Patent Application
20100294331
The present invention involves a novel system for the generation of electric power. Water features, such as swimming pools, lakes and ponds, by their very nature, have significant surface areas which, for the most part, remain unused. The present invention suggests that electric power can be generated by taking advantage of such water features by positioning an array of photovoltaic cells on or within such areas for exposure to ambient light.
Photovoltaics involve the application of solar cells for energy by converting sunlight including sun ultraviolet radiation directly into electricity. Photovoltaic production is perhaps the fastest growing form of energy technology whose use is doubling each year.
Solar cells are commonly employed on the roof tops of buildings. Oftentimes, however, a building owner might resist the use of photovoltaics to generate energy for aesthetic reasons and because of the significant cost associated with installing devices which use this technology. Such devices include the packaging of multiple photovoltaic modules creating photovoltaic arrays. These arrays receive photons from sunlight increasing electrons to higher energy states thereby creating electricity. These photodiodes create current entirely due to transduced light energy.
The first practical application of photovoltaics was to power orbiting satellites and other spacecraft while today these devices are used for grid connected power generation. When this is done, an inverter is used to convert the DC to AC for residential, commercial and industrial use. There is also a smaller market for off grid power for remote dwellings, roadside emergency telephones, remote sensing and cathodic protection of pipelines.
When photovoltaic cells require protection from the environment, they are usually packaged tightly behind a glass sheet. To increase power, cells are electrically connected together to form photovoltaic modules or solar panels. Newer alternatives to standard crystal and silicone module manufacturing techniques include casting wafers, thin film fabrication (CdIe, CIGS, amorphous Si, microcrystalline Si), concentrator modules, “silver” cells, and continuous printing processes. Photovoltaics are available as thin plastic sheathing from companies such as Innovative Solar Technologies. As such, they can be made as continuous membranes having individual photovoltaic cells contained therein, or as separate cells connected to one another electrically thus creating either a stand alone membrane or a series of slats or “shingles” which can be used in conjunction with one another for suitable energy production.
As noted previously, it is common, in either residential or commercial facilities, to place solar panels containing photovoltaic cells on the rooftop of a structure as this is bound to capture more ambient light energy than in comparable locations. Clearly, positioning is dictated by the need to expose the photovoltaic panel skyward to receive the most unobstructed sunlight for the majority of the day. Further, although surface area is a primary consideration and rooftops may be restricted in this regard, at least solar panels placed on roofs are less likely to be obstructed by ground surface features.
Despite the obvious benefits of placing photovoltaic arrays on rooftops, such placement is not within its drawbacks. Among them is the recognition that preexisting buildings are not always situated such that their roofs capture the most amount of ambient light that might otherwise be available. Further, roofs have limited surface areas as they were built not necessarily to capture maximum ambient light energy but to simply act as a secure covering for a structure or dwelling In addition, solar panels incorporating photovoltaic arrays can be expensive to install requiring a skilled applicator and significant dedicated hardware to accomplish the task. Even when done professionally, such installations can result in roof leakage and structural compromise beyond the fact that, as noted, in residential settings, solar panels are oftentimes considered too “industrial” a look to justify the implementation.
It has now been recognized through the present invention that there remains an untapped area for the application of photovoltaics which may be far superior to current installations. For example, in residential settings, many homeowners own swimming pools which are not only placed in sunny portions of one's property but exhibit large surface areas which for most of the time remain coveted with one's standard pool cover. These pool covers are used as a security feature preventing unwanted access by infants, larger persons, pets and debris. Additional benefits include absorbing sunlight to heat the pools as well as to prevent debris, such as leaves, from intruding within them. It is has now been determined that with the advent of thin film photovoltaic cells and other electricity generating processes the surface of a water feature, such as a swimming pool, pond or lake including a waste water pond would be an ideal environment in which to place one or more photovoltaic elements for the generation of electrical energy heretofore untapped.
A system for the generation of electric power for use in connection with a water feature, such as a swimming pool, lake, pond and the like. The system includes an array of photovoltaic cells within a continuous membrane or joined to a separate membrane, the membrane being sized to fit atop or within the water feature when exposing the photovoltaic cells to ambient light.
a, 2b, 2c and 2d are examples of typical photovoltaic cell arrays taken along line 2-2 of
a, 4b, 4c and 4d are cross sectional views of various vault installations showing how swimming pool covers are typically stored, all of which can be used in implementing the present invention.
The present invention involves a system for the generation of electric power for use in connection with a water feature. In turning to
As stated previously, in order to maintain security and safety, increase pool temperature as well as to reduce debris accumulation within water body 12, pool cover 13 is drawn over virtually the entire surface area of pool 10 when the pool is not in use. Under ordinary circumstances, cover 13 is of a plastic composition and ideally floats atop water body 12 for its stated purposes. To assist in payout and removal of pool cover 13, roller 14 is provided which can either be turned mechanically or through motor actuation providing a neat roll when water body 12 is exposed for use.
However, unlike prior art pool covers, the present system is capable of not only protecting water body 12 from the intrusion of debris, unwanted swimmers and water temperature elevation and conservation but also of generating electrical DC power. This is done by using as either a stand alone membrane of photovoltaic cells or as individual cells joined to a supporting membrane to constitute the cover. Again, the photovoltaic cells can be continuous sheet material or individualized elements which are electrically joined. In this regard, reference is made to
a-2d show, in cross section, various alternative embodiments constituting the appropriate cover useful in practicing the present invention. For example, in turning to
As yet a third embodiment, pool cover 13 can be composed of membrane 26 as shown in
Finally, pool cover 13 can be composed of membrane 31 including protective sheathing 32 surrounding photovoltaic cells 33, 34, 35, etc which can either be individual cells (
Up to this point, the invention has been described in terms of a swimming pool cover such as cover 13 of
In turning to
Turning back to the swimming pool environment, reference is made to
In turning to
b and 4c show arrangements in which membrane 61-63 (
