The proposed invention allows to drastically simplify the solar cells’ cooling technology. Due to the Seebeck effect, heat exchanger is integrated into thermoelectric converter, resulting in the overall costs of the system reduced, while other economic advantages are claimed.
| Patent title | Apparatus for supporting and cooling a photovoltaic panel |
|---|---|
| Thematic area | Climate, Energy and Mobility |
| Ownership | ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA' DI BOLOGNA |
| Inventors | Matteo Greppi, Giampietro Fabbri |
| Protection | Italy, France, Germany |
| Licensing status | Available for development agreements, option, license and other exploitation agreements |
| Keywords | Solar panels, Cooling, Integration, Thermophotoelectric, Modularity |
| Filed on | 05 December 2018 |
Being continuously exposed to solar radiation, photovoltaic cells are usually affected by excessive overheating which results in their rapid degradation over time. For the same reason, the energy production efficiency decrease, too.
To overcome these issues, the proposed integrated cooling system removes heat from the cells during harsh solar radiation times. In comparison with existing products exploiting the Seebeck-Peltier effect, within the patented system the given effect occurs instead internally, to the same heat exchanger acting as a support for the cells.
Advantages:
•Dimension reduction resulting in greater compactness, sturdiness and ease of assembly;
•Greater efficiency of photoelectric conversion of the panels;
•Lower overall costs compared to similar systems.
Applications:
In the construction, tertiary and residential sectors, for cooling conventional solar panels.