Patent ID: 9515215
Filing Date: 2016-12-06
CPC Classification: F24S,F28F,H01L,H02S,Y02E

Claim Text:
1. A photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system comprising: a photovoltaic thermal (PVT) cell configured to generate electricity and to provide a thermal output; an in-cell pipe located within said PVT cell and configured to transport a heat exchange fluid inside said in-cell pipe; a boiler unit for heating said heat exchange fluid; a heat exchanger unit within which said heat exchange fluid loses heat; a heat exchanger inlet-side pipe connecting said boiler unit to said heat exchanger unit; a PVT cell inlet-side pipe connecting said PVT cell to said heat exchanger unit; a PVT cell outlet-side pipe connecting said PVT cell to said boiler unit; and a heat exchanger bypass pipe connecting said heat exchanger inlet-side pipe to said PVT cell inlet-side pipe, wherein said PVT system operates in a first circulation path or a second circulation path; a first valve located at a common node between said portion of said heat exchanger inlet-side pipe and said heat exchanger bypass pipe configured to switch between said first circulation path and said second circulation path; said first circulation path transports said heat exchange fluid from said boiler unit to said heat exchanger bypass pipe, from said heat exchanger bypass pipe to said PVT inlet-side pipe, from said PVT inlet-side pipe to said in-cell pipe, from said in-cell pipe to said PVT outlet-side pipe and from said PVT outlet-side pipe back to said boiler unit wherein said boiler unit heats said heat exchange fluid so as to heat a photovoltaic material within said PVT cell to a temperature greater than 130 degrees C. to anneal said photovoltaic material; and said second circulation path transports heat exchange fluid from said PVT cell inlet-side pipe to said in-cell pipe, from said in-cell pipe to said PVT outlet-side pipe, from said PVT outlet-side pipe to said boiler, from said boiler to said heat exchanger inlet-side pipe, from said heat exchanger inlet-side pipe to said heat exchanger unit and from said heat exchanger unit back to said PVT cell inlet-side pipe.