GB2498448A - PV array with external field applied across solar cells. - Google Patents

PV array with external field applied across solar cells. Download PDF

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GB2498448A
GB2498448A GB1300351.2A GB201300351A GB2498448A GB 2498448 A GB2498448 A GB 2498448A GB 201300351 A GB201300351 A GB 201300351A GB 2498448 A GB2498448 A GB 2498448A
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external field
field
array
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photovoltaic cells
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GB201300351D0 (en
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Stephen William Bell
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S40/00—Components or accessories in combination with PV modules, not provided for in groups H02S10/00 - H02S30/00
    • H02S40/40—Thermal components
    • H02S40/44—Means to utilise heat energy, e.g. hybrid systems producing warm water and electricity at the same time
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L27/00—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate
    • H01L27/14—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation
    • H01L27/142—Energy conversion devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/02—Details
    • H01L31/02016—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices
    • H01L31/02019—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier
    • H01L31/02021—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier for solar cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/042—PV modules or arrays of single PV cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/054—Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means
    • H01L31/0547—Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means comprising light concentrating means of the reflecting type, e.g. parabolic mirrors, concentrators using total internal reflection
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S99/00—Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10K—ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K30/00—Organic devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation
    • H10K30/80—Constructional details
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y02E10/52—PV systems with concentrators
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y02E10/549—Organic PV cells
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/60—Thermal-PV hybrids

Abstract

Apparatus (2) for generating electricity from solar energy, which appa ratus (2) comprises an array of photovoltaic cells arranged to generate the electricity from the solar energy, and means for establishing an external field able to enhanc e the operation of the array of photovoltaic cells such that the array of photovoltaic cells produce more electricity than would be the case without the presence of the external field. The external field may be an electric field, a magnetic field, an electrostatic field, a static field, a dynamic field, an oscillatory field, a high frequency field, a low frequency field. Polarisation means may be included for linear or elliptical polarization of light incident on the PV array. A concentrating means may be included to concentrate light onto the PV array.

Description

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICTY
FROM SOLAR ENERGY
This invention relates to apparatus for generating electricity from solar energy.
Apparatus for generating electricity from solar energy is known. The known apparatus may employ an array of photovoltaic cells arranged to generate the electricity from the solar energy. The photovoltaic cells may be deployed in two arrangements. The first arrangement is in flat panels, with the flat panels usually being fixed to the ground or on buildings. The second : arrangement is.in concentrators, where a mirror or a lens captures solar energy falling on ar, area larger than that of a photovoltaic cell array, and where the captured solar energy is then brought to an approximate focus on an array of photovoltaic cells. The concentrators may operate with magnifications up to 1,000, and they are usually engineered in order to enable them to follow the motion of the sun. The efficiency of converting solar energy into electricity is low. Typically, flat panels of silicon photovoltaic cells operate at an efficiency of 18% at best The latest triple-type junction cells operating at high magnification are able to operate at an efficiency of 40%.
Thus whilst the latest triple junction cells operate* at improved efficiency compared with flat panels of silicon photovoltaic cells, the improvements come at a cost. There is a need to find simpler and cheaper ways of achieving higher efficiency.
It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problems.
Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided apparatus for generating electricity from solar energy, which apparatus comprises an array of photovoltaic cells arranged to generate the electricity from the solar energy, and means for establishing an external field able to enhance the operation of the array of photovoltaic cells such that the array of photovoltaic cells produces more electricity than would be the case
without the presence of the external field.
Preferably, the apparatus is one in which the external field is an electric external field. If desired however the external field may be a magnetic external field, an electrostatic external field, or any other suitable and * * *
appropriate type of external field.
* The external field may be a static external field. Alternatively, the * * external field may be a dynamic external field. Where the external field is a dynamic external field, then the dynamic external field may be an oscillatory
external field.
The external field may be a high frequency external field. Alternatively, the external field may be a low frequency external field.
Preferably, the apparatus of the present invention is one in which at least one material in each one of the photovoltaic cells in the array of photovoltaic cells is selected to have a work function that provides an electromotive force to drive the photovoltaic cell, and a structure able to provide required internal electron flow in the material. The work function of the or each material will usually be higher than the work function of presently used materials in photovoltaic cells.
The apparatus of the present invention may include polarisation means for polarising the solar energy for the array of photovoltaic cells.
The polarisation means may be for effecting linear polarisation of the sélar energy. Alternatively, the polarisation means may be for effecting elliptical polarisation of the solar energy.
/ The apparatus of the present invention may include concentrator means for concentrating the solar energy for the array of photovoltaic cells.
Preferably, the concentrator means is a collimator concentrator means.
The bollimator concentrator means may be a collimator concentrator can. * .
Other types of concentrator means may be employed.
* Electrostatic fields are not the only fields that can influence the release of electrons from a solar-illuminated surface. Nor is it only the * release of electrons from that surface that may be of benefit in enhancing the * . output of electricity from a PV system. The internal movement of electrons from the n-junction to the p-junction must also be examined. This electron flow can be regarded as having a resistance that needs to be minirnised if the output of the PV cell is to be optimised. In all cases, only the use of minimal energy may be required to provide adequate excitation.
The provision of an external field of any type can be chosen with a view to facilitating the release of electrons from the solar-illuminated surface, or to facilitate the passage of electrons through the body of the PV cell It is believed that this approach to the choice of PV materials has not been discussed and explored.
Laser Fields
Laser fields powered by a trivially small energy supply emanating from the system's own photovoltaic cells (PV) output (or externally provided), can be fed to a laser or lasers, with an output frequency tuned to excite the perturbation of the PV orbitals. While PV cells such are currently in use or in development are not excluded from the treatment by this excitation, there is the opportunity to widen the range of PV cell materials with this specific objective in mind. In this way, the PV cell array can be encouraged to deliver more electrons than when the orbitals were in their ground state.
: For example, if the laser frequency is chosen to be in a region where PV generation was difficult (e.g. in the red or infra-red) the release of electrons will be facilitated. Alternatively, the peak excitation frequency can be * the same frequency as that favoured by the maximum absorption (PV electron transfer) bands of the PV cell. This process suggests the name of Laser Amplification could be appropriate. The laser beam may be applied to the cell(s) in an oscillatory manner across the face of the cell(s).
Nigh Frequency Fields
High frequency fields can be used to augment or replace a simple static electrical field, unconnected to the PV circuit. Alternatively, the high frequency signal can be connected to one of the cell junctions. If the n-junction is that receiving primary solar radiation, the PV orbitals would thereby be additionally energised. Alternatively, the source of such a frequency can simply be connected to the raw DC output of the cell array.
Polarisation Light arriving directly from the sun is not polarised. However, after specular reflection the light can be polarised. The polarisation may be linear (as that from the sea surface) or it can be elliptically polarised in all its forms from circular to linear.
There is an opportunity to increase the efficiency of PV generation if polarised incoming radiation is in a compatible alignment with the PV surface.
It is known that unpolarised light is converted to electricity at a surface having * 0* random atomic organisation, but it is also known that crystal alignment in flat silicon enhances PV output. Considering the effect of polarisation of the light ** I in the incident beam, on a surface with random atomic organisation of the PV * : material, enhanced output is unlikely. However if a crystalline (or quantum ****.* * well) arrangement of the PV material can be arranged, and that crystal orientation can be aligned appropriately with the direction of linear polarisation, then increased output can be expected.
It is usually assumed that the PV surface is normal to the axis of the arriving light beam, but this assumption is usually false in the case of flat arrays. Concentrator, sun-following systems optimise near-normal incidence, and, once optimum angles of polarisation and crystal alignment have been worked out, enhanced levels of PV output can be arranged.
Organisation and Management of Polarised light It is a simple matter to interpose a flat plate mirror such that light reflected from it will be polarised, and for that light to fall upon the PV cell array. The scope for crystal alignment in the PV cell substance will vary widely but most elements can be organised in a crystal form. Magnetised needles, permanent or induced, can be aligned with the incoming polarisation better to yield PV output. Surfaces with quantum dots or quantum wells would benefit potentially from polarisation alignment. Heat e
One advantage in introducing a reflector plate beforéthe PV cell array, * despite the possibility of losses at that surface, is that it allows the removal of heat. This is particularly important for concentrator systems working at high magnification. Although it is expected that every PV cell array in a fl*.es concentrator will be fitted with a heat exchanger backing plate, the amount of * . heat needing to be removed could be taxing. Removing the heat before PV generation thus reduces the heat problem at the cell array (enabling more efficient PV output) while allowing heat to be extracted at the polarising mirror for the transfer fluid to be delivered at a higher temperature where it can more usefully be utilised.
This heat will be derived preferentially from frequencies outside the regions for easy PV conversion. The output of cells where these frequencies have been abstracted will thus be similar to that obtained in the absence of prior heat capture but the problems associated with high temperature (for example where high temperature reduces the conversion efficiency of PV output) will be eliminated or significantly reduced.
Magnetic Fields
Magnetic fields may not be able on their own directly to assist in the delivery of enhanced PV output. However it is clear that, in the range of potentially valuable additional fields that are expected to yield benefits, the further addition of a magnetic field could be valuable. More specifically, magnetic alignment of ferromagnetic particles (ferrites) might benefit by aligned magnetic augmentation. It should be noted that strong permanent: magnets are available at low cost so that no additional electrical connections* * are needed.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of * example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: * : Figure 1 is a section through apparatus of the present invention for **.* generating electricity from solar energy; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of an array of photovoltaic cells; Figure 4 shows a typical profile of a fence structure; and Figure 5 shows a typical fence structure within collimator concentrator means.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown apparatus 2 for generating electricity from solar energy The apparatus 2 comprises an array 4 of photovoltaic cells arranged to generate the electricity from the solar energy.
The apparatus 2 also comprises means 5 for establishing an external field able to enhance the operation of the array 4 of photovoltaic cells such that the array 4 of photovoltaic cells produces more electricity than would be the case without the presence of the external field: The external field is an electric external field. The external field may be an oscillatory external field. The external field may be a high frequency external field or a low frequency
external field.
The ability of the external field to enhance the operation of the array 4 of photovoltaic cells follows from considerations of fundamental principles of photoelectric effect. More specifically, when light falls on any surface, there is * * a possibility of the emission of an electron from each photon of incident light.
More importantly than the intensity of the emission, is the frequency of the radiation and the material of the surface.
* : As first defined by Albert Einstein in 1905, the photon energy balance *,.* is: by = W + Ee (where hv is the product of Planck's constant and the frequency) W is the work function, i.e. the energy needed to remove an electron from the surface and that is characteristic of the material surface, and Ee is the energy of the emitted electron.
Hitherto, it has been generally assumed that the terms of the above mentioned Einstein equation describe the one and only route for photo-electricity to be generated. It is however not clear that Einstein wished to exclude all other possibilities. It seems reasonable that other possibilities could exist. The notion that the work function is an absolute characteristic of an atom or a molecule is reasonable when the electrons are in their ground state, but there is every reason to think that excitation of the orbitals will allow the photo-electricity effect to release electrons at different threshold energy levels. Any applied field will, in principle, allow this.
It might be supposed that the above idea can be challenged by asserting that if external energy is provided, any increase in thehotovoltaic * output must derive in proportion only to the added energy input. However, transfer of energy between W and Ee is not inhibited by theory, and so other mechanisms are not excluded. Experimentally it has been noted that
S
emissions do not invariably obey the Einstein threshold relation defining the photo-electric effect.
A photovoltaic cell has the following three basic functions (i) To provide a surface with a low work function from which electrons can be released by the Einstein mechanism.
(ii) To provide a voltage that will drive the current of electrons so produced.
(iii) To provide a low resistance path within the photovoltaic cell for "internal" electrons to pass from one electrode to another.
If the materials for the photovoltaic cell are chosen for their natural properties, they will deliver a performance as may be expected-If these materials are then surrounded by an external field such for example as the above mentioned electric field established by the means 5, it may be unlikely that any change in performancewill be observed. However, if the choice of the candidate materials is made in the light of the performance that they will have in the: presence of the external field, then a much wider range of * possible materials becomes available for the photovoltaic cells.
*r' It is usually thought necessary that materials with a low work function must be selected in order that the lower photon energies of radiation towards *.... the red end of the spectrum have a chance of triggering electron release.
However, if an external field is provided, electrons can be encouraged to be released even without the arrival of photons if the field strength is high enough. A problem then occurs in that the electron gas generated is without an electromotive force to drive the cell. Thus substances with high work functions may advantageously be selected providing, in addition, they have a suitable electromotive force and a structure able to provide the required internal electron flow.
Thus the apparatus of the present invention as described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2, and also as applicable to the apparatus of the present invention generally, is able to extend the choice of materials for photovoltaic cells, with the prospect of a higher photovoltaic output at lower costs.
Figure 3 shows an array 6 of photovoltaic cells comprising 10 photovoltaic cells x 10 photovoltaic cells. The array 6 of photovoltaic cells shown in Figure 3 may be located under a fence structure 8 of the type shown in Figure 4. The fence structure 8 is designed to shield wiring connections in the apparatus of the present invention, whilst ensuring that all incoming radiation reaches the photovoltaic surface. The fence structure 8 is able to act a field grid when a voltage is applied to i Thusthe fence structureS forms * amèans for establishing an external field able to enhance the operation of the * . array 6 of photovoltaic cells such that the array 6 of the photovoltaic cells *.*e** -produces more electricity than would be the case without the presence of the
electric field.
Figure 5 shows a typical fence structure 10 located within collimator concentrator means in the form of a collimator concentrator can 12. The collimator concentrator can 12 has an aperture 14 through which solar energy light rays 16 pass. The fence structure 10 comprises photovoltaic cells 18, and the parts 20, 22.
Two photovoltaic cell arrays 24 are shown arranged beneath *the collimator concentrator can 12. A heat exchanger such for example as the heat exchanger 26 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is positioned below the photovoltaic cell array 24, as can best be appreciated from Figures 1 and 2.
The upper surface of the heat exchanger 26 is able to act as the ground"
plate of an applied external field voltage.
Referring back to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that solar radiation 28 arrives at the top and passes the field grid 30. The field grid 30 may or may not be the fence structure 10. Preferably but not necessarily, the field grid 30 is charged positively. A small gap 32 separates the field grid/fence structure from the upper surface of the cell array. The dimensions of the gap 32 may be in the range of 5 -10mm. Other gap dimensions may be employed. The voltage may be in th! range of 0-10 volts. A milli-volt range is preferred, but the final choice of voltage will depend upon the characteristics of the chosen photovoltaic material : The range pf: options for the photovoltaic cell array is extended * according to the present invention by the introduction of the external field. The photovoltaic output will be from the n-junction and the p-junction. The n-
OS
junction may or may not be at the top. Similarly, the p-junction may or may * : The lower terminal is insulated electrically from the heat exchanger 26 beneath. The insulating material is a substance having a* high thermal conductivity. Preferably this insulating material is the illustrated aluminium nitride. Other insulating materials may however be employed.
The upper surface of the heat exchanger 26 is metallic. This upper surface is able usefully to serve as the "ground" plate for the external field provided the upper field grid is the positive terminal. If there is a need to reverse the polarity of the field, to make the lower terminal positive, then an extra terminal plate can be provided, with a layer of the aluminium nitride or other chosen material on each surface, in order to achieve the required electrical isolation.
Selection of Photovoltaic Materials In Figure 1, the array 4 is a photovoltaic cell array 4. Considerations will now be made to the choice of materials used in the body of the array 4, with the choice being linked also to materials used in the adjacent p and n junctions. The selection process is to identify materials that will function in a H similar way to the semiconductors used in conventional photovoltaic cells, whether the materials be used in conditions of solar magnification or not. In all *r' cases, the materials will reveal their ability to convert solar energy to *:"4 photovoltaic energy in the presence of one or more of the fields described above.
In general, the chosen materials or substances will be those that *:: readily allow electrons in their molecular structure to drift under the influence of an external applied field or fields, or a field or fields arising as a result of the influence of adjacent molecules. The latter is normally encountered in the course of chemical reactions.
Molecules with multiple aromatic structure (that is with multiple aromatic or heterocyclic rings, for example dyestuffs) are typical of this group but the range has in recent years been extended by novel structures outside the scope of conventional chemistry. These structures include "buckyballs" based on a 3-D skeleton of carbon atoms arranged after the architecture of Buckminster Fuller. Graphene is a similar (but 2-dimensional) array of carbon atoms, where electrons could be manipulated by applied fields.
Nanomaterials (whether nanotubes, nanorods, nanofingers, or indeed any of the broad range of nanostructures) have structures with different electron behaviour from that of normal chemistry where electron behaviour
can be manipulated by applied fields
In order to further facilitate an understanding of the present invention, * referencewill now be made to the following Examples which are given for the purposes of illustration only.
EXAMPLE I
****** * A wire grid or similar is positioned above a photovoltaic cell array towards the incoming solar radiation, to function as the positive "terminal", -S.
S
with a negative terminal in the form of a flat metal plate beneath the array. * .
* This is a preferred configuration as the positive in this location will tend to induce a negative charge in the top layer of the photovoltaic cell array (usually the location of the n-junction), thus enriching the region with electrons and enabling the electrons more readily to be released from their basal atomic state to acquire the mobility to become the electron stream bearing the current output of the photovoltaic cell. Because this Example is intended to cover a myriad range of all photovoltaic cells, allowance must be made for the possibility that reversing the polarity of the field may be beneficial for one or more types of chosen material.
The preferred value of the field strength was selected after experimentation. The experimentation was based on the knowledge that higher voltages promote the release of electrons into the volume above the solar-illuminated upper surface of the photovoltaic cells. These electrons could be unavailable to contribute to the electric current of the photovoltaic cell. A higher voltage is likely to be useful only if a secondary electromotive force was available to convert the electron gas into useful current.
EXAMPLE II
A collimator concentrator can configuration was used. The upper grid preferably has an egg box" structure within the collimator, to which may be * added additional wires. The preferred material of the egg box" is metallic. * * S
The lower field electrode was the heat exchanger, which can conveniently be at ground voltage. Alternatively, there may be a separate metal plate.
If there is a need to reverse the voltage, the separate metal plate is insulated from earth.
It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way *of example only and that modifications may be effected. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention.

Claims (1)

  1. <claim-text>CLAIMS1. Apparatus for generating electricity from solar energy, which apparatus comprises an array of photovoltaic cells arranged to generate the electricity from the solar energy, and means for establishing an external field able to enhance the operation of the array of photovoltaic cells such that the array of photovoltaic cells produces more electricity than would be the case withoutthe presence of the external field.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. Apparatus according to claim I in which the external field is an electricexternal field.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the external field is a magneticH external field. * *</claim-text> <claim-text>4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the external field is anelectrostatic external field. * *</claim-text> <claim-text>*..*e* * * 5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which theexternal field is a static external field.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 -4 in which the externalfield is a dynamic field.T Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the dynamic external field isan oscillatory external field.ft Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which theexternal field is a high frequency external field.9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 -7 in which the externalfield is a low frequency external field.10. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which at least one material in each one of the photovoltaic cells in the array of photovoltaic cells is selected to have a work function that provides an electro-motive force to drive the photovoltaic cell, and a structure able to provide required internal electron flow in the material.11. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including polarisation means for polarising the solar energy for the array of photovoltaic * * * S 12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the polarisation means is for * : * * effecting linear polarisation of the solar energy.*.*..* * * 13. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the polarisation means is for effecting elliptical polarisation of the solar energy.14. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including concentrator means for concentrating the solar energy for the array of photovoltaic cells 15. Apparatus according to claim 14 in which the concentrator means is a collimator concentrator means.16. Apparatus according to claim 15 in which the collimator concentrator means is a collimator concentrator can.17. Apparatus for generating electricity from solar energy, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. a * * * .*.* .** * aS * SS S.. a a*a. S S S a a a..... a a</claim-text>
GB1300351.2A 2012-01-16 2013-01-09 Apparatus for generating electricity from solar energy Expired - Fee Related GB2498448B (en)

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