Field of Invention:
This innovation is related to the field of renewable energy sources involving solar panels
with a rain water harvesting system and with an optional setup of bladeless wind turbine
at the top of it as well as using the unused area beneath the solar panels. Therefore this
innovation is regarding construction of a solar tree which will combine solar power
generation, rain water harvesting and wind energy through either bladeless or vertical
wind power turbines (optional) and utilizing the space beneath the tree for various public
utilities in one set up only thereby generating electric power, recharging the ground water
table, saving and utilizing the space below the solar panels.
Background:
Our country is deficient in both energy and water resources and there is serious crisis
looming over our country in terms of depleting ground water table as well as providing
electricity for the poor and in the far flung areas. The two very common solutions for
countering the above problems are rain water harvesting and using solar power
generation. There are various methods to generate electricity through solar panels but
never are they combined with a rain water harvesting method to work simultaneously or in
the same structure. There is an optional setup for placing bladeless wind turbine over the
solar tree. The basic idea behind this is to utilize the different type of renewable energy set
up into one. Also utilization of surface area covered by the solar panels both above and
beneath them is integrated with this set up. The surface above the solar panels can be used
to collect water and area beneath the solar panels for public utilities such as storage spaces,
living areas for homeless, schools, toilets etc. In this way the solar panels can be used for
both generating electricity and can help in rain water harvesting and provide space for
public utilities. This system can be used effectively in villages and parched areas where
there are scores of barren land but due to unavailability of water collection mechanism the
ground water levels could not be recharged. The diameter and height of the solar tree can
be varied based upon type of requirement and usage.
Description:
A) Construction of the Solar tree:
Reference is made to the drawings (figure 1, 2, 3, & 4) attached with this submission.
The Solar tree consists of a long hollow (with closed end at the top) circular steel or any
metallic pipe or a combination of plastics with metallic pipe(002) capable of flowing a large
amount of water inside without getting rusting or any other marine defects inside or
P
outside its surface. This pipe is firmly erected on the ground and goes down below the
ground level (010) till the rainwater collection tank (013). The solar tree pipe consists of
various levels of solar panels (031, 032, 033, 034...) which are placed in a circular manner
juxtapose to each other at certain height in order to have required amount of sunlight and
water collecting area.
These solar panels are connected to a hydraulic /pneumatic or electrical actuating
mechanism (004) which is required to change the orientation of the solar cells with
reference to the incoming sunlight and rainfall. There is artificially intelligent based rain
water and sunshine sensor (006) and electrical lightning conductor apparatus (001) placed
on the top of the solar tree to check for the rain water and save from electrical lightning.
Apart from there is a high luminous bulb (016) is also placed at the top of it to provide light
to its nearby surroundings.
The solar tree houses rainwater harvesting setup inside itself also. Therefore a
collection tank (013) for holding the collected rain water is placed beneath the ground level
where solar tree is erected. There are also various water filters (005) to clean the water at
the different heights where the solar panels are located. Just before the collection tank
there is a diversion pipe (012) for diverting the water coming from the top to the collection
tank.
After the water is collected in the rain water collection tank the water level when it
reaches uptill level of filter placed at outlet of collection tank the water starts flowing down
to the water sump or pit (015) digged deep down at the ground water level through a
discharge pipe (014). This way the extra water flows down from the rain water collection
tank and recharges the ground water table.
There is also collection tray or cover (007) just below the last solar panel level for holding
the dirt, debris, and other waste particles and provides cover from sunlight and rainwater
for the public utilities that are housed below the solar tree (009). The cover or tray is
supported by the erected stands (008) at different locations. This tray can be cleaned with
the help of stairs and through outlet drain system.
The optional setup for placing the bladeless wind turbine over the solar tree is also there in
order to provide an option of additional power generation through bladeless turbine by
putting the bladeless turbine system over the top of the solar tree by welding a support
plate there. The electricity generated through the turbine will also be transmitted to the
electricity storage system along with the electricity generated by the solar panels. This set
up is generally preferred when the solar tree is placed in an open field or barren lands
where there is not much living population around the same. The bladeless wind turbines
generate power without having large blades rotating due to wind flow.
B) Operation of the solar tree:
The solar tree as described above works on three modes:
i. Electricity mode: this mode will be used for the time when there are no rains. In
this mode the water will not be collected by actuating the solar panels and only the
solar panels will be used for generating the electricity. The whole structure of solar
tree is such that all the solar cells are placed in layered manner just like the different
branches of a tree but in a descending order from top to bottom of the solar tree
with a specified gapping in between each branch to ensure maximum sunlight
exposure. This ensures optimum utilization of solar cells by exposing their
maximum area to the sunlight That the solar cells are placed in the solar tree in
such a manner that the smallest solar cell assembly is placed on the top and then at
each level the size of the solar cell assembly increase with increase in their overall
diameter and surface area. When there are no rains the solar panels will be straight
lying horizontally parallel to the ground as shown in the Figure 1. The electricity
produced will be stored through electricity generation systems' similar to what is
used in present day solar panels. This electricity will be used for various
requirements in the public utilities which will be constructed beneath the solar tree.
2. Water Collection mode: This mode will be activated automatically when there are
rains splashing on the solar tree. This mode will be activated by the rain water and
sunshine sensing sensors (006) placed at the top of the solar tree. In this mode the
solar panels will incline upwards at a certain degree to make funnel shape
collectively as per the requirement. Once the water sensors senses the rainwater,
they will send the signals to actuation mechanism (hydraulic/pneumatic/electrical
actuators) to lift" the solar cells at the required degrees of inclination with the
horizontal in order to make them inclined w.r.t the ground surface. Solar cells are
placed in such a way that when lifted through actuating mechanism vertically
upwards at- certain angle then the whole assembly of solar cells makes the shape of a
"Funnel" which is used to collect the water. The funnel shape of solar panels will
have no spaces left between them as they will form a space free joint by efficiently
adjusting their mating edges over each other. The water will start collecting the in
the funnel after their edges are joined and the whole assembly gets into a funnel
shape. The water will then flow down in the solar tree hollow pipe (002) through
inlet holes (61.7). This water will, then be flowed down several water filters (005)
placed in the pipe. The pipe is of increasing diameter type in which the lower
diameter is at the top and the highest diameter at the end of the pipe to ensure the
obstruction free flow of rain water.
The water gushing down the pipe will be collected in the rain water
collection tank (013) and the excess water will flow down towards the ground water
table sump (015) through pipe (014). In this way solar cells are used both as an
electricity generating device and a rain water collecting funnel. The water collected
through solar tree will be the rain water and will help in ground water table
recharging as well as providing water supply to the public amenities and utilities
which are placed below it apart from providing electricity for the user. Each level of
the solar cells will contribute rain water as per their surface area.
3. Customized mode: During winters and at the time of less sunlight there is need for
utilizing the available sunlight with highest optimization and for maximum duration.
This is done by artificially intelligence based rain water and sunshine sensing
sensors (006) by tilting the solar panels in the direction where the chances of
getting the maximum sunlight are available. The sensor senses the sunlight
direction and determines which solar panels need to be tilted to get the maximum
sunlight Thus sensor sends the signal(s) to the actuators connected to the identified
solar panels to increase or decrease the tilting angle of them as per the requirement.
Space utilization of the Solar tree:- A circular shaped space will be created beneath the
circular cover tray due to the structure of the solar tree. The solar tree will be able to house
various types of public amenities and utilities beneath itself such as parking lot, schools,
and temporary shelters for homeless, toilets, open fields and agricultural fields etc. in this
space. These utilities will get power supply from the solar tree as well as water from the
rainwater collection tank and the ground water pit where the excess water will flow down.
Thus the solar tree will act as a captive power plant and water supply for the public
amenities below its structure also.
When the solar tree is mounted over buildings both small and high rise also and will
provide electricity and water for the habitants. Also the large systems of solar tree can be
erected over a large open area such as agricultural fields and barren lands with an option of
separate rain water collection tanks or a single rainwater collection tank taking discharge
from different solar trees placed over a specified area.

1 CLAIM:
1. The Solar tree consists of a long hollow circular steel pipe which is closed at one
end from the top. The hollow pipe is firmly erected on the ground and goes down
below the ground level till the rainwater collection tank, consists of multiple
solar panels placed in a circular manner juxtapose to each other connected to
hydraulic /pneumatic or electrical actuating mechanism from bottom to change
the orientation of the solar panels, artificially intelligent rain water and sunshine
sensors to control the orientation of solar panels w.r.t ground level. It also
consists of electrical lightning conductor and an optional setup for placing
bladeless turbine over the top of the solar tree. Beneath the ground level the
solar tree is connected with the rainwater collection tank for holding the
collected rain water. This rain water passes through various filters which are
installed inside the pipe to clean the water. It also consists of a collection tray for
holding the waste and dirt particles to prevent them in entering the public
amenities.
2. That this solar tree uses artificially intelligent water and sunshine sensors to
sense the rainwater and sunshine in order to send accurate signals to actuation
mechanism (hydraulic/pneumatic/electrical actuators) to change the inclination
of the sohr panels at the required degree of inclination both upwards and
downwards with desired angle of inclination w.r.t. the ground surface depending
upon the weather conditions.
3. That the solar panels are placed in such a way that when lifted through actuating
mechanism vertically upwards at certain angle then the whole assembly of solar
panels make the shape of a "Funnel" which is used to collect the water. In this
way solar panels are used both as an electricity generating device and a rain
water collecting funnel.
4. That the whole structure of solar tree is such that all the solar panels are placed
in layered manner, surrounding the hollow pipe in a circular shape just like the
different branches of a tree but in a descending order from top to bottom of the
solar tree with a specified gapping in between each branch to ensure maximum
sunlight exposure. This ensures optimum utilization of solar panels by exposing
their maximum area to the sunlight Each circular layer of the solar panels will be
formed individual solar panel with an optimum gap between them in order to
make funnel shape when lifted at a certain angle together.
5. That the solar tree will collect the rain water and will help in ground water table
recharging as well as providing water supply to the public amenities and utilities
which are placed below it apart from providing electricity for the user. The solar
tree will be able to house various types of public amenities and utilities beneath
itself such as parking lot, schools, and temporary shelters for homeless, toilets,
open fields and agricultural fields etc. These utilities will get power supply from
the solar tree as well as water from the rainwater collection tank and the ground
water pit where the excess water will flow down.
6. That the steel/metallic hollow pipe which is closed from the top has circular
openings with distillation apparatus involving removable and cleanable filters at
different stages such that the clean water collected from the solar panels will
flow inside the pipe and will get collected in the rain water collection tank. Each
level of the solar panels will contribute rain water as per their surface area.
7. That the solar panels are placed in the solar tree in such a manner that the
smallest solar panel assembly is placed on the top and then at each level the size
of the solar panef assembly increase with increase in their overall diameter and
surface area.
8. That the solar tree can be mounted over buildings both small and high rise also
and will provide electricity and water for the habitants and the large systems of
solar tree can be erected over a large area with an option of separate rain water
collection tanks or a single rainwater collection tank taking discharge from
different solar trees placed over a specified area.
9. That the solar tree has an optional mode for setting up bladeless wind turbines
over its top by making suitable modifications there. This bladeless wind turbine
will further generate electric power which can be stored along with the solar
energy.
10. There are three modes in the solar tree:
a) Electricity mode: This mode will be used for the time when there are no rains.
In this mode the water will not be collected by the solar tree and only the
solar panels will be used for generating the electricity.
b) Water Collection mode: In this mode the solar panels will incline upwards at
the certain degree as per the requirement to collect the rain water and
generates electricity also simultaneously.
c) Customized mode: this mode will be used for utilizing maximum sunlight
with maximum duration by tilting the solar panels in weather where there is
lesser amount of sunlight from which electricity can be generated.