Search

EP-4740238-A1 - THREE-DIMENSIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE

EP4740238A1EP 4740238 A1EP4740238 A1EP 4740238A1EP-4740238-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) having a cental axis and comprising photovoltaic coatings (3) that comprise a plurality of subsets of photovoltaic coatings (3), which are distributed around the central axis (A) and which each comprise two adjacent photovoltaic coatings (3), each photovoltaic coating (3) extending substantially along a respective plane of extension and comprising a positive terminal, a negative terminal and at least one photovoltaic cell, the planes of extension of the two photovoltaic coatings (3) belonging to the same subset converging upwards and intersecting along a respective line of intersection, which is inclined with respect to the central axis and which extends upwards away from the central axis; and an electrical connection base (5), which is located beneath the photovoltaic coatings (3) of the three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) and which is configured to electrically connect the photovoltaic coatings (3) to one another.

Inventors

  • GAUTHIER, SYLVAIN

Assignees

  • Gauthier, Sylvain

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20230904

Claims (17)

  1. 1. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) having a central axis (A) and comprising: - photovoltaic coatings (3) comprising a plurality of sub-assemblies of photovoltaic coatings (3) which are distributed around the central axis (A) and which each comprise two adjacent photovoltaic coatings (3), each photovoltaic coating (3) extending substantially along a respective extension plane and comprising a positive terminal, a negative terminal and at least one photovoltaic cell, the extension planes of the two photovoltaic coatings (3) belonging to the same sub-assembly converging upwards and intersecting along a respective intersection line (Li) which is inclined relative to the central axis (A) and which extends upwards away from the central axis (A), and - an electrical connection base (5) which is located under the photovoltaic coverings (3) of said three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) and which is configured to electrically connect said photovoltaic coverings (3) together.
  2. 2. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to claim 1, in which the electrical connection base (5) is substantially planar.
  3. 3. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electrical connection base (5) comprises conductive tracks (6, 7) configured to electrically connect said photovoltaic coatings (3) together.
  4. 4. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the electrical connection base (5) is formed by a printed circuit board.
  5. 5. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which each photovoltaic covering (3) comprises two electrically conductive pins (8) electrically connected respectively to the negative and positive terminals of said photovoltaic covering (3), the two electrically conductive pins (8) of each photovoltaic covering (3) being electrically connected to the electrical connection base (5).
  6. 6. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to claim 5, in which the two electrically conductive pins (8) of the same photovoltaic covering (3) are configured to support and hold in position said photovoltaic covering (3).
  7. 7. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which comprises a positive main terminal (11) and a negative main terminal (12) to which the positive and negative terminals of all the photovoltaic coatings (3) are electrically connected, the positive main terminal (11) and the negative main terminal (12) being provided on the electrical connection base (5).
  8. 8. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each photovoltaic coating (3) comprises an active face (3.1) configured to capture photons of incident light rays, and a passive face (3.2) which is located opposite the respective active face (3.1) and which is provided with the respective negative and positive terminals.
  9. 9. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the intersection lines (Li) intersect at a point of intersection located substantially on the central axis (A) of the three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2).
  10. 10. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the two photovoltaic coatings (3) of each subassembly define a vertex zone (4), said vertex zones (4) being distributed around the central axis (A).
  11. 11. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, in which each of the photovoltaic coatings (3) has a generally triangular shape.
  12. 12. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to claim 11, wherein each photovoltaic covering (3) comprises a first edge (B1) extending near and along the respective intersection line (Li), a second edge (B2) located opposite the central axis (A) and a third edge (B3) connecting the respective first and second edges (B1, B2).
  13. 13. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, in which the number of photovoltaic coatings (3) is between 6 and 12.
  14. 14. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, in which the two photovoltaic coatings (3) of each subassembly are substantially symmetrical with respect to a respective plane of symmetry (P) passing through the respective line of intersection (Li).
  15. 15. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, in which the adjacent photovoltaic coverings (3) belonging to two adjacent sub-assemblies are located opposite one another.
  16. 16. Three-dimensional photovoltaic module (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 15, which comprises a protective cover (14) which covers the photovoltaic coatings (3), the protective cover (14) being made of a material transparent to light radiation.
  17. 17. Photovoltaic device (16) comprising a plurality of three-dimensional photovoltaic modules (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, said three-dimensional photovoltaic modules (2) being arranged adjacently.

Description

DESCRIPTION TITLE: Three-dimensional photovoltaic module Technical field The present invention relates generally to the field of photovoltaic solar energy. More specifically, it relates to a three-dimensional photovoltaic module. State of the art In the field of photovoltaic solar energy, it is known to use, in general, two-dimensional photovoltaic panels made up of the superposition of several layers generally consisting from top to bottom of: - an anti-reflective coating to limit the reflection of solar rays on the underlying semiconductor layers; - a protective glass layer to protect the underlying semiconductor layers; - a conductive grid; - a layer of N or P doped semiconductor; - a layer of P or N doped semiconductor; and - a base layer. The major disadvantage of this type of photovoltaic panel is the low amount of energy produced per m2 . In fact, with a two-dimensional photovoltaic panel, the amount of energy produced per m2 is not optimized. In addition, this type of photovoltaic panel does not have a homogeneous energy production during the day. Indeed, this production follows a Gaussian law, maximum when the Sun is at its peak, and lower the rest of the day and in particular at the beginning and end of the day. Furthermore, the classic solution requires the photovoltaic panel to be optimally oriented in relation to solar radiation, which is not always easy depending on the configuration of the building receiving such a photovoltaic panel. To overcome such drawbacks, it is known to produce a three-dimensional photovoltaic module comprising: - a three-dimensional support structure having a square-based pyramid shape, and comprising four support faces each having a triangular shape; and - a plurality of photovoltaic coverings attached to the three-dimensional support structure, each photovoltaic covering being disposed on a respective support face and extending substantially parallel to the respective support face, each photovoltaic covering comprising at least one photovoltaic cell and at least partially covering the respective support face. Such a configuration of the three-dimensional photovoltaic module makes it possible to increase the developed surface covered with active photovoltaic material, and therefore to produce, when the Sun is at its culminating point and the three-dimensional photovoltaic module is arranged on a horizontal surface, more energy per unit of surface than a conventional photovoltaic panel. However, due to the shadows generated by the three-dimensional support structure during the movement path of the Sun during a day, the amount of energy produced annually by such a three-dimensional photovoltaic module is not optimal. In addition, at certain times during the movement path of the Sun, some of the photovoltaic coatings are not insolated and generate resistive loads that oppose the energy provided by the insolated photovoltaic coatings, which further limits the amount of energy produced annually by such a three-dimensional photovoltaic module. Furthermore, when a plurality of three-dimensional photovoltaic modules of the aforementioned type are assembled together to form a photovoltaic device, each three-dimensional support structure generates, during the movement path of the Sun, shadows, or even darkness, on the photovoltaic coatings of the adjacent three-dimensional photovoltaic modules, which therefore considerably limits the amount of energy produced annually by such a photovoltaic device. Summary of the invention The present invention aims to remedy the drawbacks mentioned above. The technical problem underlying the invention therefore consists of providing a three-dimensional photovoltaic module capable of producing more energy per unit area annually than a conventional three-dimensional photovoltaic module. For this purpose, the present invention relates to a three-dimensional photovoltaic module having a central axis and comprising: - photovoltaic coatings comprising a plurality of subsets of photovoltaic coatings which are distributed around the central axis and which each comprise two adjacent photovoltaic coatings, each photovoltaic coating extending substantially along a respective extension plane and comprising a positive terminal, a negative terminal and at least one photovoltaic cell, the extension planes of the two photovoltaic coverings belonging to the same subset converging upwards and intersecting along a respective intersection line which is inclined relative to the central axis and which extends upwards away from the central axis, and - an electrical connection base which is located under the photovoltaic coverings of said three-dimensional photovoltaic module and which is configured to electrically connect said photovoltaic coverings together. Such an orientation of the different photovoltaic coatings makes it possible to maximize the exposed surface area of the three-dimensional photovoltaic module at each instant of the Sun's travel path, and th