TY - JOUR
T1 - Optical performance analysis of a HCPV solar concentrator yielding highly uniform cell irradiance
AU - Zou, Yuan Hsiang
AU - Yang, Tian Shiang
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors gratefully acknowledge the Taiwan National Science Council for supporting this work through Grant No. NSC101-2221-E-006-105-MY3 . They would also like to thank Professors C.-J. Ho, C.-D. Wen, and S.-C. Shen of NCKU, for a number of fruitful discussions on this work and various other topics.
PY - 2014/9
Y1 - 2014/9
N2 - Here we analyze the optical performance of a novel solar concentrator design suitable for high-concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) modules. In the design, a pair of confocal parabolic reflectors and a Fresnel lens with matching focal length are employed to achieve high irradiance uniformity on the solar cell in an HCPV module. To evaluate the sunlight concentrating characteristics of this concentrator design, its peak concentration ratio (PCR) on the solar cell, overall optical efficiency, and acceptance angle are calculated numerically. Moreover, the dependence of these performance indices on the geometrical concentration ratio (GCR) and aspect ratio (AR) of the concentrator also is investigated, so as to identify the "optimal" concentrator geometry. It is thus demonstrated that, at a GCR of 800× for example, the concentrator design can limit the PCR below 1200× for all ARs greater than unity. Also, test data for a sample concentrator with 800× GCR and an optimized AR of 1.6 indicate that the enhanced cell irradiance uniformity enables an HCPV module to achieve an increased photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 28.6%.
AB - Here we analyze the optical performance of a novel solar concentrator design suitable for high-concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) modules. In the design, a pair of confocal parabolic reflectors and a Fresnel lens with matching focal length are employed to achieve high irradiance uniformity on the solar cell in an HCPV module. To evaluate the sunlight concentrating characteristics of this concentrator design, its peak concentration ratio (PCR) on the solar cell, overall optical efficiency, and acceptance angle are calculated numerically. Moreover, the dependence of these performance indices on the geometrical concentration ratio (GCR) and aspect ratio (AR) of the concentrator also is investigated, so as to identify the "optimal" concentrator geometry. It is thus demonstrated that, at a GCR of 800× for example, the concentrator design can limit the PCR below 1200× for all ARs greater than unity. Also, test data for a sample concentrator with 800× GCR and an optimized AR of 1.6 indicate that the enhanced cell irradiance uniformity enables an HCPV module to achieve an increased photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 28.6%.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.solener.2014.06.004
DO - 10.1016/j.solener.2014.06.004
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84902986389
SN - 0038-092X
VL - 107
SP - 1
EP - 11
JO - Solar Energy
JF - Solar Energy
ER -