The present invention describes novel and inventive photovoltaic panels with a rippled surface which has the effect of multiplying the useful surface of the panel, thus maximizing the production of electricity.

Additionally, the present invention deals with the optimization of space in a PV park by using space also in the rear (back side) of the PV panels.

It is described by the invention how a photovoltaic (hereinafter also referred to as PV) panel of a size of 1 m2 increases its total surface to 4.472 m2 and hence its productivity in energy rises by 4.472 times or approximately 4.5 times.

The existing technology

With existing technology, there are various semiconductors that use photons to disolve electrons to produce electric current. These semiconductors include silicon polycrystalline, silicon monocrystalline - as well as many films - amorfous silicon, CIGS (copper, indium, galium, selenide), CdTe (cadmium, telluride) and others.

There are differences between the existing conductors as far as: a) efficiency, b) the space needed, c) the space wasted and d) the loss of their rated capacity when the atmospheric temperature is high as in various geographical areas.

The present invention does not refer to the semiconductors. This invention refers to the substantial increase of the photovoltaic surface, almost 4.5 times, as a matter of fact, no existing technology increases the active surface of a one m2 PV panel to the extent that this invention does.

The advantages of this invention

1 . The space to be used for the installation of PV panels is given. The roof of a residential, office, commercial or manufacturing building is given, as is the land available to be used for producing energy by installing PV panels (solar farm). The roof space increases as new buildings are erected, but every owner of a building needs the roof to cover the needs of energy of his building to the extent that is possible. Therefore, it is very important for economic and ecological reasons if a technology has the capacity to increase the surface of an installed PV panel up to 4.5 times and, hence, enlarge the production of energy by up to 450%. 2. This invention, by dramatically enlarging the amount of energy produced on a given area of roof or land by 450%, decreases the investment for purchase or rent per unit of energy produced. Certainly, the value of roof surface or land for PV panel installation will gradually increase, proportionate to the demand.

3. Most importantly, the high productivity of the PV panels according to this invention will encourage many owners of existing buildings, or those being planned, to construct the roof in the most suitable way to install PV panels to cover a good part of the building's energy needs.

4. The ratio of purchase cost of a square-meter panel per unit of electricity produced will be decreased dramatically. The cost of production of a 1 m2 PV panel, according to this invention, may increase very little, possibly by 5-10%, while the energy produced by this PV panel will increase by 450%. Therefore, the cost of the investment in one meter of this panel per unit of electricity produced will decrease, affecting the cost of energy very favorably.

5. The cost of operating a PV farm, whether small or large, per unit of electricity will also decrease dramatically, because while its cost will remain the same, the productivity will increase by 450%. Therefore, the cost per unit of energy produced by PV arrays will also decrease dramatically.

6. The demand for the panel of this invention will be high for two principal reasons: a) The cost of producing energy with this method will be smaller. Therefore, private businesses will increase their interest in investing in PV farms which make use of this invention.

b) This invention helps solve the environmental problem inherent in fossil-based energy sources. Consequently, governments will show interest in supporting the use of this invention.

Description of this invention

Preferably the invention is described as follows:

The invention describes a photovoltaic panel characterized in that its surface is rippled in form of the repetition of consecutive triangles or consecutive pyramids. Advantageously, in the photovoltaic panel of the invention the triangles that form the ripples and the sides of the pyramids that form the ripples are isosceles triangles. Preferably, in the photovoltaic panel of the invention, the height of each one of the sides of the isosceles triangles that form the ripples and the sides of the pyramids that form the ripples is 1cm. But it may also be any height smaller or larger thereof. It is further particularly advantageous that the tips of the triangles and of the pyramids on the rippled surface of the photovoltaic panel of the invention are rounded.

Preferably, such rounded tips of the triangles and of the pyramids on the surface are in form of semicircles.

A particular embodiment of the invention describes a photovoltaic panel with a rippled surface as described above, characterized in that

such surface is on both sides, back and front, of the photovoltaic panel and - it further comprises mirrors mounted on the periphery of the said panel, which mirrors are directed towards the back side of the panel directly preceding it.

The invention also describes a system of photovoltaic panels as described above, wherein the said photovoltaic panels are moving or are unmovable and are arranged in such a way, the one preceding the other, so that the mirrors reflect the maximum sunlight on the back side of the preceding panel.

Such movement of the photovoltaic panels of the invention takes place from east to west. Additionally, it is advantageous that the photovoltaic panels of the invention may follow the course of the sun, up from sunrise to noon and then down from noon to sunset.

The present invention has particular advantages accomplished in an example as follows:

This invention increases the productivity of a PV panel in energy by 4.472 per square meter or approximately 4.5 times.

This is accomplished, as it is illustrated by the following example:

a) By enlarging the front surface of a PV panel of 1 m2 to 2.236 m2.

The surface of a high-productivity PV panel of 1 m2 is increased to 2.236 m2 because it is not flat as other photovoltaics to date. The surface of a high-productivity PV panel is rippled in appearance due to a repetition of an isosceles triangle with base and altitude of 0,01 of a meter and each of the two isosceles sides has a length of 0.118 of a meter and the two sides together have a length of 0,2236 m (0,118 x 2 = 0,2236). Each square meter has ten thousand square centimeters (100 x 100 = 10.000). Therefore, the total surface of a square meter is equal to 22,360 square centimeters (length 2.236 x 10.000=22360 centimeter x height of one centimeter = 22360 square cents divided by 10.000 is equal 2.236 m2

More analytically:

If in each square centimeter, we draw lines from the top two corners to the middle of its bottom side, two right, triangles are formed.

We know the length of the two sides of these triangles. The base of each is 0,005 and the height is 0,01. We do not know the length of each of the two hypotenuses.

We can find the length of the hypotenuses of the one right angle triangle by using the

Pythagorean theorem.

Y ² = α ² + β ² (All the numbers are in centimeters)

Therefore, γ ² = 1 ² 0,5 ² and γ ² = 1 ,25.

Therefore, γ = Vl ,25 = 1 ,118 centimeter.

Consequently, the length of the two hypotenuses is equal to 1 ,118 x 2 = 2.236. If a square meter of surface, instead of being flat, takes this form, then its total surface is equal to 2.236 m2, as explained above.

(The total length of the hypotenuses of 1 m2 is equal 2,236 x 10,000 = 22,360 centimeters multiplied by the height of 1 centimeter. Then the total surface is equal to 22,360 square centimeters divided by 10,000 we get this surface in meters, which is 2.236 m2. b) By turning the, so far, unproductive back side of each panel into a productive surface, we double the total productive capacity of the panel surface to 4.472 m2 (2.236 x 2=4.472).

To accomplish this, we construct the back side of the PV panel exactly the same as the front one (the same form of glass and the same form of semiconductor). Then we reflect the sun light onto the back side of the PV panel using four mirrors which are installed on each side of the periphery of the PV panel exactly behind the front one. Regardless of the size of the PV farm, all PV panels are of the same dimensions and each panel of the next row is installed directly behind of each panel of the preceding row. It is understood that the panels of the first row do not reflect the sunlight. The back side of panels in the last row could, potentially, get reflected sun light via a large mirror placed behind the last row of panels which moves only up and down.

A second example to increase the energy productivity of a PV panel of one square meter by 4.472 times

Each square centimeter of the front and the back side of a panel of one square meter will form pyramids with four equal isosceles triangles with an altitude of one centimeter of a meter. This can be done if in a square centimeter of one meter we draw two lines diagonally. In this pyramid we know all four isosceles triangles are equal.

The length of the base and the altitude of each of them is one centimeter of a meter. We have already specified that in a square centimeter we form a square pyramid with an- altitude of one centimeter.

We do not know however the height of each isosceles triangle. The height of each of these isosceles triangles is equal to the hypotenuse of a right angle triangle. This triangle has a base equal to 0,005 and its height is 0,01 of a meter. To find the length of the hypotenuse of this angle (which is the height of the four isosceles triangles of the pyramid), we apply the Pythagorean theorem as above.

Y ² = α ² + β ² (All the numbers are in centimeters)

Y = 1 ² + 0,5 = 1 ,25

Y ² = 1,25.

Y= V1 ,25. = 1,118 m2

Hence, the total area of the four isosceles triangles of a pyramid formed in a square centimeter is equal to [(1 x 1.118) : 2] x 4 = (1,118 : 2) x 4 = 0,559 x 4 = 2,236 centimeters2 of 1 m2 Therefore, the total area of the front and the back side of one square meter PV panel that each square centimeter has the form of a pyramid will be equal to 2,236 x 2 = 4.472 m2

Consequently, both method the first and the second give the same square area. However, both are useful and each will be possibly used to cover better the demands of the market.

Third example

The third method is exactly the same as the first method with the difference that all the corners are substituted by semicircles of a diameter 0,002 of a meter or more. This method is useful in geographical areas which suffer from hail storms.

Therefore, all three of these examples illustrate the invention. The orientation of the PV panels

A tracking mechanism is included in the panel's mounting structure, to maintain its orientation at the optimal angle to the sun. That is, one side can be raised from sunrise to noon and lowered from noon to sunset to follow the course of the sun. At the same time, the mechanism can be tilted, east - west, to track the seasonal angle of the sun to the horizon. Astronomy has specified the point at which the sun rises and sets as well as the course that the sun follows relative to the horizon every day. This information will be stored in the central computer of a small or large farm of PV panels. Each day, as this orientation and course moves, the computer program will specify for each second the movements of all PV panels, so that all panels will receive maximum sunlight.

The description by drawings of this invention Drawing 1

This drawing shows the base of the PV panel and the stationary axle (a), as well as the rotating axle (b) which can turn from east to west with the help of two ball bearings. (A thrust ball bearing (c) on which the turning axle is based and one ball bearing at the top (d) of the turning axle). The base of the PV panel should be rooted firmly in concrete or fastened on a steel rod where it is installed.

Drawing 2

This drawing is a larger view of the upper part of Design 1 , showing the stationary axle and the rotating one in more detail.

This enlarged drawings show better a) how the rotating axle turns easily from sunrise to sunset and b) how the rotating axle cannot move from its place even if strong winds blow at noon when the panel faces the sun at its zenith.

Drawing 3

This drawing shows: a) the complete system of a PV panel and mounting base, of this invention, b) the glass surface of the panel with the vertically raised sections forming isosceles triangles with base and height of one centimeter. In this way, the surface of the panel is increased from one square meter into 2.236 m2 .

c) the gears by which a motor turns the turning axel east to west, d) the two motors that move the panel up in the sky slowly from the sunrise untill noon and slowly down to noon to the sunset.

Drawing 4

This design shows the whole system of a PV panel of this invention with the glass surface formed into 4-sided pyramids, which increases the exposed glass surface of the panel from 1 m2 to 2.236 m2 .

Drawing 5

This design shows how every PV panel of this invention, from the second row up to the end, reflects the sunlight to the back side of the panel in front of it. The sunlight is reflected by each panel onto the back side of the panel in front of it by four mirrors, which are mounted around the perimeter of the panel. The width of these mirrors is about twenty centimeters and the length of them is equal to the length of the sides of the panel on which they are mounted.

The back side of every panel, according to the invention, is produced exactly the same as the front side and getting the reflection of the sun naturally produces electricity. Consequently, the total surface of a panel of 1 m2 is increased to 4.472 I7i2 and thus the productive capacity is increased by almost 450%.