Photovoltaic Case for Electrical Equipment

The objective of this project is to design, fabricate, and test a prototype photovoltaic (PV) case for electrical equipment used in field operations. The PV case could charge the equipment's batteries and/or directly operate low power equipment such as receivers and computers without a battery. The case would incorporate ECD's unique lightweight, flexible, and very rugged amorphous silicon PV modules. These modules would be integrally laminated or bonded to the exposed surfaces of existing cases for the equipment, thereby retaining the physical protection, support, rigidity and electro-magnetic protection already provided. Alternatively, they could be similarly incorporated into cases newly designed to maximize surface exposure to the sun. The size, weight, and thickness of the cases would not be substantially increased due to the thinness and lightness of the modules. The flexibility of the modules would enable their use on curved surfaces.