Integrated apparatus for supporting and cooling a photovoltaic panel

The patented integrated Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) cooling system efficiently and space-savingly removes heat from solar cells during periods of high solar radiation. Unlike existing products that utilise the Peltier and Seebeck effect, in the patented system the Seebeck effect occurs internally in the heat sink itself, which acts entirely as a carrier for the cells, and only a small part of the removed heat is used to provide the required temperature difference. The invention results in a clear simplification of solar cell cooling and thermoelectric conversion technology. This also leads to cascading economic advantages in terms of overall system costs. We have started extensive research into new innovative and efficient materials to further improve the efficiency of the system and provide an increasingly competitive product for the market..We are looking for collaborators, joint-venturers and investors

Analysis of different Hybrid TEG/TEC Configurations

The growing demand for electricity and the looming environmental crisis are the main challenges to be faced and solved today. This calls for innovative energy conversion systems, for which efficiency and reliability are among the most sought-after features. Thermoelectric generators are devices that can offer partial or complete solutions to these challenges of the new millennium. The advantages of these technologically advanced devices are many: they are environmentally friendly, reliable and have a long service life. Furthermore, by applying thermoelectric generators, it is possible to improve the efficiency of existing systems or meet the electricity demand of different systems with high flexibility. At the same time, their low conversion efficiency has so far prevented their wide application, limiting them mainly to research. However, recent advances in thermoelectric materials and devices are pushing this technology to find its place among state-of-the-art energy conversion systems. This review explores the state of the art in terms of research and solutions already on the market, in order to illustrate a comprehensive and realistic perspective of the PV-TEG/TEC structures

Case Report: A Peculiar Case of Inflammatory Colitis After SARS-CoV-2 Infection

open14noWe report a case of inflammatory colitis after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a patient with no additional co-morbidity who died within three weeks of hospitalization. As it is becoming increasingly clear that SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause immunological alterations, we investigated the expression of the inhibitory checkpoint PD-1 and its ligand PD-L1 to explore the potential role of this axis in the break of self-tolerance. The presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in colon tissue was demonstrated by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical localization of the nucleocapsid protein. Expression of lymphocyte markers, PD-1, and PD-L1 in colon tissue was investigated by IHC. SARSCoV- 2-immunoreactive cells were detected both in the ulcerated and non-ulcerated mucosal areas. Compared to healthy tissue, where PD-1 is weakly expressed and PD-L1 is absent, PD-1 and PD-L1 expression appears in the inflamed mucosal tissue, as expected, but was mainly confined to non-ulcerative areas. At the same time, these markers were virtually undetectable in areas of mucosal ulceration. Our data show an alteration of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis and suggest a link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and an aberrant autoinflammatory response due to concomitant breakdown of the PD-1/ PD-L1 interaction leading to early death of the patient.openRutigliani, Mariangela; Bozzo, Matteo; Barberis, Andrea; Greppi, Marco; Anelli, Emanuela; Castellaro, Luca; Bonsignore, Alessandro; Azzinnaro, Antonio; Pesce, Silvia; Filauro, Marco; Rollandi, Gian Andrea; Castagnola, Patrizio; Candiani, Simona; Marcenaro, EmanuelaRutigliani, Mariangela; Bozzo, Matteo; Barberis, Andrea; Greppi, Marco; Anelli, Emanuela; Castellaro, Luca; Bonsignore, Alessandro; Azzinnaro, Antonio; Pesce, Silvia; Filauro, Marco; Rollandi, Gian Andrea; Castagnola, Patrizio; Candiani, Simona; Marcenaro, Emanuel

Post-Transplant Nivolumab Plus Unselected Autologous Lymphocytes in Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Feasible and Promising Salvage Therapy Associated With Expansion and Maturation of NK Cells

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (CI) have demonstrated clinical activity in Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) patients relapsing after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), although only 20% complete response (CR) rate was observed. The efficacy of CI is strictly related to the host immune competence, which is impaired in heavily pre-treated HL patients. Here, we aimed to enhance the activity of early post-ASCT CI (nivolumab) administration with the infusion of autologous lymphocytes (ALI). Twelve patients with relapse/refractory (R/R) HL (median age 28.5 years; range 18-65), underwent lymphocyte apheresis after first line chemotherapy and then proceeded to salvage therapy. Subsequently, 9 patients with progressive disease at ASCT received early post-transplant CI supported with four ALI, whereas 3 responding patients received ALI alone, as a control cohort. No severe adverse events were recorded. HL-treated patients achieved negative PET scan CR and 8 are alive and disease-free after a median follow-up of 28 months. Four patients underwent subsequent allogeneic SCT. Phenotypic analysis of circulating cells showed a faster expansion of highly differentiated NK cells in ALI plus nivolumab-treated patients as compared to control patients. Our data show anti-tumor activity with good tolerability of ALI + CI for R/R HL and suggest that this setting may accelerate NK cell development/maturation and favor the expansion of the "adaptive" NK cell compartment in patients with HCMV seropositivity, in the absence of HCMV reactivation

Numerical optimization,modeling and system evaluation of a thermophotovoltaic hybrid panel

Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels generally produce electricity in the 6% to 16% efficiency range, the rest being dissipated in thermal losses. To recover this amount, hybrid photovoltaic thermal systems (PVT) have been devised. These are devices that simultaneously convert solar energy into electricity and heat. It is thus interesting to study the PVT system globally from different point of views in order to evaluate advantages and disadvantages of this technology and its possible uses. In particular in Chapter II, the development of the PVT absorber numerical optimization by a genetic algorithm has been carried out analyzing different internal channel profiles in order to find a right compromise between performance and technical and economical feasibility. Therefore in Chapter III ,thanks to a mobile structure built into the university lab, it has been compared experimentally electrical and thermal output power from PVT panels with separated photovoltaic and solar thermal productions. Collecting a lot of experimental data based on different seasonal conditions (ambient temperature,irradiation, wind...),the aim of this mobile structure has been to evaluate average both thermal and electrical increasing and decreasing efficiency values obtained respect to separate productions through the year. In Chapter IV , new PVT and solar thermal equation based models in steady state conditions have been developed by software Dymola that uses Modelica language. This permits ,in a simplified way respect to previous system modelling softwares, to model and evaluate different concepts about PVT panel regarding its structure before prototyping and measuring it. Chapter V concerns instead the definition of PVT boundary conditions into a HVAC system . This was made trough year simulations by software Polysun in order to finally assess the best solar assisted integrated structure thanks to F_save(solar saving energy)factor. Finally, Chapter VI presents the conclusion and the perspectives of this PhD work

Thermal Characterization of Radiative and Convective Heating Devices

In this work the thermal performances of innovative heating devices are analyzed with the help of a numerical model. The innovative devices, Thermosaic Plus and Thermosaic Comfort produced by Xinergia, are first evaluated under the UNI EN 442 conditions. Their performances are then analyzed under conditions closer to the real working ones. The differences in the results of the two analysis are put in evidence. Moreover the performances of the innovative heating devices are compared to those of traditional tubolar ones. Criteria for evaluating the heating device efficiency are also proposed and applied to the analysis, taking the perceived comfort into account. Referring to these criteria, large reductions in the absorbed thermal power are found for the innovative devices with respect to the power required by the traditional tubular ones

Numerical modeling of a new integrated PV-TE cooling system and support

In this article, an innovative cooling system for photovoltaic panels is presented. This system uses the Seebeck effect to generate electricity. The proposed device differs from existing photothermoelectric systems by means of a compact, efficient and space-saving apparatus.In fact, in the proposed device the thermoelectric generator is integrated in the heat exchange system since the thermoelectric effect takes place inside the heat exchanger and only a small part of the removed heat is used to create the required temperature difference. A preliminary numerical analysis of the thermoelectric behaviour of the proposed device under different geometrical and fluid-dynamic conditions is also presented. For a standard photovoltaic panel of 100 ​× ​125 cm the proposed cooling system allows an increase of almost 15% of the electrical power converted by the cells. Moreover, the exploited Seebeck effect provides an electrical power (ranging from 61.2 to 71.2 ​W in the studied cases) that is respectively 10.9 and 1.33 times the power required for forced ventilation. The maximum system electrical power reachable, using commercial inorganic thermoelectric materials, considering all electrical power gains and losses is next to 300–310 ​W/m2

Use of microspheres in thermally insulating hybrid solar panels

In this work the problem of thermally insulating a PhotoVoltaic Thermal (PVT) hybrid solar panel is investigated. In particular, a PVT panel designed to be laid on the ground like a tile is considered. Such a hybrid solar tile, previously presented, is resistant, walkable and can be used to cover places, terraces and roof. It consists in a core composed of a photovoltaic cell layer placed in contact with an aluminum heat sink which transfers heat from the cells to a water flow. This core is coated on the upper side with a transparent epoxy resin and on the lower and lateral sides with an opaque epoxy resin. To thermally insulate such a panel, the insertion of microspheres in the opaque resin is then considered. In particular, the maximum concentration of the microspheres acceptable with respect to the production process is evaluated. Moreover, the effect on the heat dispersed by the panel, which is produced by inserting microspheres in the opaque resin, is experimentally investigated. Some preliminary results are presented showing reductions in the dispersed heat

Innovativa piastrella termofotovoltaica calpestabile in resina.

La piastrella sviluppata dagli inventori \ue8 costituita da uno strato di celle fotovoltaiche poste a contatto, mediante pasta termoconduttiva, con un dissipatore di calore in lega di alluminio che trasferisce il calore dalle celle al flusso d'acqua. La parte inferiore del dissipatore di calore e i connettori idraulici ed elettrici sono incapsulati in una resina opaca e termoisolante. La parte superiore e le celle sono ricoperte da una resina trasparente. Tale soluzione risulta idonea per qualunque superficie piana esposta all'irraggiamento solare, spesso non fruibile e/o inutilizzata dal punto di vista energetico, permettendo una doppia fruizione energetica (termica ed elettrica) ed una garantita calpestabilit\ue0 365 giorni l\u2019anno

Experimental characterization of a hybrid industrial solar tile

In this work an innovative hybrid solar panel is presented. The panel is particularly resistant. It is walkable and can be used as a tile to cover places, terraces and roofs. It consists in a photovoltaic cell layer placed in contact with an aluminium heat sink which transfers heat from the cells to a water flow. The lower part of the heat sink and the hydraulic and electrical connectors are encapsulated in an opaque and insulating resin. The upper part and the cells are covered with a transparent resin. The heat sink consists in an aluminium block in which some channels and the input and output plena are created. In the prototype version of the panel, a circular section has been assigned to the channels. Some preliminary results are presented, which have been obtained on the hybrid panel prototype. In particular the efficiency of the photovoltaic cells has been investigated by changing the water temperature and flow under different solar conditions