Patents by Inventor Andrej Lenert
Andrej Lenert has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Publication number: 20240097601Abstract: A tandem photovoltaic (PV) may include III-V semiconductors, silicon, a cathode electrode, an anode electrode, and a gold-to-gold metal bridge electrode. The semiconductors include p-typed and n-typed regions. To form a tandem PV structure, bottom and top PV cells can be independently fabricated. The bottom and the top PV cells are electrically connected by the gold-to-gold metal bridge interconnection, which is positioned between the bottom and the top PV cells. The metal bridge may be formed by cold-welding compression technique. This structure is compatible to the development of tandem PVs as well as thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2023Publication date: March 21, 2024Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANInventors: Stephen R. FORREST, Tobias BURGER, Andrej LENERT, Bosun ROY-LAYINDE, Jinun LIM
-
Patent number: 11901473Abstract: To reach high efficiencies, thermophotovoltaic cells must utilize the broad spectrum of a radiative thermal source. One promising approach to overcome this challenge is to have low-energy photons reflected and reabsorbed by the thermal emitter, where their energy can have another chance at contributing toward photogeneration in the cell. However, current methods for photon recuperation are limited by insufficient bandwidth or parasitic absorption, resulting in large efficiency losses relative to theoretical limits. This work demonstrates nearly perfect reflection of low-energy photons (˜99%) by embedding an air layer within the TPV cell. This result represents a four-fold reduction in parasitic absorption relative to existing TPV cells. As out-of-band reflectance approaches unity, TPV efficiency becomes nearly insensitive to cell bandgap and emitter temperature. Accessing this regime unlocks a range of possible materials and heat sources that were previously inaccessible to TPV energy conversion.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2021Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANInventors: Tobias Burger, Byungjun Lee, Dejiu Fan, Andrej Lenert, Stephen R. Forrest
-
Patent number: 11859922Abstract: A thermal management system for a body to be exposed to solar radiation includes an infrared radiating element and a solar-scattering cover disposed on or integrated with the infrared radiating element. The thermal management system further includes a thermal storage sub-system in fluid connection with a solar panel via thermal interconnections.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2022Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: The Regents of the University of MichiganInventors: Andrej Lenert, Hannah Meekyung Kim
-
Publication number: 20230235450Abstract: Thermally insulating materials (TIMs) for use in concentrated solar thermal (CST) technologies comprising a mesoporous oxide including a porous oxide matrix comprising a porous oxide and a metal oxide or metal nitride in the form of a conformal layer of the metal oxide or metal nitride on the surface of the porous oxide matrix, wherein the conformal layer completely covers the surface area of the porous oxide matrix, or in the form of metal oxide or metal nitride nanoparticles dispersed throughout the porous oxide matrix, or in the form of a conformal coating or nanoparticles, methods of preparing same, and solar devices comprising same.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2021Publication date: July 27, 2023Inventors: Andrej Lenert, Neil P. Dasgupta, Zachary James Berquist, Andrew Gayle
-
Patent number: 11569777Abstract: Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems and devices with improved efficiencies are disclosed herein. In one example, a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cell includes an active layer; a back-surface reflective (BSR) layer; and a spacer layer positioned between the active layer and back-surface reflective layer.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2019Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: The Regents of the University of MichiganInventors: Andrej Lenert, Stephen R. Forrest, Tobias Eugene Burger, Deiju Fan, Kyusang Lee
-
Publication number: 20220276012Abstract: A thermal management system for a body to be exposed to solar radiation includes an infrared radiating element and a solar-scattering cover disposed on or integrated with the infrared radiating element. The thermal management system further includes a thermal storage sub-system in fluid connection with a solar panel via thermal interconnections.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2022Publication date: September 1, 2022Inventors: Andrej Lenert, Hannah Meekyung Kim
-
Patent number: 11353274Abstract: A thermal management system for a body to be exposed to solar radiation includes an infrared radiating element and a solar-scattering cover disposed on or integrated with the infrared radiating element.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: The Regents of the University of MichiganInventors: Andrej Lenert, Hannah Meekyung Kim
-
Publication number: 20210328087Abstract: To reach high efficiencies, thermophotovoltaic cells must utilize the broad spectrum of a radiative thermal source. One promising approach to overcome this challenge is to have low-energy photons reflected and reabsorbed by the thermal emitter, where their energy can have another chance at contributing toward photogeneration in the cell. However, current methods for photon recuperation are limited by insufficient bandwidth or parasitic absorption, resulting in large efficiency losses relative to theoretical limits. This work demonstrates nearly perfect reflection of low-energy photons (˜99%) by embedding an air layer within the TPV cell. This result represents a four-fold reduction in parasitic absorption relative to existing TPV cells. As out-of-band reflectance approaches unity, TPV efficiency becomes nearly insensitive to cell bandgap and emitter temperature. Accessing this regime unlocks a range of possible materials and heat sources that were previously inaccessible to TPV energy conversion.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2021Publication date: October 21, 2021Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANInventors: Tobias BURGER, Byungjun LEE, Dejiu FAN, Andrej LENERT, Stephen R. FORREST
-
Publication number: 20200355448Abstract: A thermal management system for a body to be exposed to solar radiation includes an infrared radiating element and a solar-scattering cover disposed on or integrated with the infrared radiating element.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2020Publication date: November 12, 2020Inventors: Andrej Lenert, Hannah Meekyung Kim
-
Publication number: 20200007069Abstract: Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems and devices with improved efficiencies are disclosed herein. In one example, a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cell includes an active layer; a back-surface reflective (BSR) layer; and a spacer layer positioned between the active layer and back-surface reflective layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2019Publication date: January 2, 2020Inventors: Andrej Lenert, Stephen R. Forrest, Tobias Eugene Burger, Deiju Fan, Kyusang Lee
-
Patent number: 10043932Abstract: A single-stack, solar power receiver comprising both a thermal absorber layer and a photovoltaic cell layer. The stack includes an aerogel layer, that is optically transparent and thermally insulating (“OTTI”); a spectrally selective high thermal conductivity (“SSTC”) thermal absorber layer; a bottom OTTI layer; and a PV cell layer. The SSTC layer includes a set of fins that substantially blocks solar radiation absorption in the band where PV cells are most sensitive. Photons with energies above or below this band block range are absorbed by the fins and the absorbed heat is conducted to pipes in the fin structure carrying a heated thermal working fluid to heat storage. Photons with energy in the band block range are reflected by the SSTC fins to the PV cell layer. The bottom OTTI aerogel layer keeps the PV cell operating near ambient temperature. The PV cell converts incident solar radiation to electrical energy.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2014Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Gang Chen, Evelyn N. Wang, Svetlana V. Boriskina, Kenneth McEnaney, Hadi Ghasemi, Selcuk Yerci, Andrej Lenert, Sungwoo Yang, Nenad Miljkovic, Lee A. Weinstein, David Bierman
-
Patent number: 9929690Abstract: A solar thermal photovoltaic device, and method of forming same, includes a solar absorber and a spectrally selective emitter formed on either side of a thermally conductive substrate. The solar absorber is configured to absorb incident solar radiation. The solar absorber and the spectrally selective emitter are configured with an optimized emitter-to-absorber area ratio. The solar thermal photovoltaic device also includes a photovoltaic cell in thermal communication with the spectrally selective emitter. The spectrally selective emitter is configured to permit high emittance for energies above a bandgap of the photovoltaic cell and configured to permit low emittance for energies below the bandgap.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2014Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Andrej Lenert, David Bierman, Walker Chan, Ivan Celanovic, Marin Soljacic, Evelyn N. Wang, Young Suk Nam, Kenneth McEnaney, Daniel Kraemer, Gang Chen
-
Publication number: 20160164451Abstract: A solar thermal photovoltaic device, and method of forming same, includes a solar absorber and a spectrally selective emitter formed on either side of a thermally conductive substrate. The solar absorber is configured to absorb incident solar radiation. The solar absorber and the spectrally selective emitter are configured with an optimized emitter-to-absorber area ratio. The solar thermal photovoltaic device also includes a photovoltaic cell in thermal communication with the spectrally selective emitter. The spectrally selective emitter is configured to permit high emittance for energies above a bandgap of the photovoltaic cell and configured to permit low emittance for energies below the bandgap.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2014Publication date: June 9, 2016Inventors: Andrej Lenert, David Bierman, Walker Chan, Ivan Celanovic, Marin Soljacic, Evelyn N. Wang, Young Suk Nam, Kenneth McEnaney, Daniel Kraemer, Gang Chen
-
Publication number: 20150053266Abstract: A single-stack, solar power receiver comprising both a thermal absorber layer and a photovoltaic cell layer. The stack includes an aerogel layer, that is optically transparent and thermally insulating (“OTTI”); a spectrally selective high thermal conductivity (“SSTC”) thermal absorber layer; a bottom OTTI layer; and a PV cell layer. The SSTC layer includes a set of fins that substantially blocks solar radiation absorption in the band where PV cells are most sensitive. Photons with energies above or below this band block range are absorbed by the fins and the absorbed heat is conducted to pipes in the fin structure carrying a heated thermal working fluid to heat storage. Photons with energy in the band block range are reflected by the SSTC fins to the PV cell layer. The bottom OTTI aerogel layer keeps the PV cell operating near ambient temperature. The PV cell converts incident solar radiation to electrical energy.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2014Publication date: February 26, 2015Inventors: Gang Chen, Evelyn N. Wang, Svetlana V. Boriskina, Kenneth McEnaney, Hadi Ghasemi, Selcuk Yerci, Andrej Lenert, Sungwoo Yang, Nenad Miljkovic, Lee A. Weinstein, David Bierman