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 con verts solar radiation into electrical energy. The solar radia tion refers to electromagnetic radiation given off by the sun, which includes infrared light, visible light, and ultraviolet light .

The solar cell assembly often includes a plurality of solar cells for converting the solar radiation into electrical en ergy, 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. The solar cells usually contain silicon atoms, which absorb energy from light wavelengths that approximately correspond to the visible light spectrum.

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 dif ferent times of the day.

CN103258891 discloses a solar cell panel. The solar cell panel includes a solar cell panel body, a metal frame, a light- transmitting 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 sys tem 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 pro vide control signals to the drive mechanism for moving the re flector 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.

CN101787271 discloses a quantum dot optical wavelength conver sion layer for a solar cell. The conversion layer includes ternary alloy quantum dot fluorescent particles with particle size ranges from 1 nano-meter (nm) to lOOnm.

It is an object of this application to provide an improved so lar 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 often made of silicon that has a photovoltaic effect, in which a voltage or an electric current is generated when the silicon is ex posed to light. In detail, when light photons strike the silicon atoms, the light photons provide energy to enable some electrons of the silicon atoms to escape from the atoms to become free elec trons. 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 light or solar radiation from the sun and for filtering out infrared light of the solar radiation. The in frared light can be filtered out by reflecting away the infra red light while allowing visible and ultraviolet light of the solar radiation to pass through the infrared filtering ele ment .

The solar cell assembly also includes a light concentrating device for receiving the filtered light from the infrared fil tering element and for focusing the filtered light onto a spot or an area. The filtered light can be focused either by re flection 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 com prising 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 providing a thermal insulation. The vacuum chamber essentially does not contain any air or gas to allow heat transfer via conduction or convection, thereby providing a thermal insula tion layer for minimizing heat transfer through the vacuum chamber .

The light concentrating device is provided in the vacuum cham ber while the solar panel is provided outside the vacuum cham ber. In one implementation, the solar panel is adhered to an outer surface of 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 includes high intensity of visible and ultraviolet light that contains high solar energy for energy conversion. The focused filtered light essentially does not contain infrared light, which can heat the solar cells to a higher temperature that can 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 be cause the vacuum chamber minimizes heat transfer from the sur roundings to the solar cells to reduce thermal stress on the solar cells.

The solar cell assembly can further include an ultraviolet light conversion layer. This ultraviolet light conversion layer contains light down-conversion material for converting ultraviolet light rays of the focused filtered light into vis ible light rays. The converted visible light rays then travel to the solar panel, which later converts the visible light rays into electrical energy. Since the solar panel often pro vides significantly higher conversion efficiency for the visi ble light rays as compared to the ultraviolet light rays, the converted visible light rays enable the solar cell assembly to enhance or increase its energy conversion efficiency.

The application also provides another solar cell assembly for solar energy conversion.

The solar cell assembly includes an essentially transparent anti-reflective element for receiving light and for reducing reflection of the received light away from the anti-reflective element. The anti-reflective element then allows substantially all the received light to pass through.

The solar cell assembly also includes an infrared light con version layer for receiving light from the anti-reflective el ement and for converting infrared light rays of the received light into visible light rays.

The solar cell assembly further includes a light concentrating device for receiving light, which also includes the converted visible light rays, from the infrared light conversion layer and for focusing the received light onto a solar panel of the solar cell assembly.

The solar cell assembly also includes an ultraviolet light conversion layer for converting ultraviolet light rays of the focused light into visible light rays, which later travel to the solar panel.

The solar panel includes a plurality of solar cells for re ceiving the focused light and the converted visible light rays and for converting the received light rays into electrical en ergy.

The solar cell assembly also includes a vacuum chamber for providing a thermal insulation.

The light concentrating device is provided in the vacuum cham ber while the solar panel is provided outside the vacuum cham ber. In one implementation, the solar panel is attached to an outer surface of the vacuum chamber.

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 an elongated bar-like lens body having a cross-sectional shape of a double convex lens. The lens body includes an elongated convex light incident surface and an elongated convex light emission surface. 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 an easy and low-cost implementation for focus ing the filtered light onto numerous solar cells that are lo cated within an area.

In another implementation, the light concentrating device in cludes at least one receiving mirror for receiving the fil tered light and for reflecting the filtered light, and in cludes 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 de vice can be easily implemented. The infrared filtering element can include an infrared reflec tive mirror for reflecting the received infrared light away from it .

The application also provides an improved solar energy conver sion device. The solar energy conversion device includes the solar cell assembly that is described above and a solar track ing 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 so lar 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 ra diation 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 sig nals 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 combina tion 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 concen trating device for receiving the filtered light and for focus ing the filtered light to generate a high intense light beam either by reflection or refraction.

The light concentrating module further includes a vacuum cham ber for providing a thermal insulation. 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 bar- type convex lenses. Each of the bar-type convex lenses in cludes an elongated convex light incident surface and an elon gated convex light emission surface.

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 re flected from the receiving mirror onto a focal point or a fo cal area.

In a special implementation, the infrared filtering element includes an infrared reflective mirror for reflecting the re ceived infrared light away from it. Fig . 1 illustrates a schematic view of a solar energy con version device,

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

Fig . 3 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a por tion of the solar concentrator assembly of Fig. 2, Fig . 4 illustrates a perspective view of an elongated con vex lens of solar concentrator assembly of Fig. 3, Fig . 5 illustrates a schematic view of another solar con centrator assembly, which is a variant of the solar concentrator assembly of Figs. 1 and 2,

Fig . 6 illustrates a schematic view of a further solar con centrator assembly, which is another variant of the solar concentrator assembly of Figs. 1 and 2,

Fig . 7 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a por tion of the solar concentrator assembly of Fig. 6, Fig . 8 illustrates a perspective view of another solar en ergy conversion device,

Fig . 9 illustrates a schematic view of a solar concentrator assembly of the solar energy conversion device of Fig. 8,

Fig. 10 illustrates a schematic view of another variant of the solar concentrator assembly of Fig. 1, which is used for ultraviolet light (UV) curing, and

Fig . 11 illustrates a schematic view of an UV light device comprising the solar concentrator assembly of Fig. 10.

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 de scription of one similar part also applies by reference to an other 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 ra diation 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 plat form 64 is connected to the drive mechanism 54 while the ver tical 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 ver tical arm 67 is substantially perpendicular to the major sur face of the platform 64. A part of the vertical arm 67 is con nected to a first end of the inclined arm 70 such that the in clined 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 re flective 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 en ergy.

As better seen in Figs. 2,3, and 4, the solar concentrator as sembly 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 infra- red-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 convex lens 35 is also called a light-concentrator.

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 evacu ated or removed. In other words, the inner cavity 27 is essen tially 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 33 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 cross- sectional shape of a double convex lens. The lens body in cludes 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 in ner 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 depos ited on a substrate, such as glass.

In use, the hot mirror panel 11 of the solar concentrator as sembly 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 visible light beam directly into electricity. In detail, the light of the solar radiation comprises photons that carry en ergy. When the photons strike the solar cells 49 and then bump into electrons 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 in fluence 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 posi tions 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 posi tioning the solar concentrator assembly 3 and the solar col lector 58 in predetermined positions.

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

In other words, the solar tracker 61 enables the solar reflec tor 58 and the solar concentrator assembly 3 to move in re sponse to solar movement such that the solar reflector 58 re ceives the solar radiation from the sun and focuses the re ceived 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 radi ation 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 en ergy 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 im plementation 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-concentra tor unit 13a, and the solar panel 39a is similar to the ar rangement of the hot mirror panel 11, the light-concentrator unit 13, and the solar panel 39 of the solar concentrator as sembly 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 concentra tor assembly 3.

The light-concentrator unit 13a includes a vacuum chamber body 21a and a plurality of light-concentrators 24, which are lo cated 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 in frared-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 vac uum 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 in cludes a plurality of apertures 25 that are arranged in an ar ray. 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 plural ity of supporting means 43, and a backing plate 46. The sup porting 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 photo voltaic 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 prede termined position. The supporting means 43, which are made of thermal conductive material, are provided on the backing plate 46 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 sur roundings .

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 possi ble. The light-concentrator 24 can include an elongated plano convex lenses with a lens body having a cross-sectional shape of a plano-convex lens, 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 para bolic reflective mirrors.

Fig. 8 shows another improved solar energy conversion device 1. The improved solar energy conversion device 1 includes a solar tracking module 106 and an improved solar concentrator assembly 3c with a support structure 115, which is connected to the solar concentrator assembly 3c and to the solar track ing module 106.

The solar tracking module 106 includes two curved light re flective glass plates 113, a rotatable shaft 116 with a drive mechanism 112, and a light sensor 118. Each of the curved glass plates 113 is pivotally connected to the shaft 116 such that the two curved glass plates 113 together form an essen tially parabolic reflector 109. The shaft 116 is also con nected to the drive mechanism 112 and to the support structure 115. The support structure 115 is connected to the solar con centrator assembly 3c such that the solar concentrator assem bly 3c is located at or near a focus line of the parabolic re flector 109 of the solar tracking module 106.

The light sensor 118 is mounted at a position on or near the curved glass plates 113.

Each glass plate 113 is coated with a layer of light reflec tive material on its concave surface.

As better seen in Fig. 9, the solar concentrator assembly 3c includes a light-concentrator unit 13c and a solar panel 39c, which is placed next to the light-concentrator unit 13c. The light-concentrator unit 13c includes a vacuum chamber body 21c with an inner cavity 27c, and a plurality of bar-type con vex lenses 35c, which are not shown in the figure for simplic ity. The convex lenses 35c are located inside the inner cavity 27c, which is essentially vacuum.

The vacuum chamber body 21c also includes a first outer sur face 30c, a second outer surface 33c, and an inner surface 29c. The inner surface 29c is located between the first outer surface 30c and the second outer surface 33c. The second outer surface 33c is located adjacent to the solar panel 39c and it is opposite to the first outer surface 30c. The first outer surface 30c faces the parabolic reflector 109.

The first outer surface 30c is provided with a layer of anti- reflective coating 128, which includes an essentially trans parent anti-reflective material. The inner surface 29c is pro vided with a layer of near-infrared up-conversion coating 130, which includes near-infrared light up-conversion material for near-infrared light up-conversion or up-converting semiconduc tor nanoparticles .

The second outer surface 33c is provided with a layer of down- conversion coating 135, which includes light down-conversion material for light down-conversion or down-converting semicon ductor nanoparticles, such as quantum dots.

The quantum dots refer to semiconductor crystals, such as sil icon, of nanometre dimensions. Examples of materials for form ing quantum dots include, but are not limited to, ZnO, ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe , CdO, CdS, CdSe, and CdTe. The convex lens 35c corresponds to the convex lens 35 of the solar concentrator assembly 3. An arrangement of the convex lens 35c and the arrangement of the convex lens 35 are simi lar .

The solar panel 39c corresponds to the solar panel 39 of the solar concentrator assembly 3. An arrangement of the solar panel 39c and the arrangement of the solar panel 39 are also similar .

In one implementation, a light receiving surface of the solar panel 39c is adhered to the second outer surface 33c of the vacuum chamber body 21c.

The solar concentrator assembly 3c further includes a ther mally conductive casing 120 with multiple radiators or heat sink fins 123, which are attached to an outer surface of the casing 120. The light-concentrator unit 13c and the solar panel 39c are located inside the casing 120 such that the so lar panel 39c is placed near to the heat sink fins 123. An outer surface of the casing 120, which receives sunlight from the parabolic reflector 109, is transparent.

In use, the parabolic light reflective glass plates 113 are intended for receiving light rays from the sun and for concen trating or focusing the received light rays, by reflection, onto the light-concentrator unit 13c of the solar concentrator assembly 3c.

The anti-reflective coating 128 of the light-concentrator unit 13c acts to reduce reflection of the received light rays away from the first outer surface 30c. In other words, the coating 128 allows substantially all components of the sunlight, which includes infrared light rays, visible light rays, and ultravi olet light rays, to pass through first outer surface 30c to reach the near-infrared up-conversion coating 130.

The near-infrared up-conversion coating 130 then converts the infrared light rays of the received light rays, into visible light rays. The light rays, which includes the converted visi ble light rays, the visible light rays, and the ultraviolet light rays, later travel to the down-conversion coating 135.

The down-conversion coating 135 later converts the received ultraviolet light rays into visible light rays. In detail, quantum dots of the down-conversion coating 135 contains atoms that can be excited by ultraviolet light to cause electrons of the atoms to move a higher energy level. The electrons later return to a lower energy level, causing the atoms to emit pho tons of light. The wavelength of the emitted light depends on a size of the quantum dot. A bigger quantum dot emits longer wavelength of light while a smaller quantum dot emits shorter wavelength of light. In other words, the quantum dots of the down-conversion coating 135 are sized to be excited by ultra violet light for emitting predetermined wavelengths of visible light .

The light rays, which includes the converted visible light rays and the visible light rays, then travel to the solar panel 39c.

The solar panel 39c afterward converts the received light rays into electrical energy.

In short, the anti-reflective coating 128, the up-conversion coating 130, and the down-conversion coating 135 together al low substantially all components of the sunlight to be used for conversion into electrical energy, thereby increasing the conversion efficiently of the improved solar concentrator as sembly 3c.

The light sensor 118 acts to detect positions of the sun as the sun moves, and to send corresponding control signals to the drive mechanism 112.

The drive mechanism 112 is used for rotating the shaft 116 ac cording to the received control signals. The rotating shaft 116 then pivotally moves the glass plates 113 and the solar concentrator assembly 3c so that the solar concentrator assem bly 3c can receive focused sunlight most of the time.

The heat sink fins 123 are intended for conducting heat away from the solar panel 39c for lowering the temperature of the solar panel 39c.

Different implementation of the improved solar concentrator assembly 3c are possible.

In one implementation, a solar concentrator assembly 3c in cludes a hot mirror panel, a light-concentrator unit, and a solar panel. The light-concentrator unit is located between the hot mirror panel and the solar panel. The light-concentra tor unit includes a vacuum chamber body with a layer of down- conversion coating and with a plurality of bar-type convex lenses .

In a special implementation, a solar concentrator assembly 3c includes a light-concentrator unit and a solar panel with a layer of light down-conversion coating. The light-concentrator unit includes a vacuum chamber body with a layer of anti-re- flective coating, with a layer of light up-conversion coating, and with a plurality of bar-type convex lenses.

The improved solar energy conversion device 1 provides several advantages .

The improved solar energy conversion device 1 provides higher solar energy conversion efficiency. In one embodiment of solar concentrator assembly 3c, substantially all components of re ceived sunlight reach the solar panel 39c for conversion into electrical energy. Furthermore, the received sunlight is con centrated or focused to increase the conversion efficiency of the solar energy conversion device. In another embodiment of solar concentrator assembly 3, the hot mirror panel 11 pre vents heat-generating infrared light from reaching the solar panel 39 to heat the solar panel 39 to a higher temperature, which will lower the energy conversion efficiency of the solar panel 39.

The solar energy conversion device 1 can have a longer operat ing 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 panel 39c is minimized by preventing the infrared light from heating the solar panel 39c and by providing a vacuum chamber body 21 to minimize heat from the surroundings to reach the solar panel 39c.

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. Fig. 10 shows a light concentrator module 79, which is another variant of the solar concentrator assembly 3. This light con centrator 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 mir ror 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 so lar concentrator assembly 3.

In use, as better seen in Fig. 11, the light concentrator mod ule 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 emit ted from the UV lamp 93 are being reflected by the concave surface of the reflector 97 to focus onto the light concentra tor 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 in tense 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 in frared wavelengths of light to avoid shrinkage and bending of a thin sheet after curing.

The embodiments can also be described with the following lists of features or elements being organized into an item list. The respective combinations of features, which are disclosed in the item list, are regarded as independent subject matter, re spectively, that can also be combined with other features of the application.

1. A solar cell assembly for solar energy conversion compris ing

an infrared filtering element for receiving light and for filtering out infrared light of the received light,

a light concentrating device for focusing the filtered light ,

a solar panel for converting the focused filtered light into electrical energy, and

a vacuum chamber for providing a thermal insulation, wherein the light concentrating device is provided in the vac uum chamber and the solar panel is provided outside the vacuum chamber . 2. The solar cell assembly according to item 2 further com prising

an ultraviolet light conversion layer for converting ul traviolet light rays of the focused filtered light into visi ble light rays for transmission to the solar panel.

3. A solar cell assembly for solar energy conversion compris ing

an essentially transparent anti-reflective element for receiving light,

an infrared light conversion layer for converting infra red light rays of the received light into visible light rays, a light concentrating device for focusing the received light ,

an ultraviolet light conversion layer for converting ul traviolet light rays of the focused light into visible light rays ,

a solar panel for converting the focused light and the converted visible light rays into electrical energy, and

a vacuum chamber for a thermal insulation,

wherein the light concentrating device is provided in the vac uum chamber and the solar panel is provided outside the vacuum chamber .

4. The solar cell assembly according to one of the preceding items, wherein the solar panel is attached to an outer surface of the vacuum chamber.

5. The solar cell assembly according to one of the preceding items, wherein the light concentrating device comprises a plu rality of bar-type convex lenses.

6. The solar cell assembly according to item 5, wherein each of the bar-type convex lenses comprises an elongated convex light incident surface and an elongated convex light emission surface .

7. The solar cell assembly according to one of items 1 to 4, 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.

8. The solar cell assembly according to one of items 1 to 7, wherein the infrared filtering element comprises an infrared reflective mirror.

9. A solar energy conversion device comprising

a solar cell assembly of one of items 1 to 8 , and a solar tracking mechanism being connected to the solar cell assembly for orienting the solar cell assembly to receive solar radiation.

10. The solar energy conversion device according to item 9, 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 collec tor to receive the solar radiation from the sun and for posi tioning the solar cell assembly for receiving the focused so lar radiation from the solar collector, and

a drive mechanism for rotating the rotary structure ac cording to the detection signals. 11. The solar energy conversion device according to item 10, wherein the rotary structure comprises a rotatable platform with a supporting means that is attached to the solar collec tor and attached to the solar cell assembly.

12. 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 a thermal insulation,

wherein the light concentrating device is provided in the vac uum chamber.

13. The light concentrating module according to item 12, wherein the light concentrating device comprises a plurality of bar-type convex lenses.

14. The light concentrating module according to item 13, wherein each of the bar-type convex lenses comprises an elon gated convex light incident surface and an elongated convex light emission surface.

15. The light concentrating module according to item 12, 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.

16. The light concentrating module according to one of items 12 to 15, wherein the infrared filtering element comprises an infrared reflective mirror. Although the above description contains much specificity, this should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodi ments but merely providing illustration of the foreseeable em bodiments. 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

3c 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

13c light-concentrator unit

16 solar panel unit

21 vacuum chamber body

21a vacuum chamber body

21b vacuum chamber body

21c vacuum chamber body

23 light-concentrator panel

24 light-concentrator

25 aperture

27 inner cavity

27b vacuum cavity

27c inner cavity

29c inner surface

30 first outer surface

30c first outer surface

33 second outer surface

33c second outer surface

35 convex lens

35c convex lenses

36 convex lens 37 light incident surface

38 light emission surface

39 solar panel

39a solar panel

39b solar panel

39c solar panel

41 sealant

41b sealant

42 support

43 supporting means

46 backing plate

47 quantum dot layer

48 glass plate

48b glass 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 lamp 97 reflector

99 surface

106 solar tracking module

109 parabolic reflector 112 drive mechanism

113 glass plates

115 support structure

116 shaft

118 light sensor

120 casing

123 heat sink fins

128 anti-reflective coating 130 up-conversion coating 135 down-conversion coating