrared, heat-generating wavelengths of solar radiation away while allowing visible and ultraviolet wavelengths of the solar radiation to pass through for reaching the convex lenses 35. In other words, the hot mirror panel 11 prevents the infrared light, which causes heating of an object, from reaching the convex lenses 35.

The convex lenses 35, which act as light concentrators, are used for focusing the received visible and ultraviolet light rays by refraction to provide a more intense light beam for projecting onto a spot or a point of the solar cells 49. The increased or concentrated light intensity serves to provide more solar energy to the solar cells 49.

The solar cells 49 are intended for converting the received light beam directly into electricity. In detail, the light of the solar radiation comprises photons that carry energy. When the photons strike the solar cells 49 and then bump into elec trons of atoms of the solar cells 49, the photons and the electrons exchange energy. This energy exchange causes the electrons, which travel in circular orbits around nuclei of the atoms, to gain energy and later jump from an orbit of low energy state to another orbit of a higher-energy state, which is further away from the nuclei of the atoms. These energized electrons afterward overcome an electrostatic force of attrac tion between the electrons and the nuclei of the atoms and then escape from the atoms to become free electrons. These free electrons later flow through an external circuit, which is electrically connected to the solar cells 49, to form an electric current.

The cover glass plate 48 serves to protect the solar cells 49 from external influences, such as air, dust, or water.

The vacuum chamber body 21 with the vacuum cavity 27 is used as a thermal insulation layer for minimizing heat transfer via conduction and convection from the surroundings to the solar cells 49, thereby preventing the temperature of the solar cells 49 from rising. This avoids or eliminates negative influence on an energy conversion efficiency of the solar cells 49 due to a higher temperature.

Referring to the reflective solar tracking mechanism 6, the sensor device 73 of the solar tracker 61 acts to detect positions of the sun, and to send control signals to the drive mechanism 54.

The drive mechanism 54 is intended for rotating the rotatable platform 64 by an angular distance according to the received control signals.

The rotating platform 64 serves to rotate the vertical arm 67 and the inclined arm 70 together about the rotational axis of the rotatable platform 64 for orienting the solar collector 58 to face towards the sun.

The vertical arm 67 and the inclined arm 70 are used for positioning the solar concentrator assembly 3 and the solar collector 58 in predetermined positions.

The solar collector 58 serves to receive solar radiation from the sun and to focus or concentrate the received solar radiation onto the solar concentrator assembly 3.

In other words, the solar tracker 61 enables the solar reflector 58 and the solar concentrator assembly 3 to move in response to solar movement such that the solar reflector 58 receives the solar radiation from the sun and focuses the received solar radiation onto the solar concentrator assembly 3 at any time of the day despite the changing positions of the sun.

The solar collector 58 also acts as a thermal absorber or thermal collector for absorbing heat-generating infrared radiation from the sun and for transferring the absorbed heat to the heat exchanger 59.

In short, the solar collector 58 provides two functions. It not only acts to focus the solar radiation for providing more solar energy for energy conversion, but also gathers solar heat for heating purpose.

The heat exchanger 59 is intended for transferring the heat from the solar collector 58 to the thermal storage device 60.

The thermal storage device 60 serves to store the thermal energy received from the heat exchanger 59.

Fig. 5 shows another solar concentrator assembly 3a, which is a variant of the solar concentrator assembly 3 described above. The solar concentrator assembly 3a provides another implementation of the light-concentrator unit 13.

The solar concentrator assembly 3a includes a hot mirror panel 11a, a light-concentrator unit 13a, and a solar panel 39a. An arrangement of the hot mirror panel 11a, the light-concentrator unit 13a, and the solar panel 39a is similar to the arrangement of the hot mirror panel 11, the light-concentrator unit 13, and the solar panel 39 of the solar concentrator ass emb1y 3.

The hot mirror panel 11a and the solar panel 39a include parts, which are similar to the corresponding parts of the hot mirror panel 11 and the solar panel 39 of the solar concentrator assembly 3.

The light-concentrator unit 13a includes a vacuum chamber body

21a and a plurality of light-concentrators 24, which are located inside the vacuum chamber body 21a.

The vacuum chamber body 21a has features that are similar to the corresponding features of the vacuum chamber body 21 of the solar concentrator assembly 3.

Each light-concentrator 24 includes a pair of elongated flat mirrors 80 and an elongated parabolic concave mirror 83. The flat mirrors 80 and the concave mirror 83 are arranged such that the flat mirrors 80 are positioned inclined towards each other for receiving light rays and for reflecting the received light rays onto an inner surface the concave mirror 83. The concave mirror 83 is also arranged such that solar cells 49a of the solar panel unit 16a of the solar concentrator assembly 3a are positioned at a focal plane of the concave mirror 83. In other words, in use, the concave mirror 83 serves to focus or concentrate the received light rays from the flat mirrors 80 by reflection to provide a light beam of high intensity for projecting onto the solar cells 49a of the solar panel 39a.

Fig. 6 shows a further solar concentrator assembly 3b, which is another variant of the solar concentrator assembly 3.

The solar concentrator assembly 3b includes a hot mirror panel lib, a light-concentrator unit 13b, and a solar panel unit 16. The light-concentrator unit 13b is located between the hot mirror panel lib and the solar panel unit 16.

The hot mirror panel lib includes a rectangular panel of infrared-reflecting mirror.

The light-concentrator unit 13b includes a vacuum chamber body

21b and a light-concentrator panel 23 which is provided inside the vacuum chamber body 21b.

The vacuum chamber body 21b is provided in a cuboid shape. The vacuum chamber body 21b includes a vacuum cavity 27b. The vacuum chamber body 21b is placed between the hot mirror panel lib and the solar panel unit 16 such that the vacuum chamber body 21b contacts the hot mirror panel lib and the solar panel unit 16. Edge portions of the hot mirror panel lib, of the vacuum chamber body 21b, and of the solar panel unit 16 are sealed together with sealants 41b.

As better seen in Fig. 7, the light-concentrator panel 23 includes a plurality of apertures 25 that are arranged in an array. Each aperture 25 is mounted with a convex lens 36. The convex lens 36 is arranged such that surfaces of the convex lens 36 faces the hot mirror panel lib and the solar panel unit 16.

The solar panel unit 16 includes a solar panel 39b, a plurality of supporting means 43, and a backing plate 46. The supporting means 43 is positioned between the solar panel 39b and the backing plate 46.

The solar panel 39b includes a plurality of solar cells 49b.

The solar cells 49b are arranged such that each solar cell 49b faces a corresponding convex lens 36 of the light-concentrator panel 23 and it is placed at a predetermined position that is located at a focal point of the corresponding convex lens 36. Each solar cell 49b includes a photovoltaic cell. The photovoltaic cell is provided by silicon that is deposited on a substrate, such as glass.

The supporting means 43 is arranged such that each supporting means 43 supports a corresponding solar cell 49b in a predetermined position. The supporting means 43, which are made of thermal conductive material, are provided on the backing plate for conducting heat away from the solar cells 49b.

The backing plate 46 is made of, for example, tempered glass for acting as a heat sink in thermal conductive contact with the supporting means 43 for transferring heat away to the surroundings .

In a special implementation, the hot mirror panel 11 is coated with a layer of infrared reflective material for increasing its ability to reflect infrared light.

Other implementations of the light-concentrator 24 are possible. The light-concentrator 24 can include plano-convex lenses, gradient-index (GRIN) lenses having a refractive index gradient increasing from its centre plane, Fresnel lenses, hybrid lenses having a cylindrical lens in the centre and a set of total internal refection (TIR) structures on the edges, parabolic reflectors, or pairs of compound parabolic reflective mirrors.

The improved solar energy conversion device 1 provides several advantages .

The improved solar energy conversion device 1 provides higher solar energy conversion efficiency because the solar cells 49 receives high intensity of solar radiation from the light-concentrators. Furthermore, the hot mirror panel 11 prevents heat-generating infrared light from reaching the solar cells 49 to heat the solar cells 49 to a higher temperature, which will lower the energy conversion efficiency of the solar cells

49.

The solar energy conversion device 1 also has a longer operating life as compared to other solar cell assemblies, wherein solar cells of these solar cell assemblies receive infrared light. This is because thermal stress on the solar cells 49 is minimized by preventing the infrared light from heating the solar cells 49 and by the vacuum chamber body 21, which minimizes heat being transferred from the surroundings to the solar cells 49.

The higher energy conversion efficiency and longer operating life of the solar energy conversion device 1 also leads to lower manufacturing cost and operating cost. This is different from other solar cell assemblies which are not provided with light concentrators or with infrared filter, wherein the solar cell assemblies require more solar cells for generating the same amount of electricity.

Fig. 8 shows a light concentrator module 79, which is another variant of the solar concentrator assembly 3. This light concentrator module 79 can be used for ultraviolet (UV) curing of ink or a coating on a surface.

The light concentrator module 79 includes a hot mirror panel 81, a light-concentrator unit 85, and a glass plate 89. The light-concentrator unit 85 is located between the hot mirror panel 81 and the glass plate 89. Edge portions of the hot mirror panel 81, of the light-concentrator unit 85, and of the glass plate 89 are sealed together with sealants 91.

The hot mirror panel 81 and the light-concentrator unit 85 have features, which are similar to the features of the hot mirror panel 11 and the light-concentrator unit 13 of the solar concentrator assembly 3.

In use, as better seen in Fig. 9, the light concentrator module 79 is positioned relative to an UV lamp 93, which emits essentially UV light and some infrared light as a by-product, and relative to an elliptical reflector 97 having a concave surface such that UV light rays and infrared light rays emitted from the UV lamp 93 are being reflected by the concave surface of the reflector 97 to focus onto the light concentrator module 79.

The hot mirror panel 81 of the light concentrator module 79 then receives the reflected UV light and the infrared light. It later reflects away the received infrared light and allows the received UV light to pass through and travel towards the light-concentrator unit 85.

The light-concentrator unit 85 afterward receives the UV light and then focuses the received UV light to generate a high intense UV light beam for projecting onto a surface 99 that is coated with a material such as ink, coating, or adhesive. The high intense UV light beam then acts to cure the coating.

The light concentrator module 79 advantageously provides high intensity of UV light that is needed for facilitating the coating material to be bonded with the surface 99 firmly and quickly, without a need for a higher power UV lamp, thereby reducing an operating cost of UV curing. It also removes infrared wavelengths of light to avoid shrinkage and bending of a thin sheet after curing.

Although the above description contains much specificity, this should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments but merely providing illustration of the foreseeable embodiments. The above-stated advantages of the embodiments should not be construed especially as limiting the scope of the embodiments but merely to explain possible achievements if the described embodiments are put into practice. Thus, the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the claims and their equivalents, rather than by the examples given.

REFERENCE	NUMBERS
1	solar energy conversion device
3	solar concentrator assembly
3a	solar concentrator assembly
3b	solar concentrator assembly
6	solar tracking mechanism
11	hot mirror panel
11a	hot mirror panel
lib	hot mirror panel
13	light-concentrator unit
13a	light-concentrator unit
13b	light-concentrator unit
16	solar panel unit
21	vacuum chamber body
21a	vacuum chamber body
21b	vacuum chamber body
23	light-concentrator panel
24	light-concentrator
25	aperture
27	inner cavity
27b	vacuum cavity
30	first outer side surface
33	second outer side surface
35	elongated convex lens
36	convex lens
37	light incident surface
38	light emission surface
39	solar panel
39a	solar panel
3 9b	solar panel
41	sealant
41b	sealant
42	support

43	supporting means
46	backing plate
49	solar cell
49a	solar cell
51	rotary structure
54	drive mechanism
58	solar collector
59	heat exchanger
60	thermal storage device
61	solar tracker
64	rotatable platform
67	vertical arm
70	inclined arm
73	sensor device
79	light concentrator module
80	flat mirror
81	hot mirror panel
83	parabolic concave mirror
85	light-concentrator unit
89	glass plate
91	sealants
93	UV 1amp
97	reflector
99	surface

Claims

1. A solar cell assembly for solar energy conversion comprising an infrared filtering element for filtering out infrared light, a light concentrating device for focusing the filtered light, a solar panel comprising a plurality of solar cells for converting the focused light into electrical energy, and a vacuum chamber for thermal insulating, wherein the light concentrating device is provided in the vacuum chamber.

2. The solar cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein the light concentrating device comprises a plurality of bar-type convex lenses.

3. The solar cell assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the light concentrating device comprises at least one receiving mirror for receiving the filtered light, and a concave mirror for focusing the filtered light from the receiving mirror.

4. The solar cell assembly according to one of the above-mentioned claims, wherein the infrared filtering element comprises an infrared reflective mirror.

5. A solar energy conversion device comprising a solar cell assembly of one of claims 1 to 4, and a solar tracking mechanism being connected to the solar cell assembly for orienting the solar cell assembly to receive solar radiation.

6. The solar energy conversion device according to claim 5, wherein the solar tracking mechanism comprises a solar sensor for detecting positions of the sun and for sending detection signals, a solar collector for receiving solar radiation from the sun and for focusing the solar radiation, a rotary structure being connected to the solar collector and to the solar cell assembly for orienting the solar collector to receive the solar radiation from the sun and for positioning the solar cell assembly for receiving the focused solar radiation from the solar collector, and a drive mechanism for rotating the rotary structure according to the detection signals.

7. The solar energy conversion device according to claim 6, wherein the rotary structure comprises a rotatable platform with a supporting means that is attached to the solar collector and attached to the solar cell assembly.

8. A light concentrating module for focusing light comprising an infrared filtering element for filtering out infrared light, a light concentrating device for focusing the filtered light, and a vacuum chamber for thermal insulating, wherein the light concentrating device is provided in the vacuum chamber.

9. The light concentrating module according to claim 8, wherein the light concentrating device comprises a plurality of bar-type convex lenses.

10. The light concentrating module according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the light concentrating device comprises at least one receiving mirror for receiving the filtered light, and a concave mirror for focusing the filtered light from the receiving mirror.

11. The light concentrating module according to one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the infrared filtering element comprises an infrared reflective mirror.

12. An ultraviolet (UV) light device for curing a coating comprising an UV light source for emitting light comprising essentially UV light, a reflector for focusing the emitted light, and a light concentrating module according to claims 8 to 11 for filtering out infrared light of the focused emitted light from the reflector and for focusing the filtered UV light onto the coating.

07 06 18

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows;

1. A solar cell assembly for solar energy conversion comprising

5 an infrared filtering element for filtering out infrared light, a light concentrating device for focusing the filtered light, a solar panel comprising a plurality of solar cells for

10 converting the focused light into electrical energy, and a vacuum chamber for thermal insulating, wherein the light concentrating device is provided in the vacuum chamber and the solar panel is provided outside the vacuum chamber .

2. The solar cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein the solar panel is attached to an outer surface of the vacuum chamber .

20 3. The solar cell assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the light concentrating device comprises a plurality of bartype convex lenses.

4. The solar cell assembly according to claim 3, wherein each

25 of the bar-type convex lenses comprises an elongated convex light incident surface and an elongated convex light emission surface .

5. The solar cell assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein 30 the light concentrating device comprises at least one receiving mirror for receiving the filtered light, and a concave mirror for focusing the filtered light from the receiving mirror.

07 06 18

6. The solar cell assembly according to one of the above-mentioned claims, wherein the infrared filtering element comprises an infrared reflective mirror.

7. A solar energy conversion device comprising a solar cell assembly of one of claims 1 to 6, and a solar tracking mechanism being connected to the solar cell assembly for orienting the solar cell assembly to receive 10 solar radiation.

8. The solar energy conversion device according to claim 7, wherein the solar tracking mechanism comprises a solar sensor for detecting positions of the sun and for

15 sending detection signals, a solar collector for receiving solar radiation from the sun and for focusing the solar radiation, a rotary structure being connected to the solar collector and to the solar cell assembly for orienting the solar collec20 tor to receive the solar radiation from the sun and for positioning the solar cell assembly for receiving the focused solar radiation from the solar collector, and a drive mechanism for rotating the rotary structure according to the detection signals.

9. The solar energy conversion device according to claim 8, wherein the rotary structure comprises a rotatable platform with a supporting means that is attached to the solar collector and attached to the solar cell assembly.

10. A light concentrating module for focusing light comprising an infrared filtering element for filtering out infrared light,

07 06 18 a light concentrating device for focusing the filtered light, and a vacuum chamber for thermal insulating, wherein the light concentrating device is provided in the vac5 uum chamber.

11. The light concentrating module according to claim 10, wherein the light concentrating device comprises a plurality of bar-type convex lenses.

12. The light concentrating module according to claim 11, wherein each of the bar-type convex lenses comprises an elongated convex light incident surface and an elongated convex light emission surface.

13. The light concentrating module according to claim 10, wherein the light concentrating device comprises at least one receiving mirror for receiving the filtered light, and

20 a concave mirror for focusing the filtered light from the receiving mirror.

14. The light concentrating module according to one of claims

10 to 13, wherein the infrared filtering element comprises an

25 infrared reflective mirror.

Application No: GB1708275.1

Intellectual

Property Office