Characterisation of New Generation of Solar Concentrators

Sellami, Nazmi; Meng, Xianlong; Knox, Andrew R.; Mallick, Tapas

Abstract

The cost of the Concentrated Photovoltaic CPV modules could be reduced by increasing the output per unit solar cell and this could be done by replacing expensive solar cells with a low cost optical material. The problem remains with the increase of the temperature of the solar cell assembled to the concentrators. One of the key requirements of the CPV system is to keep the temperature minimum of the solar cells. The current study aims to provide a solution to increase the total efficiency of the CPV system by decreasing the temperature of the solar cell and extend the duration of the utilisation of the concentrator. The Crossed Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CCPC) is one of the most efficient non-imaging solar concentrators to be used as a stationary solar concentrator or second stage solar concentrator. The CCPC is modified to generate for the first time a new generation of solar concentrator working as CPV/thermal system and thermal solar collector at the same time. The CCPC is designed to have two complementary surfaces, one reflective and one absorbent. Usually, the height of the CCPC is truncated with a minor sacrifice to the geometric concentration. In the current study, these truncated surfaces, to be eliminated, are replaced with absorbent surfaces instead to collect heat from solar radiation. The studied CCPC has an acceptance angle of 60° and is able to collect sunrays for 6 hours during the day. The optical, thermal and total efficiency of the modified CCPC (absorbent and reflective) is simulated and compared for different geometric concentration ratios varying from 3.6x to 4x. Results show that the total efficiency of the novel modified CCPC remains constant and high all day long and that the 3.6x CCPC has the highest total efficiency compared to the other concentrators. These preliminary results are very promising and significant for the enhancement of low solar concentrator systems.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (Published)
• Conference Name: 29th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
• Start Date: Sep 22, 2014
• End Date: Sep 26, 2014
• Acceptance Date: Mar 1, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Sep 26, 2014
• Publication Date: 2014
• Deposit Date: Dec 21, 2021
• Pages: 2166-2169
• Book Title: 29th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
• ISBN: 3-936338-34-5
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4229/EUPVSEC20142014-4CV.3.42
• Keywords: Solar Energy, Optical Simulation, Solar Concentrator, CPV
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2818304