Can passive house be the solution to our energy problems, and particularly with solar energy?

OpenAIRE

Merciadri, Luca

2007-01-01

A description about the main characteristics of the passive house concept. The aim of this document is to answer to the question ``Can passive house be the solution to our energy problems, and particularly with solar energy ?'' in an objective way.

Solar cells based upon multicrystalline Si with DLC antireflection and passivating coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klyui, N.; Litovchenko, V.; Neselevska, L.; Kostylyov, V.; Sarikov, A.; Taraschenko, N.; Kittler, M.; Seifert, W.

2006-01-01

The characteristics of multicrystalline Si solar cells covered by diamond-like carbon (DLC) antireflection coatings been experimentally studied. It has been shown that this kind of coating provides a significant increase of the efficiency of solar cells mainly due to the increase of the short-circuit current density. The effects of antireflection and of the surface and bulk passivation on the SC current-voltage characteristics due to the DLC deposition have been investigated theoretically. Physical mechanisms underlying the observed effects have been proposed

Architectural design of passive solar residential building

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ma Jing

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper studies thermal environment of closed balconies that commonly exist in residential buildings, and designs a passive solar residential building. The design optimizes the architectural details of the house and passive utilization of solar energy to provide auxiliary heating for house in winter and cooling in summer. This design might provide a more sufficient and reasonable modification for microclimate in the house.

Proceedings of the 18th national passive solar conference. Volume 18

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burley, S.; Arden, M.E.

1993-01-01

The American Solar Energy Society conducts the National Solar Energy Conference as an annual forum for exchange of information about advances in solar energy technologies, programs, and concepts. The SOLAR 93 conference presented papers on the following topics: passive design tools; passive performance; building case studies; passive components, construction and glazing; daylighting; passive cooling; sustainability theory; sustainability projects; vernacular architecture; emerging architecture; and education. A total of forty-nine papers were indexed separately for the data base

Approach to interior design for passive direct gain solar homes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kachadorian, C.C.

1980-01-01

In response to requests from buyers and builders of direct gain passive solar homes interior design criteria either specific to, or emphasized by, passive solar buildings are investigated. Problems of high sunlight penetration, secondary illumination, material selection, sound control and psychology are approached. Material deterioration, fading, glare, noise, and a sense of spacial confinement can be minimized, contributing to the appeal and saleability of passive solar homes.

Tunnel oxide passivated contacts formed by ion implantation for applications in silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reichel, Christian; Feldmann, Frank; Müller, Ralph; Hermle, Martin; Glunz, Stefan W.; Reedy, Robert C.; Lee, Benjamin G.; Young, David L.; Stradins, Paul

2015-01-01

Passivated contacts (poly-Si/SiO x /c-Si) doped by shallow ion implantation are an appealing technology for high efficiency silicon solar cells, especially for interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cells where a masked ion implantation facilitates their fabrication. This paper presents a study on tunnel oxide passivated contacts formed by low-energy ion implantation into amorphous silicon (a-Si) layers and examines the influence of the ion species (P, B, or BF 2 ), the ion implantation dose (5 × 10 14  cm −2 to 1 × 10 16  cm −2 ), and the subsequent high-temperature anneal (800 °C or 900 °C) on the passivation quality and junction characteristics using double-sided contacted silicon solar cells. Excellent passivation quality is achieved for n-type passivated contacts by P implantations into either intrinsic (undoped) or in-situ B-doped a-Si layers with implied open-circuit voltages (iV oc ) of 725 and 720 mV, respectively. For p-type passivated contacts, BF 2 implantations into intrinsic a-Si yield well passivated contacts and allow for iV oc of 690 mV, whereas implanted B gives poor passivation with iV oc of only 640 mV. While solar cells featuring in-situ B-doped selective hole contacts and selective electron contacts with P implanted into intrinsic a-Si layers achieved V oc of 690 mV and fill factor (FF) of 79.1%, selective hole contacts realized by BF 2 implantation into intrinsic a-Si suffer from drastically reduced FF which is caused by a non-Ohmic Schottky contact. Finally, implanting P into in-situ B-doped a-Si layers for the purpose of overcompensation (counterdoping) allowed for solar cells with V oc of 680 mV and FF of 80.4%, providing a simplified and promising fabrication process for IBC solar cells featuring passivated contacts

Passivated emitters in silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, R.R.; Gruenbaum, P.E.; Sinton, R.A.; Swanson, R.M.

1990-01-01

In high-efficiency silicon solar cells with low metal contact coverage fractions and high bulk lifetimes, cell performance is often dominated by recombination in the oxide-passivated diffusions on the cell surface. Measurements of the emitter saturation current density, J o , of oxide-passivated, boron and phosphorus diffusions are presented, and from these measurements, the dependence of surface recombination velocity on dopant concentration was extracted. The lowest observed values of J o which are stable under UV light are given for both boron- and phosphorus-doped, oxide-passivated diffusions, for both textured and untextured surfaces. Contour plots which incorporate the above data have been applied to two types of backside-contact solar cells with large area (37.5 cm 2 ) and one-sun efficiencies up to 22.7%

Passive solar ranch house for the mass market

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albanes, M.N.

1981-01-01

To promote the building of passive solar housing in the Denver metropolitan area, a solar ranch style house was designed for a builder, Unique Homes, as part of a group of thirteen passive solar houses built for the mass market under SERI's Denver Metro Home Builders Program. The project, process of design, thermal performance analysis, cost and consumer/media response are reviewed. The final design was a direct gain, attached greenhouse system that used brick as interior mass.

Surface Passivation for Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Deligiannis, D.

2017-01-01

Silicon heterojunction solar cells (SHJ) are currently one of the most promising solar cell technologies in the world. The SHJ solar cell is based on a crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafer, passivated on both sides with a thin intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) layer. Subsequently, p-type

Carrier population control and surface passivation in solar cells

KAUST Repository

Cuevas, Andres

2018-05-02

Controlling the concentration of charge carriers near the surface is essential for solar cells. It permits to form regions with selective conductivity for either electrons or holes and it also helps to reduce the rate at which they recombine. Chemical passivation of the surfaces is equally important, and it can be combined with population control to implement carrier-selective, passivating contacts for solar cells. This paper discusses different approaches to suppress surface recombination and to manipulate the concentration of carriers by means of doping, work function and charge. It also describes some of the many surface-passivating contacts that are being developed for silicon solar cells, restricted to experiments performed by the authors.

Advanced passivation techniques for Si solar cells with high-κ dielectric materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geng, Huijuan; Lin, Tingjui; Letha, Ayra Jagadhamma; Hwang, Huey-Liang; Kyznetsov, Fedor A.; Smirnova, Tamara P.; Saraev, Andrey A.; Kaichev, Vasily V.

2014-01-01

Electronic recombination losses at the wafer surface significantly reduce the efficiency of Si solar cells. Surface passivation using a suitable thin dielectric layer can minimize the recombination losses. Herein, advanced passivation using simple materials (Al 2 O 3 , HfO 2 ) and their compounds H (Hf) A (Al) O deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) was investigated. The chemical composition of Hf and Al oxide films were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS depth profiles exhibit continuous uniform dense layers. The ALD-Al 2 O 3 film has been found to provide negative fixed charge (−6.4 × 10 11  cm −2 ), whereas HfO 2 film provides positive fixed charge (3.2 × 10 12  cm −2 ). The effective lifetimes can be improved after oxygen gas annealing for 1 min. I-V characteristics of Si solar cells with high-κ dielectric materials as passivation layers indicate that the performance is significantly improved, and ALD-HfO 2 film would provide better passivation properties than that of the ALD-Al 2 O 3 film in this research work.

Nanolayer surface passivation schemes for silicon solar cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dingemans, G.

2011-01-01

This thesis is concerned with nanolayer surface passivation schemes and corresponding deposition processes, for envisaged applications in crystalline silicon solar cells. Surface passivation, i.e. the reduction of electronic recombination processes at semiconductor surfaces, is essential for

Hydrogen passivation of multi-crystalline silicon solar cells

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

胡志华; 廖显伯; 刘祖明; 夏朝凤; 陈庭金

2003-01-01

The effects of hydrogen passivation on multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si) solar cells are reported in this paper.Hydrogen plasma was generated by means of ac glow discharge in a hydrogen atmosphere. Hydrogen passivation was carried out with three different groups of mc-Si solar cells after finishing contacts. The experimental results demonstrated that the photovoltaic performances of the solar cell samples have been improved after hydrogen plasma treatment, with a relative increase in conversion efficiency up to 10.6%. A calculation modelling has been performed to interpret the experimental results using the model for analysis of microelectronic and photonic structures developed at Pennsylvania State University.

CVD-Based Valence-Mending Passivation for Crystalline-Si Solar Cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tao, Meng [Arizona State Univ., Mesa, AZ (United States)

2015-03-01

The objective of this project is to investigate a new surface passivation technique, valence-mending passivation, for its applications in crystalline-Si solar cells to achieve significant efficiency improvement and cost reduction. As the enabling technique, the project includes the development of chemical vapor deposition recipes to passivate textured Si(100) and multicrystalline-Si surfaces by sulfur and the characterization of the passivated Si surfaces, including thermal stability, Schottky barrier height, contact resistance and surface recombination. One important application is to replace the Ag finger electrode in Si cells with Al to reduce cost, by ~$0.1/Wp, and allow terawatt-scale deployment of crystalline-Si solar cells. These all-Al Si cells require a low-temperature metallization process for the Al electrode, to be compatible with valence-mending passivation and to prevent Al diffusion into n-type Si. Another application is to explore valence-mending passivation of grain boundaries in multicrystalline Si by diffusing sulfur into grain boundaries, to reduce the efficiency gas between monocrystalline-Si solar cells and multicrystalline-Si cells. The major accomplishments of this project include: 1) Demonstration of chemical vapor deposition processes for valence-mending passivation of both monocrystalline Si(100) and multicrystalline Si surfaces. Record Schottky barriers have been demonstrated, with the new record-low barrier of less than 0.08 eV between Al and sulfur-passivated n-type Si(100) and the new record-high barrier of 1.14 eV between Al and sulfur-passivated p-type Si(100). On the textured p-type monocrystalline Si(100) surface, the highest barrier with Al is 0.85 eV by valence-mending passivation. 2) Demonstration of a low-temperature metallization process for Al in crystalline-Si solar cells. The new metallization process is based on electroplating of Al in a room-temperature ionic liquid. The resistivity of the electroplated Al is ~7×10–6

Results of the Washington Passive Solar Design/Build Competition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nylen, N.

1981-01-01

In an effort to encourage the design, construction, and marketing of moderately priced passive solar homes in Washington state, the Western Solar Utilization Network (Western SUN) recently sponsored the Washington Passive Solar Design/Build Competition. The competition drew an overwhelming response from designers and builders throughout Washington. Thermal performance of the designs was evaluated by a technical review committee, and final selections were made by the Competition Jury in accordance with the following criteria: perceived market acceptance, thermal performance, cost effectiveness, simplicity of design and operation, and completeness of the passive concept. Design contract awards totaling $50,000 were made available to winners in four categories, including single and multi-family, new and remodeled residences. In order to receive the award in its entirety, winning design/build teams are required to construct their design by April, 1983. As a result of the competition, a great deal was learned about the attitudes and knowledge of professionals and the general public regarding the use of solar energy in Washington state. Among the points that will be highlighted in this paper are the following: (1) a design/build competition is an effective vehicle for promoting solar energy among professionals in the housing community as well as the general public; (2) passive solar techniques can contribute significantly to the heating and cooling needs of residential housing throughout the state of Washington; (3) there is a great deal of interest and talent among the designers and builders of solar residences in Washington; and (4) follow-up activities, including the promotion of winning designs, the systematic collection of performance data, and identification of the major obstacles confronting designers and builders of solar homes, are critical to the success of the program in achieving both its short-term and long-term goals.

Energy savings solutions: passive solar design in Iranian cold climate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nassehzadeh Tabriz, Shahram [Department of Architecture, Miyaneh Branch, Islamic Azad University (Iran, Islamic Republic of)], email: sh_nassehzadeh@m-iau.ac.ir; Mahdavi Tabatabaei Fard, Fariborz [SABAT TARH CO. (Iran, Islamic Republic of)], email: sabat_arc@yahoo.com; Aliyev, Fagan [International Eco-energy Academy (Azerbaijan)], email: ie_academy@yahoo.com

2011-07-01

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the cost of fuel gas, fuel oil and electricity and much thought has been given to the use of solar energy. Living in a solar heated house gives peace of mind and body and it makes good sense in mountainous regions. Severe winters in such regions make more energy for standard living activities in buildings necessary. This paper discusses passive solar building design as an energy saving solution. In this type of design, windows, walls and floors act as storage and distribution devices for solar energy in winter and deflect solar heat in summer. Passive solar design techniques influence the choice of building site, design and materials within the general framework of enriching the quality of life of the inhabitants. As a result, natural resources are saved and the environment is conserved for future generations. In conclusion, it is seen that passive design keeps a home cool and comfortable in summer and warm and cozy in winter with minimal heating and cooling requirements.

Photoluminescence, structural and electrical properties of passivated a-Si:H based thin films and corresponding solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pincik, E.; Kobayashi, H.; Takahashi, M.; Fujiwara, N.; Brunner, R.; Gleskova, H.; Jergel, M.; Muellerova, J.; Kucera, M.; Falcony, C.; Ortega, L.; Rusnak, J.; Mikula, M.; Zahoran, M.; Jurani, R.; Kral, M.

2004-01-01

This paper deals with the photoluminescence, structural and electrical properties of chemically passivated a-Si:H based thin films and corresponding thin film solar cells. The structures were chemically passivated in three types of KCN and HCN solutions containing MeOH and/or with water. The photoluminescence measurements were performed at 6 K using Ar laser and lock-in signal recording device containing Ge and Si photodetectors. Optically determined band gap related photoluminescence signals were observed between 1.1 and 1.7 eV. The electrical properties were measured by a high-sensitive charge version of deep level transient spectroscopy (Q-DLTS). The evolution of three basic groups of defects was observed. The structural studies were realized by the standard X-ray diffraction analysis. The cyanide treatment improved significantly the electrical characteristics of both corresponding MOS structures and solar cells due to the passivation of some parts of the dangling bonds by CN group. Particularly, the passivation of the defects at interfaces in MOS or solar cell multilayer structures was achieved which is of primary practical importance

Enhancing Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells to Moisture by the Facile Hydrophobic Passivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Insung; Jeong, Inyoung; Lee, Jinwoo; Ko, Min Jae; Yong, Kijung

2015-08-12

In this study, a novel and facile passivation process for a perovskite solar cell is reported. Poor stability in ambient atmosphere, which is the most critical demerit of a perovskite solar cell, is overcome by a simple passivation process using a hydrophobic polymer layer. Teflon, the hydrophobic polymer, is deposited on the top of a perovskite solar cell by a spin-coating method. With the hydrophobic passivation, the perovskite solar cell shows negligible degradation after a 30 day storage in ambient atmosphere. Suppressed degradation of the perovskite film is proved in various ways: X-ray diffraction, light absorption spectrum, and quartz crystal microbalance. This simple but effective passivation process suggests new kind of approach to enhance stability of perovskite solar cells to moisture.

Development of climatic zones and passive solar design in Madagascar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rakoto-Joseph, O.; Garde, F.; David, M.; Adelard, L.; Randriamanantany, Z.A.

2009-01-01

Climate classification is extremely useful to design buildings for thermal comfort purposes. This paper presents the first work for a climate classification of Madagascar Island. This classification is based on the meteorological data measured in different cities of this country. Three major climatic zones are identified. Psychometric charts for the six urban areas of Madagascar are proposed, and suited passive solar designs related to each climate are briefly discussed. Finally, a total of three passive design zones have been identified and appropriate design strategies such as solar heating, natural ventilation, thermal mass are suggested for each zone. The specificity of this work is that: it is the first published survey on the climate classification and the passive solar designs for this developing country

Application of various surface passivation layers in solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Ji Youn; Lee, Soo Hong

2004-01-01

In this work, we have used different techniques for surface passivation: conventional thermal oxidation (CTO), rapid thermal oxidation (RTO), and plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). The surface passivation qualities of eight different single and combined double layers have been investigated both on phosphorus non-diffused p-type Float Zone (FZ) silicon wafers and on diffused emitters (100 Ω/□ and 40 Ω/□). CTO/SiN 1 passivates very well not only on a non-diffused surface (τ eff = 1361 μs) but also on an emitter (τ eff = 414 μs). However, we concluded that RTO/SiN 1 and RTO/SiN 2 stacks were more suitable than CTO/SiN stacks for surface passivation in solar cells since those stacks had relatively good passivation qualities and suitable optical reflections. RTO/SiN 1 for rear-surface passivation and RTO/SiN 2 for front-surface passivation were applied to the fabrication of solar cells. We achieved efficiencies of 18.5 % and 18.8 % on 0.5 Ω-cm (FZ) silicon with planar and textured front surfaces, respectively. An excellent open circuit voltage (V oc ) of 675.6 mV was obtained for the planar cell.

Energy Conservation and Passive Solar Techniques in Campus Renovation.

Science.gov (United States)

Probasco, Jack; And Others

1981-01-01

The analysis of a building from an energy conservation and passive solar potential has three aspects: building envelope, landscaping, and room utilization. Typical conservation and solar control modifications are listed. (Author/MLF)

Solar passive buildings for developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, C.L.

1993-01-01

This paper is meant to be an indicative survey of developments in solar passive building technology relevant to developing countries. The evolution of this area during the last fifty years is reported along with the scientific principles and design concepts underlying these developments. Factors to be considered for design strategies such as direct gain, isolated gain, indirect gain and roof evaporative systems are then described. Rating parameters for assessing the performance and benefit and cost parameters are then outlined. Successful examples illustrating each of the design concepts, mainly from Indian buildings constructed during the last fifteen years, are then detailed along with their performance based on actual monitoring, if available. Concluding remarks indicate the current and future trends. A survey is made of papers marking significant milestones in the development of solar passive building technology relevant to developing countries. (author). 48 refs., 14 figs., 3 tabs

Passive solar homes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kindred, G.F. [Garfield Kindred Associates, Hancock, MI (United States)

2001-07-01

This paper discussed the construction and design of 3 affordable passive solar homes located in high latitudes: (1) the Kindred house located in a wooded subdivision in Hancock, Michigan; (2) the Autio house located in Laurium, Michigan; and the Mikkola house located in South Range, Michigan. The award-winning houses were part of the United States federal government's Energy Star program. The houses were constructed with common building materials in order to introduce the general public to the principles of energy-conscious passive solar design strategies and sustainable construction technologies. Super-insulation was used to retain solar heat gain in the houses. Air infiltration was minimized through the use of an airtight drywall sealing technique. Large windows were a prominent feature of the southern facades of the houses. The windows used fixed and casement low-e argon-filled insulated glazing. Average bills for the Kindred home are US$960 per year. It was concluded that passive solar design and construction strategies are now being used more often in the area as a result of the positive media coverage that the homes has received. 5 refs.

Molecular Monolayers for Electrical Passivation and Functionalization of Silicon-Based Solar Energy Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Veerbeek, Janneke; Firet, Nienke J; Vijselaar, Wouter; Elbersen, Rick; Gardeniers, Han; Huskens, Jurriaan

2017-01-11

Silicon-based solar fuel devices require passivation for optimal performance yet at the same time need functionalization with (photo)catalysts for efficient solar fuel production. Here, we use molecular monolayers to enable electrical passivation and simultaneous functionalization of silicon-based solar cells. Organic monolayers were coupled to silicon surfaces by hydrosilylation in order to avoid an insulating silicon oxide layer at the surface. Monolayers of 1-tetradecyne were shown to passivate silicon micropillar-based solar cells with radial junctions, by which the efficiency increased from 8.7% to 9.9% for n + /p junctions and from 7.8% to 8.8% for p + /n junctions. This electrical passivation of the surface, most likely by removal of dangling bonds, is reflected in a higher shunt resistance in the J-V measurements. Monolayers of 1,8-nonadiyne were still reactive for click chemistry with a model catalyst, thus enabling simultaneous passivation and future catalyst coupling.

Passivation Using Molecular Halides Increases Quantum Dot Solar Cell Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Xinzheng; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Kiani, Amirreza; García de Arquer, F Pelayo; Abbas, Abdullah Saud; Kim, Gi-Hwan; Liu, Mengxia; Yang, Zhenyu; Walters, Grant; Xu, Jixian; Yuan, Mingjian; Ning, Zhijun; Fan, Fengjia; Kanjanaboos, Pongsakorn; Kramer, Illan; Zhitomirsky, David; Lee, Philip; Perelgut, Alexander; Hoogland, Sjoerd; Sargent, Edward H

2016-01-13

A solution-based passivation scheme is developed featuring the use of molecular iodine and PbS colloidal quantum dots (CQDs). The improved passivation translates into a longer carrier diffusion length in the solid film. This allows thicker solar-cell devices to be built while preserving efficient charge collection, leading to a certified power conversion efficiency of 9.9%, which is a new record in CQD solar cells. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Molecular monolayers for electrical passivation and functionalization of silicon-based solar energy devices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veerbeek, Janneke; Firet, Nienke J.; Vijselaar, Wouter; Elbersen, R.; Gardeniers, Han; Huskens, Jurriaan

2017-01-01

Silicon-based solar fuel devices require passivation for optimal performance yet at the same time need functionalization with (photo)catalysts for efficient solar fuel production. Here, we use molecular monolayers to enable electrical passivation and simultaneous functionalization of silicon-based

Passivation Using Molecular Halides Increases Quantum Dot Solar Cell Performance

KAUST Repository

Lan, Xinzheng; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Kiani, Amirreza; Garcí a de Arquer, F. Pelayo; Abbas, Abdullah Saud; Kim, Gi-Hwan; Liu, Mengxia; Yang, Zhenyu; Walters, Grant; Xu, Jixian; Yuan, Mingjian; Ning, Zhijun; Fan, Fengjia; Kanjanaboos, Pongsakorn; Kramer, Illan; Zhitomirsky, David; Lee, Philip; Perelgut, Alexander; Hoogland, Sjoerd; Sargent, Edward H.

2015-01-01

© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. Here we report a solution-based passivation scheme is developed featuring the use of molecular iodine and PbS colloidal quantum dots (CQDs). The improved passivation translates into a longer carrier diffusion length in the solid film. This allows thicker solar-cell devices to be built while preserving efficient charge collection, leading to a certified power conversion efficiency of 9.9%, which is a new record in CQD solar cells.

Passivation Using Molecular Halides Increases Quantum Dot Solar Cell Performance

KAUST Repository

Lan, Xinzheng

2015-11-18

© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. Here we report a solution-based passivation scheme is developed featuring the use of molecular iodine and PbS colloidal quantum dots (CQDs). The improved passivation translates into a longer carrier diffusion length in the solid film. This allows thicker solar-cell devices to be built while preserving efficient charge collection, leading to a certified power conversion efficiency of 9.9%, which is a new record in CQD solar cells.

Effect of Organic and Inorganic Passivation in Quantum-Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

de la Fuente, Mauricio Solis; Sánchez, Rafael S; González-Pedro, Victoria; Boix, Pablo P; Mhaisalkar, S G; Rincón, Marina E; Bisquert, Juan; Mora-Seró, Iván

2013-05-02

The effect of semiconductor passivation on quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs) has been systematically characterized for CdS and CdS/ZnS. We have found that passivation strongly depends on the passivation agent, obtaining an enhancement of the solar cell efficiency for compounds containing amine and thiol groups and, in contrast, a decrease in performance for passivating agents with acid groups. Passivation can induce a change in the position of TiO2 conduction band and also in the recombination rate and nature, reflected in a change in the β parameter. Especially interesting is the finding that β, and consequently the fill factor can be increased with the passivation treatment. Applying this strategy, record cells of 4.65% efficiency for PbS-based QDSCs have been produced.

A completely passive continuous flow solar water purification system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duff, William S.; Hodgson, David A. [Dept. of Mechanical Enginnering, Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)

2008-07-01

Water-borne pathogens in developing countries cause several billion cases of disease and up to 10 million deaths each year, at least half of which are children. Solar water pasteurization is a potentially cost-effective, robust and reliable solution to these problems. A completely passively controlled solar water pasteurization system with a total collector area of 0.45 m{sup 2} has been constructed. The system most recently tested produced 337 litres per m{sup 2} of collector area of treated water on a sunny day. We developed our completely passive density-driven solar water pasteurization system over a five year span so that it now achieves reliable control for all possible variations in solar conditions. We have also substantially increased its daily pure water production efficiency over the same period. We will discuss the performance of our water purification system and provide an analyses that demonstrates that the system insures safe purified water production at all times. (orig.)

Radiation resistant passivation of silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swanson, R.M.; Gan, J.Y.; Gruenbaum, P.E.

1991-01-01

This patent describes a silicon solar cell having improved stability when exposed to concentrated solar radiation. It comprises a body of silicon material having a major surface for receiving radiation, a plurality of p and n conductivity regions in the body for collecting electrons and holes created by impinging radiation, and a passivation layer on the major surface including a first layer of silicon oxide in contact with the body and a polycrystalline silicon layer on the first layer of silicon oxide

Surface Passivation of CIGS Solar Cells Using Gallium Oxide

KAUST Repository

Garud, Siddhartha

2018-02-27

This work proposes gallium oxide grown by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition, as a surface passivation material at the CdS buffer interface of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells. In preliminary experiments, a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structure is used to compare aluminium oxide, gallium oxide, and hafnium oxide as passivation layers at the CIGS-CdS interface. The findings suggest that gallium oxide on CIGS may show a density of positive charges and qualitatively, the least interface trap density. Subsequent solar cell results with an estimated 0.5 nm passivation layer show an substantial absolute improvement of 56 mV in open-circuit voltage (VOC), 1 mA cm−2 in short-circuit current density (JSC), and 2.6% in overall efficiency as compared to a reference (with the reference showing 8.5% under AM 1.5G).

Performance of passive solar and energy conserving houses in California

Science.gov (United States)

Mahajan, S.; Newcomb, C.; Shea, M.; Mort, D.

1983-11-01

This report provides a technical description of the methodology and the results of a two year effort to collect field data on the performance of passive solar and energy conserving houses in California. Sixty-three passive solar houses were visited and several hours were spent with the homeowner obtaining building details, management procedures, architectural plans, photographs, and at least a year of billing data. With this information thermal performance parameters were calculated for each of the houses. Eleven of the above sixty-three Class C sites (nine passive solar and two energy conserving houses) were instrumented and monitored using the SERI Class B methodology as a guideline. Continuous data were collected for one year using up to 18 different sensors to measure temperatures, electric power, insolation, and the status of fans, gas burners, and moveable insulation. In addition careful one time measurements were made to determine the loss coefficient, infiltration rate, and furnace efficiency. Analysis of this data giving comfort conditions maintained and energy uses for a complete heating and cooling season for each of the houses is presented.

Use of passive solar architecture design in energy saving, Morena tourist village

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mina, M.B.

1993-12-31

This document deals with energy saving in buildings,more precisely in the Morena tourist village. The concept of passive solar technology is developed in villas. The first prototype enabled to have measurements of temperatures and thermal graphs. A comparison between the initial architectural design and this prototype shows the efficiency of the use of passive solar energy (energy and money saving). (TEC). 5 figs., 1 tab.

Use of passive solar architecture design in energy saving, Morena tourist village

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mina, M B

1994-12-31

This document deals with energy saving in buildings,more precisely in the Morena tourist village. The concept of passive solar technology is developed in villas. The first prototype enabled to have measurements of temperatures and thermal graphs. A comparison between the initial architectural design and this prototype shows the efficiency of the use of passive solar energy (energy and money saving). (TEC). 5 figs., 1 tab.

Past, present and future of passive homes in solar village 3, Athens

Science.gov (United States)

Kalogridis, Achilles

Solar village 3 in Pefki, Athens, was part of an ambitious program for the promotion of solar technology, applied to a large scale social housing scheme, designed in mid 80's and firstly inhabited in the early 1990's. Among the aims of the project was the demonstration of the latest of technology in active solar systems and passive techniques, incorporated in a new settlement's layout and houses' building envelop, in order to create an energy saving, comfortable environment. More than fifteen years later, the housing complex remains the largest residential development of bioclimatic "solar" architecture in Athens, with the active and passive solar systems providing space and water heating for about 1750 inhabitants. The study focuses in the passive solar systems that have been applied to a number of the buildings of the settlement. The systems provide space heating with no need of any active mechanism, however with demand of the participation of the end users for their proper operation. The essay reviews various previous studies, monitoring reports and criticisms that have appeared throughout the past years, and identifies how the houses perform today, through a recent survey, sample monitoring and thermal comfort simulation. The report records things that have changed, features which worked well or others that did not and comments on the residents' behaviour. Interesting findings come into question, regarding the passive solar systems, their integration into the building's design, their current condition and their contribution to energy savings and thermal comfort conditions. Finally, current plans concerning the future of the settlement are highlighted, and considerations about the houses sustainability are suggested.

Trends in observable passive solar design strategies for existing homes in the U.S

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruzner, Kelly; Cox, Kristin; Machmer, Brian; Klotz, Leidy

2013-01-01

Passive design strategies are among the most cost-effective methods to reduce energy consumption in buildings. However, the prevalence of these strategies in existing U.S. homes is not well understood. To help address this issue, this research evaluated a nationally-representative sample of 1000 existing homes distributed geographically across the U.S. Using satellite images, each building was evaluated for three passive design strategies: orientation, roof color, and level of shading. Several statistically significant regional trends were identified. For example, existing homes in the High Plains, Ohio Valley, Northwest, and Southern regions show a statistically significant trend towards orientation in the East–West direction, an effective passive design strategy. Less intuitively, in terms of what would seem to be optimal passive design, buildings in the High Plains and Ohio Valley generally have lighter roof colors than buildings in the warmer Southwest region. At the national level, no statistically significant trends were found towards the passive design strategies evaluated. These trends give us no reason to believe they were a major consideration in the design of existing homes. Policy measures and education may be required to take advantage of the opportunity for cost-effective energy savings through more widespread passive solar design. - Highlights: ► GoogleMaps to examine implementation of cost-effective, observable passive solar strategies in U.S. houses. ► No national trends toward passive solar design in U.S.—a missed opportunity. ► Some regional passive solar trends in U.S. for house orientation, roof color

Device physics underlying silicon heterojunction and passivating-contact solar cells: A topical review

KAUST Repository

Chavali, Raghu V. K.

2018-01-15

The device physics of commercially dominant diffused-junction silicon solar cells is well understood, allowing sophisticated optimization of this class of devices. Recently, so-called passivating-contact solar cell technologies have become prominent, with Kaneka setting the world\\'s silicon solar cell efficiency record of 26.63% using silicon heterojunction contacts in an interdigitated configuration. Although passivating-contact solar cells are remarkably efficient, their underlying device physics is not yet completely understood, not in the least because they are constructed from diverse materials that may introduce electronic barriers in the current flow. To bridge this gap in understanding, we explore the device physics of passivating contact silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells. Here, we identify the key properties of heterojunctions that affect cell efficiency, analyze the dependence of key heterojunction properties on carrier transport under light and dark conditions, provide a self-consistent multiprobe approach to extract heterojunction parameters using several characterization techniques (including dark J-V, light J-V, C-V, admittance spectroscopy, and Suns-Voc), propose design guidelines to address bottlenecks in energy production in SHJ cells, and develop a process-to-module modeling framework to establish the module\\'s performance limits. We expect that our proposed guidelines resulting from this multiscale and self-consistent framework will improve the performance of future SHJ cells as well as other passivating contact-based solar cells.

A passive solar heater-refrigerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Isep, F.; Sertorio, L.

1983-01-01

In this paper it is studied the nonequilibrium thermodynamic steady-state behaviour of a model system representing a core surrounded by an envelope in which the envelope interacts with the solar radiation and with an external bath having a given temperature profile. The heat flow between core and envelope can be controlled by varying the thermal conductivity of their interface. It is shown that this system acts as a passive heat pump raising the core average temperature with respect to the average equilibrium value corresponding to a fixed value of the interface conductivity, at the same time flattening its oscillation in time. By changing the time dependence of the conductivity the system vice versa acts as a refrigerator. It is shown how the limits of this performance depend on the passive parameters such as surfaces, conductivities, heat capacities. The periodicity considered in this study is the daily cycle

Passive solar energy-efficient architectural building Design ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this paper analyses have been done on the climate data for various climatic regions in North Cyprus to obtain physical architectural building design specification with a view to develop passive solar energy-efficient building. It utilizes a computer program, ARCHIPAK, together with climate data (for 25 year period) to get ...

Wallboard with Latent Heat Storage for Passive Solar Applications; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kedl, R.J.

2001-01-01

Conventional wallboard impregnated with octadecane paraffin[melting point-23 C (73.5 F)] is being developed as a building material with latent heat storage for passive solar and other applications. Impregnation was accomplished simply by soaking the wallboard in molten wax. Concentrations of wax in the combined product as high as 35% by weight can be achieved. Scale-up of the soaking process, from small laboratory samples to full-sized 4- by 8-ft sheets, has been successfully accomplished. The required construction properties of wallboard are maintained after impregnation, that is, it can be painted and spackled. Long-term, high-temperature exposure tests and thermal cycling tests showed no tendency of the paraffin to migrate within the wallboard, and there was no deterioration of thermal energy storage capacity. In support of this concept, a computer model was developed to handle thermal transport and storage by a phase change material (PCM) dispersed in a porous media. The computer model was confirmed by comparison with known analytical solutions and also by comparison with temperatures measured in wallboard during an experimentally generated thermal transient. Agreement between the model and known solution was excellent. Agreement between the model and thermal transient was good, only after the model was modified to allow the PCM to melt over a temperature range, rather than at a specific melting point. When the melting characteristics of the PCM (melting point, melting range, and heat of fusion), as determined from a differential scanning calorimeter plot, were used in the model, agreement between the model and transient data was very good. The confirmed computer model may now be used in conjunction with a building heating and cooling code to evaluate design parameters and operational characteristics of latent heat storage wallboard for passive solar applications

Solar Energy and You.

Science.gov (United States)

Conservation and Renewable Energy Inquiry and Referral Service (DOE), Silver Spring, MD.

This booklet provides an introduction to solar energy by discussing: (1) how a home is heated; (2) how solar energy can help in the heating process; (3) the characteristics of passive solar houses; (4) the characteristics of active solar houses; (5) how solar heat is stored; and (6) other uses of solar energy. Also provided are 10 questions to…

Enhanced Charge Collection with Passivation Layers in Perovskite Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yong Hui; Luo, Jingshan; Son, Min-Kyu; Gao, Peng; Cho, Kyung Taek; Seo, Jiyoun; Zakeeruddin, Shaik M; Grätzel, Michael; Nazeeruddin, Mohammad Khaja

2016-05-01

The Al2 O3 passivation layer is beneficial for mesoporous TiO2 -based perovskite solar cells when it is deposited selectively on the compact TiO2 surface. Such a passivation layer suppressing surface recombination can be formed by thermal decomposition of the perovskite layer during post-annealing. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Breaking the cycle: Producer and consumer perspectives on the non-adoption of passive solar housing in the US

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garrett, Vicki; Koontz, Tomas M.

2008-01-01

Creating the technologies to solve our energy and pollution problems is only one part of the solution. Getting the technologies adopted may be a larger hurdle. This study examines the adoption of a low- or no-cost technology, passive solar housing design, in the United States. Interviews with professionals involved in passive solar supply identified lack of demand as the most important factor, followed by availability, awareness, and economic incentives. Corresponding survey results from homebuyers in one region suggest that lack of demand represents not disinterest, but rather lack of availability when purchasing a home. Conventional homeowners are not familiar with passive solar design, but are predisposed to favor it, especially if it can be incorporated into traditional housing styles. In addition, to the extent that they can learn information to counter the perceptions that passive solar homes are too complicated or there is too little sun in their region, homebuyers would be more willing to purchase a passive solar home. Policy interventions to promote passive solar homes should focus on supply-side incentives as well as information for homebuyers

Breaking the cycle: Producer and consumer perspectives on the non-adoption of passive solar housing in the US

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garrett, Vicki; Koontz, Tomas M. [School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 210 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States)

2008-04-15

Creating the technologies to solve our energy and pollution problems is only one part of the solution. Getting the technologies adopted may be a larger hurdle. This study examines the adoption of a low- or no-cost technology, passive solar housing design, in the United States. Interviews with professionals involved in passive solar supply identified lack of demand as the most important factor, followed by availability, awareness, and economic incentives. Corresponding survey results from homebuyers in one region suggest that lack of demand represents not disinterest, but rather lack of availability when purchasing a home. Conventional homeowners are not familiar with passive solar design, but are predisposed to favor it, especially if it can be incorporated into traditional housing styles. In addition, to the extent that they can learn information to counter the perceptions that passive solar homes are too complicated or there is too little sun in their region, homebuyers would be more willing to purchase a passive solar home. Policy interventions to promote passive solar homes should focus on supply-side incentives as well as information for homebuyers. (author)

Supplementary material on passive solar heating concepts. A compilation of published articles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1979-05-01

A compilation of published articles and reports dealing with passive solar energy concepts for heating and cooling buildings is presented. The following are included: fundamental of passive systems, applications and technical analysis, graphic tools, and information sources. (MHR)

ZnSe passivation layer for the efficiency enhancement of CuInS2 quantum dots sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Zhuoyin; Liu, Yueli; Zhao, Yinghan; Chen, Keqiang; Cheng, Yuqing; Kovalev, Valery; Chen, Wen

2014-01-01

Highlights: • ZnSe is employed as passivation layer in CuInS 2 quantum dots sensitized solar cells. • Slight red-shift has been occurred in UV–vis absorption spectra with ZnSe coating. • CuInS 2 based solar cells coated by ZnSe have better efficiency than that of ZnS. • Higher rate of charge transport can be produced after coating with ZnSe. -- Abstract: The effect of ZnSe passivation layer is investigated in the CuInS 2 quantum dot sensitized solar cells, which is used to improve the photovoltaic performance. The CuInS 2 quantum dot sensitized TiO 2 photo-anodes are prepared by assembly linking technique, and then deposited by the ZnSe passivation layer using the successive ionic layer absorption and reaction technique. The optical absorption edge and photoluminescence peak have slightly red-shifted after the passivation layer coating. Under solar light illumination, the ZnSe passivation layer based CuInS 2 quantum dot sensitized solar cells have the higher photovoltaic efficiency of 0.95% and incident photon conversion efficiency response than that of pure CuInS 2 based solar cells and ZnS passivation layer based solar cells, as the electron injection rate becomes faster after coating with ZnSe passivation layer

Hydrogen passivation of polycrystalline Si thin film solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorka, Benjamin

2010-01-01

Hydrogen passivation is a key process step in the fabrication of polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) thin film solar cells. In this work a parallel plate rf plasma setup was used for the hydrogen passivation treatment. The main topics that have been investigated are (i) the role of plasma parameters (like hydrogen pressure, electrode gap and plasma power), (ii) the dynamics of the hydrogen treatment and (iii) passivation of poly-Si with different material properties. Passivation was characterized by measuring the open-circuit voltage V OC of poly-Si reference samples. Optimum passivation conditions were found by measurements of the breakdown voltage V brk of the plasma for different pressures p and electrode gaps d. For each pressure, the best passivation was achieved at a gap d that corresponded to the minimum in V brk . Plasma simulations were carried out, which indicate that best V OC corresponds to a minimum in ion energy. V OC was not improved by a larger H flux. Investigations of the passivation dynamic showed that a plasma treatment in the lower temperature range (≤400 C) is slow and takes several hours for the V OC to saturate. Fast passivation can be successfully achieved at elevated temperatures around 500 C to 600 C with a plateau time of 10 min. It was found that prolonged hydrogenation leads to a loss in V OC , which is less pronounced within the observed optimum temperature range (500 C-600 C). Electron beam evaporation has been investigated as an alternative method to fabricate poly-Si absorbers. The material properties have been tuned by alteration of substrate temperature T dep =200-700 C and were characterized by Raman, ESR and V OC measurements. Largest grains were obtained after solid phase crystallization (SPC) of a-Si, deposited in the temperature range of 300 C. The defect concentration of Si dangling bonds was lowered by passivation by about one order of magnitude. The lowest dangling bond concentration of 2.5.10 16 cm -3 after passivation was

Performance of a desiccant assisted packed bed passive solar dryer for copra processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Padmanaban Govindarajulu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the performance of a novel desiccant assisted packed bed passive solar dryer was evaluated for copra processing and compared with conventional passive solar dryer. This novel solar dryer consists of a desiccant assisted packed bed solar air heater attached with a dryer cabin. The desiccant and phase change materials packed in the solar air heater has control the humidity and retains the heat for longer duration, respectively. The performance of the dryer was evaluated (in terms of drying time to attain the final equilibrium moisture content, drying rate, specific moisture extraction rate, pick-up efficiency, and dryer efficiency under the meteorological conditions of Coimbatore city in India during March and April 2016. The copra was dried from initial moisture content (wet basis of about 52% to the final moisture content (wet basis of about 8% in 62 hours with specific moisture extraction rate of 0.82 kg/kWh. The drying time was reduced by about 44 hours when compared to the conventional passive solar dryer. The dryer pick-up efficiency was varied between about 10% and 65%. The average dryer thermal efficiency was calculated to be about 32%. The quality of final dried product was found to be good.

Review of the Department of Trade and Industry passive solar programme. Pt. 2: non-domestic buildings. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-06-01

The aim of the Passive Solar Programme (PSP) was to quantify the nature, size and timing of passive solar contribution to the UK building stock and the energy savings; to determine the best and most cost effective methods of achieving savings; to explore and develop better techniques; and to transfer the information to the appropriate people. There are over 1.25 million non-domestic buildings in the UK. It has been calculated that it is technically and economically possible to use passive solar design along with improved efficiency measures to reduce energy consumption in the UK by 25% in most existing non-domestic buildings and over 50% in new buildings. From the UK Government's point of view the savings are potentially very significant, and initiatives are aimed at bringing passive solar design into wide use at the earliest possible date. The PSP was intended to encourage the use of passive solar design and displace other forms of energy consumption. The earlier passive solar programme was focused on the domestic sector, where the primary concern was to reduce energy consumed in space heating. Its extension to non-domestic buildings demanded a broader definition of the potential benefits. (author)

Advanced Passivation Technology and Loss Factor Minimization for High Efficiency Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Cheolmin; Balaji, Nagarajan; Jung, Sungwook; Choi, Jaewoo; Ju, Minkyu; Lee, Seunghwan; Kim, Jungmo; Bong, Sungjae; Chung, Sungyoun; Lee, Youn-Jung; Yi, Junsin

2015-10-01

High-efficiency Si solar cells have attracted great attention from researchers, scientists, photovoltaic (PV) industry engineers for the past few decades. With thin wafers, surface passivation becomes necessary to increase the solar cells efficiency by overcoming several induced effects due to associated crystal defects and impurities of c-Si. This paper discusses suitable passivation schemes and optimization techniques to achieve high efficiency at low cost. SiNx film was optimized with higher transmittance and reduced recombination for using as an effective antireflection and passivation layer to attain higher solar cell efficiencies. The higher band gap increased the transmittance with reduced defect states that persisted at 1.68 and 1.80 eV in SiNx films. The thermal stability of SiN (Si-rich)/SiN (N-rich) stacks was also studied. Si-rich SiN with a refractive index of 2.7 was used as a passivation layer and N-rich SiN with a refractive index of 2.1 was used for thermal stability. An implied Voc of 720 mV with a stable lifetime of 1.5 ms was obtained for the stack layer after firing. Si-N and Si-H bonding concentration was analyzed by FTIR for the correlation of thermally stable passivation mechanism. The passivation property of spin coated Al2O3 films was also investigated. An effective surface recombination velocity of 55 cm/s with a high density of negative fixed charges (Qf) on the order of 9 x 10(11) cm(-2) was detected in Al2O3 films.

Passive solar design studies for non-domestic buildings. Case studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1988-01-01

Of the passive solar designs reported, those for a light industrial building, a nurses hostel and a low rise office block were considered to be clearly cost effective. A retrofit study of a secondary school showed that incorporating passive solar measures into refurbishment could be cost effective. Designs for a sports hall and medium rise office block were considered to be only marginally cost effective and those for a hotel bedroom block and DIY superstore were judged not to be cost effective. The maximization of daylight penetration coupled with controls on the lighting systems produced the main energy saving. This orientation, built form, fenestration, window shape, perimeter (and overhead) daylight and atria were primary solar features. Direct gain considered in conjunction with building weight/response factor could contribute to a lesser degree. Trombe walls were shown to be generally uneconomic for this type of building and conservatories contributed to amenity value more than to savings.

High performance passive solar heating system with heat pipe energy transfer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wit, de M.H.; Hensen, J.L.M.; Dijk, van H.A.L.; Brink, van den G.J.; Galen, van E; Ouden, den C.

1984-01-01

The aim of the project is to develop a passive solar heating system with a higher efficiency (regarding accumulation and transfer of solar heat into dwellings) than convential concrete thermal storage walls and with restricted extra costs for manufacturing the system. This is to be achieved by the

Progress in passive solar energy systems. Volume 8. Part 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hayes, J.; Andrejko, D.A.

1983-01-01

This book presents the papers given at a conference sponsored by the US DOE, the Solar Energy Research Institute, SolarVision, Inc., and the Southern California Solar Energy Society. The topics considered at the conference included sizing solar energy systems for agricultural applications, a farm scale ethanol production plant, the EEC wind energy RandD program, the passive solar performance assessment of an earth-sheltered house, the ARCO 1 MW photovoltaic power plant, the performance of a dendritic web photovoltaic module, second generation point focused concentrators, linear fresnel lens concentrating photovoltaic collectors, photovoltaic conversion efficiency, amorphous silicon thin film solar cells, a photovoltaic system for a shopping center, photovoltaic power generation for the utility industry, spectral solar radiation, and the analysis of insolation data.

Passive Solar still: Recent advancement in design and related Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Awasthi, Anuradha; Kumari, Kanchan; Panchal, Hitesh; Sathyamurthy, Ravishankar

2018-05-31

Present review paper mainly focuses on different varieties of solar stills and highlights mostly the passive solar still with advanced modifications in the design and development of material, single and multi-effect solar still with augmentation of different materials, energy absorbing, insulators, mechanisms of heat and mass transfer to improve the loss of heat and enhance the productivity of solar still. The cost-benefit analysis along with the progressive advancement for solar stills is the major highlights of this review. To increase the output of solar still nowadays, applications of advance modifications is one of the promising tools, and it is anticipated that shortly more vigor will be added in this area with the modifications in designs of solar stills.

Hydrogen passivation of polycrystalline Si thin film solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gorka, Benjamin

2010-12-15

Hydrogen passivation is a key process step in the fabrication of polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) thin film solar cells. In this work a parallel plate rf plasma setup was used for the hydrogen passivation treatment. The main topics that have been investigated are (i) the role of plasma parameters (like hydrogen pressure, electrode gap and plasma power), (ii) the dynamics of the hydrogen treatment and (iii) passivation of poly-Si with different material properties. Passivation was characterized by measuring the open-circuit voltage V{sub OC} of poly-Si reference samples. Optimum passivation conditions were found by measurements of the breakdown voltage V{sub brk} of the plasma for different pressures p and electrode gaps d. For each pressure, the best passivation was achieved at a gap d that corresponded to the minimum in V{sub brk}. Plasma simulations were carried out, which indicate that best V{sub OC} corresponds to a minimum in ion energy. V{sub OC} was not improved by a larger H flux. Investigations of the passivation dynamic showed that a plasma treatment in the lower temperature range ({<=}400 C) is slow and takes several hours for the V{sub OC} to saturate. Fast passivation can be successfully achieved at elevated temperatures around 500 C to 600 C with a plateau time of 10 min. It was found that prolonged hydrogenation leads to a loss in V{sub OC}, which is less pronounced within the observed optimum temperature range (500 C-600 C). Electron beam evaporation has been investigated as an alternative method to fabricate poly-Si absorbers. The material properties have been tuned by alteration of substrate temperature T{sub dep}=200-700 C and were characterized by Raman, ESR and V{sub OC} measurements. Largest grains were obtained after solid phase crystallization (SPC) of a-Si, deposited in the temperature range of 300 C. The defect concentration of Si dangling bonds was lowered by passivation by about one order of magnitude. The lowest dangling bond concentration

ZnSe passivation layer for the efficiency enhancement of CuInS{sub 2} quantum dots sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peng, Zhuoyin; Liu, Yueli; Zhao, Yinghan; Chen, Keqiang; Cheng, Yuqing [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China); Kovalev, Valery [Department of Mechanics and Mathematics, Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Leninskie Gory 1, 119992 Moscow (Russian Federation); Chen, Wen, E-mail: chenw@whut.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China)

2014-02-25

Highlights: • ZnSe is employed as passivation layer in CuInS{sub 2} quantum dots sensitized solar cells. • Slight red-shift has been occurred in UV–vis absorption spectra with ZnSe coating. • CuInS{sub 2} based solar cells coated by ZnSe have better efficiency than that of ZnS. • Higher rate of charge transport can be produced after coating with ZnSe. -- Abstract: The effect of ZnSe passivation layer is investigated in the CuInS{sub 2} quantum dot sensitized solar cells, which is used to improve the photovoltaic performance. The CuInS{sub 2} quantum dot sensitized TiO{sub 2} photo-anodes are prepared by assembly linking technique, and then deposited by the ZnSe passivation layer using the successive ionic layer absorption and reaction technique. The optical absorption edge and photoluminescence peak have slightly red-shifted after the passivation layer coating. Under solar light illumination, the ZnSe passivation layer based CuInS{sub 2} quantum dot sensitized solar cells have the higher photovoltaic efficiency of 0.95% and incident photon conversion efficiency response than that of pure CuInS{sub 2} based solar cells and ZnS passivation layer based solar cells, as the electron injection rate becomes faster after coating with ZnSe passivation layer.

Device physics underlying silicon heterojunction and passivating-contact solar cells: A topical review

KAUST Repository

Chavali, Raghu V. K.; De Wolf, Stefaan; Alam, Muhammad A.

2018-01-01

The device physics of commercially dominant diffused-junction silicon solar cells is well understood, allowing sophisticated optimization of this class of devices. Recently, so-called passivating-contact solar cell technologies have become prominent

Window structure for passivating solar cells based on gallium arsenide

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, Allen M. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

Passivated gallium arsenide solar photovoltaic cells with high resistance to moisture and oxygen are provided by means of a gallium arsenide phosphide window graded through its thickness from arsenic rich to phosphorus rich.

Physical and electrical characteristics of Si/SiC quantum dot superlattice solar cells with passivation layer of aluminum oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Yi-Chia; Li, Yiming; Samukawa, Seiji

2017-12-01

In this work, we numerically simulate the silicon (Si)/silicon carbide (SiC) quantum dot superlattice solar cell (SiC-QDSL) with aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 -QDSL) passivation. By exploiting the passivation layer of Al 2 O 3 , the high photocurrent and the conversion efficiency can be achieved without losing the effective bandgap. Based on the two-photon transition mechanism in an AM1.5 and a one sun illumination, the simulated short-circuit current (J sc ) of 4.77 mA cm -2 is very close to the experimentally measured 4.75 mA cm -2 , which is higher than those of conventional SiC-QDSLs. Moreover, the efficiency fluctuation caused by the structural variation is less sensitive by using the passivation layer. A high conversion efficiency of 17.4% is thus estimated by adopting the QD's geometry used in the experiment; and, it can be further boosted by applying a hexagonal QD formation with an inter-dot spacing of 0.3 nm.

Physical and electrical characteristics of Si/SiC quantum dot superlattice solar cells with passivation layer of aluminum oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Yi-Chia; Li, Yiming; Samukawa, Seiji

2017-12-01

In this work, we numerically simulate the silicon (Si)/silicon carbide (SiC) quantum dot superlattice solar cell (SiC-QDSL) with aluminum oxide (Al2O3-QDSL) passivation. By exploiting the passivation layer of Al2O3, the high photocurrent and the conversion efficiency can be achieved without losing the effective bandgap. Based on the two-photon transition mechanism in an AM1.5 and a one sun illumination, the simulated short-circuit current (J sc) of 4.77 mA cm-2 is very close to the experimentally measured 4.75 mA cm-2, which is higher than those of conventional SiC-QDSLs. Moreover, the efficiency fluctuation caused by the structural variation is less sensitive by using the passivation layer. A high conversion efficiency of 17.4% is thus estimated by adopting the QD’s geometry used in the experiment; and, it can be further boosted by applying a hexagonal QD formation with an inter-dot spacing of 0.3 nm.

Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by solar water heating systems and passive technologies in social housing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bessa, Vanessa M.T.; Prado, Racine T.A.

2015-01-01

Growing global concern regarding climate change motivates technological studies to minimize environmental impacts. In this context, solar water heating (SWH) systems are notably prominent in Brazil, primarily because of the abundance of solar energy in the country. However, SWH designs have not always been perfectly developed. In most projects, the installation option of the solar system only considers the electric power economy aspects and not the particular characteristics of each climatic zone. Thus, the primary objective of this paper is to assess the potential of carbon dioxide reduction with the use of SWH in comparison with electric showers in social housing in several Brazilian climatic zones. The Brazilian government authorities have created public policies to encourage the use of these technologies primarily among the low-income population. The results of this paper indicate that hot climactic regions demonstrate a low reduction of CO 2 emissions with SWH installations. Thus, solar radiation is not useful for water heating in those regions, but it does lead to a large fraction of household cooling loads, implying a demand for electrical energy for air conditioning or requiring the adoption of passive techniques to maintain indoor temperatures below threshold values. -- Graphical abstract: Display Omitted -- Highlights: •Brazil has created public policies to increase the use of solar water heating in social housing. •We have evaluated the potential for reduction of CO 2 emissions installing solar water heating. •We have found that the coldest regions have the greatest potential for reducing emissions. •Passive technologies for thermal comfort in hot climate households are more useful than solar water heating systems

Enhancing Efficiency of Perovskite Solar Cells via Surface Passivation with Graphene Oxide Interlayer.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hao; Tao, Leiming; Huang, Feihong; Sun, Qiang; Zhao, Xiaojuan; Han, Junbo; Shen, Yan; Wang, Mingkui

2017-11-08

Perovskite solar cells have been demonstrated as promising low-cost and highly efficient next-generation solar cells. Enhancing V OC by minimization the interfacial recombination kinetics can further improve device performance. In this work, we for the first time reported on surface passivation of perovskite layers with chemical modified graphene oxides, which act as efficient interlayer to reduce interfacial recombination and enhance hole extraction as well. Our modeling points out that the passivation effect mainly comes from the interaction between functional group (4-fluorophenyl) and under-coordinated Pb ions. The resulting perovskite solar cells achieved high efficient power conversion efficiency of 18.75% with enhanced high open circuit V OC of 1.11 V. Ultrafast spectroscopy, photovoltage/photocurrent transient decay, and electronic impedance spectroscopy characterizations reveal the effective passivation effect and the energy loss mechanism. This work sheds light on the importance of interfacial engineering on the surface of perovskite layers and provides possible ways to improve device efficiency.

Silicon heterojunction solar cell passivation in combination with nanocrystalline silicon oxide emitters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gatz, H.A.; Rath, J.K.; Verheijen, M.A.; Kessels, W.M.M.; Schropp, R.E.I.

2016-01-01

Silicon heterojunction solar cells (SHJ) are well known for their high efficiencies, enabled by their remarkably high open-circuit voltages (VOC). A key factor in achieving these values is a good passivation of the crystalline wafer interface. One of the restrictions during SHJ solar cell production

Passive Solar Techniques to Improve Thermal Comfort and Reduce Energy Consumption of Domestic Use

OpenAIRE

Naci Kalkan; Ihsan Dagtekin

2016-01-01

Passive design responds to improve indoor thermal comfort and minimize the energy consumption. The present research analyzed the how efficiently passive solar technologies generate heating and cooling and provide the system integration for domestic applications. In addition to this, the aim of this study is to increase the efficiency of solar systems system with integration some innovation and optimization. As a result, outputs of the project might start a new sector to provide environmentall...

Proposal of leak path passivation for InGaN solar cells to reduce the leakage current

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Ke, E-mail: ke.wang@chiba-u.jp; Imai, Daichi; Kusakabe, Kazuhide [Center for SMART Green Innovation Research, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522 (Japan); Yoshikawa, Akihiko, E-mail: yoshi@faculty.chiba-u.jp [Center for SMART Green Innovation Research, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522 (Japan); Department of Information and Communication Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kogakuin University, Nakano-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo 2665-1 (Japan)

2016-01-25

We propose some general ways to passivate the leak paths in InGaN solar cells and report some experimental evidences of its effectiveness. By adopting an AlOx passivation process, the photovoltaic performances of GaN pn-junctions and InGaN solar cells, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, have been significantly improved. The open circuit voltage under 1 sun illumination increases from 1.46 to 2.26 V for a GaN pn junction, and from 0.95 to 1.27 V for an InGaN solar cell, demonstrating evidence of leak path passivation (LPP) by AlOx. The proposed LPP is expected to be a realistic way to exploit the potential of thick and relaxed but defective InGaN for solar cell applications.

A new structure for comparing surface passivation materials of GaAs solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Desalvo, Gregory C.; Barnett, Allen M.

1989-01-01

The surface recombination velocity (S sub rec) for bare GaAs is typically as high as 10 to the 6th power to 10 to the 7th power cm/sec, which dramatically lowers the efficiency of GaAs solar cells. Early attempts to circumvent this problem by making an ultra thin junction (xj less than .1 micron) proved unsuccessful when compared to lowering S sub rec by surface passivation. Present day GaAs solar cells use an GaAlAs window layer to passivate the top surface. The advantages of GaAlAs in surface passivation are its high bandgap energy and lattice matching to GaAs. Although GaAlAs is successful in reducing the surface recombination velocity, it has other inherent problems of chemical instability (Al readily oxidizes) and ohmic contact formation. The search for new, more stable window layer materials requires a means to compare their surface passivation ability. Therefore, a device structure is needed to easily test the performance of different passivating candidates. Such a test device is described.

IBC c-Si solar cells based on ion-implanted poly-silicon passivating contacts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yang, G.; Ingenito, A.; Isabella, O.; Zeman, M.

2016-01-01

Ion-implanted poly-crystalline silicon (poly-Si), in combination with a tunnel oxide layer, is investigated as a carrier-selective passivating contact in c-Si solar cells based on an interdigitated back contact (IBC) architecture. The optimized poly-Si passivating contacts enable low interface

Optimization of Controllable Factors in the Aluminum Silicon Eutectic Paste and Rear Silicon Nitride Mono-Passivation Layer of PERC Solar Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sungeun; Park, Hyomin; Kim, Dongseop; Yang, JungYup; Lee, Dongho; Kim, Young-Su; Kim, Hyun-Jong; Suh, Dongchul; Min, Byoung Koun; Kim, Kyung Nam; Park, Se Jin; Kim, Donghwan; Lee, Hae-Seok; Nam, Junggyu; Kang, Yoonmook

2018-05-01

Passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) is a promising technology owing to high efficiency can be achieved with p-type wafer and their easily applicable to existing lines. In case of using p-type mono wafer, 0.5-1% efficiency increase is expected with PERC technologies compared to existing Al BSF solar cells, while for multi-wafer solar cells it is 0.5-0.8%. We addressed the optimization of PERC solar cells using the Al paste. The paste was prepared from the aluminum-silicon alloy with eutectic composition to avoid the formation of voids that degrade the open-circuit voltage. The glass frit of the paste was changed to improve adhesion. Scanning electron microscopy revealed voids and local back surface field between the aluminum electrode and silicon base. We confirmed the conditions on the SiNx passivation layer for achieving higher efficiency and better adhesion for long-term stability. The cell characteristics were compared across cells containing different pastes. PERC solar cells with the Al/Si eutectic paste exhibited the efficiency of 19.6%.

Builder experience with low-cost high-value passive solar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aitken, D.W.; Neuffer, P.

1993-01-01

This article reports on passive solar tract home construction in the Reno, Nevada, area, that has enhanced the builder's market, made buying a home more affordable for the entry-level customer and made living in that home more attractive, displaced energy at $1.50/MMBtu, and attracted the local utility into seriously considering offering cash incentives for the construction and sale of those homes as a very cost-effective gas demand side management program. The builder's solar models, costs and marketing experience are described, and the utility's economic analysis is presented

Passivation Layers for Indoor Solar Cells at Low Irradiation Intensities

OpenAIRE

Rühle, K.; Rauer, M.; Rüdiger, M.; Giesecke, J.; Niewelt, T.; Schmiga, C.; Glunz, S.W.; Kasemann, M.

2012-01-01

The passivation mechanisms and qualities of Al2O3, SiNx, SiO2 and a-Si:H(i) on p- and n-type silicon are investigated by quasi-steady-state photoluminescence measurements. This technique allows effective lifetime measurements in an extremely large injection range between 1010 cm-3 and 1017 cm-3. The measurements are discussed focusing on injections below 1012 cm-3 in order to determine the most effective passivation layer for solar cells arranged for indoor applications. Fixed negative charge...

evaluation of a modified passive solar housing system for poultry

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

The hourly efficiency of the solar brick passive system was estimated at about 78.42% in a day of May and ... to high cost and unavailability of kerosene in most developing .... sulted in intermittent rainfall, cloud cover and sunshine. From the ...

High-Efficiency Silicon/Organic Heterojunction Solar Cells with Improved Junction Quality and Interface Passivation.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Jian; Gao, Pingqi; Ling, Zhaoheng; Ding, Li; Yang, Zhenhai; Ye, Jichun; Cui, Yi

2016-12-27

Silicon/organic heterojunction solar cells (HSCs) based on conjugated polymers, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), and n-type silicon (n-Si) have attracted wide attention due to their potential advantages of high efficiency and low cost. However, the state-of-the-art efficiencies are still far from satisfactory due to the inferior junction quality. Here, facile treatments were applied by pretreating the n-Si wafer in tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution and using a capping copper iodide (CuI) layer on the PEDOT:PSS layer to achieve a high-quality Schottky junction. Detailed photoelectric characteristics indicated that the surface recombination was greatly suppressed after TMAH pretreatment, which increased the thickness of the interfacial oxide layer. Furthermore, the CuI capping layer induced a strong inversion layer near the n-Si surface, resulting in an excellent field effect passivation. With the collaborative improvements in the interface chemical and electrical passivation, a competitive open-circuit voltage of 0.656 V and a high fill factor of 78.1% were achieved, leading to a stable efficiency of over 14.3% for the planar n-Si/PEDOT:PSS HSCs. Our findings suggest promising strategies to further exploit the full voltage as well as efficiency potentials for Si/organic solar cells.

Passive solar power in the shade of French energy policy, 1945-1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teissier, Pierre

2013-01-01

The installation in 1949 of the LES (solar energy laboratory) on Mont Louis-Odeillo in the Pyrenees, was emblematic of public commitment to passive solar power. Throughout the 1950's solar furnaces were supported for research into materials and solar powered homes, moving in phase with colonial policy. Then, with the construction at Odeillo of a giant solar furnace as part of the 'policy of grandeur', policy swung in the opposite direction. The study concludes with the role that the LES played at the time of the energy crisis in the 1970's and questions the French model of not developing solar energy

Environmentally friendly education: A passive solar, straw-bale school

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stone, L.; Dickinson, J.

1999-07-01

The Waldorf students in the Roaring Fork Valley of western Colorado are learning their reading, writing and arithmetic in the cozy confines of a solar heated, naturally lit, straw-bale school. The Waldorf education system, founded in 1919 by Austrian Rudolph Steiner, stresses what's appropriate for the kids, not what's easiest to teach. In constructing a new school, the Waldorf community wanted a building that would reflect their philosophy. There was a long list of requirements: natural, energy efficient, light, warm, alive, and earthy. Passive solar straw-bale construction brought together all those qualities.

Compact, semi-passive beam steering prism array for solar concentrators.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Cheng; Li, Qiyuan; Rosengarten, Gary; Hawkes, Evatt; Taylor, Robert A

2017-05-10

In order to maximize solar energy utilization in a limited space (e.g., rooftops), solar collectors should track the sun. As an alternative to rotational tracking systems, this paper presents a compact, semi-passive beam steering prism array which has been designed, analyzed, and tested for solar applications. The proposed prism array enables a linear concentrator system to remain stationary so that it can integrate with a variety of different solar concentrators, and which should be particularly useful for systems which require a low profile (namely rooftop-mounted systems). A case study of this prism array working within a specific rooftop solar collector demonstrates that it can boost the average daily optical efficiency of the collector by 32.7% and expand its effective working time from 6 h to 7.33 h. Overall, the proposed design provides an alternative way to "follow" the sun for a wide range of solar thermal and photovoltaic concentrator systems.

High reduction of interfacial charge recombination in colloidal quantum dot solar cells by metal oxide surface passivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Jin; Kuga, Yuki; Mora-Seró, Iván; Toyoda, Taro; Ogomi, Yuhei; Hayase, Shuzi; Bisquert, Juan; Shen, Qing

2015-03-12

Bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells based on colloidal QDs and metal oxide nanowires (NWs) possess unique and outstanding advantages in enhancing light harvesting and charge collection in comparison to planar architectures. However, the high surface area of the NW structure often brings about a large amount of recombination (especially interfacial recombination) and limits the open-circuit voltage in BHJ solar cells. This problem is solved here by passivating the surface of the metal oxide component in PbS colloidal quantum dot solar cells (CQDSCs). By coating thin TiO2 layers onto ZnO-NW surfaces, the open-circuit voltage and power conversion efficiency have been improved by over 40% in PbS CQDSCs. Characterization by transient photovoltage decay and impedance spectroscopy indicated that the interfacial recombination was significantly reduced by the surface passivation strategy. An efficiency as high as 6.13% was achieved through the passivation approach and optimization for the length of the ZnO-NW arrays (device active area: 16 mm2). All solar cells were tested in air, and exhibited excellent air storage stability (without any performance decline over more than 130 days). This work highlights the significance of metal oxide passivation in achieving high performance BHJ solar cells. The charge recombination mechanism uncovered in this work could shed light on the further improvement of PbS CQDSCs and/or other types of solar cells.

Passive-solar: lessons from the past

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kennedy, R.

The article reports on a research project conducted in Tunisia, in which ancient underground Roman homes in Bulla Reggia and similar inhabited Berber homes in Matmata were studied. Data were gathered on the passive-solar gain, compass orientations, and room measurements of the homes, and on natural lighting techniques, ventilation systems, earth-sheltered construction methods, cooling concepts, and domestic water collection systems used for these ancient dwellings. In addition, numerous sun-facing hill towns, cliff dwellings, and underground villages in Italy, France, and Spain were visited, with data recorded on window, shutter, and vent details, vegetation for climate control, and design concepts for climate-responsive town planning.

Hydrogen passivation of silicon sheet solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuo, Y.S.; Milstein, J.B.

1984-01-01

Significant improvements in the efficiencies of dendritic web and edge-supported-pulling silicon sheet solar cells have been obtained after hydrogen ion beam passivation for a period of ten minutes or less. We have studied the effects of the hydrogen ion beam treatment with respect to silicon material damage, silicon sputter rate, introduction of impurities, and changes in reflectance. The silicon sputter rate for constant ion beam flux of 0.60 +- 0.05 mA/cm 2 exhibits a maximum at approximately 1400-eV ion beam energy

Energy balance in a passive solar building. An attempt at economic assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sobczyk Wiktoria

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The paper emphasizes possibilities for substantially reducing energy consumption with modern ecofriendly buildings. Passive building construction is a sector of the construction industry that has extremely low demand for the energy for heating house interiors. A passive house requires a small amount of energy to provide thermal comfort, but it requires proper systems (HRU, heat pumps, solar collectors to accomplish that effect. The modification proposal presented in the paper has dramatically reduced the demand for heat capacity of the building. Unfortunately the passive standard has not been reached, but thermomodernisation would allow for a significant reduction of heating costs. The demand per 1 m2 of heated surface area in a traditional building was 41.9 W/m2, while after the modification – only 15.01 W/m2. The tested building, if located in a warmer climate, with an average outside temperature of ≥ -10ºC would certainly perform its function. The use of modern technology ensures high energy savings. Such solutions, however, are not the cheapest on the market, and therefore are less available. The construction of a passive solar buildings is a “green” investment with tangible environmental results. By ensuring the thermomodernisation of a traditional building we can enjoy real environmental and economic benefits.

Passive heat removal characteristics of SMART

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Jae Kwang; Kang, Hyung Seok; Yoon, Joo Hyun; Kim, Hwan Yeol; Cho, Bong Hyun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1998-12-31

A new advanced integral reactor of 330 MWt thermal capacity named SMART (System-Integrated Modular Advanced Reactor) is currently under development in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) for multi-purpose applications. Modular once-through steam generator (SG) and self-pressurizing pressurizer equipped with wet thermal insulator and cooler are essential components of the SMART. The SMART provides safety systems such as Passive Residual Heat Removal System (PRHRS). In this study, a computer code for performance analysis of the PRHRS is developed by modeling relevant components and systems of the SMART. Using this computer code, a performance analysis of the PRHRS is performed in order to check whether the passive cooling concept using the PRHRS is feasible. The results of the analysis show that PRHRS of the SMART has excellent passive heat removal characteristics. 2 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab. (Author)

Porous silicon-based passivation and gettering in polycrystalline silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dimassi, W.; Bouaiecha, M.; Saadoun, M.; Bessaies, B.; Ezzaouia, H.; Bennaceur, R.

2002-01-01

In this work, we report on the effect of introducing a superficial porous silicon (PS) layer on the electrical characteristics of polycrystalline silicon solar cells. The PS layer was formed using a vapour etching (VE)-based method. In addition to its known anti-reflecting action, the forming hydrogen-rich PS layer acts as a passivating agent for the surface of the cell. As a result we found an improvement of the I-V characteristics in dark conditions and AM1 illumination. We show that when the formation of a superficial PS layer is followed by a heat treatment, gettering of impurities from the polycrystalline silicon material is possible. After the removal of the PS layer and the formation of the photovoltaic (PV) structure, we observed an increase of the light-beam-induced-current (LBIC) for treatment temperatures not exceeding 900 deg. C. An improvement of the bulk minority carrier diffusion length and the grain boundary (GB) recombination velocity were observed as the temperature rises, although a global decrease of the LBIC current was observed for temperatures greater than 900 deg. C

Stable High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells via Grain Boundary Passivation

KAUST Repository

Niu, Tianqi

2018-03-12

The trap states at grain boundaries (GBs) within polycrystalline perovskite films deteriorate their optoelectronic properties, making GB engineering particularly important for stable high-performance optoelectronic devices. It is demonstrated that trap states within bulk films can be effectively passivated by semiconducting molecules with Lewis acid or base functional groups. The perovskite crystallization kinetics are studied using in situ synchrotron-based grazing-incidence X-ray scattering to explore the film formation mechanism. A model of the passivation mechanism is proposed to understand how the molecules simultaneously passivate the Pb-I antisite defects and vacancies created by under-coordinated Pb atoms. In addition, it also explains how the energy offset between the semiconducting molecules and the perovskite influences trap states and intergrain carrier transport. The superior optoelectronic properties are attained by optimizing the molecular passivation treatments. These benefits are translated into significant enhancements of the power conversion efficiencies to 19.3%, as well as improved environmental and thermal stability of solar cells. The passivated devices without encapsulation degrade only by ≈13% after 40 d of exposure in 50% relative humidity at room temperature, and only ≈10% after 24 h at 80 °C in controlled environment.

10.6% Certified Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells via Solvent-Polarity-Engineered Halide Passivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Xinzheng; Voznyy, Oleksandr; García de Arquer, F Pelayo; Liu, Mengxia; Xu, Jixian; Proppe, Andrew H; Walters, Grant; Fan, Fengjia; Tan, Hairen; Liu, Min; Yang, Zhenyu; Hoogland, Sjoerd; Sargent, Edward H

2016-07-13

Colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells are solution-processed photovoltaics with broad spectral absorption tunability. Major advances in their efficiency have been made via improved CQD surface passivation and device architectures with enhanced charge carrier collection. Herein, we demonstrate a new strategy to improve further the passivation of CQDs starting from the solution phase. A cosolvent system is employed to tune the solvent polarity in order to achieve the solvation of methylammonium iodide (MAI) and the dispersion of hydrophobic PbS CQDs simultaneously in a homogeneous phase, otherwise not achieved in a single solvent. This process enables MAI to access the CQDs to confer improved passivation. This, in turn, allows for efficient charge extraction from a thicker photoactive layer device, leading to a certified solar cell power conversion efficiency of 10.6%, a new certified record in CQD photovoltaics.

Sulfur passivation and contact methods for GaAs nanowire solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tajik, N; Peng, Z; Kuyanov, P; LaPierre, R R

2011-01-01

The effect of sulfur passivation on core-shell p-n junction GaAs nanowire (NW) solar cells has been investigated. Devices of two types were investigated, consisting of indium tin oxide contact dots or opaque Au finger electrodes. Lateral carrier transport from the NWs to the contact fingers was achieved via a p-doped GaAs surface conduction layer. NWs between the opaque contact fingers had sidewall surfaces exposed for passivation by sulfur. The relative cell efficiency increased by 19% upon passivation. The contribution of the thin film grown between the NWs to the total cell efficiency was estimated by removing the NWs using a sonication procedure. Mechanisms of carrier transport and photovoltaic effects are discussed on the basis of spatially resolved laser scanning measurements.

In-depth investigation of spin-on doped solar cells with thermally grown oxide passivation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samir Mahmmod Ahmad

Full Text Available Solar cell industrial manufacturing, based largely on proven semiconductor processing technologies supported by significant advancements in automation, has reached a plateau in terms of cost and efficiency. However, solar cell manufacturing cost (dollar/watt is still substantially higher than fossil fuels. The route to lowering cost may not lie with continuing automation and economies of scale. Alternate fabrication processes with lower cost and environmental-sustainability coupled with self-reliance, simplicity, and affordability may lead to price compatibility with carbon-based fuels. In this paper, a custom-designed formulation of phosphoric acid has been investigated, for n-type doping in p-type substrates, as a function of concentration and drive-in temperature. For post-diffusion surface passivation and anti-reflection, thermally-grown oxide films in 50–150-nm thickness were grown. These fabrication methods facilitate process simplicity, reduced costs, and environmental sustainability by elimination of poisonous chemicals and toxic gases (POCl3, SiH4, NH3. Simultaneous fire-through contact formation process based on screen-printed front surface Ag and back surface through thermally grown oxide films was optimized as a function of the peak temperature in conveyor belt furnace. Highest efficiency solar cells fabricated exhibited efficiency of ∼13%. Analysis of results based on internal quantum efficiency and minority carried measurements reveals three contributing factors: high front surface recombination, low minority carrier lifetime, and higher reflection. Solar cell simulations based on PC1D showed that, with improved passivation, lower reflection, and high lifetimes, efficiency can be enhanced to match with commercially-produced PECVD SiN-coated solar cells. Keywords: Crystalline Si solar cells, Phosphoric acid spin-on doping, Screen printing, Thermal oxide passivation

Relation of lifetime to surface passivation for atomic-layer-deposited Al2O3 on crystalline silicon solar cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Young Joon; Song, Hee Eun; Chang, Hyo Sik

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We investigated the relation of potassium contamination on Si solar wafer to lifetime. • We deposited Al 2 O 3 layer by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on Si solar wafer after several cleaning process. • Potassium can be left on Si surface by incomplete cleaning process and degrade the Al 2 O 3 passivation quality. - Abstract: We investigated the relation of potassium contamination on a crystalline silicon (c-Si) surface after potassium hydroxide (KOH) etching to the lifetime of the c-Si solar cell. Alkaline solution was employed for saw damage removal (SDR), texturing, and planarization of a textured c-Si solar wafer prior to atomic layer deposition (ALD) Al 2 O 3 growth. In the solar-cell manufacturing process, ALD Al 2 O 3 passivation is utilized to obtain higher conversion efficiency. ALD Al 2 O 3 shows excellent surface passivation, though minority carrier lifetime varies with cleaning conditions. In the present study, we investigated the relation of potassium contamination to lifetime in solar-cell processing. The results showed that the potassium-contaminated samples, due to incomplete cleaning of KOH, had a short lifetime, thus establishing that residual potassium can degrade Al 2 O 3 surface passivation

Solar Passive Modification Increase Radiation Safety Standards Inside Accelerator Building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eid, A. F.; Keshk, A. B.

2010-01-01

Irradiation processing by accelerated electrons is considering one of the most important and useful industrial irradiation treatments. It is depending on two principle attachment elements which are architecture of irradiation building and the accelerator characteristic that was arranged inside irradiation building. Negative environmental measurements were recorded inside the main building and were exceeded the international standards (humidity, air speed, high thermal effects and ozone concentration). The study showed that it is essential to improve the natural environmental standards inside the main irradiation building in order to improve the work environment and to reduce ozone concentration from 220 ppb to international standard. The main goals and advantages were achieved by using environmental architecture (desert architecture) indoor the irradiation building. The work depends on passive solar system which is economic, same architectural elements, comfort / health, and radiation safety, and without mechanical means. The experimental work was accomplished under these modifications. The registered results of various environmental concentrations have proved their normal standards.

Combined Active and Passive Solar Space Heating and Solar Hot Water Systems for an Elementary School in Boise, Idaho.

Science.gov (United States)

Smull, Neil A.; Armstrong, Gerald L.

1979-01-01

Amity Elementary School in Boise, Idaho, features a solar space heating and domestic hot water system along with an earth covering to accommodate the passive aspects of energy conservation. (Author/MLF)

Analytical optimization of interior PCM for energy storage in a lightweight passive solar room

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Wei; Wang Xin; Zhang Yinping

2009-01-01

Lightweight envelopes are widely used in modern buildings but they lack sufficient thermal capacity for passive solar utilization. An attractive solution to increase the building thermal capacity is to incorporate phase change material (PCM) into the building envelope. In this paper, a simplified theoretical model is established to optimize an interior PCM for energy storage in a lightweight passive solar room. Analytical equations are presented to calculate the optimal phase change temperature and the total amount of latent heat capacity and to estimate the benefit of the interior PCM for energy storage. Further, as an example, the analytical optimization is applied to the interior PCM panels in a direct-gain room with realistic outdoor climatic conditions of Beijing. The analytical results agree well with the numerical results. The analytical results show that: (1) the optimal phase change temperature depends on the average indoor air temperature and the radiation absorbed by the PCM panels; (2) the interior PCM has little effect on average indoor air temperature; and (3) the amplitude of the indoor air temperature fluctuation depends on the product of surface heat transfer coefficient h in and area A of the PCM panels in a lightweight passive solar room.

Solar passive ceiling system. Final report. [Passive solar heating system with venetian blind reflectors and latent heat storage in ceiling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schneider, A.R.

1980-01-01

The construction of a 1200 square foot building, with full basement, built to be used as a branch library in a rural area is described. The primary heating source is a passive solar system consisting of a south facing window system. The system consists of: a set of windows located in the south facing wall only, composed of double glazed units; a set of reflectors mounted in each window which reflects sunlight up to the ceiling (the reflectors are similar to venetian blinds); a storage area in the ceiling which absorbs the heat from the reflected sunlight and stores it in foil salt pouches laid in the ceiling; and an automated curtain which automatically covers and uncovers the south facing window system. The system is totally passive and uses no blowers, pumps or other active types of heat distribution equipment. The building contains a basement which is normally not heated, and the north facing wall is bermed four feet high around the north side.

A Low Resistance Calcium/Reduced Titania Passivated Contact for High Efficiency Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Allen, Thomas G.; Bullock, James; Jeangros, Quentin; Samundsett, Christian; Wan, Yimao; Cui, Jie; Hessler-Wyser, Aï cha; De Wolf, Stefaan; Javey, Ali; Cuevas, Andres

2017-01-01

Recent advances in the efficiency of crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells have come through the implementation of passivated contacts that simultaneously reduce recombination and resistive losses within the contact structure. In this contribution, low resistivity passivated contacts are demonstrated based on reduced titania (TiOx) contacted with the low work function metal, calcium (Ca). By using Ca as the overlying metal in the contact structure we are able to achieve a reduction in the contact resistivity of TiOx passivated contacts of up to two orders of magnitude compared to previously reported data on Al/TiOx contacts, allowing for the application of the Ca/TiOx contact to n-type c-Si solar cells with partial rear contacts. Implementing this contact structure on the cell level results in a power conversion efficiency of 21.8% where the Ca/TiOx contact comprises only ≈6% of the rear surface of the solar cell, an increase of 1.5% absolute compared to a similar device fabricated without the TiOx interlayer.

A Low Resistance Calcium/Reduced Titania Passivated Contact for High Efficiency Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Allen, Thomas G.

2017-02-04

Recent advances in the efficiency of crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells have come through the implementation of passivated contacts that simultaneously reduce recombination and resistive losses within the contact structure. In this contribution, low resistivity passivated contacts are demonstrated based on reduced titania (TiOx) contacted with the low work function metal, calcium (Ca). By using Ca as the overlying metal in the contact structure we are able to achieve a reduction in the contact resistivity of TiOx passivated contacts of up to two orders of magnitude compared to previously reported data on Al/TiOx contacts, allowing for the application of the Ca/TiOx contact to n-type c-Si solar cells with partial rear contacts. Implementing this contact structure on the cell level results in a power conversion efficiency of 21.8% where the Ca/TiOx contact comprises only ≈6% of the rear surface of the solar cell, an increase of 1.5% absolute compared to a similar device fabricated without the TiOx interlayer.

Advanced phase change materials and systems for solar passive heating and cooling of residential buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salyer, I.O.; Sircar, A.K.; Dantiki, S.

1988-01-01

During the last three years under the sponsorship of the DOE Solar Passive Division, the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) has investigated four phase change material (PCM) systems for utility in thermal energy storage for solar passive heating and cooling applications. From this research on the basis of cost, performance, containment, and environmental acceptability, we have selected as our current and most promising series of candidate phase change materials, C-15 to C-24 linear crystalline alkyl hydrocarbons. The major part of the research during this contract period was directed toward the following three objectives. Find, test, and develop low-cost effective phase change materials (PCM) that melt and freeze sharply in the comfort temperature range of 73--77{degree}F for use in solar passive heating and cooling of buildings. Define practical materials and processes for fire retarding plasterboard/PCM building products. Develop cost-effective methods for incorporating PCM into building construction materials (concrete, plasterboard, etc.) which will lead to the commercial manufacture and sale of PCM-containing products resulting in significant energy conservation.

Highly reflective rear surface passivation design for ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vermang, Bart, E-mail: Bart.Vermang@angstrom.uu.se [Ångström Solar Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala 75121 (Sweden); ESAT-KU Leuven, University of Leuven, Leuven 3001 (Belgium); Wätjen, Jörn Timo; Fjällström, Viktor; Rostvall, Fredrik; Edoff, Marika [Ångström Solar Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala 75121 (Sweden); Gunnarsson, Rickard; Pilch, Iris; Helmersson, Ulf [Plasma & Coatings Physics, University of Linköping, Linköping 58183 (Sweden); Kotipalli, Ratan; Henry, Frederic; Flandre, Denis [ICTEAM/IMNC, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348 (Belgium)

2015-05-01

Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} rear surface passivated ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGS) solar cells with Mo nano-particles (NPs) as local rear contacts are developed to demonstrate their potential to improve optical confinement in ultra-thin CIGS solar cells. The CIGS absorber layer is 380 nm thick and the Mo NPs are deposited uniformly by an up-scalable technique and have typical diameters of 150 to 200 nm. The Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer passivates the CIGS rear surface between the Mo NPs, while the rear CIGS interface in contact with the Mo NP is passivated by [Ga]/([Ga] + [In]) (GGI) grading. It is shown that photon scattering due to the Mo NP contributes to an absolute increase in short circuit current density of 3.4 mA/cm{sup 2}; as compared to equivalent CIGS solar cells with a standard back contact. - Highlights: • Proof-of-principle ultra-thin CIGS solar cells have been fabricated. • The cells have Mo nano-particles (NPs) as local rear contacts. • An Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film passivates the CIGS rear surface between these nano-particles. • [Ga]/([Ga] + [In]) grading is used to reduce Mo-NP/CIGS interface recombination.

Stable High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells via Grain Boundary Passivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Tianqi; Lu, Jing; Munir, Rahim; Li, Jianbo; Barrit, Dounya; Zhang, Xu; Hu, Hanlin; Yang, Zhou; Amassian, Aram; Zhao, Kui; Liu, Shengzhong Frank

2018-04-01

The trap states at grain boundaries (GBs) within polycrystalline perovskite films deteriorate their optoelectronic properties, making GB engineering particularly important for stable high-performance optoelectronic devices. It is demonstrated that trap states within bulk films can be effectively passivated by semiconducting molecules with Lewis acid or base functional groups. The perovskite crystallization kinetics are studied using in situ synchrotron-based grazing-incidence X-ray scattering to explore the film formation mechanism. A model of the passivation mechanism is proposed to understand how the molecules simultaneously passivate the Pb-I antisite defects and vacancies created by under-coordinated Pb atoms. In addition, it also explains how the energy offset between the semiconducting molecules and the perovskite influences trap states and intergrain carrier transport. The superior optoelectronic properties are attained by optimizing the molecular passivation treatments. These benefits are translated into significant enhancements of the power conversion efficiencies to 19.3%, as well as improved environmental and thermal stability of solar cells. The passivated devices without encapsulation degrade only by ≈13% after 40 d of exposure in 50% relative humidity at room temperature, and only ≈10% after 24 h at 80 °C in controlled environment. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A new insight into opaque envelopes in a passive solar house: Properties and roles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long, Linshuang; Ye, Hong; Liu, Minghou

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A new insight into the opaque envelopes of a passive solar house was gained. • Five parts of envelopes, i.e., roof, south/east/west/north walls, were discussed. • Each part of envelopes were analyzed separately rather than treated as a whole. • Ideal properties of materials for each envelope are diverse from one another. • Differences are related to the envelopes’ leading roles as a heater or a cooler. - Abstract: Passive solar houses are effective solutions for minimizing the operating energy of buildings. The building envelopes of passive solar houses exert a significant influence on the degree of indoor thermal comfort. The focus of this study was the construction of high-performance opaque envelopes, i.e., the roof and walls, for a passive solar house, and a new conception of the envelopes from the perspective of the relation between the properties and roles was provided. The discussion was conducted based on a comprehensive range of envelope materials that were distinguished by the thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity. For the first time, each part of the envelopes was analyzed separately rather than considered as an entire envelope. By analyzing each envelope individually, the optimum properties of each envelope were found to be distinct from each other. The distinctions are determined by the dominant role of each envelope, which is associated with the location and absorbed solar irradiation. For summer or hot climate applications, when the dominant role is a cooler, the envelope, e.g., the south wall, should consist of materials with high thermal conductivity and large heat capacity; if a heater is the dominant role, the envelope, e.g., the roof, should consist of materials with low thermal conductivity. For winter or cold climate applications, the envelopes with a leading role of a heater or a cooler require materials with high or low thermal conductivity, respectively. Under the guidance of the results, a discussion

2D layered insulator hexagonal boron nitride enabled surface passivation in dye sensitized solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Shanmugam, Mariyappan; Jacobs-Gedrim, Robin; Durcan, Chris; Yu, Bin

2013-11-21

A two-dimensional layered insulator, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), is demonstrated as a new class of surface passivation materials in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) to reduce interfacial carrier recombination. We observe ~57% enhancement in the photo-conversion efficiency of the DSSC utilizing h-BN coated semiconductor TiO2 as compared with the device without surface passivation. The h-BN coated TiO2 is characterized by Raman spectroscopy to confirm the presence of highly crystalline, mixed monolayer/few-layer h-BN nanoflakes on the surface of TiO2. The passivation helps to minimize electron-hole recombination at the TiO2/dye/electrolyte interfaces. The DSSC with h-BN passivation exhibits significantly lower dark saturation current in the low forward bias region and higher saturation in the high forward bias region, respectively, suggesting that the interface quality is largely improved without impeding carrier transport at the material interface. The experimental results reveal that the emerging 2D layered insulator could be used for effective surface passivation in solar cell applications attributed to desirable material features such as high crystallinity and self-terminated/dangling-bond-free atomic planes as compared with high-k thin-film dielectrics.

Influence of the transition region between p- and n-type polycrystalline silicon passivating contacts on the performance of interdigitated back contact silicon solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Reichel, Christian; Müller, Ralph; Feldmann, Frank; Richter, Armin; Hermle, Martin; Glunz, Stefan W.

2017-11-01

Passivating contacts based on thin tunneling oxides (SiOx) and n- and p-type semi-crystalline or polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) enable high passivation quality and low contact resistivity, but the integration of these p+/n emitter and n+/n back surface field junctions into interdigitated back contact silicon solar cells poses a challenge due to high recombination at the transition region from p-type to n-type poly-Si. Here, the transition region was created in different configurations—(a) p+ and n+ poly-Si regions are in direct contact with each other ("pn-junction"), using a local overcompensation (counterdoping) as a self-aligning process, (b) undoped (intrinsic) poly-Si remains between the p+ and n+ poly-Si regions ("pin-junction"), and (c) etched trenches separate the p+ and n+ poly-Si regions ("trench")—in order to investigate the recombination characteristics and the reverse breakdown behavior of these solar cells. Illumination- and injection-dependent quasi-steady state photoluminescence (suns-PL) and open-circuit voltage (suns-Voc) measurements revealed that non-ideal recombination in the space charge regions with high local ideality factors as well as recombination in shunted regions strongly limited the performance of solar cells without a trench. In contrast, solar cells with a trench allowed for open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 720 mV, fill factor of 79.6%, short-circuit current (Jsc) of 41.3 mA/cm2, and a conversion efficiencies (η) of 23.7%, showing that a lowly conducting and highly passivating intermediate layer between the p+ and n+ poly-Si regions is mandatory. Independent of the configuration, no hysteresis was observed upon multiple stresses in reverse direction, indicating a controlled and homogeneously distributed breakdown, but with different breakdown characteristics.

The challenge of screen printed Ag metallization on nano-scale poly-silicon passivated contacts for silicon solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Lin; Song, Lixin; Yan, Li; Becht, Gregory; Zhang, Yi; Hoerteis, Matthias

2017-08-01

Passivated contacts can be used to reduce metal-induced recombination for higher energy conversion efficiency for silicon solar cells, and are obtained increasing attentions by PV industries in recent years. The reported thicknesses of passivated contact layers are mostly within tens of nanometer range, and the corresponding metallization methods are realized mainly by plating/evaporation technology. This high cost metallization cannot compete with the screen printing technology, and may affect its market potential comparing with the presently dominant solar cell technology. Very few works have been reported on screen printing metallization on passivated contact solar cells. Hence, there is a rising demand to realize screen printing metallization technology on this topic. In this work, we investigate applying screen printing metallization pastes on poly-silicon passivated contacts. The critical challenge for us is to build low contact resistance that can be competitive to standard technology while restricting the paste penetrations within the thin nano-scale passivated contact layers. The contact resistivity of 1.1mohm-cm2 and the open circuit voltages > 660mV are achieved, and the most appropriate thickness range is estimated to be around 80 150nm.

Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells with Thin Silicon Passivation Film Deposited prior to Phosphorous Diffusion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ching-Tao Li

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate the performance improvement of p-type single-crystalline silicon (sc-Si solar cells resulting from front surface passivation by a thin amorphous silicon (a-Si film deposited prior to phosphorus diffusion. The conversion efficiency was improved for the sample with an a-Si film of ~5 nm thickness deposited on the front surface prior to high-temperature phosphorus diffusion, with respect to the samples with an a-Si film deposited on the front surface after phosphorus diffusion. The improvement in conversion efficiency is 0.4% absolute with respect to a-Si film passivated cells, that is, the cells with an a-Si film deposited on the front surface after phosphorus diffusion. The new technique provided a 0.5% improvement in conversion efficiency compared to the cells without a-Si passivation. Such performance improvements result from reduced surface recombination as well as lowered contact resistance, the latter of which induces a high fill factor of the solar cell.

High performance passive solar heating system with heat pipe energy transfer and latent heat storage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, van H.A.L.; Galen, van E; Hensen, J.L.M.; Wit, de M.H.

1983-01-01

Preliminar results are reported from a current project on the development of a high performance passive solar heating system. Two special components are introduced: a. A heat pipe as a thermal diode tube for the efficient transfer of collected solar heat from the absorber plate to behind an

Field Measurement and Evaluation of the Passive and Active Solar Heating Systems for Residential Building Based on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhijian Liu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Passive and active solar heating systems have drawn much attention and are widely used in residence buildings in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau due to its high radiation intensity. In fact, there is still lack of quantitative evaluation of the passive and active heating effect, especially for residential building in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau areas. In this study, three kinds of heating strategies, including reference condition, passive solar heating condition and active solar heating condition, were tested in one demonstration residential building. The hourly air temperatures of each room under different conditions were obtained and analyzed. The results show the indoor air temperature in the living room and bedrooms (core zones was much higher than that of other rooms under both passive and active solar heating conditions. In addition, the heating effect with different strategies for core zones of the building was evaluated by the ratio of indoor and outdoor degree hour, which indicates that solar heating could effectively reduce the traditional energy consumption and improve the indoor thermal environment. The passive solar heating could undertake 49.8% degree hours for heating under an evaluation criterion of 14 °C and the active solar heating could undertake 75% degree hours for heating under evaluation criterion of 18 °C, which indicated that solar heating could effectively reduce the traditional energy consumption and improve the indoor thermal environment in this area. These findings could provide reference for the design and application of solar heating in similar climate areas.

Positioning Your Library for Solar (and Financial) Gain. Improving Energy Efficiency, Lighting, and Ventilation with Primarily Passive Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Shane, Jackie

2012-01-01

This article stresses the importance of building design above technology as a relatively inexpensive way to reduce energy costs for a library. Emphasis is placed on passive solar design for heat and daylighting, but also examines passive ventilation and cooling, green roofs, and building materials. Passive design is weighed against technologies…

Study on the use of TiO2 passivation layer to reduce recombination losses in dye sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eskander bin Samsudin, Adel; Mohamed, Norani Muti; Nayan, Nafarizal; Ali, Riyaz Ahmad Mohamed; Shariffuddin, Sharifah Amira Amir; Omar, Salwa

2012-01-01

A lot of research on various aspects of dye solar cells (DSC) has been carried out in order to improve efficiency. This paper analyzes the utilization of TiO 2 passivation layers of different thicknesses by improving the electron transport properties. Four different thicknesses of passivation layers namely 10, 20, 50 and 100 nm were deposited onto the working electrode using r.f sputtering. The electrodes were assembled into TiO 2 based DSC with active area of 1 cm 2 . The solar performance was investigated using 100 mW/cm 2 of AM 1.5 simulated sunlight from solar simulator. The kinetics of the solar cells was investigated using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurement and the spectral response was measured using Incident Photon to Electron Conversion (IPCE) measurement system. The highest efficiency was found for DSC with 20 nm passivation layer. DSCs with the passivation layer have open circuit voltage, V OC increased by 57 mV, their current density, J SC increased by 0.774 mA cm −2 compared to the one without the passivation layer. The quantum efficiency of the 20 nm passivation layer is the highest, peaking at the wavelength of 534 nm, resulting in the highest performance. All DSCs with the passivation layer recorded higher ratio of R BR /R T where R T is the diffusion resistance of the TiO 2 particles in the mesoscopic layer and R BR is the recombination resistance of the electron to the electrolyte. This implies that the recombination of the electrolyte I − 3 /3I − couple at the substrate/electrolyte interface has been effectively reduced resulting in an enhanced efficiency.

Amorphous silicon passivation for 23.3% laser processed back contact solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Carstens, Kai; Dahlinger, Morris; Hoffmann, Erik; Zapf-Gottwick, Renate; Werner, Jürgen H.

2017-08-01

This paper presents amorphous silicon deposited at temperatures below 200 °C, leading to an excellent passivation layer for boron doped emitter and phosphorus doped back surface field areas in interdigitated back contact solar cells. A higher deposition temperature degrades the passivation of the boron emitter by an increased hydrogen effusion due to lower silicon hydrogen bond energy, proved by hydrogen effusion measurements. The high boron surface doping in crystalline silicon causes a band bending in the amorphous silicon. Under these conditions, at the interface, the intentionally undoped amorphous silicon becomes p-type conducting, with the consequence of an increased dangling bond defect density. For bulk amorphous silicon this effect is described by the defect pool model. We demonstrate, that the defect pool model is also applicable to the interface between amorphous and crystalline silicon. Our simulation shows the shift of the Fermi energy towards the valence band edge to be more pronounced for high temperature deposited amorphous silicon having a small bandgap. Application of optimized amorphous silicon as passivation layer for the boron doped emitter and phosphorus doped back surface field on the rear side of laser processed back contact solar cells, fabricated using four laser processing steps, yields an efficiency of 23.3%.

Simulation on the Performance of Dye Solar Cell Incorporated with TiO2 Passivation Layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Unan Yusmaniar Oktiawati

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Dye Solar Cell (DSC has started to gain interest in the recent years for practical application because of its ecofriendly, low cost, and easy fabrication. However, its efficiency is still not as competitive as the conventional silicon based solar cell. One of the research efforts to improve the efficiency of DSC is to use the passivation layer in between the photoelectrode material and the conductive oxide substrate. Thus, the objective of this simulation study is to investigate the effect of passivation layer on the performance of DSC. Properties from literatures which are based on physical work were captured as the input for the simulation using process, ATHENA, and device, ATLAS, simulator. Results have shown that the addition of two-20 nm TiO2 passivation layers on DSC can enhance the efficiency by 11% as the result of less recombination, higher electron mobility, and longer electron lifetime.

Solar chimney integrated with passive evaporative cooler applied on glazing surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al Touma, Albert; Ghali, Kamel; Ghaddar, Nesreen; Ismail, Nagham

2016-01-01

This study investigates the performance of a hybrid system applied on glazing surfaces for reducing the space cooling load and radiation asymmetry. The proposed system combines the principles of passive evaporative cooling with the natural buoyant flow in solar chimneys to entrain outdoor air and attenuate the window surface temperature. A predictive heat and mass transport model combining the evaporative cooler, glazing section, solar chimney and an office space is developed to study the system performance in harshly hot climates. The developed model was validated through experiments conducted in a twin climatic chamber for given ambient temperature, humidity, and solar radiation conditions. Good agreement was found between the measured and the predicted window temperatures and space loads at maximum discrepancy lower than 4.3%. The proposed system is applied to a typical office space to analyze its effectiveness in reducing the window temperature, the space load and radiation asymmetry, while maintaining the indoor comfort conditions. Results have shown that the system is reduced the space load by −19.8% and attenuated the radiation asymmetry significantly for office spaces having window-to-wall ratio of 40% in climate of Riyadh, KSA. The system performance diminished when applied in locations suffering from humid weather climates. - Highlights: • A passive evaporative-cooled solar chimney system is introduced to decrease window temperature. • A mathematical model is developed of the system to predict induce air flow and window surface temperature. • The model is validated with experiments in twin room climatic chamber and using artificial solar lamps. • The system reduces window maximum temperature by 5 °C in the hot dry climate of Riyadh, KSA. • It reduced the space load by 19.4% for office spaces at window-to-wall ratio of 40% in Riyadh, KSA.

PECVD-ONO: A New Deposited Firing Stable Rear Surface Passivation Layer System for Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Hofmann

2008-01-01

Full Text Available A novel plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposited (PECVD stack layer system consisting of a-SiOx:H, a-SiNx:H, and a-SiOx:H is presented for silicon solar cell rear side passivation. Surface recombination velocities below 60 cm/s (after firing and below 30 cm/s (after forming gas anneal were achieved. Solar cell precursors without front and rear metallisation showed implied open-circuit voltages Voc values extracted from quasi-steady-state photoconductance (QSSPC measurements above 680 mV. Fully finished solar cells with up to 20.0% energy conversion efficiency are presented. A fit of the cell's internal quantum efficiency using software tool PC1D and a comparison to a full-area aluminium-back surface field (Al-BSF and thermal SiO2 is shown. PECVD-ONO was found to be clearly superior to Al-BSF. A separation of recombination at the metallised and the passivated area at the solar cell's rear is presented using the equations of Fischer and Kray. Nuclear reaction analysis (NRA has been used to evaluate the hydrogen depth profile of the passivation layer system at different stages.

4. meeting on passive solar energy houses. Proceedings; 4. Passivhaus Tagung. Tagungsband

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feist, W [ed.; Sariri, V; Nagel, M [comps.; Passivhaus Institut, Darmstadt (Germany)

2000-03-01

This is the report on the 4th Passive Building Conference, which took place at Kassel on March 10/11, 2000. There were eight sections: (a) Planners' workshop; (b) Architecture; (c) Ventilation; (d) Construction practice; (e) Subjective users' comfort and measured results; (f) Practical implementation; (g) economic and ecological assessment; (h) Solar architecture; (i) Heat supply. It was considered particularly favourable that passive solar buildings do not only offer a solution to ecological problems but also a growing market. [German] Der Tagungsband der '4. Passivhaus Tagung', die von 10. bis 11. Maerz 2000 in Kassel stattgefunden hat, beinhalten Beitraege, die in acht Arbeitsgruppen vorgetragen worden: (a) Planer-Werkstatt; (b) Architektur; (c) Lueftungsplanung; (d) Baupraxis; (e) Wohnerfahrung, Messergebnisse; (f) Umsetzung; (g) oekonomische und oekologische Bewertung; (h) Solararchitektur; (i) Waermeversorgung. Es wird vom Herausgeber als besonders erfreulich herausgestellt, dass durch eine erfolgreiche Passivhaus-Entwicklung neben der Loesung der Klimaprobleme zugleich ein neuer Wachstumsmarkt geschaffen werde, der mit einer Mehrung von Wertschoepfung und Wohlstand verbunden ist. (AKF)

Optical and impedance characteristics of passive films on pure aluminium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnakumar, R.; Szklarska-Smialowska, Z.

1992-01-01

Optical and Impedance behavior of pure bulk aluminum and pure sputtered aluminum film were studied in order to gain a better understanding of their fundamental passivation and pitting characteristics. Constant potential experiments at the passivation and pitting potentials, and potentiostatic anodic polarization were conducted while simultaneously monitoring the current, impedance and optical behavior, in-situ. Noise characteristics in the current data during the pit incubation period indicate that Cl - ions migrate with little impediment to the metal surface through defects in the passive film. Impedance experiments indicate that the polarization resistance fluctuates continuously with time during the pit incubation period, suggesting that impedance spectroscopy is sensitive to localized processes. The interfacial capacitance increases continuously during this time. The smallest pits observed on the sample surface (less than 10μ) are clearly crystallographic, indicating activation controlled dissolution at pits. The film capacitance increases with exposure time at the passivation potential, while the polarization resistance decreases continuously. The decrease in the film resistance is thought to be due to chloride incorporation at defects in the passive film. The increase in film capacitance at the passivation and pitting potential is due to an increase in the film dielectric constant caused by either a compositional change or anion incorporation. Ellipsometry results indicate growth of a dual layered film on the pure aluminum surface, with the outer layer probably containing varying amounts of incorporated chloride depending on the applied potential. Preliminary experiments indicate that in the case of sputtered aluminum film, the passive film resistance is at least an order of magnitude higher than that of bulk aluminum. This is due to the fine grain structure of sputtered Al and hence a more defect free passive film than that formed on bulk aluminum. There is

Passive and hybrid solar technologies program summary

Science.gov (United States)

1985-05-01

The goal of the national energy policy is to foster an adequate supply of energy at reasonable prices. This policy recognizes that adequate supply requires flexibility, with no undue reliance on any single source of supply. The goal of reasonable prices suggests economic efficiency so that consumers, individuals, commercial and industrial users alike, are not penalized by government regulation or subside. The strategies for achieving this energy policy goal are: (1) to minimize federal regulation in energy pricing while maintaining public health and safety and environmental quality, and (2) to promote a balanced and mixed energy resource system through research and development. One of the keys to energy sufficiently is the scientific application of passive solar energy techniques.

Concurrent improvement in optical and electrical characteristics by using inverted pyramidal array structures toward efficient Si heterojunction solar cells

KAUST Repository

Wang, Hsin Ping

2016-03-02

The Si heterojunction (SHJ) solar cell is presently the most popular design in the crystalline Si (c-Si) photovoltaics due to the high open-circuit voltages (V). Photon management by surface structuring techniques to control the light entering the devices is critical for boosting cell efficiency although it usually comes with the V loss caused by severe surface recombination. For the first time, the periodic inverted pyramid (IP) structure fabricated by photolithography and anisotropic etching processes was employed for SHJ solar cells, demonstrating concurrent improvement in optical and electrical characteristics (i.e., short-circuit current density (J) and V). Periodic IP structures show superior light-harvesting properties as most of the incident rays bounce three times on the walls of the IPs but only twice between conventional random upright pyramids (UPs). The high minority carrier lifetime of the IP structures after a-Si:H passivation results in an enhanced V by 28 mV, showing improved carrier collection efficiency due to the superior passivation of the IP structure over the random UP structures. The superior antireflective (AR) ability and passivation results demonstrate that the IP structure has the potential to replace conventional UP structures to further boost the efficiency in solar cell applications.

Solar Energy: Energy Conservation and Passive Design Concepts: Student Material. First Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Younger, Charles; Orsak, Charles G., Jr.

Designed for student use in "Energy Conservation and Passive Design Concepts," one of 11 courses in a 2-year associate degree program in solar technology, this manual provides readings, bibliographies, and illustrations for seven course modules. The manual, which corresponds to an instructor guide for the same course, covers the…

Atomic-layer deposited Nb2O5 as transparent passivating electron contact for c-Si solar cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Macco, Bart; Black, Lachlan E.; Melskens, Jimmy; van de Loo, Bas W.H.; Berghuis, Willem Jan H.; Verheijen, Marcel A.; Kessels, Wilhelmus M.M.

2018-01-01

Passivating contacts based on metal oxides have proven to enable high energy conversion efficiencies for crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells at low processing complexity. In this work, the potential of atomic-layer deposited (ALD) Nb2O5 as novel electron-selective passivating contact is explored

Willow Park II Community Center. Design report for the passive solar commercial buildings design assistance and demonstration program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1981-01-15

The design process for a passive solar community center in Texas is documented. Weather data are given. Energy analysis for early drawings is performed using the ENERGYLOOK program and the results shown graphically. Energy consumption and cost data are given. The design evolution is then traced and the performance of alternative designs compared. Design indicators for best strategies and concepts are discussed and the final design is presented. Energy consumption and cost are given, along with incremental passive solar design costs. A schematic review meeting report and life cycle value tables are included. Overviews, unavailable information, incremental passive design costs, performance comparison of alternatives, and architectural compatibility are discussed for each step in the design process. (LEW)

Simulation of an active solar energy system integrated in a passive building in order to obtain system efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Ceacaru, Mihai C.

2012-11-01

In this work we present a simulation of an active solar energy system. This system belongs to the first passive office building (2086 square meters) in Romania and it is used for water heating consumption. This office building was opened in February 2009 and was built based on passive house design solutions. For this simulation, we use Solar Water Heating module, which belongs to the software RETSCREEN and this simulation is done for several cities in Romania. Results obtained will be compared graphically.

Al-Si alloy point contact formation and rear surface passivation for silicon solar cells using double layer porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moumni, Besma; Ben Jaballah, Abdelkader; Bessais, Brahim

2012-01-01

Lowering the rear surface recombination velocities by a dielectric layer has fascinating advantages compared with the standard fully covered Al back-contact silicon solar cells. In this work the passivation effect by double layer porous silicon (PS) (wide band gap) and the formation of Al-Si alloy in narrow p-type Si point contact areas for rear passivated solar cells are analysed. As revealed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, we found that a thin passivating aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) layer is formed. Scanning electron microscopy analysis performed in cross sections shows that with bilayer PS, liquid Al penetrates into the openings, alloying with the Si substrate at depth and decreasing the contact resistivity. At the solar cell level, the reduction in the contact area and resistivity leads to a minimization of the fill factor losses.

Anti-reflecting and passivating coatings for silicon solar cells on a basis of SO2 and TiO2 layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taurbaev, T.I.; Nikulin, V.Eh.; Shorin, V.F.; Topanov, B.G.; Dikhanbaev, K.K.

2002-01-01

An analysis of influence of passivating layer on performance of anti-reflection coating of solar cells is carried out. The introduction of passivating SiO 2 layer between a frontal surface of the solar cell and TiO 2 +SiO 2 anti-reflection coating increase total reflection. If a thickness of a passivating layer no more than 20 Angstrom an increase of reflection does not exceed 0.5 %. However, for effective passivation the thickness of the passivating layer has to be within 100-1000 Angstrom region, thus the interference contribution of the passivating layer becomes essential and the AC is necessary to calculate as triple system SiO 2 -TiO 2 -SiO 2 . Such the three layers system ensuring average coefficient of reflection less of 3.5 % in a range 0.4-1.1 μm if the thickness of passivating SiO 2 layer no more 200 Angstrom. For solar cells with passivating SiO 2 layer thickness of 100 Angstrom and protective glass of non-interference thickness the single layer AC from TiO 2 allows to receive average value of reflection coefficient for a spectral range 0.4-1.1 μm no more than 9.5 %. The introduction of two additional layers SiO 2 and TiO 2 allows to reduce this value on 2.0-3.0 %. The comparison of calculation and experimental results is given. (author)

Low temperature surface passivation of crystalline silicon and its application to interdigitated back contact silicon heterojunction (ibc-shj) solar cell

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Zhan

With the absence of shading loss together with improved quality of surface passivation introduced by low temperature processed amorphous silicon crystalline silicon (a-Si:H/c-Si) heterojunction, the interdigitated back contact silicon heterojunction (IBC-SHJ) solar cell exhibits a potential for higher conversion efficiency and lower cost than a traditional front contact diffused junction solar cell. In such solar cells, the front surface passivation is of great importance to achieve both high open-circuit voltage (Voc) and short-circuit current (Jsc). Therefore, the motivation of this work is to develop a low temperature processed structure for the front surface passivation of IBC-SHJ solar cells, which must have an excellent and stable passivation quality as well as a good anti-reflection property. Four different thin film materials/structures were studied and evaluated for this purpose, namely: amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiNx:H), thick amorphous silicon film (a-Si:H), amorphous silicon/silicon nitride/silicon carbide (a-Si:H/a-SiN x:H/a-SiC:H) stack structure with an ultra-thin a-Si:H layer, and zinc sulfide (ZnS). It was demonstrated that the a-Si:H/a-SiNx:H/a-SiC:H stack surpasses other candidates due to both of its excellent surface passivation quality (SRVSi surface is found to be resulted from (i) field effect passivation due to the positive fixed charge (Q fix~1x1011 cm-2 with 5 nm a-Si:H layer) in a-SiNx:H as measured from capacitance-voltage technique, and (ii) reduced defect state density (mid-gap Dit~4x1010 cm-2eV-1) at a-Si:H/c-Si interface provided by a 5 nm thick a-Si:H layer, as characterized by conductance-frequency measurements. Paralleled with the experimental studies, a computer program was developed in this work based on the extended Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) model of surface recombination. With the help of this program, the experimental injection level dependent SRV curves of the stack passivated c-Si samples were successfully reproduced and

Passive and hybrid solar manufactured housing and buildings. [Includes architectural drawings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scholz, D; Bowling, C; Winter, S; Levy, E; Marks, R; Zgolinski, A

1980-01-01

The final design work on a passive solar two story modular home to be built by Unibilt Industries is summarized. After reviewing alternative insulation, glazing, and water wall schemes, five options were identified for detailed energy use and life cycle cost analysis. Using the PASCALC/SLR analysis procedure, the performance of the base case home and each of the energy conservation options was calculated. (MHR)

4. meeting on passive solar energy houses. Proceedings; 4. Passivhaus Tagung. Tagungsband

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feist, W. [ed.; Sariri, V.; Nagel, M. [comps.] [Passivhaus Institut, Darmstadt (Germany)

2000-03-01

This is the report on the 4th Passive Building Conference, which took place at Kassel on March 10/11, 2000. There were eight sections: (a) Planners' workshop; (b) Architecture; (c) Ventilation; (d) Construction practice; (e) Subjective users' comfort and measured results; (f) Practical implementation; (g) economic and ecological assessment; (h) Solar architecture; (i) Heat supply. It was considered particularly favourable that passive solar buildings do not only offer a solution to ecological problems but also a growing market. [German] Der Tagungsband der '4. Passivhaus Tagung', die von 10. bis 11. Maerz 2000 in Kassel stattgefunden hat, beinhalten Beitraege, die in acht Arbeitsgruppen vorgetragen worden: (a) Planer-Werkstatt; (b) Architektur; (c) Lueftungsplanung; (d) Baupraxis; (e) Wohnerfahrung, Messergebnisse; (f) Umsetzung; (g) oekonomische und oekologische Bewertung; (h) Solararchitektur; (i) Waermeversorgung. Es wird vom Herausgeber als besonders erfreulich herausgestellt, dass durch eine erfolgreiche Passivhaus-Entwicklung neben der Loesung der Klimaprobleme zugleich ein neuer Wachstumsmarkt geschaffen werde, der mit einer Mehrung von Wertschoepfung und Wohlstand verbunden ist. (AKF)

Surface Passivation and Antireflection Behavior of ALD on n-Type Silicon for Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ing-Song Yu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Atomic layer deposition, a method of excellent step coverage and conformal deposition, was used to deposit TiO2 thin films for the surface passivation and antireflection coating of silicon solar cells. TiO2 thin films deposited at different temperatures (200°C, 300°C, 400°C, and 500°C on FZ n-type silicon wafers are in the thickness of 66.4 nm ± 1.1 nm and in the form of self-limiting growth. For the properties of surface passivation, Si surface is effectively passivated by the 200°C deposition TiO2 thin film. Its effective minority carrier lifetime, measured by the photoconductance decay method, is improved 133% at the injection level of  cm−3. Depending on different deposition parameters and annealing processes, we can control the crystallinity of TiO2 and find low-temperature TiO2 phase (anatase better passivation performance than the high-temperature one (rutile, which is consistent with the results of work function measured by Kelvin probe. In addition, TiO2 thin films on polished Si wafer serve as good ARC layers with refractive index between 2.13 and 2.44 at 632.8 nm. Weighted average reflectance at AM1.5G reduces more than half after the deposition of TiO2. Finally, surface passivation and antireflection properties of TiO2 are stable after the cofire process of conventional crystalline Si solar cells.

Supercritical synthesis and in situ deposition of PbS nanocrystals with oleic acid passivation for quantum dot solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tavakoli, M.M. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 14588 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Simchi, A., E-mail: simchi@sharif.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 14588 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sharif University of Technology, 14588 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Aashuri, H. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 14588 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-04-15

Colloidal quantum dot solar cells have recently attracted significant attention due to their low-processing cost and surging photovoltaic performance. In this paper, a novel, reproducible, and simple solution-based process based on supercritical fluid toluene is presented for in situ growth and deposition PbS nanocrystals with oleic-acid passivation. A lead precursor containing sulfur was mixed with oleic acid in toluene and processed in a supercritical fluid condition at different temperatures of 140, 270 and 330 °C for 20 min. The quantum dots were deposited on a fluorine-doped tin oxide glass substrate inside the supercritical reactor. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, absorption and dynamic light scattering showed that the nanocrystals processed at the supercritical condition (330 °C) are fully crystalline with a narrow size distribution of ∼3 nm with an absorption wavelength of 915 nm (bandgap of 1.3 eV). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that the PbS quantum dots are passivated by oleic acid molecules during the growth. Photovoltaic characteristics of Schottky junction solar cells showed an improvement over devices prepared by spin-coating. - Highlights: • Supercritical fluid processing and in situ deposition of PbS QDs are presented. • The prepared nanocrystals are mono-dispersed with an optical bandgap of 1.3 eV. • Photovoltaic performance of the in situ deposited nanocrystals is reported. • An improved PV performance compared to spin coated Schottky solar cells is shown.

Study on the use of TiO{sub 2} passivation layer to reduce recombination losses in dye sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eskander bin Samsudin, Adel; Mohamed, Norani Muti; Nayan, Nafarizal; Ali, Riyaz Ahmad Mohamed; Shariffuddin, Sharifah Amira Amir; Omar, Salwa [Electrical and Electronics Department, 31750, Tronoh, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (Malaysia); Fundamental and Applied Sciences Department, 31750, Tronoh, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (Malaysia); Electronic Engineering Department, Electrical and Electronic Engineering Faculty, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) (Malaysia)

2012-09-26

A lot of research on various aspects of dye solar cells (DSC) has been carried out in order to improve efficiency. This paper analyzes the utilization of TiO{sub 2} passivation layers of different thicknesses by improving the electron transport properties. Four different thicknesses of passivation layers namely 10, 20, 50 and 100 nm were deposited onto the working electrode using r.f sputtering. The electrodes were assembled into TiO{sub 2} based DSC with active area of 1 cm{sup 2}. The solar performance was investigated using 100 mW/cm{sup 2} of AM 1.5 simulated sunlight from solar simulator. The kinetics of the solar cells was investigated using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurement and the spectral response was measured using Incident Photon to Electron Conversion (IPCE) measurement system. The highest efficiency was found for DSC with 20 nm passivation layer. DSCs with the passivation layer have open circuit voltage, V{sub OC} increased by 57 mV, their current density, J{sub SC} increased by 0.774 mA cm{sup -2} compared to the one without the passivation layer. The quantum efficiency of the 20 nm passivation layer is the highest, peaking at the wavelength of 534 nm, resulting in the highest performance. All DSCs with the passivation layer recorded higher ratio of R{sub BR}/R{sub T} where R{sub T} is the diffusion resistance of the TiO{sub 2} particles in the mesoscopic layer and R{sub BR} is the recombination resistance of the electron to the electrolyte. This implies that the recombination of the electrolyte I{sup -}{sub 3}/3I{sup -} couple at the substrate/electrolyte interface has been effectively reduced resulting in an enhanced efficiency.

Performance improvement of the finned passive PVT system using reflectors like removable insulation covers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ziapour, Behrooz M.; Palideh, Vahid; Mokhtari, Farhad

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A passive PVT system means the combination of a PV panel and a compact solar water heater. • Comparative study was done on performance characteristics in passive and hybrid PVT systems. • Reflectors effects on performance of a finned passive PVT system were numerically studied. • Results show that the finned passive PVT system has higher performance than the hybrid type. • Reflectors reduce the night heat losses and increase the solar radiation rate on PVT system. - Abstract: A passive photovoltaic–thermal system (PVT) is the combination of a photovoltaic (PV) panel and a compact solar water heater for co-generation of heat and electricity. This system bears considerable heat losses to ambient, particularly at noncollection times. One simple way to overcome this problem is to use a removable insulation cover on the collector's outer glazing. In this paper, the effects of the reflectors on day and night performance of a finned passive PVT system were numerically studied. At nonenergy collection time, the reflectors can turn and cover the collector cover glass as a nonconductor material. Simulation results showed that the reflectors reduce the night heat losses and increase the solar radiation rate on the absorber plate. The use of removable insulation reflectors resulted to saving extra sensibly thermal energy. Also, the solar cells power generation (P_s_c), in the case of reflectors installed, was reinforced.

Passive flow heat exchanger simulation for power generation from solar pond using thermoelectric generators

Science.gov (United States)

Baharin, Nuraida'Aadilia; Arzami, Amir Afiq; Singh, Baljit; Remeli, Muhammad Fairuz; Tan, Lippong; Oberoi, Amandeep

2017-04-01

In this study, a thermoelectric generator heat exchanger system was designed and simulated for electricity generation from solar pond. A thermoelectric generator heat exchanger was studied by using Computational Fluid Dynamics to simulate flow and heat transfer. A thermoelectric generator heat exchanger designed for passive in-pond flow used in solar pond for electrical power generation. A simple analysis simulation was developed to obtain the amount of electricity generated at different conditions for hot temperatures of a solar pond at different flow rates. Results indicated that the system is capable of producing electricity. This study and design provides an alternative way to generate electricity from solar pond in tropical countries like Malaysia for possible renewable energy applications.

A Biopolymer Heparin Sodium Interlayer Anchoring TiO2 and MAPbI3 Enhances Trap Passivation and Device Stability in Perovskite Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

You, Shuai; Wang, Hui; Bi, Shiqing; Zhou, Jiyu; Qin, Liang; Qiu, Xiaohui; Zhao, Zhiqiang; Xu, Yun; Zhang, Yuan; Shi, Xinghua; Zhou, Huiqiong; Tang, Zhiyong

2018-04-18

Traps in the photoactive layer or interface can critically influence photovoltaic device characteristics and stabilities. Here, traps passivation and retardation on device degradation for methylammonium lead trihalide (MAPbI 3 ) perovskite solar cells enabled by a biopolymer heparin sodium (HS) interfacial layer is investigated. The incorporated HS boosts the power conversion efficiency from 17.2 to 20.1% with suppressed hysteresis and Shockley-Read-Hall recombination, which originates primarily from the passivation of traps near the interface between the perovskites and the TiO 2 cathode. The incorporation of an HS interfacial layer also leads to a considerable retardation of device degradation, by which 85% of the initial performance is maintained after 70 d storage in ambient environment. Aided by density functional theory calculations, it is found that the passivation of MAPbI 3 and TiO 2 surfaces by HS occurs through the interactions of the functional groups (COO - , SO 3 - , or Na + ) in HS with undersaturated Pb and I ions in MAPbI 3 and Ti 4+ in TiO 2 . This work demonstrates a highly viable and facile interface strategy using biomaterials to afford high-performance and stable perovskite solar cells. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Layered insulator hexagonal boron nitride for surface passivation in quantum dot solar cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shanmugam, Mariyappan; Jain, Nikhil; Jacobs-Gedrim, Robin; Yu, Bin; Xu, Yang

2013-01-01

Single crystalline, two dimensional (2D) layered insulator hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), is demonstrated as an emerging material candidate for surface passivation on mesoporous TiO 2 . Cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dot based bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell employed h-BN passivated TiO 2 as an electron acceptor exhibits photoconversion efficiency ∼46% more than BHJ employed unpassivated TiO 2 . Dominant interfacial recombination pathways such as electron capture by TiO 2 surface states and recombination with hole at valence band of CdSe are efficiently controlled by h-BN enabled surface passivation, leading to improved photovoltaic performance. Highly crystalline, confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, dangling bond-free 2D layered h-BN with self-terminated atomic planes, achieved by chemical exfoliation, enables efficient passivation on TiO 2 , allowing electronic transport at TiO 2 /h-BN/CdSe interface with much lower recombination rate compared to an unpassivated TiO 2 /CdSe interface

Laser-beam-induced current mapping evaluation of porous silicon-based passivation in polycrystalline silicon solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rabha, M. Ben; Bessais, B. [Laboratoire de Nanomateriaux et des Systemes pour l' Energie, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l' Energie - Technopole de Borj-Cedria BP 95, 2050 Hammam-Lif (Tunisia); Dimassi, W.; Bouaicha, M.; Ezzaouia, H. [Laboratoire de photovoltaique, des semiconducteurs et des nanostructures, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l' Energie - Technopole de Borj-Cedria BP 95, 2050 Hammam-Lif (Tunisia)

2009-05-15

In the present work, we report on the effect of introducing a superficial porous silicon (PS) layer on the performance of polycrystalline silicon (pc-Si) solar cells. Laser-beam-induced current (LBIC) mapping shows that the PS treatment on the emitter of pc-Si solar cells improves their quantum response and reduce the grain boundaries (GBs) activity. After the porous silicon treatment, mapping investigation shows an enhancement of the LBIC and the internal quantum efficiency (IQE), due to an improvement of the minority carrier diffusion length and the passivation of recombination centers at the GBs as compared to the reference substrate. It was quantitatively shown that porous silicon treatment can passivate both the grains and GBs. (author)

Improved performance in GaInNAs solar cells by hydrogen passivation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuda, M.; Whiteside, V. R.; Keay, J. C.; Meleco, A.; Sellers, I. R.; Hossain, K.; Golding, T. D.; Leroux, M.; Al Khalfioui, M.

2015-01-01

The effect of UV-activated hydrogenation on the performance of GaInNAs solar cells is presented. A proof-of-principle investigation was performed on non-optimum GaInNAs cells, which allowed a clearer investigation of the role of passivation on the intrinsic nitrogen-related defects in these materials. Upon optimized hydrogenation of GaInNAs, a significant reduction in the presence of defect and impurity based luminescence is observed as compared to that of unpassivated reference material. This improvement in the optical properties is directly transferred to an improved performance in solar cell operation, with a more than two-fold improvement in the external quantum efficiency and short circuit current density upon hydrogenation. Temperature dependent photovoltaic measurements indicate a strong contribution of carrier localization and detrapping processes, with non-radiative processes dominating in the reference materials, and evidence for additional strong radiative losses in the hydrogenated solar cells

Efficient and stable solution-processed planar perovskite solar cells via contact passivation

KAUST Repository

Tan, Hairen; Jain, Ankit; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Lan, Xinzheng; Garcí a de Arquer, F. Pelayo; Fan, James Z.; Quintero-Bermudez, Rafael; Yuan, Mingjian; Zhang, Bo; Zhao, Yicheng; Fan, Fengjia; Li, Peicheng; Quan, Li Na; Zhao, Yongbiao; Lu, Zheng-Hong; Yang, Zhenyu; Hoogland, Sjoerd; Sargent, Edward H.

2017-01-01

Planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs) made entirely via solution processing at low temperatures (<150°C) offer promise for simple manufacturing, compatibility with flexible substrates, and perovskite-based tandem devices. However, these PSCs require an electron-selective layer that performs well with similar processing. We report a contact-passivation strategy using chlorine-capped TiO2 colloidal nanocrystal film that mitigates interfacial recombination and improves interface binding in low-temperature planar solar cells. We fabricated solar cells with certified efficiencies of 20.1 and 19.5% for active areas of 0.049 and 1.1 square centimeters, respectively, achieved via low-temperature solution processing. Solar cells with efficiency greater than 20% retained 90% (97% after dark recovery) of their initial performance after 500 hours of continuous room-temperature operation at their maximum power point under 1-sun illumination (where 1 sun is defined as the standard illumination at AM1.5, or 1 kilowatt/square meter).

Efficient and stable solution-processed planar perovskite solar cells via contact passivation

KAUST Repository

Tan, Hairen

2017-02-03

Planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs) made entirely via solution processing at low temperatures (<150°C) offer promise for simple manufacturing, compatibility with flexible substrates, and perovskite-based tandem devices. However, these PSCs require an electron-selective layer that performs well with similar processing. We report a contact-passivation strategy using chlorine-capped TiO2 colloidal nanocrystal film that mitigates interfacial recombination and improves interface binding in low-temperature planar solar cells. We fabricated solar cells with certified efficiencies of 20.1 and 19.5% for active areas of 0.049 and 1.1 square centimeters, respectively, achieved via low-temperature solution processing. Solar cells with efficiency greater than 20% retained 90% (97% after dark recovery) of their initial performance after 500 hours of continuous room-temperature operation at their maximum power point under 1-sun illumination (where 1 sun is defined as the standard illumination at AM1.5, or 1 kilowatt/square meter).

In situ passivation of GaAsP nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Himwas, C; Collin, S; Rale, P; Chauvin, N; Patriarche, G; Oehler, F; Julien, F H; Travers, L; Harmand, J-C; Tchernycheva, M

2017-12-08

We report on the structural and optical properties of GaAsP nanowires (NWs) grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. By adjusting the alloy composition in the NWs, the transition energy was tuned to the optimal value required for tandem III-V/silicon solar cells. We discovered that an unintentional shell was also formed during the GaAsP NW growth. The NW surface was passivated by an in situ deposition of a radial Ga(As)P shell. Different shell compositions and thicknesses were investigated. We demonstrate that the optimal passivation conditions for GaAsP NWs (with a gap of 1.78 eV) are obtained with a 5 nm thick GaP shell. This passivation enhances the luminescence intensity of the NWs by 2 orders of magnitude and yields a longer luminescence decay. The luminescence dynamics changes from single exponential decay with a 4 ps characteristic time in non-passivated NWs to a bi-exponential decay with characteristic times of 85 and 540 ps in NWs with GaP shell passivation.

In situ passivation of GaAsP nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Himwas, C.; Collin, S.; Rale, P.; Chauvin, N.; Patriarche, G.; Oehler, F.; Julien, F. H.; Travers, L.; Harmand, J.-C.; Tchernycheva, M.

2017-12-01

We report on the structural and optical properties of GaAsP nanowires (NWs) grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. By adjusting the alloy composition in the NWs, the transition energy was tuned to the optimal value required for tandem III-V/silicon solar cells. We discovered that an unintentional shell was also formed during the GaAsP NW growth. The NW surface was passivated by an in situ deposition of a radial Ga(As)P shell. Different shell compositions and thicknesses were investigated. We demonstrate that the optimal passivation conditions for GaAsP NWs (with a gap of 1.78 eV) are obtained with a 5 nm thick GaP shell. This passivation enhances the luminescence intensity of the NWs by 2 orders of magnitude and yields a longer luminescence decay. The luminescence dynamics changes from single exponential decay with a 4 ps characteristic time in non-passivated NWs to a bi-exponential decay with characteristic times of 85 and 540 ps in NWs with GaP shell passivation.

The cost - effective solar energy applications in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pape, A.

1999-01-01

This paper outlines several cost-effective solar energy application in Canada, and estimates the GHG emission reduction potential for each. The applications include: (1) passive solar building design; (2) solar water heating applications; (3) solar photovoltaics for remote power; and (4) solar assisted space heating and cooling in industrial buildings. Each technology is briefly profiled in terms of functionality, cost characteristics, energy production characteristics and potential emission reduction benefits. Real-life examples of each application are also included. Finally, the paper concludes on the potential role of solar energy in the reduction of Canadian GHG emissions. (author)

Design of an atrium for a passive-solar retrofit of an office buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peterson, J.L.; Hunn, B.D.

1980-01-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) has proposed to retrofit one of its administrative office buildings with a solar atrium. A 334 m/sup 2/ courtyard will be enclosed with a roof-mounted system of clerestory windows to maximize winter solar gain. This sunspace will thermally buffer the adjoining offices and also will preheat air supplied to the building's conventional heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. The use of the DOE-2 building energy analysis computer program in the design of the solar atrium is described. The results of a series of simulations are reported detailing the tradeoffs inherent in the selection of an optimal glazing area, the maintenance of acceptable comfort levels within the sunspace, and intergration of passive-solar devices with the conventional HVAC system. Potential energy savings are also discussed.

In-depth investigation of spin-on doped solar cells with thermally grown oxide passivation

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Samir Mahmmod; Cheow, Siu Leong; Ludin, Norasikin A.; Sopian, K.; Zaidi, Saleem H.

Solar cell industrial manufacturing, based largely on proven semiconductor processing technologies supported by significant advancements in automation, has reached a plateau in terms of cost and efficiency. However, solar cell manufacturing cost (dollar/watt) is still substantially higher than fossil fuels. The route to lowering cost may not lie with continuing automation and economies of scale. Alternate fabrication processes with lower cost and environmental-sustainability coupled with self-reliance, simplicity, and affordability may lead to price compatibility with carbon-based fuels. In this paper, a custom-designed formulation of phosphoric acid has been investigated, for n-type doping in p-type substrates, as a function of concentration and drive-in temperature. For post-diffusion surface passivation and anti-reflection, thermally-grown oxide films in 50-150-nm thickness were grown. These fabrication methods facilitate process simplicity, reduced costs, and environmental sustainability by elimination of poisonous chemicals and toxic gases (POCl3, SiH4, NH3). Simultaneous fire-through contact formation process based on screen-printed front surface Ag and back surface through thermally grown oxide films was optimized as a function of the peak temperature in conveyor belt furnace. Highest efficiency solar cells fabricated exhibited efficiency of ∼13%. Analysis of results based on internal quantum efficiency and minority carried measurements reveals three contributing factors: high front surface recombination, low minority carrier lifetime, and higher reflection. Solar cell simulations based on PC1D showed that, with improved passivation, lower reflection, and high lifetimes, efficiency can be enhanced to match with commercially-produced PECVD SiN-coated solar cells.

Ultrathin Oxide Passivation Layer by Rapid Thermal Oxidation for the Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cell Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Youngseok Lee

2012-01-01

Full Text Available It is difficult to deposit extremely thin a-Si:H layer in heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer (HIT solar cell due to thermal damage and tough process control. This study aims to understand oxide passivation mechanism of silicon surface using rapid thermal oxidation (RTO process by examining surface effective lifetime and surface recombination velocity. The presence of thin insulating a-Si:H layer is the key to get high Voc by lowering the leakage current (I0 which improves the efficiency of HIT solar cell. The ultrathin thermal passivation silicon oxide (SiO2 layer was deposited by RTO system in the temperature range 500–950°C for 2 to 6 minutes. The thickness of the silicon oxide layer was affected by RTO annealing temperature and treatment time. The best value of surface recombination velocity was recorded for the sample treated at a temperature of 850°C for 6 minutes at O2 flow rate of 3 Lpm. A surface recombination velocity below 25 cm/s was obtained for the silicon oxide layer of 4 nm thickness. This ultrathin SiO2 layer was employed for the fabrication of HIT solar cell structure instead of a-Si:H, (i layer and the passivation and tunneling effects of the silicon oxide layer were exploited. The photocurrent was decreased with the increase of illumination intensity and SiO2 thickness.

Silver nanoparticles-incorporated Nb2O5 surface passivation layer for efficiency enhancement in dye-sensitized solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Suresh, S; Unni, Gautam E; Satyanarayana, M; Sreekumaran Nair, A; Mahadevan Pillai, V P

2018-08-15

Guiding and capturing photons at the nanoscale by means of metal nanoparticles and interfacial engineering for preventing back-electron transfer are well documented techniques for performance enhancement in excitonic solar cells. Drifting from the conventional route, we propose a simple one-step process to integrate both metal nanoparticles and surface passivation layer in the porous photoanode matrix of a dye-sensitized solar cell. Silver nanoparticles and Nb 2 O 5 surface passivation layer are simultaneously deposited on the surface of a highly porous nanocrystalline TiO 2 photoanode, facilitating an absorption enhancement in the 465 nm and 570 nm wavelength region and a reduction in back-electron transfer in the fabricated dye-sensitized solar cells together. The TiO 2 photoanodes were prepared by spray pyrolysis deposition method from a colloidal solution of TiO 2 nanoparticles. An impressive 43% enhancement in device performance was accomplished in photoanodes having an Ag-incorporated Nb 2 O 5 passivation layer as against a cell without Ag nanoparticles. By introducing this idea, we were able to record two benefits - the metal nanoparticles function as the absorption enhancement agent, and the Nb 2 O 5 layer as surface passivation for TiO 2 nanoparticles and as an energy barrier layer for preventing back-electron transfer - in a single step. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tunnel Oxides Formed by Field-Induced Anodisation for Passivated Contacts of Silicon Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingnan Tong

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Tunnel silicon oxides form a critical component for passivated contacts for silicon solar cells. They need to be sufficiently thin to allow carriers to tunnel through and to be uniform both in thickness and stoichiometry across the silicon wafer surface, to ensure uniform and low recombination velocities if high conversion efficiencies are to be achieved. This paper reports on the formation of ultra-thin silicon oxide layers by field-induced anodisation (FIA, a process that ensures uniform oxide thickness by passing the anodisation current perpendicularly through the wafer to the silicon surface that is anodised. Spectroscopical analyses show that the FIA oxides contain a lower fraction of Si-rich sub-oxides compared to wet-chemical oxides, resulting in lower recombination velocities at the silicon and oxide interface. This property along with its low temperature formation highlights the potential for FIA to be used to form low-cost tunnel oxide layers for passivated contacts of silicon solar cells.

Design and application of ion-implanted polySi passivating contacts for interdigitated back contact c-Si solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Guangtao; Ingenito, Andrea; Hameren, Nienke van; Isabella, Olindo; Zeman, Miro

2016-01-01

Ion-implanted passivating contacts based on poly-crystalline silicon (polySi) are enabled by tunneling oxide, optimized, and used to fabricate interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cells. Both n-type (phosphorous doped) and p-type (boron doped) passivating contacts are fabricated by ion-implantation of intrinsic polySi layers deposited via low-pressure chemical vapor deposition and subsequently annealed. The impact of doping profile on the passivation quality of the polySi doped contacts is studied for both polarities. It was found that an excellent surface passivation could be obtained by confining as much as possible the implanted-and-activated dopants within the polySi layers. The doping profile in the polySi was controlled by modifying the polySi thickness, the energy and dose of ion-implantation, and the temperature and time of annealing. An implied open-circuit voltage of 721 mV for n-type and 692 mV for p-type passivating contacts was achieved. Besides the high passivating quality, the developed passivating contacts exhibit reasonable high conductivity (R sh n-type  = 95 Ω/□ and R sh p-type  = 120 Ω/□). An efficiency of 19.2% (V oc  = 673 mV, J sc  = 38.0 mA/cm 2 , FF = 75.2%, and pseudo-FF = 83.2%) was achieved on a front-textured IBC solar cell with polySi passivating contacts as both back surface field and emitter. By improving the front-side passivation, a V OC of 696 mV was also measured

Hole-Collection Mechanism in Passivating Metal-Oxide Contacts on Si Solar Cells: Insights From Numerical Simulations

KAUST Repository

Vijayan, Ramachandran Ammapet; Essig, Stephanie; De Wolf, Stefaan; Ramanathan, Bairava Ganesh; Loper, Philipp; Ballif, Christophe; Varadharajaperumal, Muthubalan

2018-01-01

Silicon heterojunction solar cells enable high conversion efficiencies, thanks to their passivating contacts which consist of layered stacks of intrinsic and doped amorphous silicon. However, such contacts may reduce the photo current, when present

Thermic diode performance characteristics and design manual

Science.gov (United States)

Bernard, D. E.; Buckley, S.

1979-01-01

Thermic diode solar panels are a passive method of space and hot water heating using the thermosyphon principle. Simplified methods of sizing and performing economic analyses of solar heating systems had until now been limited to passive systems. A mathematical model of the thermic diode including its high level of stratification has been constructed allowing its performance characteristics to be studied. Further analysis resulted in a thermic diode design manual based on the f-chart method.

Rear-Sided Passivation by SiNx:H Dielectric Layer for Improved Si/PEDOT:PSS Hybrid Heterojunction Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yiling; Gao, Pingqi; He, Jian; Zhou, Suqiong; Ying, Zhiqin; Yang, Xi; Xiang, Yong; Ye, Jichun

2016-12-01

Silicon/organic hybrid solar cells have recently attracted great attention because they combine the advantages of silicon (Si) and the organic cells. In this study, we added a patterned passivation layer of silicon nitride (SiNx:H) onto the rear surface of the Si substrate in a Si/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) ( PSS) hybrid solar cell, enabling an improvement of 0.6 % in the power conversion efficiency (PCE). The addition of the SiNx:H layer boosted the open circuit voltage (V oc) from 0.523 to 0.557 V, suggesting the well-passivation property of the patterned SiNx:H thin layer that was created by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and lithography processes. The passivation properties that stemmed from front PSS, rear-SiNx:H, front PSS/rear-SiNx:H, etc. are thoroughly investigated, in consideration of the process-related variations.

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of inverted pyramid-based nanostructured black-silicon solar cells passivated by an atomic-layer-deposited Al2O3 layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hong-Yan; Lu, Hong-Liang; Ren, Qing-Hua; Zhang, Yuan; Yang, Xiao-Feng; Ding, Shi-Jin; Zhang, David Wei

2015-10-07

Inverted pyramid-based nanostructured black-silicon (BS) solar cells with an Al2O3 passivation layer grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) have been demonstrated. A multi-scale textured BS surface combining silicon nanowires (SiNWs) and inverted pyramids was obtained for the first time by lithography and metal catalyzed wet etching. The reflectance of the as-prepared BS surface was about 2% lower than that of the more commonly reported upright pyramid-based SiNW BS surface over the whole of the visible light spectrum, which led to a 1.7 mA cm(-2) increase in short circuit current density. Moreover, the as-prepared solar cells were further passivated by an ALD-Al2O3 layer. The effect of annealing temperature on the photovoltaic performance of the solar cells was investigated. It was found that the values of all solar cell parameters including short circuit current, open circuit voltage, and fill factor exhibit a further increase under an optimized annealing temperature. Minority carrier lifetime measurements indicate that the enhanced cell performance is due to the improved passivation quality of the Al2O3 layer after thermal annealing treatments. By combining these two refinements, the optimized SiNW BS solar cells achieved a maximum conversion efficiency enhancement of 7.6% compared to the cells with an upright pyramid-based SiNWs surface and conventional SiNx passivation.

Passivation effect of water vapour on thin film polycrystalline Si solar cells

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Pikna, Peter; Müller, Martin; Becker, C.; Fejfar, Antonín

2016-01-01

Roč. 213, č. 7 (2016), s. 1969-1975 ISSN 1862-6300 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LM2015087; GA ČR GA13-12386S Grant - others:AV ČR(CZ) DAAD-16-27 Program:Bilaterální spolupráce Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : passivation, * plasma hydrogenation * silicon * solar cells * thin films * water vapour Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.775, year: 2016

Efficiency improvement of multicrystalline silicon solar cells after surface and grain boundaries passivation using vanadium oxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Derbali, L., E-mail: rayan.slat@yahoo.fr [Photovoltaiec Laboratory, Research and Technology Center of Energy, Technopole de Borj-Cedria, BP 95, Hammam-Lif 2050 (Tunisia); Ezzaouia, H. [Photovoltaiec Laboratory, Research and Technology Center of Energy, Technopole de Borj-Cedria, BP 95, Hammam-Lif 2050 (Tunisia)

2012-08-01

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Evaporation of vanadium pentoxide onto the front surface leads to reduce the surface reflectivity considerably. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer An efficient surface passivation can be obtained after thermal treatment of obtained films. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Efficiency of the obtained solar cells has been improved noticeably after thermal treatment of deposited thin films. - Abstract: The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of vanadium oxide deposition onto the front surface of multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) substrat, without any additional cost in the fabrication process and leading to an efficient surface and grain boundaries (GBs) passivation that have not been reported before. The lowest reflectance of mc-Si coated with vanadium oxide film of 9% was achieved by annealing the deposited film at 600 Degree-Sign C. Vanadium pentoxide (V{sub 2}O{sub 5}) were thermally evaporated onto the surface of mc-Si substrates, followed by a short annealing duration at a temperature ranging between 600 Degree-Sign C and 800 Degree-Sign C, under O{sub 2} atmosphere. The chemical composition of the films was analyzed by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Surface and cross-section morphology were determined by atomic force microscope (AFM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. The deposited vanadium oxide thin films make the possibility of combining in one processing step an antireflection coating deposition along with efficient surface state passivation, as compared to a reference wafer. Silicon solar cells based on untreated and treated mc-Si wafers were achieved. We showed that mc-silicon solar cells, subjected to the above treatment, have better short circuit currents and open-circuit voltages than those made from untreated wafers. Thus, the efficiency of obtained solar cells has been improved.

Efficiency improvement of multicrystalline silicon solar cells after surface and grain boundaries passivation using vanadium oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Derbali, L.; Ezzaouia, H.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Evaporation of vanadium pentoxide onto the front surface leads to reduce the surface reflectivity considerably. ► An efficient surface passivation can be obtained after thermal treatment of obtained films. ► Efficiency of the obtained solar cells has been improved noticeably after thermal treatment of deposited thin films. - Abstract: The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of vanadium oxide deposition onto the front surface of multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) substrat, without any additional cost in the fabrication process and leading to an efficient surface and grain boundaries (GBs) passivation that have not been reported before. The lowest reflectance of mc-Si coated with vanadium oxide film of 9% was achieved by annealing the deposited film at 600 °C. Vanadium pentoxide (V 2 O 5 ) were thermally evaporated onto the surface of mc-Si substrates, followed by a short annealing duration at a temperature ranging between 600 °C and 800 °C, under O 2 atmosphere. The chemical composition of the films was analyzed by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Surface and cross-section morphology were determined by atomic force microscope (AFM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. The deposited vanadium oxide thin films make the possibility of combining in one processing step an antireflection coating deposition along with efficient surface state passivation, as compared to a reference wafer. Silicon solar cells based on untreated and treated mc-Si wafers were achieved. We showed that mc-silicon solar cells, subjected to the above treatment, have better short circuit currents and open-circuit voltages than those made from untreated wafers. Thus, the efficiency of obtained solar cells has been improved.

Efficiency Enhancement of Nanotextured Black Silicon Solar Cells Using Al2O3/TiO2 Dual-Layer Passivation Stack Prepared by Atomic Layer Deposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei-Cheng; Tsai, Meng-Chen; Yang, Jason; Hsu, Chuck; Chen, Miin-Jang

2015-05-20

In this study, efficient nanotextured black silicon (NBSi) solar cells composed of silicon nanowire arrays and an Al2O3/TiO2 dual-layer passivation stack on the n(+) emitter were fabricated. The highly conformal Al2O3 and TiO2 surface passivation layers were deposited on the high-aspect-ratio surface of the NBSi wafers using atomic layer deposition. Instead of the single Al2O3 passivation layer with a negative oxide charge density, the Al2O3/TiO2 dual-layer passivation stack treated with forming gas annealing provides a high positive oxide charge density and a low interfacial state density, which are essential for the effective field-effect and chemical passivation of the n(+) emitter. In addition, the Al2O3/TiO2 dual-layer passivation stack suppresses the total reflectance over a broad range of wavelengths (400-1000 nm). Therefore, with the Al2O3/TiO2 dual-layer passivation stack, the short-circuit current density and efficiency of the NBSi solar cell were increased by 11% and 20%, respectively. In conclusion, a high efficiency of 18.5% was achieved with the NBSi solar cells by using the n(+)-emitter/p-base structure passivated with the Al2O3/TiO2 stack.

Exergy and economic analysis of a pyramid-shaped solar water purification system: Active and passive cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kianifar, Ali; Zeinali Heris, Saeed; Mahian, Omid

2012-01-01

An exergy analysis has been conducted to show the effect of a small fan on the exergy efficiency in a pyramid-shaped solar still. The tests were carried out in Mashhad (36° 36′ N), for two solar still systems. One of them was equipped with a small fan (active system), to enhance the evaporation rate while the other one was tested in passive condition (no fan). To examine the effects of radiation and water depth on exergy efficiency, experiments in two seasons and two different depths of water in the solar still basin were performed. The results show that during summer, active unit has higher exergy efficiency than passive one while in winter there is no considerable difference between the exergy efficiency of the units. Results also reveal that the exergy efficiency is higher when the water depth in the basin is lower. Finally, the economic analysis shows a considerable reduction in production cost of the water (8–9%) when the active system is used. -- Highlights: ► Using a small fan in the solar still; reduces the productive cost of fresh water up to 9%. ► Effects of the fan and basin depth on the exergy efficiency during summer and winter were examined. ► Utilizing an active system will increase the daily productivity of fresh water by 20%.

Applicability research on passive design of residential buildings in hot summer and cold winter zone in China

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hui; Wang, Huihui; Zhou, Xuan

2017-04-01

Passive design has long been a concern as an effective way of building energy efficiency. However, different urban climate characteristics determine the time-effectiveness of passive design. According to the climate characteristics of hot summer and cold winter zone in China, this research chose five cities, Shanghai, Wuhan, Chongqing, Nanjing and Changsha, to analyze their residential building energy consumption and thermal environment conditions. Based on Weather Tool calculation and analysis, the purpose of this research is to put forward the concept of Suitable Degree (SD), namely the applicability of the passive design. In addition, five cities’ SD of passive design technology had been analyzed from aspect of ventilation, temperature, solar radiation and envelope, then passive design strategies and methods of five cities’ residential building were discussed.

Comparative economic performance of selected passive solar heating and cooling technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Rutter, W.

1981-05-01

The economic performance of selected passive solar heating and cooling technologies which incorporate energy storage is assessed by using a set of uniform assumptions and methodologies. Where data are available, a given system is assessed at more than one geographical location. Results are obtained in the form of both payback period and net present value for residential applications, and in terms of net present value only for industrial/commercial uses. Results indicate that ventilated trombe walls, solar roof ponds, and certain night effect/floor storage strategies are cost effective, but night effect/rock bed cooling is not. Results also show that, although direct gain out-performs trombe walls in most parts of the country, both direct gain and trombe walls usually produce a net savings in the residential sector. Generally, however, tax regulations result in net economic loss for direct gain and trombe walls used to heat industrial and commercial buildings.

Effects of passivation treatment on performance of CdS/CdSe quantum-dot co-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tubtimtae, Auttasit; Lee, Ming-Way

2012-01-01

Carrier recombination can greatly reduce the efficiencies of quantum-dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). This work aims to find a general preparation route to reduce carrier recombination in QDSSCs. The effects of a series of passivation treatments on CdS/CdSe quantum-dot (QD) co-sensitized solar cells are investigated. The QDs were synthesized on a nanoporous TiO 2 electrode by the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction processes. The different types of treatment included a blocking layer, a fluoride-ion coating, a ZnS coating, annealing, a TiO 2 scattering layer and an Au counterelectrode. The power conversion efficiency was observed to become three times larger after treatment. The effectiveness of each treatment method is as follows in descending order: blocking layer ≅ TiO 2 scattering layer > Au counterelectrode > F − ions and ZnS coatings > annealing. The best cell yields a current density of 14.6 mA/cm 2 and a respectable power conversion efficiency of η = 3.11% under AM 1.5 sun. The passivation procedure makes a useful general guide for researchers for the preparation of QDSSCs. - Highlights: ► Used a series of treatments to passivate quantum-dot sensitized solar cells ► Efficiency increased by a factor of three after going through all the treatments ► Contribution to efficiency due to each treatment determined quantitatively ► Obtained a best efficiency of 3.11%

Si surface passivation by SiOx:H films deposited by a low-frequency ICP for solar cell applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, H P; Wei, D Y; Xu, S; Xiao, S Q; Xu, L X; Huang, S Y; Guo, Y N; Khan, S; Xu, M

2012-01-01

Hydrogenated silicon suboxide (SiO x :H) thin films are fabricated by a low-frequency inductively coupled plasma of hydrogen-diluted SiH 4 + CO 2 at a low temperature (100 °C). Introduction of a small amount of oxygen into the film results in a predominantly amorphous structure, wider optical bandgap, increased H content, lower conductivity and higher activation energy. The minority carrier lifetime in the SiO x :H-passivated p-type Si substrate is up to 428 µs with a reduced incubation layer at the interface. The associated surface recombination velocity is as low as 70 cm s -1 . The passivation behaviour dominantly originates from the H-related chemical passivation. The passivation effect is also demonstrated by the excellent photovoltaic performance of the heterojunction solar cell with the SiO x :H-based passivation and emitter layers.

Review of status developments of high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jingjing; Yao, Yao; Xiao, Shaoqing; Gu, Xiaofeng

2018-03-01

In order to further improve cell efficiency and reduce cost in achieving grid parity, a large number of PV manufacturing companies, universities and research institutes have been devoted to a variety of low-cost and high-efficiency crystalline Si solar cells. In this article, the cell structures, characteristics and efficiency progresses of several types of high-efficiency crystalline Si solar cells that have been in small scale production or are promising in mass production are presented, including passivated emitter rear cell, tunnel oxide passivated contact solar cell, interdigitated back contact cell, heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer cell, and heterojunction solar cells with interdigitated back contacts. Both the industrialization status and future development trend of high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells are also pinpointed.

Controllable self-induced passivation of hybrid lead iodide perovskites toward high performance solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qi; Zhou, Huanping; Song, Tze-Bin; Luo, Song; Hong, Ziruo; Duan, Hsin-Sheng; Dou, Letian; Liu, Yongsheng; Yang, Yang

2014-07-09

To improve the performance of the polycrystalline thin film devices, it requires a delicate control of its grain structures. As one of the most promising candidates among current thin film photovoltaic techniques, the organic/inorganic hybrid perovskites generally inherit polycrystalline nature and exhibit compositional/structural dependence in regard to their optoelectronic properties. Here, we demonstrate a controllable passivation technique for perovskite films, which enables their compositional change, and allows substantial enhancement in corresponding device performance. By releasing the organic species during annealing, PbI2 phase is presented in perovskite grain boundaries and at the relevant interfaces. The consequent passivation effects and underlying mechanisms are investigated with complementary characterizations, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), time-resolved photoluminescence decay (TRPL), scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM), and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS). This controllable self-induced passivation technique represents an important step to understand the polycrystalline nature of hybrid perovskite thin films and contributes to the development of perovskite solar cells judiciously.

Improved performance of colloidal CdSe quantum dot-sensitized solar cells by hybrid passivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jing; Xu, Bo; Yuan, Chunze; Chen, Hong; Sun, Junliang; Sun, Licheng; Agren, Hans

2014-11-12

A hybrid passivation strategy is employed to modify the surface of colloidal CdSe quantum dots (QDs) for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs), by using mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) and iodide anions through a ligand exchange reaction in solution. This is found to be an effective way to improve the performance of QDSCs based on colloidal QDs. The results show that MPA can increase the coverage of the QDs on TiO2 electrodes and facilitate the hole extraction from the photoxidized QDs, and simultaneously, that the iodide anions can remedy the surface defects of the CdSe QDs and thus reduce the recombination loss in the device. This hybrid passivation treatment leads to a significant enhancement of the power conversion efficiency of the QDSCs by 41%. Furthermore, an optimal ratio of iodide ions to MPA was determined for favorable hybrid passivation; results show that excessive iodine anions are detrimental to the loading of the QDs. This study demonstrates that the improvement in QDSC performance can be realized by using a combination of different functional ligands to passivate the QDs, and that ligand exchange in solution can be an effective approach to introduce different ligands.

Interfacial Passivation of the p-Doped Hole-Transporting Layer Using General Insulating Polymers for High-Performance Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fan; Song, Jun; Hu, Rui; Xiang, Yuren; He, Junjie; Hao, Yuying; Lian, Jiarong; Zhang, Bin; Zeng, Pengju; Qu, Junle

2018-05-01

Organic-inorganic lead halide perovskite solar cells (PVSCs), as a competing technology with traditional inorganic solar cells, have now realized a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.1%. In PVSCs, interfacial carrier recombination is one of the dominant energy-loss mechanisms, which also results in the simultaneous loss of potential efficiency. In this work, for planar inverted PVSCs, the carrier recombination is dominated by the dopant concentration in the p-doped hole transport layers (HTLs), since the F4-TCNQ dopant induces more charge traps and electronic transmission channels, thus leading to a decrease in open-circuit voltages (V OC ). This issue is efficiently overcome by inserting a thin insulating polymer layer (poly(methyl methacrylate) or polystyrene) as a passivation layer with an appropriate thickness, which allows for increases in the V OC without significantly sacrificing the fill factor. It is believed that the passivation layer attributes to the passivation of interfacial recombination and the suppression of current leakage at the perovskite/HTL interface. By manipulating this interfacial passivation technique, a high PCE of 20.3% is achieved without hysteresis. Consequently, this versatile interfacial passivation methodology is highly useful for further improving the performance of planar inverted PVSCs. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Passive Solar Landscape Design: Its Impact on Fossil Fuel Consumption Through Landscape Design

OpenAIRE

Boelt, Robin Wiatt

2006-01-01

Gas, electricity, heating and cooling buildings - comfort â our lives revolve around fossil fuels. Technology and the demands of living in todayâ s society add to our gigantic fossil fuel appetite. With gas prices topping three dollars per gallon, changes must be made. This thesis project presents an analysis of passive solar landscape design (PSLD) principles used to create microclimates within the landscape, and thereby increasing human comfort both indoors and outdoors. The ...

Proof-of-Concept Testing of the Passive Cooling System (T-CLIP™) for Solar Thermal Applications at an Elevated Temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Seung Jun [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Applied Engineering and Technology; Quintana, Donald L. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Applied Engineering and Technology; Vigil, Gabrielle M. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Applied Engineering and Technology; Perraglio, Martin Juan [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Applied Engineering and Technology; Farley, Cory Wayne [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Applied Engineering and Technology; Tafoya, Jose I. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Applied Engineering and Technology; Martinez, Adam L. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Applied Engineering and Technology

2015-11-30

The Applied Engineering and Technology-1 group (AET-1) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) conducted the proof-of-concept tests of SolarSPOT LLC’s solar thermal Temperature- Clipper, or T-CLIP™ under controlled thermal conditions using a thermal conditioning unit (TCU) and a custom made environmental chamber. The passive T-CLIP™ is a plumbing apparatus that attaches to a solar thermal collector to limit working fluid temperature and to prevent overheating, since overheating may lead to various accident scenarios. The goal of the current research was to evaluate the ability of the T-CLIP™ to control the working fluid temperature by using its passive cooling mechanism (i.e. thermosiphon, or natural circulation) in a small-scale solar thermal system. The assembled environmental chamber that is thermally controlled with the TCU allows one to simulate the various possible weather conditions, which the solar system will encounter. The performance of the T-CLIP™ was tested at two different target temperatures: 1) room temperature (70 °F) and 2) an elevated temperature (130 °F). The current test campaign demonstrated that the T-CLIP™ was able to prevent overheating by thermosiphon induced cooling in a small-scale solar thermal system. This is an important safety feature in situations where the pump is turned off due to malfunction or power outages.

Wet-Chemical Preparation of Silicon Tunnel Oxides for Transparent Passivated Contacts in Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Köhler, Malte; Pomaska, Manuel; Lentz, Florian; Finger, Friedhelm; Rau, Uwe; Ding, Kaining

2018-05-02

Transparent passivated contacts (TPCs) using a wide band gap microcrystalline silicon carbide (μc-SiC:H(n)), silicon tunnel oxide (SiO 2 ) stack are an alternative to amorphous silicon-based contacts for the front side of silicon heterojunction solar cells. In a systematic study of the μc-SiC:H(n)/SiO 2 /c-Si contact, we investigated selected wet-chemical oxidation methods for the formation of ultrathin SiO 2 , in order to passivate the silicon surface while ensuring a low contact resistivity. By tuning the SiO 2 properties, implied open-circuit voltages of 714 mV and contact resistivities of 32 mΩ cm 2 were achieved using μc-SiC:H(n)/SiO 2 /c-Si as transparent passivated contacts.

Passive Collecting of Solar Radiation Energy using Transparent Thermal Insulators, Energetic Efficiency of Transparent Thermal Insulators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Smajo Sulejmanovic

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This paper explains passive collection of solar radiation energy using transparent thermal insulators. Transparent thermal insulators are transparent for sunlight, at the same time those are very good thermal insulators. Transparent thermal insulators can be placed instead of standard conventional thermal insulators and additionally transparent insulators can capture solar radiation, transform it into heat and save heat just as standard insulators. Using transparent insulators would lead to reduce in usage of fossil fuels and would help protection of an environment and reduce effects of global warming, etc.

From design through to occupancy: the impact of conflicts in passive solar design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dudek, S.; Ignatowicz, J.; Shove, E.; Warren, B.

1996-03-01

This report considers two areas of concern between the architects and occupants of buildings which encompass passive solar designs, specifically the identification and categorisation of conflicts between the two parties, and the establishment of a routine to highlight, where, in the design process, conflicts are likely to arise and how best they may be avoided. Heating levels, natural lighting and natural ventilation are identified as key areas although problems differ between domestic and non-domestic building users. (UK)

Hydrophobic Polystyrene Passivation Layer for Simultaneously Improved Efficiency and Stability in Perovskite Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Minghua; Yan, Xiaoqin; Kang, Zhuo; Huan, Yahuan; Li, Yong; Zhang, Ruxiao; Zhang, Yue

2018-06-06

The major restraint for the commercialization of the high-performance hybrid metal halide perovskite solar cells is the long-term stability, especially at the infirm interface between the perovskite film and organic charge-transfer layer. Recently, engineering the interface between the perovskite and spiro-OMeTAD becomes an effective strategy to simultaneously improve the efficiency and stability in the perovskite solar cells. In this work, we demonstrated that introducing an interfacial polystyrene layer between the perovskite film and spiro-OMeTAD layer can effectively improve the perovskite solar cells photovoltaic performance. The inserted polystyrene layer can passivate the interface traps and defects effectively and decrease the nonradiative recombination, leading to enhanced photoluminescence intensity and carrier lifetime, without compromising the carrier extraction and transfer. Under the optimized condition, the perovskite solar cells with the polystyrene layer achieve an enhanced average power efficiency of about 19.61% (20.46% of the best efficiency) from about 17.63% with negligible current density-voltage hysteresis. Moreover, the optimized perovskite solar cells with the hydrophobic polystyrene layer can maintain about 85% initial efficiency after 2 months storage in open air conditions without encapsulation.

Effect of Surface Passivation on the Electrical Characteristics of Nanoscale AlGaN/GaN HEMT

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Akriti; Chatterjee, Neel; Kumar, Pradeep; Pandey, Sujata

2017-08-01

In this paper, we present the effect of passivation layer on the electrical characteristics of AlGaN/GaN HEMT. The energy band diagram, drain current voltage characteristics, transconductance and cut off frequency was calculated for both long channel and short channel devices. It was found that the electrical characteristics of the device improve with the introduction of high K dielectric in the passivation layer. The results obtained agree well with the data available in literature.

Phase-change drywalls in a passive-solar building

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darkwa, K.; O' Callaghan, P.W.; Tetlow, D. [School of the Built Environment, The Applied Energy and Environmental Engineering Group, Nottingham Trent University, Burton Street, Nottingham NG1 4BU (United Kingdom)

2006-05-15

Integration of phase-change materials (PCMs) into building fabrics is considered to be one of the potential and effective ways of minimising energy-consumption and CO{sub 2}-emissions in the building sector. In order to assess the thermal effectiveness of this concept, composite PCM drywall samples (i.e., randomly mixed and laminated PCM drywalls) have been evaluated in a model passive-solar building. For a broader assessment, the effects of three phase-change zones (narrow, intermediate and wide) of the PCM sample were considered. The results showed that the laminated PCM sample with a narrow phase-change zone was capable of increasing the minimum room temperature by about 17% more than the randomly mixed type. Even though there was some display of a non-isothermal phase-change process, the laminated system proved to be thermally more effective in terms of evolution and utilisation of latent heat. A further heat-transfer enhancement process is, however, required for the development of the laminated system. . (author)

Hollow ceramic block: containment of water for thermal storage in passive solar design. Final technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Winship, C.T.

1983-12-27

The project activity has been the development of designs, material compositions and production procedures to manufacture hollow ceramic blocks which contain water (or other heat absorptive liquids). The blocks are designed to serve, in plurality, a dual purpose: as an unobtrusive and efficient thermal storage element, and as a durable and aesthetically appealing surface for floors and walls of passive solar building interiors. Throughout the grant period, numerous ceramic formulas have been tested for their workabilty, thermal properties, maturing temperatures and color. Blocks have been designed to have structural integrity, and textured surfaces. Methods of slip-casting and extrusion have been developed for manufacturing of the blocks. The thermal storage capacity of the water-loaded block has been demonstrated to be 2.25 times greater than that of brick and 2.03 times greater than that of concrete (taking an average of commonly used materials). Although this represents a technical advance in thermal storage, the decorative effects provided by application of the blocks lend them a more significant advantage by reducing constraints on interior design in passive solar architecture.

Survey and evaluation of inherent safety characteristics and passive safety systems for use in probabilistic safety analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wetzel, N.; Scharfe, A.

1998-01-01

The present report examines the possibilities and limits of a probabilistic safety analysis to evaluate passive safety systems and inherent safety characteristics. The inherent safety characteristics are based on physical principles, that together with the safety system lead to no damage. A probabilistic evaluation of the inherent safety characteristic is not made. An inventory of passive safety systems of accomplished nuclear power plant types in the Federal Republic of Germany was drawn up. The evaluation of the passive safety system in the analysis of the accomplished nuclear power plant types was examined. The analysis showed that the passive manner of working was always assumed to be successful. A probabilistic evaluation was not performed. The unavailability of the passive safety system was determined by the failure of active components which are necessary in order to activate the passive safety system. To evaluate the passive safety features in new concepts of nuclear power plants the AP600 from Westinghouse, the SBWR from General Electric and the SWR 600 from Siemens, were selected. Under these three reactor concepts, the SWR 600 is specially attractive because the safety features need no energy sources and instrumentation in this concept. First approaches for the assessment of the reliability of passively operating systems are summarized. Generally it can be established that the core melt frequency for the passive concepts AP600 and SBWR is advantageous in comparison to the probabilistic objectives from the European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR). Under the passive concepts is the SWR 600 particularly interesting. In this concept the passive systems need no energy sources and instrumentation, and has active operational systems and active safety equipment. Siemens argues that with this concept the frequency of a core melt will be two orders of magnitude lower than for the conventional reactors. (orig.) [de

Heat-rejection design for large concentrating solar arrays

Science.gov (United States)

French, E. P.

1980-01-01

This paper considers the effect of heat rejection devices (radiators) on the performance and cost of large concentrating solar arrays for space application. Overall array characteristics are derived from the weight, cost, and performance of four major components; namely primary structure, optics/secondary structure, radiator, and solar panel. An ideal concentrator analysis is used to establish general cost and performance trends independent of specific array design. Both passive and heat-pipe radiation are evaluated, with an incremental cost-of-power approach used in the evaluation. Passive radiators are found to be more cost effective with silicon than with gallium arsenide (GaAs) arrays. Representative concentrating arrays have been evaluated for both near-term and advanced solar cell technology. Minimum cost of power is achieved at geometric concentration ratios in the range 2 to 6.

Active house concept versus passive House

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zeiler, W.; Boxem, G.; Vehler, R.; Verhoeven, M.; Fremouw, M.

2009-01-01

The passive house concept is the present trend in energy efficient sustainable dwellings. Within the passive house concept every effort is made to minimize the energy use. Substantial savings can be achieved by passive energy systems, especially natural ventilation, summer shading and winter solar

Passive Solar Construction--Design and Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Conservation and Renewable Energy Inquiry and Referral Service (DOE), Silver Spring, MD.

Presented is a list of books and reports intended to serve as technical sources of information for the building professional interested in energy conservation. These publications are grouped under these headings: (1) energy-conserving building design; (2) passive systems/design; (3) passive systems/performance; and (4) proceedings (of the American…

Thermal Stability-Enhanced and High-Efficiency Planar Perovskite Solar Cells with Interface Passivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Weihai; Xiong, Juan; Jiang, Li; Wang, Jianying; Mei, Tao; Wang, Xianbao; Gu, Haoshuang; Daoud, Walid A; Li, Jinhua

2017-11-08

As the electron transport layer (ETL) of perovskite solar cells, oxide semiconductor zinc oxide (ZnO) has been attracting great attention due to its relatively high mobility, optical transparency, low-temperature fabrication, and good environment stability. However, the nature of ZnO will react with the patron on methylamine, which would deteriorate the performance of cells. Although many methods, including high-temperature annealing, doping, and surface modification, have been studied to improve the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells with ZnO ETL, devices remain relatively low in efficiency and stability. Herein, we adopted a novel multistep annealing method to deposit a porous PbI 2 film and improved the quality and uniformity of perovskite films. The cells with ZnO ETL were fabricated at the temperature of perovskite film. Interestingly, the PCE of PCBM-passivated cells could reach nearly 19.1%. To our best knowledge, this is the highest PCE value of ZnO-based perovskite solar cells until now. More importantly, PCBM modification could effectively suppress the decomposition of MAPbI 3 and improve the thermal stability of cells. Therefore, the ZnO is a promising candidate of electron transport material for perovskite solar cells in future applications.

An experimental study of the flow characteristics of fluidic device in a passive safety injection tank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Seok; Song, Chul Hwa; Won, Suon Yeon; Min, Kyong Ho; Chung, Moon Ki

1998-01-01

It is considered to adopt passive safety injection tank (SIT) as a enhanced safety feature in KNGR. Passive SIT employs a vortex chamber as a fluidic device, which control injection flow rate passively by the variation of flow resistance produced by vortex intensity within the vortex chamber. To investigate the flow characteristics of the vortex chamber many tests have been carried out by using small-scale test facility. In this report the effects of geometric parameters of vortex chamber on discharge flow characteristics and the velocity measurement result of flow field, measured by PIV, are presented and discussed. (author). 25 refs., 11 tabs., 31 figs

An Isotope Study of Hydrogenation of poly-Si/SiOx Passivated Contacts for Si Solar Cells: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schnabel, Manuel; Nemeth, William; van de Loo, Bas, W.H.; Macco, Bart; Kessels, Wilhelmus, M.M.; Stradins, Paul; Young, David, L.

2017-06-26

For many years, the record Si solar cell efficiency stood at 25.0%. Only recently have several companies and institutes managed to produce more efficient cells, using passivated contacts of made doped poly-Si or a-Si:H and a passivating intrinsic interlayer in all cases. Common to these designs is the need to passivate the layer stack with hydrogen. In this contribution, we perform a systematic study of passivated contact passivation by hydrogen, using poly-Si/SiOx passivated contacts on n-Cz-Si, and ALD Al2O3 followed by a forming gas anneal (FGA) as the hydrogen source. We study p-type and n-type passivated contacts with implied Voc exceeding 690 and 720 mV, respectively, and perform either the ALD step or the FGA with deuterium instead of hydrogen in order to separate the two processes via SIMS. By examining the deuterium concentration at the SiOx in both types of samples, we demonstrate that the FGA supplies negligible hydrogen species to the SiOx, regardless of whether the FGA is hydrogenated or deuterated. Instead, it supplies the thermal energy needed for hydrogen species in the Al2O3 to diffuse there. Furthermore, the concentration of hydrogen species at the SiOx can saturate while implied Voc continues to increase, showing that the energy from the FGA is also required for hydrogen species already at the SiOx to find recombination-active defects to passivate.

Efficiency enhancement in dye-sensitized solar cells by in situ passivation of the sensitized nanoporous electrode with Li2CO3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jingbo; Zaban, Arie

2008-01-01

This work entails a method to improve the performance of dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO 2 solar cells by adding surface passivating elements to the electrolyte. The presence of either CO 2 , Li 2 CO 3 or K 2 CO 3 in electrolyte increases both the photocurrent and the photovoltage, resulting in higher overall conversion efficiency of these solar cells. The additives are used to form a passivation layer of lithium carbonate on the dye free surface of the TiO 2 nanoparticles and the conductive substrate. This layer suppresses the rate of the main recombination reaction between the photoinjected electrons and the oxidized ions in the electrolyte solution. While blocking part of the recombination, the lithium carbonate layer allows motion of the Li + ions towards the TiO 2 surface for charge screening. Consequently using this simple treatment, the conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell most improved by 17.2% (from 6.4% to 7.5%)

Development of a solar thermal storage system suitable for the farmhouse heating in northeast China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jang, M.K. [Shenyang Agricultural Univ., Shenyang (China)

2010-07-01

This study reported on the performance of a passive solar radiant floor heating system designed for standard energy-saving farmhouses in northeast China. Weather data in the region was analyzed in terms of solar radiation, temperature, humidity and light levels. The heating characteristics of the building materials such as windows, doors, walls and roofs were also analyzed along with the indoor thermal environment of the farmhouse. The heating load was then calculated along with the size of the thermal storage element and the area of the collector element. The passive solar radiant floor heating system was designed for heating during the winter and cooling in summer. According to the results, the heating characteristics of the system have the potential to improve farming villages environment and the use of renewable energy.

Solar homebuilders program: getting builders to build solar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parkin, B.; Allen, D.

1981-01-01

The homebuilding industry can open the way to wide-scale residential use of solar energy. Under the Northwest Power Act, the Department of Energy's Bonneville Power Administration, Western Solar Utilization Network and the Solar Energy Research Institute are working together with the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland and the Portland chapter of the American Institute of Architects on a program that will affect 7 cities in the Pacific Northwest. Modeled after the successful Denver Metro Homebuilders Program, the project is being implemented in 3 cities in 1981 and three additional cities in 1982. In each of the 7 cities builders and developers will be provided with design, performance monitoring and marketing assistance for constructing passive solar prototypes. The result is ten passive solar homes of superior design and of an affordable price in each city. The secondary result of this program is expected to be a total of 2700 solar homes produced outside the program by builders from 1981-1985. Builders influenced to build passive solar homes outside the program could result in as many as 500,000 homes produced by the year 2000.

The influence of passivation and photovoltaic properties of α-Si:H coverage on silicon nanowire array solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays for radial p-n junction solar cells offer potential advantages of light trapping effects and quick charge collection. Nevertheless, lower open circuit voltages (Voc) lead to lower energy conversion efficiencies. In such cases, the performance of the solar cells depends critically on the quality of the SiNW interfaces. In this study, SiNW core-shell solar cells have been fabricated by growing crystalline silicon (c-Si) nanowires via the metal-assisted chemical etching method and by depositing hydrogenated amorphous silicon (α-Si:H) via the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method. The influence of deposition parameters on the coverage and, consequently, the passivation and photovoltaic properties of α-Si:H layers on SiNW solar cells have been analyzed. PMID:24059343

Field experiments on the use of phase changing materials, insulation materials and passive solar radiation in the built environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Entrop, Alexis Gerardus; Brouwers, Jos; Reinders, Angelina H.M.E.; McCarthy, J.; Foliente, G.

2008-01-01

This paper describes the development of an experimental research facility to assess the effectiveness of Phase Change Materials (PCM), that can be used for passive solar heating. Four test boxes are constructed representing the conventional and future Dutch building practices regarding insulation

Analysis of passive systems as a tool for energy saving in buildings: solar control; Analisis de sistemas pasivos como herramienta para el ahorro de energia en edificaciones: Control solar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saravia, Maricela; Morillon Galvez, David [Instituto de Ingenieria, UNAM, Mexico, D. F. (Mexico)

1999-07-01

A bioclimatic study of El Salvador is presented, with the purpose of using window eaves as elements of passive solar control and to determine the optimal angles of orientation, in order to diminish the thermal gains by direct solar radiation and to manage to get close to the comfort conditions. The former with the intention of integrating measures that help to obtain energy efficiency and comfortable buildings, for the conditions of warm humid climate, characteristic of a Central American country like El Salvador. Besides offering a document of consultation among the professionals dedicated to the design and as base of bioclimatic considerations that must have the construction regulations. As a conclusion the optimal angles of eaves for each orientation are presented and a quantitative estimation of the savings that would imply not to consume electrical energy in cooling systems using these elements as a protection to the direct solar radiation. [Spanish] Se presenta un estudio del bioclima de El Salvador, con el fin de utilizar aleros de ventana como elementos de control solar pasivo y determinar los angulos optimos por orientacion, para disminuir las ganancias termicas por radiacion solar directa y lograr acercar a las condiciones de confort. Lo anterior con el objeto de integrar medidas que coadyuven a lograr edificios energeticamente eficientes y confortables, para las condiciones de clima calido humedo, caracteristico de un pais centroamericano como El Salvador. Ademas de brindar un documento de consulta entre los profesionales dedicados al dise y como base de consideraciones bioclimaticas que debe tener el reglamento de construcciones. Como conclusion se presentan los angulos optimos de alero por cada orientacion y una estimacion cuantitativa del ahorro que implicaria el no consumir energia electrica en sistemas de enfriamiento utilizando estos elementos como una proteccion a la radiacion solar directa.

Extrinsic passivation of silicon surfaces for solar cells

OpenAIRE

Bonilla, R.S.; Reichel, C.; Hermle, M.; Martins, G.; Wilshaw, P.R.

2015-01-01

In the present work we study the extent to which extrinsic chemical and field effect passivation can improve the overall electrical passivation quality of silicon dioxide on silicon. Here we demonstrate that, when optimally applied, extrinsic passivation can produce surface recombination velocities below 1.2 cm/s in planar 1 Omega cm n-type Si. This is largely due to the additional field effect passivation component which reduces the recombination velocity below 2.13 cm/s. On textured surface...

Solar technologies for buildings. Fundamentals and practice examples. 2. rev. ed.; Solare Technologien fuer Gebaeude. Grundlagen und Praxisbeispiele

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eicker, Ursula

2012-07-01

Active and passive utilization of solar energy makes a significant contribution to energy supply in buildings. Solar heating and cooling systems, photovoltaic energy conversion systems and efficient daylighting and passive solar systems are available on the market and need to gain acceptance. The book presents the physical fundamentals and calculated examples for students. It also addresses engineers in practice, who are given concrete design procedures for solar technologies in domestic and administrative buildings. Subjects are, among others: Energy consumption of buildings and solar coverage potential - meteorological basis - solar powered heating - solar cooling - grid-connected photovoltaic systems - thermal analysis of building-integrated solar components - passive utilization of solar energy - lighting engineering and utilization of daylight.

Data acquisition and analysis of passive solar cooling effects by storage of out door air in the middle of the night; Shin'ya gaiki chikurei ni yoru shizen reibo koka no jissoku to kaiseki

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inagaki, H.; Kasutani, A. [Komazawa Womens Junior College, Tokyo (Japan); Koizumi, H.

1998-12-05

Passive cooling by storing coolness of out door air in the middle of the night in rock bed is realized by air type solar system without any additional equipment. The advantage of the passive cooling is confirmed with measuring performance of the passive cooling effect of air type solar system equipped in our Komazawa Womens Junior College last year. (author)

Two or three decades of passive directions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, J.

1995-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the direction of passive solar architecture. The topics of the paper include design temperatures for buildings, active vs passive, fuel vs philosophy, engineering vs architecture, the thermal scale: heating vs cooling, fuel subsidies, divergent practices, sustainability, lighting, health, the place of passive technology

Planning of solar heated plant for low-energy houses and passive houses. An introduction; Planlegging av solvarmeanlegg for lavenergiboliger og passivhus. En introduksjon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andresen, Inger

2008-07-01

This guide gives an introduction to the most important principles in planning and projecting of solar heated plant in low-energy houses and passive houses. It is written mainly for architects and consultants involved in housing projects with ambitions to achieve low-energy or passive house standard, but will also be of value for builders and others interested in the topic. (AG). 35 refs., 27 figs

Passivation of defect states in Si and Si/SiO2 interface states by cyanide treatment: improvement of characteristics of pin-junction amorphous Si and crystalline Si-based metal-oxide-semiconductor junction solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujiwara, N.; Fujinaga, T.; Niinobe, D.; Maida, O.; Takahashi, M.; Kobayashi, H.

2003-01-01

Defect states in Si can be passivated by cyanide treatment which simply involves immersion of Si materials in KCN solutions, followed by rinse. When the cyanide treatment is applied to pin-junction amorphous Si [a-Si] solar cells, the initial conversion efficiency increases. When the crown-ether cyanide treatment using a KCN solution of xylene containing 18-crown-6 is performed on i-a-Si films, decreases in the photo- and dark current densities with the irradiation time are prevented. The cyanide treatment can also passivate interface states present at Si/SiO 2 interfaces, leading to an increase in the conversion efficiency of 2 / Si (100)> solar cells.. Si-CN bonds formed by the reaction of defect states with cyanide ions have a high bond energy of about 4.5 eV and hence heat treatment at 800 0 C does not rupture the bonds, making thermal stability of the cyanide treatment.. When the cyanide treatment is applied to ultrathin SiO 2 /Si structure, the leakage current density is markedly decreased (Authors)

Solar flares, coronal mass ejections and solar energetic particle event characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Papaioannou, Athanasios; Sandberg, Ingmar; Anastasiadis, Anastasios; Kouloumvakos, Athanasios; Georgoulis, Manolis K.; Tziotziou, Kostas; Tsiropoula, Georgia; Jiggens, Piers; Hilgers, Alain

2016-12-01

A new catalogue of 314 solar energetic particle (SEP) events extending over a large time span from 1984 to 2013 has been compiled. The properties as well as the associations of these SEP events with their parent solar sources have been thoroughly examined. The properties of the events include the proton peak integral flux and the fluence for energies above 10, 30, 60 and 100 MeV. The associated solar events were parametrized by solar flare (SF) and coronal mass ejection (CME) characteristics, as well as related radio emissions. In particular, for SFs: the soft X-ray (SXR) peak flux, the SXR fluence, the heliographic location, the rise time and the duration were exploited; for CMEs the plane-of-sky velocity as well as the angular width were utilized. For radio emissions, type III, II and IV radio bursts were identified. Furthermore, we utilized element abundances of Fe and O. We found evidence that most of the SEP events in our catalogue do not conform to a simple two-class paradigm, with the 73% of them exhibiting both type III and type II radio bursts, and that a continuum of event properties is present. Although, the so-called hybrid or mixed events are found to be present in our catalogue, it was not possible to attribute each SEP event to a mixed/hybrid sub-category. Moreover, it appears that the start of the type III burst most often precedes the maximum of the SF and thus falls within the impulsive phase of the associated SF. At the same time, type III bursts take place within ≈5.22 min, on average, in advance from the time of maximum of the derivative of the SXR flux (Neupert effect). We further performed a statistical analysis and a mapping of the logarithm of the proton peak flux at E > 10 MeV, on different pairs of the parent solar source characteristics. This revealed correlations in 3-D space and demonstrated that the gradual SEP events that stem from the central part of the visible solar disk constitute a significant radiation risk. The velocity of

SiC formation for a solar cell passivation layer using an RF magnetron co-sputtering system

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

In this paper, we describe a method of amorphous silicon carbide film formation for a solar cell passivation layer. The film was deposited on p-type silicon (100) and glass substrates by an RF magnetron co-sputtering system using a Si target and a C target at a room-temperature condition. Several different SiC [Si1-xCx] film compositions were achieved by controlling the Si target power with a fixed C target power at 150 W. Then, structural, optical, and electrical properties of the Si1-xCx films were studied. The structural properties were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry. The optical properties were achieved by UV-visible spectroscopy and ellipsometry. The performance of Si1-xCx passivation was explored by carrier lifetime measurement. PMID:22221730

Ultrathin Oxide Passivation Layer by Rapid Thermal Oxidation for the Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cell Applications

OpenAIRE

Lee, Youngseok; Oh, Woongkyo; Dao, Vinh Ai; Hussain, Shahzada Qamar; Yi, Junsin

2012-01-01

It is difficult to deposit extremely thin a-Si:H layer in heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer (HIT) solar cell due to thermal damage and tough process control. This study aims to understand oxide passivation mechanism of silicon surface using rapid thermal oxidation (RTO) process by examining surface effective lifetime and surface recombination velocity. The presence of thin insulating a-Si:H layer is the key to get high Voc by lowering the leakage current (I0) which improves the efficie...

Enhanced interfacial and electrical characteristics of 4H-SiC MOS capacitor with lanthanum silicate passivation interlayer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Qian; Cheng, Xinhong; Zheng, Li; Ye, Peiyi; Li, Menglu; Shen, Lingyan; Li, Jingjie; Zhang, Dongliang; Gu, Ziyue; Yu, Yuehui

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The 4H-SiC MOS capacitor with an untra-thin LaSiO_x passivation layer and Al_2O_3 gate dielectric was fabricated. • The detrimental SiO_x interfacial layer could be effectively restrained by the LaSiO_x passivation layer. • The passivation mechanism of LaSiO_x was analyzed by HRTEM, XPS and electrical measurements. • The 4H-SiC MOS capacitor with a LaSiO_x passivation layer shows excellent device characteristics. • This technique provides an efficient path to improve dielectrics/4H-SiC interfaces for future high-power device applications. - Abstract: The detrimental sub-oxide (SiO_x) interfacial layer formed during the 4H-SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor fabrication will drastically damage its device performance. In this work, an ultrathin lanthanum silicate (LaSiO_x) passivation layer was introduced to enhance the interfacial and electrical characteristics of 4H-SiC MOS capacitor with Al_2O_3 gate dielectric. The interfacial LaSiO_x formation was investigated by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The 4H-SiC MOS capacitor with ultrathin LaSiO_x passivation interlayer shows excellent interfacial and electrical characteristics, including lower leakage current density, higher dielectric breakdown electric field, smaller C–V hysteresis, and lower interface states density and border traps density. The involved mechanism implies that the LaSiO_x passivation interlayer can effectively restrain SiO_x formation and improve the Al_2O_3/4H-SiC interface quality. This technique provides an efficient path to improve dielectrics/4H-SiC interfaces for future high-power device applications.

Enhanced interfacial and electrical characteristics of 4H-SiC MOS capacitor with lanthanum silicate passivation interlayer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Qian [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system & Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changning Road 865, Shanghai 200050 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Cheng, Xinhong, E-mail: xh_cheng@mail.sim.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system & Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changning Road 865, Shanghai 200050 (China); Zheng, Li, E-mail: zhengli@mail.sim.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system & Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changning Road 865, Shanghai 200050 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Ye, Peiyi; Li, Menglu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Shen, Lingyan; Li, Jingjie; Zhang, Dongliang; Gu, Ziyue [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system & Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changning Road 865, Shanghai 200050 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Yu, Yuehui [State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system & Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changning Road 865, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2017-07-15

Highlights: • The 4H-SiC MOS capacitor with an untra-thin LaSiO{sub x} passivation layer and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} gate dielectric was fabricated. • The detrimental SiO{sub x} interfacial layer could be effectively restrained by the LaSiO{sub x} passivation layer. • The passivation mechanism of LaSiO{sub x} was analyzed by HRTEM, XPS and electrical measurements. • The 4H-SiC MOS capacitor with a LaSiO{sub x} passivation layer shows excellent device characteristics. • This technique provides an efficient path to improve dielectrics/4H-SiC interfaces for future high-power device applications. - Abstract: The detrimental sub-oxide (SiO{sub x}) interfacial layer formed during the 4H-SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor fabrication will drastically damage its device performance. In this work, an ultrathin lanthanum silicate (LaSiO{sub x}) passivation layer was introduced to enhance the interfacial and electrical characteristics of 4H-SiC MOS capacitor with Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} gate dielectric. The interfacial LaSiO{sub x} formation was investigated by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The 4H-SiC MOS capacitor with ultrathin LaSiO{sub x} passivation interlayer shows excellent interfacial and electrical characteristics, including lower leakage current density, higher dielectric breakdown electric field, smaller C–V hysteresis, and lower interface states density and border traps density. The involved mechanism implies that the LaSiO{sub x} passivation interlayer can effectively restrain SiO{sub x} formation and improve the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/4H-SiC interface quality. This technique provides an efficient path to improve dielectrics/4H-SiC interfaces for future high-power device applications.

Interface Passivation Effects on the Photovoltaic Performance of Quantum Dot Sensitized Inverse Opal TiO₂ Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Hori, Kanae; Zhang, Yaohong; Tusamalee, Pimsiri; Nakazawa, Naoki; Yoshihara, Yasuha; Wang, Ruixiang; Toyoda, Taro; Hayase, Shuzi; Shen, Qing

2018-06-25

Quantum dot (QD)-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) are expected to achieve higher energy conversion efficiency than traditional single-junction silicon solar cells due to the unique properties of QDs. An inverse opal (IO)-TiO₂ (IO-TiO₂) electrode is useful for QDSSCs because of its three-dimensional (3D) periodic nanostructures and better electrolyte penetration compared to the normal nanoparticles (NPs)-TiO₂ (NPs-TiO₂) electrode. We find that the open-circuit voltages V oc of the QDSSCs with IO-TiO₂ electrodes are higher than those of QDSSCs with NPs-TiO₂ electrodes. One important strategy for enhancing photovoltaic conversion efficiency of QDSSCs with IO-TiO₂ electrodes is surface passivation of photoanodes using wide-bandgap semiconducting materials. In this study, we have proposed surface passivation on IO-TiO₂ with ZnS coating before QD deposition. The efficiency of QDSSCs with IO-TiO₂ electrodes is largely improved (from 0.74% to 1.33%) because of the enhancements of V oc (from 0.65 V to 0.74 V) and fill factor ( FF ) (from 0.37 to 0.63). This result indicates that ZnS passivation can reduce the interfacial recombination at the IO-TiO₂/QDs and IO-TiO₂/electrolyte interfaces, for which two possible explanations can be considered. One is the decrease of recombination at IO-TiO₂/electrolyte interfaces, and the other one is the reduction of the back-electron injection from the TiO₂ electrode to QDs. All of the above results are effective for improving the photovoltaic properties of QDSSCs.

Metal insulator semiconductor solar cell devices based on a Cu2O substrate utilizing h-BN as an insulating and passivating layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ergen, Onur; Gibb, Ashley; Vazquez-Mena, Oscar; Zettl, Alex; Regan, William Raymond

2015-01-01

We demonstrate cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) based metal insulator semiconductor Schottky (MIS-Schottky) solar cells with efficiency exceeding 3%. A unique direct growth technique is employed in the fabrication, and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) serves simultaneously as a passivation and insulation layer on the active Cu 2 O layer. The devices are the most efficient of any Cu 2 O based MIS-Schottky solar cells reported to date

Solar energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This chapter discusses the role solar energy may have in the energy future of the US. The topics discussed in the chapter include the solar resource, solar architecture including passive solar design and solar collectors, solar-thermal concentrating systems including parabolic troughs and dishes and central receivers, photovoltaic cells including photovoltaic systems for home use, and environmental, health and safety issues

Characteristics of Solar Wind Density Depletions During Solar Cycles 23 and 24

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keunchan Park

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Solar wind density depletions are phenomena that solar wind density is rapidly decreased and keep the state. They are generally believed to be caused by the interplanetary (IP shocks. However, there are other cases that are hardly associated with IP shocks. We set up a hypothesis for this phenomenon and analyze this study. We have collected the solar wind parameters such as density, speed and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF data related to the solar wind density depletion events during the period from 1996 to 2013 that are obtained with the advanced composition explorer (ACE and the Wind satellite. We also calculate two pressures (magnetic, dynamic and analyze the relation with density depletion. As a result, we found total 53 events and the most these phenomena’s sources caused by IP shock are interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME. We also found that solar wind density depletions are scarcely related with IP shock’s parameters. The solar wind density is correlated with solar wind dynamic pressure within density depletion. However, the solar wind density has an little anti-correlation with IMF strength during all events of solar wind density depletion, regardless of the presence of IP shocks. Additionally, In 47 events of IP shocks, we find 6 events that show a feature of blast wave. The quantities of IP shocks are weaker than blast wave from the Sun, they are declined in a short time after increasing rapidly. We thus argue that IMF strength or dynamic pressure are an important factor in understanding the nature of solar wind density depletion. Since IMF strength and solar wind speed varies with solar cycle, we will also investigate the characteristics of solar wind density depletion events in different phases of solar cycle as an additional clue to their physical nature.

Solar Design Workbook

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Franta, G.; Baylin, F.; Crowther, R.; Dubin, F.; Grace, A., Griffith, J.W.; Holtz, M.; Kutscher, C.; Nordham, D.; Selkowitz, S.; Villecco, M.

1981-06-01

This Solar Design Workbook presents solar building design applications for commercial buildir^s. The book is divided into four sections. The first section describes the variety of solar applications in buildings including conservation aspects, solar fundamentals, passive systems, active systems, daylighting, and other solar options. Solar system design evaluation techniques including considerations for building energy requirements, passive systems, active systems, and economics are presented in Section II. The third section attempts to assist the designer in the building design process for energy conservation and solar applications including options and considerations for pre-design, design, and post-design phases. The information required for the solar design proee^ has not been fully developed at this time. Therefore, Section III is incomplete, but an overview of the considerations with some of the design proces elements is presented. Section IV illustrates ease studies that utilize solar applications in the building design.

The effect of radiation intensity on diode characteristics of silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asgerov, Sh.Q; Agayev, M.N; Hasanov, M.H; Pashayev, I.G

2008-01-01

In order to explore electro-physical properties of silicon solar cells, diode characteristics and ohmic properties of Al - Ni / (n+) - Si contact has been studied. Diode characteristics have been studied on a wide temperature range and on various radiation intensity, so this gives us the ability to observe the effect of the radiation and the temperature on electro-physical properties of under study solar cells. Volt-Ampere characteristics of the ohmic contacts of the silicon solar cells have been presented. As well as contact resistance and mechanism of current transmission has been identified.

Passive hybridization of a photovoltaic module with lithium-ion battery cells: A model-based analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Joos, Stella; Weißhar, Björn; Bessler, Wolfgang G.

2017-04-01

Standard photovoltaic battery systems based on AC or DC architectures require power electronics and controllers, including inverters, MPP tracker, and battery charger. Here we investigate an alternative system design based on the parallel connection of a photovoltaic module with battery cells without any intermediate voltage conversion. This approach, for which we use the term passive hybridization, is based on matching the solar cell's and battery cell's respective current/voltage behavior. A battery with flat discharge characteristics can allow to pin the solar cell to its maximum power point (MPP) independently of the external power consumption. At the same time, upon battery full charge, voltage increase will drive the solar cell towards zero current and therefore self-prevent battery overcharge. We present a modeling and simulation analysis of passively hybridizing a 5 kWp PV system with a 5 kWh LFP/graphite lithium-ion battery. Dynamic simulations with 1-min time resolution are carried out for three exemplary summer and winter days using historic weather data and a synthetic single-family household consumer profile. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the system. The passive hybrid allows for high self-sufficiencies of 84.6% in summer and 25.3% in winter, which are only slightly lower than those of a standard system.

Simulation of phase change drywalls in a passive solar building

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darkwa, K.; O' Callaghan, P.W. [School of the Built Environment, The Applied Energy and Environmental Engineering Group, Nottingham Trent University, Burton Street, Nottingham NG1 4BU (United Kingdom)

2006-06-15

Integration of phase change materials (PCMs) into building fabrics is considered to be one of the potential and effective ways of minimizing energy consumption and CO{sub 2} emissions in the building sector. In order to assess the thermal effectiveness of this concept, composite PCM drywall samples (i.e. randomly-mixed and laminated PCM drywalls) have been evaluated in a model passive solar building. For a broader assessment, effects of three phase change zones (narrow, intermediate and wide) of the PCM sample were considered. The results showed that the laminated PCM sample with a narrow phase change zone was capable of increasing the minimum room temperature by about 17% more than the randomly-mixed type. Even though there was some display of non-isothermal phase change process, the laminated system proved to be thermally more effective in terms of evolution and utilization of latent heat. Further heat transfer enhancement process is however required towards the development of the laminated system. [Author].

Solar Spots - Activities to Introduce Solar Energy into the K-8 Curricula.

Science.gov (United States)

Longe, Karen M.; McClelland, Michael J.

Following an introduction to solar technology which reviews solar heating and cooling, passive solar systems (direct gain systems, thermal storage walls, sun spaces, roof ponds, and convection loops), active solar systems, solar electricity (photovoltaic and solar thermal conversion systems), wind energy, and biomass, activities to introduce solar…

Investigation of positive roles of hydrogen plasma treatment for interface passivation based on silicon heterojunction solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Liping; Liu, Wenzhu; Liu, Jinning; Shi, Jianhua; Meng, Fanying; Liu, Zhengxin; Guo, Wanwu; Bao, Jian

2016-01-01

The positive roles of H 2 -plasma treatment (HPT) have been investigated by using different treatment procedures in view of the distinctly improved passivation performance of amorphous-crystalline silicon heterojunctions (SHJs). It has been found that a hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin film and crystalline silicon (a-Si:H/c-Si) interface with a high stretching mode (HSM) is detrimental to passivation. A moderate pre-HPT introduces atomic H, which plays an effective tuning role in decreasing the interfacial HSM; unfortunately, an epitaxial layer is formed. Further improvement in passivation can be achieved in terms of increasing the HSM of a-Si:H film treated by appropriate post-HPT based on the a-Si:H thickness. The minority carrier lifetime of crystalline wafers can be improved by treated films containing a certain quantity of crystallites. The microstructure factor R and the maximum intensity of the dielectric function ε 2max have been found to be critical microstructure parameters that describe high-quality a-Si:H passivation layers, which are associated with the amorphous-to-microcrystalline transition phase induced by multi-step HPT. Finally, the open circuit voltage and conversion efficiency of the SHJ solar cell can be improved by implementing an effective HPT process. (paper)

Blistering in ALD Al2O3 passivation layers as rear contacting for local Al BSF Si solar cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vermang, B.; Goverde, J.C.; Uruena, A.; Lorenz, A.; Cornagliotti, E.; Rothschild, A.; John, J.; Poortmans, J.; Mertens, R.

2012-01-01

Random Al back surface field (BSF) p-type Si solar cells are presented, where a stack of Al2O3 and SiNx is used as rear surface passivation layer containing blisters. It is shown that no additional contact opening step is needed, since during co-firing local Al BSFs are induced at the location of

Photoinduced Field-Effect Passivation from Negative Carrier Accumulation for High-Efficiency Silicon/Organic Heterojunction Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhaolang; Yang, Zhenhai; Wu, Sudong; Zhu, Juye; Guo, Wei; Sheng, Jiang; Ye, Jichun; Cui, Yi

2017-12-26

Carrier recombination and light management of the dopant-free silicon/organic heterojunction solar cells (HSCs) based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) are the critical factors in developing high-efficiency photovoltaic devices. However, the traditional passivation technologies can hardly provide efficient surface passivation on the front surface of Si. In this study, a photoinduced electric field was induced in a bilayer antireflective coating (ARC) of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) films, due to formation of an accumulation layer of negative carriers (O 2 - species) under UV (sunlight) illumination. This photoinduced field not only suppressed the silicon surface recombination but also enhanced the built-in potential of HSCs with 84 mV increment. In addition, this photoactive ARC also displayed the outstanding light-trapping capability. The front PEDOT:PSS/Si HSC with the saturated O 2 - received a champion PCE of 15.51% under AM 1.5 simulated sunlight illumination. It was clearly demonstrated that the photoinduced electric field was a simple, efficient, and low-cost method for the surface passivation and contributed to achieve a high efficiency when applied in the Si/PEDOT:PSS HSCs.

Study on the development of passive MR damper with displacement-dependent damping characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, Takahiro; Sakai, Michiya; Nakano, Masami

2010-01-01

In this paper, we propose a new concept of a magneto-rheological (MR) fluid damper, which is a passive MR fluid damper. The passive MR damper has no electrical devices, such as a sensor, power supply and controller, and hence, it has an advantage in reliability and cost compared with semi-active MR dampers. Moreover, the proposed MR damper can be designed to have a variable damping force in response to its displacement. In this paper, the dynamic performance of the passive MR damper is experimentally demonstrated. The prototype of the proposed damper has been manufactured in order to verify the dynamic performance. The displacement excitation test result of the damper demonstrates that the damping characteristics depend on its displacement amplitude, that is, the damper behaves as a linear viscous damper under small vibrations and develops much higher damping performance under large vibrations. (author)

Effect of Ageing on the Passive and Active Tension and Pharmacodynamic Characteristics of Rat Coronary Arteries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sheykhzade, Majid; Simonsen, Anja Hviid; Boonen, Harrie C.M.

2012-01-01

The influence of ageing on the passive and active tension and pharmacodynamic characteristics of intramural coronary arteries from 3-month-old and 2-year-old male Wistar rats was investigated using an isometric myograph. The passive vessel wall tension measured in Ca2+-free physiological salt...... solution at L0 was significantly greater in arteries from old rats (1.46 ± 0.10 Nm–1, n = 7) than in young rats (1.13 ± 0.13 Nm–1, n = 6). However, the maximal active tension at L0 was similar. The spontaneous myogenic tone was increased by age and the vasorelaxation induced by extracellular K...... from both young and old rats. The slopes of the regression lines of the Schild plots were not significantly different from unity and the estimated pKB values for ketanserin were similar. In conclusion, ageing is associated with changes in passive mechanical characteristics as well as changes...

Hydrogen passivation of n+p and p+n heteroepitaxial InP solar cell structures

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, B.; Ringel, S. A.; Hoffman, R., Jr.

1995-01-01

High-efficiency, heteroepitaxial (HE) InP solar cells, grown on GaAs, Si or Ge substrates, are desirable for their mechanically strong, light-weight and radiation-hard properties. However, dislocations, caused by lattice mismatch, currently limit the performance of the HE cells. This occurs through shunting paths across the active photovoltaic junction and by the formation of deep levels. In previous work we have demonstrated that plasma hydrogenation is an effective and stable means to passivate the electrical activity of dislocations in specially designed HE InP test structures. In this work, we present the first report of successful hydrogen passivation in actual InP cell structures grown on GaAs substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). We have found that a 2 hour exposure to a 13.56 MHz hydrogen plasma at 275 C reduces the deep level concentration in HE n+n InP cell structures from as-grown values of approximately 10(exp 15)/cm(exp -3), down to 1-2 x 10(exp 13)/cm(exp -3). The deep levels in the p-type base region of the cell structure match those of our earlier p-type test structures, which were attributed to dislocations or related point defect complexes. All dopants were successfully reactivated by a 400 C, 5 minute anneal with no detectable activation of deep levels. I-V analysis indicated a subsequent approximately 10 fold decrease in reverse leakage current at -1 volt reverse bias, and no change in the forward biased series resistance of the cell structure which indicates complete reactivation of the n+ emitter. Furthermore, electrochemical C-V profiling indicates greatly enhanced passivation depth, and hence hydrogen diffusion, for heteroepitaxial structures when compared with identically processed homoepitaxial n+p InP structures. An analysis of hydrogen diffusion in dislocated InP will be discussed, along with comparisons of passivation effectiveness for n+p versus p+n heteroepitaxial cell configurations. Preliminary hydrogen-passivated

Stability of electric characteristics of solar cells for continuous power supply

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stojanović Nebojša M.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the output characteristics of photovoltaic solar cells working in hostile working conditions. Examined cells, produced by different innovative procedures, are available in the market. The goal was to investigate stability of electric characteristics of solar cells, which are used today in photovoltaic solar modules for charging rechargeable batteries which, coupled with batteries, supply various electronic systems such as radio repeaters on mountains tops, airplanes, mobile communication stations and other remote facilities. Charging of rechargeable batteries requires up to 25 % higher voltage compared to nominal output voltage of the battery. This paper presents results of research of solar cells, which also apply to cases in which continuous power supply is required. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 171007

Metal insulator semiconductor solar cell devices based on a Cu{sub 2}O substrate utilizing h-BN as an insulating and passivating layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ergen, Onur; Gibb, Ashley; Vazquez-Mena, Oscar; Zettl, Alex, E-mail: azettl@berkeley.edu [Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States); Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States); Kavli Energy Nanosciences Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States); Regan, William Raymond [Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States); Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)

2015-03-09

We demonstrate cuprous oxide (Cu{sub 2}O) based metal insulator semiconductor Schottky (MIS-Schottky) solar cells with efficiency exceeding 3%. A unique direct growth technique is employed in the fabrication, and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) serves simultaneously as a passivation and insulation layer on the active Cu{sub 2}O layer. The devices are the most efficient of any Cu{sub 2}O based MIS-Schottky solar cells reported to date.

Investigation of exergy and yield of a passive solar water desalination system with a parabolic concentrator incorporated with latent heat storage medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kabeel, A.E.; Elkelawy, Medhat; Alm El Din, Hagar; Alghrubah, Adel

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The impact of PCM and solar concentrator on the production of solar still studied experimentally under Egyptian conditions. • Exergetic analysis studied for passive solar still in winter and summer at different water depth. • Experimental study of water depth effect on solar still with PCM and solar concentrator. • A comparison between improved still with and usual still is carried out for winter and summer. - Abstract: In the present study, two solar stills were assembled and experienced to evaluate the yield and energy performance of an improved passive solar desalination system compared to a conventional one. The improved still is incorporated with a latent heat thermal energy storage medium and a parabolic solar concentrator. A parabolic solar concentrator was added to concentrate and increase the amount of solar irradiance absorbed by the still basin. Paraffin wax was applied as phase change material (PCM) in the solar still bottom plate. In the current study also, the effect of impure water profundity inside the still on still’s accumulated yield have been assessed. The following study involved a mathematical analysis for calculation of the exergetic proficiency as an efficient tool for the optimization, and yield evaluation of any energy systems and solar stills as well. Experimental research conducted in steady days of summer and winter at six different values of impure water profundity inside the solar still basin. The salinity of the impure water tested was about 3000–5000 ppm, while the salinity for the resulted drinkable water was about 550–500 ppm. The performed outcomes revealed that during summer, exergetic efficiency is higher than its qualified value in winter with approximately (10–15%) for the same water profundity. Results also disclosed that, the exergetic efficiency is higher when the water profundity in the basin is lower with approximately (6–9%). The experimental findings reveals that, the solar still with

Photovoltaic characteristics of porous silicon /(n+ - p) silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dzhafarov, T.D.; Aslanov, S.S.; Ragimov, S.H.; Sadigov, M.S.; Nabiyeva, A.F.; Yuksel, Aydin S.

2012-01-01

Full text : The purpose of this work is to improve the photovoltaic parameters of the screen-printed silicon solar cells by formation the nano-porous silicon film on the frontal surface of the cell. The photovoltaic characteristics of two type silicon solar cells with and without porous silicon layer were measured and compared. A remarkable increment of short-circuit current density and the efficiency by 48 percent and 20 percent, respectively, have been achieved for PS/(n + - pSi) solar cell comparing to (n + - p)Si solar cell without PS layer

The solarisation of welfare housing: Is passive solar design a boon to those who don`t choose it?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, T. [Australian National Univ., Canberra, ACT (Australia)

1994-12-31

The solarized housing built for what is now the ACT Housing Trust in Canberra in the early 1980`s is revisited to see what lessons can be learned. Several hundred solarized (solar efficient) houses were built by the Federal Government and were the first `passive solar` public housing in Australia. Some houses, due to a combination of slope and expansive soil foundations, were constructed with foil-insulated suspended timber floors instead of concrete slabs and thus had negligible effective thermal mass irrespective of the floor finish chosen by the tenant. It is apparent that many occupants of the early solarized dwellings revisited are not getting the full measure of energy savings and enhanced comfort that the designs allow. In several cases, occupant action in building out their own solar access indicates a low or possible even negative value is placed on their solar heating capabilities. Alternatively, it may indicate that the conceptual extension of living spaces onto a northerly patio, an integral part of many of the original designs, is so attractive as to tempt the owners into extending the roof in translucent material to protect the pleasurable times they have there. This post-occupancy evaluation suggests that acceptance of solar housing should be more closely examined to ensure that future low energy designs fully accommodate the preferred living patterns and needs of their target audience and that further attempts at occupant education are effective in reducing actual home energy consumption. (author). photos. 2 refs.

Revising the limits of net gain glazing: a tool for passive solar design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, T. [Australian National Univ., Canberra, ACT (Australia)

1996-12-31

The prevailing advice five years ago on shading of northerly fenestration had been motivated traditionally by a desire to shade the windows to sill level for as long as possible each day in summer and for as much of the summer as possible. Fixed shading, however, reduces the window area admitting direct sunlight, the top shaded section usually loses more heat to the outside than it admits. Over the whole heating season, the cumulative effect can be net loss of heat for the window as a whole, irrespective of its orientation. The concern of this study is to employ the improved thermal simulation computer program CHEETAH, and the Australian Solar Radiation Data Handbook, to revisit the original question, at what point does the combination of fixed shading of a window (due to eaves generally) and off-north orientation actually result in the window having a net heat loss (to the outside) over the whole heating season. The combined effect of eaves overhang and off-north orientation has been quantified and set out in graphical form for the use of architects seeking to apply the potential of passive solar heating to their designs. (author). 3 figs., 12 refs.

Passivating ZnO Surface States by C60 Pyrrolidine Tris-Acid for Hybrid Solar Cells Based on Poly(3-hexylthiophene/ZnO Nanorod Arrays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng Zhong

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Construction of ordered electron acceptors is a feasible way to solve the issue of phase separation in polymer solar cells by using vertically-aligned ZnO nanorod arrays (NRAs. However, the inert charge transfer between conducting polymer and ZnO limits the performance enhancement of this type of hybrid solar cells. In this work, a fullerene derivative named C60 pyrrolidine tris-acid is used to modify the interface of ZnO/poly(3-hexylthiophene (P3HT. Results indicate that the C60 modification passivates the surface defects of ZnO and improves its intrinsic fluorescence. The quenching efficiency of P3HT photoluminescence is enhanced upon C60 functionalization, suggesting a more efficient charge transfer occurs across the modified P3HT/ZnO interface. Furthermore, the fullerene modified hybrid solar cell based on P3HT/ZnO NRAs displays substantially-enhanced performance as compared to the unmodified one and the devices with other modifiers, which is contributed to retarded recombination and enhanced exciton separation as evidenced by electrochemical impedance spectra. Therefore, fullerene passivation is a promising method to ameliorate the connection between conjugated polymers and metal oxides, and is applicable in diverse areas, such as solar cells, transistors, and light-emitting dioxides.

Developer's guide to multi-family passive housing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rouse, R.E.

1983-10-01

The role that passive solar design plays in good multi-family housing design is discussed. Knowing the special priorities of passive multi-family projects can improve designs and give developers and architects an advantage on the competition.

Paraffin wax passivation layer improvements in electrical characteristics of bottom gate amorphous indium–gallium–zinc oxide thin-film transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Geng-Wei; Chang, Ting-Chang; Syu, Yong-En; Tsai, Tsung-Ming; Chang, Kuan-Chang; Tu, Chun-Hao; Jian, Fu-Yen; Hung, Ya-Chi; Tai, Ya-Hsiang

2011-01-01

In this research, paraffin wax is employed as the passivation layer of the bottom gate amorphous indium–gallium–zinc oxide thin-film transistors (a-IGZO TFTs), and it is formed by sol–gel process in the atmosphere. The high yield and low cost passivation layer of sol–gel process technology has attracted much attention for current flat-panel-display manufacturing. Comparing with passivation-free a-IGZO TFTs, passivated devices exhibit a superior stability against positive gate bias stress in different ambient gas, demonstrating that paraffin wax shows gas-resisting characteristics for a-IGZO TFTs application. Furthermore, light-induced stretch-out phenomenon for paraffin wax passivated device is suppressed. This superior stability of the passivated device was attributed to the reduced total density of states (DOS) including the interfacial and semiconductor bulk trap densities.

A deep-level transient spectroscopy study of gamma-ray irradiation on the passivation properties of silicon nitride layer on silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Peng; Yu, Xuegong; Ma, Yao; Xie, Meng; Li, Yun; Huang, Chunlai; Li, Mo; Dai, Gang; Zhang, Jian

2017-08-01

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride (SiNx) films are extensively used as passivation material in the solar cell industry. Such SiNx passivation layers are the most sensitive part to gamma-ray irradiation in solar cells. In this work, deep-level transient spectroscopy has been applied to analyse the influence of gamma-ray irradiation on the passivation properties of SiNx layer on silicon. It is shown that the effective carrier lifetime decreases with the irradiation dose. At the same time, the interface state density is significantly increased after irradiation, and its energy distribution is broadened and shifts deeper with respect to the conduction band edge, which makes the interface states becoming more efficient recombination centers for carriers. Besides, C-V characteristics show a progressive negative shift with increasing dose, indicating the generation of effective positive charges in SiNx films. Such positive charges are beneficial for shielding holes from the n-type silicon substrates, i. e. the field-effect passivation. However, based on the reduced carrier lifetime after irradiation, it can be inferred that the irradiation induced interface defects play a dominant role over the trapped positive charges, and therefore lead to the degradation of passivation properties of SiNx on silicon.

Solar Energy: Uses for Your Home. The CIRcular: Consumer Information Report 15.

Science.gov (United States)

Bank of America NT & SA, San Francisco, CA.

This report defines active and passive solar energy systems, describes home uses for solar energy, and offers guidelines for choosing and installing a system. Much of the information is specific to the state of California. Uses for solar energy which are presented include passive space heating, passive cooling, active space heating, household…

In Middle Europe, heating of an industrial building only with solar energy. First solar house industrial building with passive house standard in this size; In Mitteleuropa ein Industriegebaeude nur mit der Sonne heizen. Erstes Sonnenhaus Industriegebaeude mit Passivhaus-Standard in dieser Groesse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huemer, Herbert [Xolar Renewable Energy Group HQ, Eberstalzell (Austria)

2010-07-01

Since 2008, Xolar Renewable Energy Group (Eberstalzell, Austria) combines the companies Sunmaster and Xolar in the most modern solar house in Europe with passive house standard. The contribution under consideration reports on the development of an industrial building which is heated entirely by solar energy and meets the standards of passive houses. All working places in the building should be sunny and free of draught. It does not use electrically powered heat pumps or refrigerators. All energy values calculated by simulation were achieved or partly exceeded. The savings in annual operating costs compared to conventional construction in factory buildings is approximately 192,000 Euro per year.

Tunnel oxide passivated rear contact for large area n-type front junction silicon solar cells providing excellent carrier selectivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuguo Tao

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Carrier-selective contact with low minority carrier recombination and efficient majority carrier transport is mandatory to eliminate metal-induced recombination for higher energy conversion efficiency for silicon (Si solar cells. In the present study, the carrier-selective contact consists of an ultra-thin tunnel oxide and a phosphorus-doped polycrystalline Si (poly-Si thin film formed by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD and subsequent thermal crystallization. It is shown that the poly-Si film properties (doping level, crystallization and dopant activation anneal temperature are crucial for achieving excellent contact passivation quality. It is also demonstrated quantitatively that the tunnel oxide plays a critical role in this tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCON scheme to realize desired carrier selectivity. Presence of tunnel oxide increases the implied Voc (iVoc by ~ 125 mV. The iVoc value as high as 728 mV is achieved on symmetric structure with TOPCON on both sides. Large area (239 cm2 n-type Czochralski (Cz Si solar cells are fabricated with homogeneous implanted boron emitter and screen-printed contact on the front and TOPCON on the back, achieving 21.2% cell efficiency. Detailed analysis shows that the performance of these cells is mainly limited by boron emitter recombination on the front side.

Hole-Collection Mechanism in Passivating Metal-Oxide Contacts on Si Solar Cells: Insights From Numerical Simulations

KAUST Repository

Vijayan, Ramachandran Ammapet

2018-02-14

Silicon heterojunction solar cells enable high conversion efficiencies, thanks to their passivating contacts which consist of layered stacks of intrinsic and doped amorphous silicon. However, such contacts may reduce the photo current, when present on the illuminated side of the cell. This motivates the search for wider bandgap contacting materials, such as metal oxides. In this paper, we elucidate the precise impact of the material parameters of MoO$_{x}$ on device characteristics, based on numerical simulations. The simulation results allow us to propose design principles for hole-collecting induced junctions. We find that if MoO$_{x}$ has a sufficiently high electron affinity ($\\\\ge\\\\! \\\\text{{5.7 eV}}$), direct band-to-band tunneling is the dominant transport mechanism; whereas if it has a lower electron affinity ($ <\\\\! \\\\text{{5.7 eV}}$), trap-assisted tunneling dominates, which might introduce additional series resistance. At even lower electron affinity, S-shaped J–V curves may appear for these solar cells, which are found to be due to an insufficient trap state density in the MoO$_{x}$ film in contrast to the expectation of better performance at low trap density. These traps may assist carrier transport when present near the conduction band edge of the MoO$_{x}$ film. Our simulations predict that performance optimization for the MoO$_{x}$ film has to target either 1) a high electron affinity and a moderate doping density film or, 2) if the electron affinity is lower than the optimum value, a high defect density not exceeding the doping density inside the film.

n-MoS2/p-Si Solar Cells with Al2O3 Passivation for Enhanced Photogeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Rehman, Atteq Ur; Khan, Muhammad Farooq; Shehzad, Muhammad Arslan; Hussain, Sajjad; Bhopal, Muhammad Fahad; Lee, Sang Hee; Eom, Jonghwa; Seo, Yongho; Jung, Jongwan; Lee, Soo Hong

2016-11-02

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) has recently emerged as a promising candidate for fabricating ultrathin-film photovoltaic devices. These devices exhibit excellent photovoltaic performance, superior flexibility, and low production cost. Layered MoS 2 deposited on p-Si establishes a built-in electric field at MoS 2 /Si interface that helps in photogenerated carrier separation for photovoltaic operation. We propose an Al 2 O 3 -based passivation at the MoS 2 surface to improve the photovoltaic performance of bulklike MoS 2 /Si solar cells. Interestingly, it was observed that Al 2 O 3 passivation enhances the built-in field by reduction of interface trap density at surface. Our device exhibits an improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.6%, which to our knowledge is the highest efficiency among all bulklike MoS 2 -based photovoltaic cells. The demonstrated results hold the promise for integration of bulklike MoS 2 films with Si-based electronics to develop highly efficient photovoltaic cells.

Passivation effects on quantum dots prepared by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Qilin; Maloney, Scott; Chen, Weimin; Poudyal, Uma; Wang, Wenyong

2016-06-01

ZnS is typically used to passivate semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) prepared by the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method for solar cell applications, while for colloidal QDs, organic ligands are usually used for this passivation purpose. In this study we utilized oleylamine and oleic acid ligands, besides ZnS, to passivate QDs prepared by the SILAR approach, and investigated their effects on the incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) performance of the solar cells. It was observed that oleylamine passivation decreased device performance, while oleic acid passivation improved the IPCE of the cells. Redshift of the IPCE onset wavelength was also observed after oleic acid coating, which was attributed to the delocalization of excitons in the CdS QDs.

The characteristic analysis of the solar energy photovoltaic power generation system

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, B.; Li, K.; Niu, D. D.; Jin, Y. A.; Liu, Y.

2017-01-01

Solar energy is an inexhaustible, clean, renewable energy source. Photovoltaic cells are a key component in solar power generation, so thorough research on output characteristics is of far-reaching importance. In this paper, an illumination model and a photovoltaic power station output power model were established, and simulation analysis was conducted using Matlab and other software. The analysis evaluated the condition of solar energy resources in the Baicheng region in the western part of Jilin province, China. The characteristic curve of the power output from a photovoltaic power station was obtained by simulation calculation. It was shown that the monthly average output power of the photovoltaic power station is affected by seasonal changes; the output power is higher in summer and autumn, and lower in spring and winter.

Passive and Hybrid Solar Energy Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-11-01

The background and scope of the program is presented in general terms. The Program Plan is summarized describing how individual projects are categorized into mission-oriented tasks according to market sector categories. The individual projects funded by DOE are presented as follows: residential buildings, commercial buildings, solar products, solar cities and towns, and agricultural buildings. A summary list of projects by institution (contractors) and indexed by market application area is included. (MHR)

Passive devices of a reactor stop: classification of the characteristics and estimation of perfection degree

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Portyanoj, A.G.; Serdun', E.N.; Sorokin, A.P.; Egorov, V.S.; Shkarovskij, D.A.

1998-01-01

The perspective direction in NPP safety improvement connected with development of passive devices for nuclear reactor emergency shutdown (PDRS) is discussed. More than hundred devices which can fulfil the PDRS functions are suggested nowadays. The analysis of PDRS designing status as applicable for the fast reactors in the main which are based on the physical effect used in an element sensitive to temperature is made. The complex consisting of nine general characteristics including passive character, thresholdness, forces generation, inertia, multichannel design, stability towards operational factors, safety at failures, simplicity and visualisation, development conditions, is suggested for estimation of the quality of PDRS of different types. Basing on expert assessments realized using the complex of general characteristics it is shown that the types of PDRS may be separated into following three groups: linear expansion of solid bodies and thermoelectric ones (K ≅ 0.45); magnet ones with shape memory effect, liquid volume expansion (K ≅ 0.6); fusing ones (K ≅ 0.7). The conclusion is made that PDRS on the basis of fusing devices of the sulphon type with liofobic capillary-porous working body most completely satisfy the complex of general characteristics considered

Assessment of Passive vs. Active Strategies for a School Building Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji Eun Kang

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a simulation study to reduce heating and cooling energy demand of a school building in Seoul Metropolitan Area, Korea. The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of passive vs. active approaches on energy savings in buildings using EnergyPlus simulation. By controlling lighting, the energy saving of the original school building design was found most significant, and increased by 32% when the design was improved. It is noteworthy that energy saving potential of each room varies significantly depending on the rooms’ thermal characteristics and orientation. Thus, the analysis of energy saving should be introduced at the individual space level, not at the whole building level. Additionally, the simulation studies should be involved for rational decision-making. Finally, it was concluded that priority should be given to passive building design strategies, such as building orientation, as well as control and utilization of solar radiation. These passive energy saving strategies are related to urban, architectural design, and engineering issues, and are more beneficial in terms of energy savings than active strategies.

Experimental analysis and modeling of the IV characteristics of photovoltaic solar cells under solar spectrum spot illumination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Munji, M.K., E-mail: mathew.munji@nmmu.ac.z [Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 7700 Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Dyk, E.E. van; Vorster, F.J. [Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 7700 Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa)

2009-12-01

In this paper, some models that have been put forward to explain the characteristics of a photovoltaic solar cell device under solar spot-illumination are investigated. In the experimental procedure, small areas of the cell were selected and illuminated at different solar intensities. The solar cell open circuit voltage (V{sub oc}) and short circuit current (I{sub sc}) obtained at different illumination intensities was used to determine the solar cell ideality factor. By varying the illuminated area on the solar cell, changes in the ideality factor were studied. The ideality factor obtained increases with decreasing illumination surface ratio. The photo-generated current at the illuminated part of the cell is assumed to act as a dc source that injects charge carriers into the p-n junction of the whole solar cell while the dark region of the solar cell operates in a low space charge recombination regime with small diffusion currents. From this analysis, a different model of a spot illuminated cell that uses the variation of ideality factor with the illuminated area is proposed.

Experimental analysis and modeling of the IV characteristics of photovoltaic solar cells under solar spectrum spot illumination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munji, M.K.; Dyk, E.E. van; Vorster, F.J.

2009-01-01

In this paper, some models that have been put forward to explain the characteristics of a photovoltaic solar cell device under solar spot-illumination are investigated. In the experimental procedure, small areas of the cell were selected and illuminated at different solar intensities. The solar cell open circuit voltage (V oc ) and short circuit current (I sc ) obtained at different illumination intensities was used to determine the solar cell ideality factor. By varying the illuminated area on the solar cell, changes in the ideality factor were studied. The ideality factor obtained increases with decreasing illumination surface ratio. The photo-generated current at the illuminated part of the cell is assumed to act as a dc source that injects charge carriers into the p-n junction of the whole solar cell while the dark region of the solar cell operates in a low space charge recombination regime with small diffusion currents. From this analysis, a different model of a spot illuminated cell that uses the variation of ideality factor with the illuminated area is proposed.

Concept research on general passive system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Xu; Yang Yanhua; Zheng Mingguang

2009-01-01

This paper summarized the current passive techniques used in nuclear power plants. Through classification and analysis, the functional characteristics and inherent identification of passive systems were elucidated. By improving and extending the concept of passive system, the general passive concept was proposed, and space and time relativity was discussed and assumption of general passive system were illustrated. The function of idealized general passive system is equivalent with the current passive system, but the design of idealized general passive system is more flexible. (authors)

A firefly algorithm approach for determining the parameters characteristics of solar cell

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed LOUZAZNI

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A metaheuristic algorithm is proposed to describe the characteristics of solar cell. The I-V characteristics of solar cell present double nonlinearity in the presence of exponential and in the five parameters. Since, these parameters are unknown, it is important to predict these parameters for accurate modelling of I-V and P-V curves of solar cell. Moreover, firefly algorithm has attracted the intention to optimize the non-linear and complex systems, based on the flashing patterns and behaviour of firefly’s swarm. Besides, the proposed constrained objective function is derived from the current-voltage curve. Using the experimental current and voltage of commercial RTC France Company mono-crystalline silicon solar cell single diode at 33°C and 1000W/m² to predict the unknown parameters. The statistical errors are calculated to verify the accuracy of the results. The obtained results are compared with experimental data and other reported meta-heuristic optimization algorithms. In the end, the theoretical results confirm the validity and reliability of firefly algorithm in estimation the optimal parameters of the solar cell.

Nano-crystalline thin and nano-particulate thick TiO2 layer: Cost effective sequential deposition and study on dye sensitized solar cell characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, P.; Sengupta, D.; Kasinadhuni, U.; Mondal, B.; Mukherjee, K.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Thin TiO 2 layer is deposited on conducting substrate using sol–gel based dip coating. • TiO 2 nano-particles are synthesized using hydrothermal route. • Thick TiO 2 particulate layer is deposited on prepared thin layer. • Dye sensitized solar cells are made using thin and thick layer based photo-anode. • Introduction of thin layer in particulate photo-anode improves the cell efficiency. - Abstract: A compact thin TiO 2 passivation layer is introduced between the mesoporous TiO 2 nano-particulate layer and the conducting glass substrate to prepare photo-anode for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). In order to understand the effect of passivation layer, other two DSSCs are also developed separately using TiO 2 nano-particulate and compact thin film based photo-anodes. Nano-particles are prepared using hydrothermal synthesis route and the compact passivation layer is prepared by simply dip coating the precursor sol prepared through wet chemical route. The TiO 2 compact layer and the nano-particles are characterised in terms of their micro-structural features and phase formation behavior. It is found that introduction of a compact TiO 2 layer in between the mesoporous TiO 2 nano-particulate layer and the conducting substrate improves the solar to electric conversion efficiency of the fabricated cell. The dense thin passivation layer is supposed to enhance the photo-excited electron transfer and prevent the recombination of photo-excited electrons

Effect of Silicon Nanowire on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Characteristics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zahra Ostadmahmoodi Do

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Nanowires (NWs are recently used in several sensor or actuator devices to improve their ordered characteristics. Silicon nanowire (Si NW is one of the most attractive one-dimensional nanostructures semiconductors because of its unique electrical and optical properties. In this paper, silicon nanowire (Si NW, is synthesized and characterized for application in photovoltaic device. Si NWs are prepared using wet chemical etching method which is commonly used as a simple and low cost method for producing nanowires of the same substrate material. The process conditions are adjusted to find the best quality of Si NWs. Morphology of Si NWs is studied using a field emission scanning electron microscopic technique. An energy dispersive X-Ray analyzer is also used to provide elemental identification and quantitative compositional information. Subsequently, Schottky type solar cell samples are fabricated on Si and Si NWs using ITO and Ag contacts. The junction properties are calculated using I-V curves in dark condition and the solar cell I-V characteristics are obtained under incident of the standardized light of AM1.5. The results for the two mentioned Schottky solar cell samples are compared and discussed. An improvement in short circuit current and efficiency of Schottky solar cell is found when Si nanowires are employed.

Solar Process Heat Basics | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Process Heat Basics Solar Process Heat Basics Commercial and industrial buildings may use the same solar technologies-photovoltaics, passive heating, daylighting, and water heating-that are used for residential buildings. These nonresidential buildings can also use solar energy technologies that would be

The effect of partial shading on dye-sensitized solar cell module characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, Bin; Weng, Jian; Chen, Shuanghong; Huang, Yang; Dai, Songyuan

2014-01-01

The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) is a kind of novel solar cell with prospects for building integrated photovoltaic applications. In some situations, a DSC module may work under partial shading conditions, and subsequently the module temperature and I–V characteristics change. In this work, the effect of partial shading on DSC module characteristics is experimentally studied and the temperature and electric output of the partially shaded DSC module are measured. The variations of module temperature and output performance are analyzed under short circuit conditions and a normal operating mode of charging battery. Furthermore, the stability of the partially shaded DSC module is also evaluated. It is found that the temperature rise of the DSC module caused by partial shading is slower and much smaller than the silicon solar cell, and the characteristics of the single DSC that suffered from short-term shading remain stable. For a DSC module operating in charging mode, the maximum power point and working point change when a shadow appears. (paper)

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF HEAT STORAGE CHARACTERISTIC OF UREA AND BORAX SALT GRADIENT SOLAR PONDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hüseyin KURT

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Salt gradient solar ponds are simple and low cost solar energy system for collecting and storing solar energy. In this study, heat storage characteristic of urea and borax solutions in the solar pond were examined experimentally. Establishing density gradients in different concentration, variations in the temperature and density profiles were observed in four different experiments. Maximum storage temperatures were measured as 28ºC and 36 ºC for the ponds with urea and borax solution, respectively. The temperature difference between the bottom and the surface of the pond were measured as 13 ºC for urea and 17 ºC for borax- solutions. According to these results, heat storage characteristic of the solar pond with borax solution was found to be better than urea solution.

Passivation of ZnO Nanowire Guests and 3D Inverse Opal Host Photoanodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Labouchere, Philippe

2014-04-23

A hierarchical host-guest nanostructured photoanode is reported for dye-sensitized solar cells. It is composed of ZnO nanowires grown in situ into the macropores of a 3D ZnO inverse opal structure, which acts both as a seed layer and as a conductive backbone host. Using a combination of self-assembly, hydrothermal or electrodeposition of single crystalline ZnO nanowires and TiO2 passivation, a novel photoanode with scattering capability for optimal light harvesting is fabricated. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Performance of fuel cell for energy supply of passive house

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Badea, G.; Felseghi, R. A., E-mail: Raluca.FELSEGHI@insta.utcluj.ro; Mureşan, D.; Naghiu, G. [Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Building Services Engineering Department, Bd. December 21, no. 128-130, 400600, Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Răboacă, S. M. [National R& D Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies, str. Uzinei, no. 4, Rm. Vălcea, 240050 (Romania); Aşchilean, I. [SC ACI Cluj SA, Avenue Dorobanţilor, no. 70, 400609, Cluj-Napoca (Romania)

2015-12-23

Hydrogen technology and passive house represent two concepts with a remarkable role for the efficiency and decarbonisation of energy systems in the residential buildings area. Through design and functionality, the passive house can make maximum use of all available energy resources. One of the solutions to supply energy of these types of buildings is the fuel cell, using this technology integrated into a system for generating electricity from renewable primary sources, which take the function of backup power (energy reserve) to cover peak load and meteorological intermittents. In this paper is presented the results of the case study that provide an analysis of the energy, environmental and financial performances regarding energy supply of passive house by power generation systems with fuel cell fed with electrolytic hydrogen produced by harnessing renewable energy sources available. Hybrid systems have been configured and operate in various conditions of use for five differentiated locations according to the main areas of solar irradiation from the Romanian map. Global performance of hybrid systems is directly influenced by the availability of renewable primary energy sources - particular geo-climatic characteristics of the building emplacement.

Genesis Solar Wind Science Canister Components Curated as Potential Solar Wind Collectors and Reference Contamination Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Allton, J. H.; Gonzalez, C. P.; Allums, K. K.

2016-01-01

The Genesis mission collected solar wind for 27 months at Earth-Sun L1 on both passive and active collectors carried inside of a Science Canister, which was cleaned and assembled in an ISO Class 4 cleanroom prior to launch. The primary passive collectors, 271 individual hexagons and 30 half-hexagons of semiconductor materials, are described in. Since the hard landing reduced the 301 passive collectors to many thousand smaller fragments, characterization and posting in the online catalog remains a work in progress, with about 19% of the total area characterized to date. Other passive collectors, surfaces of opportunity, have been added to the online catalog. For species needing to be concentrated for precise measurement (e.g. oxygen and nitrogen isotopes) an energy-independent parabolic ion mirror focused ions onto a 6.2 cm diameter target. The target materials, as recovered after landing, are described in. The online catalog of these solar wind collectors, a work in progress, can be found at: http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/gencatalog/index.cfm This paper describes the next step, the cataloging of pieces of the Science Canister, which were surfaces exposed to the solar wind or component materials adjacent to solar wind collectors which may have contributed contamination.

Amine treatment induced perovskite nanowire network in perovskite solar cells: efficient surface passivation and carrier transport

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Ke; Cui, Can; Wang, Peng; Lin, Ping; Qiang, Yaping; Xu, Lingbo; Xie, Jiangsheng; Yang, Zhengrui; Zhu, Xiaodong; Yu, Xuegong; Yang, Deren

2018-02-01

In the fabrication of high efficiency organic-inorganic metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs), an additional interface modifier is usually applied for enhancing the interface passivation and carrier transport. In this paper, we develop an innovative method with in-situ growth of one-dimensional perovskite nanowire (1D PNW) network triggered by Lewis amine over the perovskite films. To our knowledge, this is the first time to fabricate PSCs with shape-controlled perovskite surface morphology, which improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 14.32% to 16.66% with negligible hysteresis. The amine molecule can passivate the trap states on the polycrystalline perovskite surface to reduce trap-state density. Meanwhile, as a fast channel, the 1D PNWs would promote carrier transport from the bulk perovskite film to the electron transport layer. The PSCs with 1D PNW modification not only exhibit excellent photovoltaic performances, but also show good stability with only 4% PCE loss within 30 days in the ambient air without encapsulation. Our results strongly suggest that in-situ grown 1D PNW network provides a feasible and effective strategy for nanostructured optoelectronic devices such as PSCs to achieve superior performances.

Solar energy in building construction practice. Solar architecture and solar engineering - fundamentals and uses. Sonnenenergie in der Baupraxis. Solar-Architektur und Solar-Technik - Grundlagen und Anwendungen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weik, H.; Hahn, G.; Marschall, F.; Meister, H.; Peters, W.; Ranft, F.

1991-01-01

This anthology presents a number of overall suggestions for modern, trend-setting building construction. Details are given about active in addition to passive solar energy utilization, i.e. combinations of solar architecture and solar engineering. In an intelligible way accessible to non-physicist readers, part one discusses the related physicotechnical and town-planning fundamentals. Parts two and three are dedicated to building construction practice. They discuss the various problems of solar energy utilization from the point of view of architects, and refer to economic aspects and thermal insulation. Numerous pictures, diagrams and tables complete the book. (BWI) With 59 figs.

Morphology, chemical composition , and electrochemical characteristics of colored titanium passive layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jerkiewicz, G.; Hrapovic, S.; Vatankhah, G.; Luan, B.L.

1999-01-01

Brightly and uniformly colored passive layers on Ti are formed by application of AC polarization in aqueous NH 4 BF 4 . A wide spectrum of well-defined colors is accomplished by varying the AC voltage. The passive films are stable in the ambient and in aqueous chloride, perchlorate, sulfate solutions. Optical microscopy and SEM analyses indicate that the passive layers are compact and do not reveal fractures or cracks. XPS characterization of the colored passive layers reveals that their surface-chemical composition depends on the AC polarization voltage. The main constituents of the passive layers are Ti z+ , O 2- , and F - (z varies from 4 to 2 depending on the depth). Fluoride in the film originates form decomposition of NH 4 BF 4 and it accumulates at the inner metal/passive-film interface. XPS depth profiling shows that the higher the AC voltage applied, the thicker the passive film formed. Electrochemical properties of the colored Ti passive layers are determined by recording polarization curves in the -0.8 - 3.2 V, RHE, range and Tafel plots in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) region in 1.0 M aqueous H 2 SO 4 solution. The polarization curves show that the corrosion potential of the colored passive layers shifts towards less-negative potential indicating that they are more stable than Ti under the same conditions. The Tafel plots for the HER demonstrate that the passive layers have much higher activity than Ti towards the HER. The Tafel relations reveal new features that can be associated with the partial breakdown/decomposition of the passive layers and with H absorption. (author)

Solar 92: The 1992 American Solar Energy Society annual conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burley, S.; Arden, M.E.

1992-01-01

The purpose of this symposium is to document the lessons learned from federal and state policies and programs in the late 1970's and 1980's aimed at promoting consumer use of solar energy. During this period the primary emphasis was on solar thermal technologies and passive solar design that could be used at the residential level, though there was also some information on stand-alone photovoltaic systems as well

Solar energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruisheer, N.

1992-01-01

In five brief articles product information is given on solar energy applications with special attention to the Netherlands. After an introduction on solar energy availability in the Netherlands the developments in solar boiler techniques are dealt with. Solar water heaters have advantages for the environment, and government subsidies stimulate different uses of such water heaters. Also the developments of solar cells show good prospects, not only for developing countries, but also for the industrialized countries. In brief the developments in solar energy storage and the connection of solar equipment to the grid are discussed. Finally attention is paid to the applications of passive solar energy in the housing construction, the use of transparent thermal insulation and the developments of translucent materials. 18 figs., 18 ills

Impact of the homogeneous junction breakdown in IBC solar cells on the passivation quality of Al 2 O 3 and SiO 2 : degradation and regeneration behavior

KAUST Repository

Müller, Ralph

2017-09-22

Within the last years, many different approaches for the simplified fabrication of interdigitated back-contact (IBC) solar cells have been developed. Most of those concepts result in emitter and back-surface field (BSF) regions that are in direct contact to each other which leads to a controlled breakdown under reverse bias at the pn junction. In this work, the influence of the reverse breakdown on the passivation quality of AlO and SiO at the pn junction is investigated, not only shedding light on the degradation but also on the regeneration behavior of the cells. It was found that cells with AlO passivation on the back side degrade during reverse breakdown whereas sister cells with SiO passivation were rather unaffected. Consequently, the degradation seems to be related to the passivation layer. However, it is shown that the passivation can be regenerated even under normal operation condition. A possible explanation is the discharging of interface traps, which are getting recharged already at room temperature.

Improved amorphous/crystalline silicon interface passivation for heterojunction solar cells by low-temperature chemical vapor deposition and post-annealing treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fengyou; Zhang, Xiaodan; Wang, Liguo; Jiang, Yuanjian; Wei, Changchun; Xu, Shengzhi; Zhao, Ying

2014-10-07

In this study, hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin films are deposited using a radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD) system. The Si-H configuration of the a-Si:H/c-Si interface is regulated by optimizing the deposition temperature and post-annealing duration to improve the minority carrier lifetime (τeff) of a commercial Czochralski (Cz) silicon wafer. The mechanism of this improvement involves saturation of the microstructural defects with hydrogen evolved within the a-Si:H films due to the transformation from SiH2 into SiH during the annealing process. The post-annealing temperature is controlled to ∼180 °C so that silicon heterojunction solar cells (SHJ) could be prepared without an additional annealing step. To achieve better performance of the SHJ solar cells, we also optimize the thickness of the a-Si:H passivation layer. Finally, complete SHJ solar cells are fabricated using different temperatures for the a-Si:H film deposition to study the influence of the deposition temperature on the solar cell parameters. For the optimized a-Si:H deposition conditions, an efficiency of 18.41% is achieved on a textured Cz silicon wafer.

Materials research for passive solar systems: Solid-state phase-change materials

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, D. K.; Webb, J. D.; Burrows, R. W.; McFadden, J. D. O.; Christensen, C.

1985-03-01

A set of solid-state phase-change materials is being evaluated for possible use in passive solar thermal energy storage systems. The most promising materials are organic solid solutions of pentaerythritol (C5H12O4), pentaglycerinve (C5H12O3), and neopentyl glycol (C5H12O2). Solid solution mixtures of these compounds can be tailored so that they exhibit solid-to-solid phase transformations at any desired temperature between 25 C and 188 C, and have latent heats of transformation etween 20 and 70 cal/g. Transformation temperatures, specific heats, and latent heats of transformation have been measured for a number of these materials. Limited cyclic experiments suggest that the solid solutions are stable. These phase-change materials exhibit large amounts of undercooling; however, the addition of certain nucleating agents as particulate dispersions in the solid phase-change material greatly reduces this effect. Computer simulations suggest that the use of an optimized solid-state phase-change material in a Trombe wall could provide better performance than a concrete Trombe wall four times thicker and nine times heavier.

Dielectric passivation schemes for high efficiency n-type c-si solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saynova, D.S.; Romijn, I.G.; Cesar, I.; Lamers, M.W.P.E.; Gutjahr, A. [ECN Solar Energy, P.O. Box 1, NL-1755 ZG Petten (Netherlands); Dingemans, G. [ASM, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Knoops, H.C.M.; Van de Loo, B.W.H.; Kessels, W.M.M. [Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Appl. Physics, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands); Siarheyeva, O.; Granneman, E. [Levitech BV, Versterkerstraat 10, 1322AP Almere (Netherlands); Venema, P.R.; Vlooswijk, A.H.G. [Tempress Systems BV, Radeweg 31, 8171 Vaassen (Netherlands); Gautero, L.; Borsa, D.M.

2013-10-15

We investigate the impact of different dielectric layers and stacks on the passivation properties of boron doped p{sup ++}-emitters and phosphorous doped n{sup +}-BSFs which are relevant for competitive n-type cell conversion efficiencies. The applied passivation schemes are associated with specific properties at c-Si/dielectric interface and functional mechanisms. In this way we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the passivation mechanism of the differently doped fields within the n-type cells and identify options to further improve the efficiency. The deposition technologies in our study comprise industrial PECVD systems and/or ALD both in industrial and lab scale configurations. In case of p{sup ++}-emitters the best results were achieved by combining field effect and chemical passivation using stacks of low temperature wet chemical oxide and thin ALD-AlOx capped with PECVD-SiNx. The corresponding Implied Voc values were of about (673{+-}2) mV and J{sub 0} of (68{+-}2) fA/cm{sup 2}. For the n{sup +}-BSF passivation the passivation scheme based on SiOx with or without additional AlOx film deposited by a lab scale temporal ALD processes and capped with PECVD-SiNx layer yielded a comparable Implied Voc of (673{+-}2) mV, but then corresponding to J{sub 0} value of (80{+-}15) fA/cm{sup 2}. This passivation scheme is mainly based on the chemical passivation and was also suitable for p{sup ++} surface. This means that we have demonstrated that for n-Pasha cells both the emitter and BSF can be passivated with the same type of passivation that should lead to > 20% cell efficiency. This offers the possibility for transfer this passivation scheme to advanced cell architectures, such as IBC.

Solar energy thermalization and storage device

Science.gov (United States)

McClelland, J.F.

A passive solar thermalization and thermal energy storage assembly which is visually transparent is described. The assembly consists of two substantial parallel, transparent wall members mounted in a rectangular support frame to form a liquid-tight chamber. A semitransparent thermalization plate is located in the chamber, substantially paralled to and about equidistant from the transparent wall members to thermalize solar radiation which is stored in a transparent thermal energy storage liquid which fills the chamber. A number of the devices, as modules, can be stacked together to construct a visually transparent, thermal storage wall for passive solar-heated buildings.

Solid state phase change materials for thermal energy storage in passive solar heated buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, D. K.; Christensen, C.

1983-11-01

A set of solid state phase change materials was evaluated for possible use in passive solar thermal energy storage systems. The most promising materials are organic solid solutions of pentaerythritol, pentaglycerine and neopentyl glycol. Solid solution mixtures of these compounds can be tailored so that they exhibit solid-to-solid phase transformations at any desired temperature within the range from less than 25 deg to 188 deg. Thermophysical properties such as thermal conductivity, density and volumetric expansion were measured. Computer simulations were used to predict the performance of various Trombe wall designs incorporating solid state phase change materials. Optimum performance was found to be sensitive to the choice of phase change temperatures and to the thermal conductivity of the phase change material. A molecular mechanism of the solid state phase transition is proposed and supported by infrared spectroscopic evidence.

Solar heating at the P. E. I. Ark

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

MacKay, K.T.

1979-01-01

Both active and passive solar heating systems are employed at the P.E.I. Ark. An active drain-down system, which stores heat in water located in 70,000 litre concrete tanks, supplies heat to the living area. Domestic hot water is heated by a thermosiphon drain-down solar system coupled to a wood cookstove. Environmental design of the Ark allows for maximum use of passive solar energy. The passive system supplies the majority of the heating load on sunny days, while wood stoves supply the back-up heat. The performance of the active system has required high maintenance because of problems in the mechanical and electrical systems. This, coupled with the high initial cost, has not made the system cost effective. The 178m/sup 2/ commercial greenhouse uses a hybrid system with both active and passive systems. The active system employs a fan to draw air through rock storage. The passive system employs the high thermal mass of the deep soil beds, a concrete slab, and most importantly, 53,200 litres of water in translucent tanks. These tanks are then used for fish rearing and are the basis for a solar hatchery. The greenhouse has performed very well, producing crops year round since 1976.

Colloidal-quantum-dot photovoltaics using atomic-ligand passivation

KAUST Repository

Tang, Jiang

2011-09-18

Colloidal-quantum-dot (CQD) optoelectronics offer a compelling combination of solution processing and spectral tunability through quantum size effects. So far, CQD solar cells have relied on the use of organic ligands to passivate the surface of the semiconductor nanoparticles. Although inorganic metal chalcogenide ligands have led to record electronic transport parameters in CQD films, no photovoltaic device has been reported based on such compounds. Here we establish an atomic ligand strategy that makes use of monovalent halide anions to enhance electronic transport and successfully passivate surface defects in PbS CQD films. Both time-resolved infrared spectroscopy and transient device characterization indicate that the scheme leads to a shallower trap state distribution than the best organic ligands. Solar cells fabricated following this strategy show up to 6% solar AM1.5G power-conversion efficiency. The CQD films are deposited at room temperature and under ambient atmosphere, rendering the process amenable to low-cost, roll-by-roll fabrication. © 2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Modeling of hydrogen passivation process of silicon for solar cells applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuznicki, Z.T.; Ciach, R.; Gorley, P.M.; Voznyy, M.V.

2001-01-01

In this paper, results of investigation of evolution equations' system describing hydrogen passivation of silicon are presented. Using Lie group theory the classification of invariant solutions and initial system reduction to systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) is carried out for admissible infinitesimal operators under constant hydrogen atoms diffusivity in the sample. Possibility of analytical solution of passivation problem is shown. Analysis of system behavior taking into account diffusion and dissociation mechanisms is performed. It is ascertained that free hydrogen atoms diffusion in the sample and 'defect-hydrogen' dissociation spoil passivation. Analytical dependences obtained make it possible to predict spatial and time defect distribution under hydrogen passivation of silicon depending on experimental conditions

Solar cell with back side contacts

Science.gov (United States)

Nielson, Gregory N; Okandan, Murat; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis; Resnick, Paul J; Wanlass, Mark Woodbury; Clews, Peggy J

2013-12-24

A III-V solar cell is described herein that includes all back side contacts. Additionally, the positive and negative electrical contacts contact compoud semiconductor layers of the solar cell other than the absorbing layer of the solar cell. That is, the positive and negative electrical contacts contact passivating layers of the solar cell.

Passive microwave remote sensing of soil moisture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackson, T.J.; Schmugge, T.J.

1986-01-01

Microwave remote sensing provides a unique capability for direct observation of soil moisture. Remote measurements from space afford the possibility of obtaining frequent, global sampling of soil moisture over a large fraction of the Earth's land surface. Microwave measurements have the benefit of being largely unaffected by cloud cover and variable surface solar illumination, but accurate soil moisture estimates are limited to regions that have either bare soil or low to moderate amounts of vegetation cover. A particular advantage of passive microwave sensors is that in the absence of significant vegetation cover soil moisture is the dominant effect on the received signal. The spatial resolutions of passive microwave soil moisture sensors currently considered for space operation are in the range 10–20 km. The most useful frequency range for soil moisture sensing is 1–5 GHz. System design considerations include optimum choice of frequencies, polarizations, and scanning configurations, based on trade-offs between requirements for high vegetation penetration capability, freedom from electromagnetic interference, manageable antenna size and complexity, and the requirement that a sufficient number of information channels be available to correct for perturbing geophysical effects. This paper outlines the basic principles of the passive microwave technique for soil moisture sensing, and reviews briefly the status of current retrieval methods. Particularly promising are methods for optimally assimilating passive microwave data into hydrologic models. Further studies are needed to investigate the effects on microwave observations of within-footprint spatial heterogeneity of vegetation cover and subsurface soil characteristics, and to assess the limitations imposed by heterogeneity on the retrievability of large-scale soil moisture information from remote observations

CURRENT TRENDS IN THE USE OF SOLAR ENERGY

OpenAIRE

Vanya Zhivkova

2013-01-01

Solar energy represents the amount of solar radiation per unit time on unit area. Solar energy is used to obtain thermal energy through solar, and electrical energy through exist for solar energy: passive and active. The utilization of solar energy is essential for the development of human civilization.

Atomic-layer deposited passivation schemes for c-Si solar cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Loo, B.W.H.; Macco, B.; Melskens, J.; Verheijen, M.A.; Kessels, W.M.M.E.

2016-01-01

A review of recent developments in the field of passivation of c-Si surfaces is presented, with a particular focus on materials that can be prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Besides Al2O3, various other novel passivation schemes have recently been developed, such as Ga2O3, Ta2O5,

Thin layer drying characteristics of curry leaves (Murraya koenigii in an indirect solar dryer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vijayan Selvaraj

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this work, the thin layer drying characteristics of curry leaves (Murraya koenigii has been studied in an indirect forced convection solar dryer with constant air mass flow rate of 0.0636 kg/s. Twelve thin layer drying models were tested for its suitability to describe the drying characteristics of curry leaves. The dryer has reduced the initial moisture content of curry leaves from 67.3% (wet basis to the final moisture content of 4.75% (wet basis in 3.5 hours. The pickup efficiency of indirect solar dryer for drying curry leaves was varied between 4.9% and 23.02%. Based on the statistical parameters, the Modified Henderson and Pabis model and Wang and Singh model were selected for predicting the drying characteristics of curry leaves. The payback period for the solar dryer was evaluated as 8 months, which is found to be much lower when compared with the entire life span of 15 years. The payback evaluation confirms that the solar dryer is economically viable in rural applications.

Passive House Solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strom, I.; Joosten, L.; Boonstra, C. [DHV Sustainability Consultants, Eindhoiven (Netherlands)

2006-05-15

PEP stands for 'Promotion of European Passive Houses' and is a consortium of European partners, supported by the European Commission, Directorate General for Energy and Transport. In this working paper an overview is given of Passive House solutions. An inventory has been made of Passive House solutions for new build residences applied in each country. Based on this, the most common basic solutions have been identified and described in further detail, including the extent to which solutions are applied in common and best practice and expected barriers for the implementation in each country. An inventory per country is included in the appendix. The analysis of Passive House solutions in partner countries shows high priority with regard to the performance of the thermal envelope, such as high insulation of walls, roofs, floors and windows/ doors, thermal bridge-free construction and air tightness. Due to the required air tightness, special attention must be paid to indoor air quality through proper ventilation. Finally, efficient ((semi-)solar) heating systems for combined space and DHW heating still require a significant amount of attention in most partner countries. Other basic Passive House solutions show a smaller discrepancy with common practice and fewer barriers have been encountered in partner countries. In the next section, the general barriers in partner countries have been inventoried. For each type of barrier a suggested approach has been given. Most frequently encountered barriers in partner countries are: limited know-how; limited contractor skills; and acceptation of Passive Houses in the market. Based on the suggested approaches to overcoming barriers, this means that a great deal of attention must be paid to providing practical information and solutions to building professionals, providing practical training to installers and contractors and communication about the Passive House concept to the market.

CURRENT TRENDS IN THE USE OF SOLAR ENERGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanya Zhivkova

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Solar energy represents the amount of solar radiation per unit time on unit area. Solar energy is used to obtain thermal energy through solar, and electrical energy through exist for solar energy: passive and active. The utilization of solar energy is essential for the development of human civilization.

Nano-crystalline thin and nano-particulate thick TiO{sub 2} layer: Cost effective sequential deposition and study on dye sensitized solar cell characteristics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, P.; Sengupta, D. [Centre for Advanced Materials Processing, CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Durgapur, 713209 West Bengal (India); CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Durgapur, 713209 West Bengal (India); Kasinadhuni, U. [Department of Engineering Physics, Bengal College of Engineering and Technology, Durgapur, West Bengal (India); Mondal, B. [Centre for Advanced Materials Processing, CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Durgapur, 713209 West Bengal (India); Mukherjee, K., E-mail: kalisadhanm@yahoo.com [Centre for Advanced Materials Processing, CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Durgapur, 713209 West Bengal (India)

2015-06-15

Highlights: • Thin TiO{sub 2} layer is deposited on conducting substrate using sol–gel based dip coating. • TiO{sub 2} nano-particles are synthesized using hydrothermal route. • Thick TiO{sub 2} particulate layer is deposited on prepared thin layer. • Dye sensitized solar cells are made using thin and thick layer based photo-anode. • Introduction of thin layer in particulate photo-anode improves the cell efficiency. - Abstract: A compact thin TiO{sub 2} passivation layer is introduced between the mesoporous TiO{sub 2} nano-particulate layer and the conducting glass substrate to prepare photo-anode for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). In order to understand the effect of passivation layer, other two DSSCs are also developed separately using TiO{sub 2} nano-particulate and compact thin film based photo-anodes. Nano-particles are prepared using hydrothermal synthesis route and the compact passivation layer is prepared by simply dip coating the precursor sol prepared through wet chemical route. The TiO{sub 2} compact layer and the nano-particles are characterised in terms of their micro-structural features and phase formation behavior. It is found that introduction of a compact TiO{sub 2} layer in between the mesoporous TiO{sub 2} nano-particulate layer and the conducting substrate improves the solar to electric conversion efficiency of the fabricated cell. The dense thin passivation layer is supposed to enhance the photo-excited electron transfer and prevent the recombination of photo-excited electrons.

Design, fabrication and performance of a hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) active solar still

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Shiv; Tiwari, Arvind

2010-01-01

Two solar stills (single slope passive and single slope photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) active solar still) were fabricated and tested at solar energy park, IIT New Delhi (India) for composite climate. Photovoltaic operated DC water pump was used between solar still and photovoltaic (PV) integrated flat plate collector to re-circulate the water through the collectors and transfer it to the solar still. The newly designed hybrid (PV/T) active solar still is self-sustainable and can be used in remote areas, need to transport distilled water from a distance and not connected to grid, but blessed with ample solar energy. Experiments were performed for 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15 m water depth, round the year 2006-2007 for both the stills. It has been observed that maximum daily yield of 2.26 kg and 7.22 kg were obtained from passive and hybrid active solar still, respectively at 0.05 m water depth. The daily yield from hybrid active solar still is around 3.2 and 5.5 times higher than the passive solar still in summer and winter month, respectively. The study has shown that this design of the hybrid active solar still also provides higher electrical and overall thermal efficiency, which is about 20% higher than the passive solar still.

Implications of passive safety based on historical industrial experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forsberg, C.W.

1988-01-01

In the past decade, there have been multiple proposals for applying different technologies to achieve passively safe light water reactors (LWRs). A key question for all such concepts is, ''What are the gains in safety, costs, and reliability for passive safety systems.'' Using several types of historical data, estimates have been made of gains from passive safety and operating systems, which are independent of technology. Proposals for passive safety in reactors usually have three characteristics: (1) Passive systems with no moving mechanical parts, (2) systems with far fewer components and (3) more stringent design criteria for safety-related and process systems. Each characteristic reduces the potential for an accident and may increase plant reliability. This paper addresses gains from items (1) and (2). Passive systems often allow adoption of more rigorous design criteria which would be either impossible or economically unfeasible for active systems. This important characteristic of passive safety systems cannot be easily addressed using historical industrial experience

Radicals and ions controlling by adjusting the antenna-substrate distance in a-Si:H deposition using a planar ICP for c-Si surface passivation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, H.P., E-mail: haipzhou@uestc.edu.cn [School of Energy Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 2006 Xiyuan Ave., West High-Tech Zone, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611731 (China); Plasma Sources and Application Center, NIE, and Institute of Advanced Studies, Nanyang Technological University, 637616 (Singapore); Xu, S., E-mail: shuyan.xu@nie.edu.sg [Plasma Sources and Application Center, NIE, and Institute of Advanced Studies, Nanyang Technological University, 637616 (Singapore); Xu, M. [Key Laboratory of Information Materials of Sichuan Province & School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu, 610041 (China); Xu, L.X.; Wei, D.Y. [Plasma Sources and Application Center, NIE, and Institute of Advanced Studies, Nanyang Technological University, 637616 (Singapore); Xiang, Y. [School of Energy Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, 2006 Xiyuan Ave., West High-Tech Zone, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611731 (China); Xiao, S.Q. [Key Laboratory of Advanced Process Control for Light Industry (Ministry of Education), Department of Electronic Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122 (China)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • A planar ICP was used to grow a-Si:H films for c-Si surface passivation. • The direct- and remote-plasma was compared for high-quality c-Si surface passivation. • The remote ICP with controlled plasma species and ion bombardments is preferable for the surface passivation of c-Si. - Abstract: Being a key issue in the research and fabrication of silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells, crystalline silicon (c-Si) surface passivation is theoretically and technologically intricate due to its complicate dependence on plasma characteristics, material properties, and plasma-material interactions. Here amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) grown by a planar inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactor working under different antenna-substrate distances of d was used for the surface passivation of low-resistivity p-type c-Si. It is found that the microstructures (i.e., the crystallinity, Si-H bonding configuration etc.) and passivation function on c-Si of the deposited a-Si:H were profoundly influenced by the parameter of d, which primarily determines the types of growing precursors of SiH{sub n}/H contributing to the film growth and the interaction between the plasma and growing surface. c-Si surface passivation is analyzed in terms of the d-dependent a-Si:H properties and plasma characteristics. The controlling of radical types and ion bombardment on the growing surface through adjusting parameter d is emphasized.

The impact of the year-on-year variation in the intensity of solar radiation on the energy intensity of low-energy and passive houses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Šubrt Roman

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Solar radiation is a significant segment of heat gains in the operation of buildings. The importance of this segment is highlighted by lowering the energy performance of buildings. The current condition of assessment considers the standard values of solar radiation but these are often very different from the fair values. In the contribution it draws attention to not only to on-year variation in solar fluctuations in the intensity of solar radiation and its significant long-term deviation from the standard values but also to the impact to energy building in reliance to its energy intensity. The attention will be focused also to different values in standards valid in the Czech Republic. This specification of energy assessment of buildings is not only necessary to approximate calculations of real state, but mainly because we can expect more disputes about if a building has declared calculating the parameters of a building with nearly zero-energy or passive house.

Assessment of integrated solar ultraviolet radiation by PM-355 detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abu-Jarad, F.; Al-Jarallah, M.I.; Elhadidy, M.A.; Shaahid, S.M.; Fazal-ur-Rehman

2000-01-01

The increase in environmental solar UV radiation due to depletion of ozone layer is a recent challenge to human health (skin cancer and eye effects) in countries having clear skies. Therefore, applying integrated, passive and inexpensive techniques to assess solar UV radiation is very much essential. Measurements of environmental solar UV radiation in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia area were carried out for a period of two months in the summer period in 1996 using two techniques in parallel namely: passive nuclear track detectors and active solar UV radiometers. Some of the nuclear track detectors were mounted in different conditions such as: under shadow band, on solar tracking mechanism following the solar rays. Others were mounted on perpendicular, tilted and horizontal surfaces in sunlight. All detectors were attached to a wooden background of the same thickness (0.5 cm) to eliminate interference of the heat effect of various support materials and have uniformity of the support materials. The assessment was carried out for different periods extending from two to nine weeks continuously. The investigated period covered the hottest months in Saudi Arabia (July and August) when the sky was clear of clouds. The results indicate linear correlation between alpha track diameters and the integrated exposure to solar UV as measured by the solar UV radiometer for all nuclear track detector positions and orientations. The highest slope has been observed for the detectors placed on solar tracking mechanism following the solar rays and the lowest from detectors oriented under the shadow band on horizontal position (measuring the diffused UV radiation only). The results show that most of the measured UV radiation (60%) were from the diffused UV radiation. The characteristics of the upper layer of the detectors are changed after chemical etching very quickly, with increase in the exposure time to UV solar radiation at certain orientation. The results encourage the use of nuclear track

Assessment of integrated solar ultraviolet radiation by PM-355 detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abu-Jarad, F.; Al-Jarallah, M.I.; Elhadidy, M.A.; Shaahid, S.M.; Fazal-ur-Rehman

2000-06-01

The increase in environmental solar UV radiation due to depletion of ozone layer is a recent challenge to human health (skin cancer and eye effects) in countries having clear skies. Therefore, applying integrated, passive and inexpensive techniques to assess solar UV radiation is very much essential. Measurements of environmental solar UV radiation in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia area were carried out for a period of two months in the summer period in 1996 using two techniques in parallel namely: passive nuclear track detectors and active solar UV radiometers. Some of the nuclear track detectors were mounted in different conditions such as: under shadow band, on solar tracking mechanism following the solar rays. Others were mounted on perpendicular, tilted and horizontal surfaces in sunlight. All detectors were attached to a wooden background of the same thickness (0.5 cm) to eliminate interference of the heat effect of various support materials and have uniformity of the support materials. The assessment was carried out for different periods extending from two to nine weeks continuously. The investigated period covered the hottest months in Saudi Arabia (July and August) when the sky was clear of clouds. The results indicate linear correlation between alpha track diameters and the integrated exposure to solar UV as measured by the solar UV radiometer for all nuclear track detector positions and orientations. The highest slope has been observed for the detectors placed on solar tracking mechanism following the solar rays and the lowest from detectors oriented under the shadow band on horizontal position (measuring the diffused UV radiation only). The results show that most of the measured UV radiation (60%) were from the diffused UV radiation. The characteristics of the upper layer of the detectors are changed after chemical etching very quickly, with increase in the exposure time to UV solar radiation at certain orientation. The results encourage the use of nuclear track

Numerical research of dynamic characteristics in tower solar cavity receiver based on step-change radiation flux

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhengwei; Wang, Yueshe; Hao, Yun; Wang, Qizhi

2013-07-01

The solar cavity receiver is an important light-energy to thermal-energy convector in the tower solar thermal power plant system. The heat flux in the inner surface of the cavity will show the characteristics of non-continuous step change especially in non-normal and transient weather conditions, which may result in a continuous dynamic variation of the characteristic parameters. Therefore, the research of dynamic characteristics of the receiver plays a very important role in the operation and the control safely in solar cavity receiver system. In this paper, based on the non-continuous step change of radiation flux, a non-linear dynamic model is put forward to obtain the effects of the non-continuous step change radiation flux and step change feed water flow on the receiver performance by sequential modular approach. The subject investigated in our study is a 1MW solar power station constructed in Yanqing County, Beijing. This study has obtained the dynamic responses of the characteristic parameters in the cavity receiver, such as drum pressure, drum water level, main steam flow and main steam enthalpy under step change radiation flux. And the influence law of step-change feed water flow to the dynamic characteristics in the receiver also has been analyzed. The results have a reference value for the safe operation and the control in solar cavity receiver system.

Characterization of the nanosized porous structure of black Si solar cells fabricated via a screen printing process

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Tang Yehua; Fei Jianming; Cao Hongbin; Zhou Chunlan; Wang Wenjing; Zhou Su; Zhao Yan; Zhao Lei; Li Hailing; Yan Baojun; Chen Jingwei

2012-01-01

A silicon (Si) surface with a nanosized porous structure was formed via simple wet chemical etching catalyzed by gold (Au) nanoparticles on p-type Cz-Si (100).The average reflectivity from 300 to 1200 nm was less than 1.5％.Black Si solar cells were then fabricated using a conventional production process.The results reflected the output characteristics of the cells fabricated using different etching depths and emitter dopant profiles.Heavier dopants and shallower etching depths should be adopted to optimize the black Si solar cell output characteristics.The efficiency at the optimized etching time and dopant profile was 12.17％.However,surface passivation and electrode contact due to the nanosized porous surface structure are still obstacles to obtaining high conversion efficiency for the black Si solar cells.

Passive dosimetry aboard the Mir Orbital Station: internal measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benton, E.R.; Benton, E.V.; Frank, A.L.

2002-01-01

Passive radiation dosimeters were exposed aboard the Mir Orbital Station over a substantial portion of the solar cycle in order to measure the change in dose and dose equivalent rates as a function of time. During solar minimum, simultaneous measurements of the radiation environment throughout the habitable volume of the Mir were made using passive dosimeters in order to investigate the effect of localized shielding on dose and dose equivalent. The passive dosimeters consisted of a combination of thermoluminescent detectors to measure absorbed dose and CR-39 PNTDs to measure the linear energy transfer (LET) spectrum from charged particles of LET ∞ H 2 O≥5 keV/μm. Results from the two detector types were then combined to yield mean total dose rate, mean dose equivalent rate, and average quality factor. Contrary to expectations, both dose and dose equivalent rates measured during May-October 1991 near solar maximum were higher than similar measurements carried out in 1996-1997 during solar minimum. The elevated dose and dose equivalent rates measured in 1991 were probably due to a combination of intense solar activity, including a large solar particle event on 9 June 1991, and the temporary trapped radiation belt created in the slot region by the solar particle event and ensuing magnetic storm of 24 March 1991. During solar minimum, mean dose and dose equivalent rates were found to vary by factors of 1.55 and 1.37, respectively, between different locations through the interior of Mir. More heavily shielded locations tended to yield lower total dose and dose equivalent rates, but higher average quality factor than did more lightly shielding locations. However, other factors such as changes in the immediate shielding environment surrounding a given detector location, changes in the orientation of the Mir relative to its velocity vector, and changes in the altitude of the station also contributed to the variation. Proton and neutron-induced target fragment

Research and development of photovoltaic power system. Research on surface passivation for high-efficiency silicon solar cells; Taiyoko hatsuden system no kenkyu kaihatsu. Hyomen passivation no kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saito, T [Tokyo Univ. of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo (Japan). Faculty of Technology

1994-12-01

This paper reports the result obtained during fiscal 1994 on research on surface passivation of high-efficiency silicon solar cells. In research on carrier recombination on SiO2/doped silicon interface, measurements were carried out on minority carrier life with respect to p-type silicon substrates with which phosphorus with high and low concentrations are diffused uniformly on the surface and non-uniformly on the back and then oxidized. The measurements were performed for the purpose of evaluating the carrier recombination at p-n junctions. Effective life time of oxidized test samples increased longer than that of prior to the oxidization as a result of effect of surface passivation contributing remarkably. In research on reduction in carrier recombination on SiO2/Si interface by using H radical annealing, experiments were conducted by using a method that uses more active H-atoms. As a result, it was revealed that the reduction effect is recognized at as low temperature as 200{degree}C, and photo-bias effect is also noticeable. Other research activities included analytic research on minority carrier recombination on micro crystalline silicon/crystalline silicon interface, and experimental research on evaluation of minority carrier life of poly-crystalline silicon wafers. 6 figs.

Solar Glazing Tips for School Construction

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jonathan

2012-01-01

Glazing can be optimized to enhance passive solar heating and daylight harvesting by exceeding the prescriptive limits of the energy code. This savings can be garnered without the high cost of external overhangs or expensive glazing products. The majority of savings from solar glazing are attributable to the increase in solar heating and…

Passive safety design characteristics of the KALIMER-600 burner reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Young-Min; Jeong, Hae-Yong; Cho, Chung-Ho; Ha, Ki-Seok; Kim, Sang-Ji

2009-01-01

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has recently studied several burner core designs for a transuranics (TRU) transmutation based on the breakeven core geometry of KALIMER-600. The KALIMER-600 is a net electrical rating of 600MWe, sodium-cooled, metallic-fueled, pool-type reactor. For the burner core concept selected for the present analysis, the smearing fractions of the fuel rods in three fuel zones are changed while maintaining the cladding outer diameter and cladding thickness. The resulting fuel slug smearing fractions of the inner, middle, and outer core zones are 36%, 40%, and 48%, respectively. The TRU conversion ratio is 0.57 and the TRU enrichment of the driver fuel is set to 30.0 w/o because of the current practical limitation of the U-TRU-10%Zr metal fuel database. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the safety performance characteristics provided by the passive safety design features in the KALIMER-600 burner reactor by using a system-wide safety analysis code. The present scoping analysis focuses on an assessment of the enhanced safety design features that provide passive and self-regulating responses to transient conditions and an evaluation of the safety margin during unprotected overpower, unprotected loss of flow, and unprotected loss of heat sink events. The analysis results show that the KALIMER-600 burner reactor provides larger safety margins with respect to the sodium boiling, fuel rod integrity, and structural integrity. The overall inherent safety can be enhanced by accounting for the reactivity feedback mechanisms in the design process. (author)

In Situ Passivation for Efficient PbS Quantum Dot Solar Cells by Precursor Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yongjie; Lu, Kunyuan; Han, Lu; Liu, Zeke; Shi, Guozheng; Fang, Honghua; Chen, Si; Wu, Tian; Yang, Fan; Gu, Mengfan; Zhou, Sijie; Ling, Xufeng; Tang, Xun; Zheng, Jiawei; Loi, Maria Antonietta; Ma, Wanli

2018-04-01

Current efforts on lead sulfide quantum dot (PbS QD) solar cells are mostly paid to the device architecture engineering and postsynthetic surface modification, while very rare work regarding the optimization of PbS synthesis is reported. Here, PbS QDs are successfully synthesized using PbO and PbAc 2  · 3H 2 O as the lead sources. QD solar cells based on PbAc-PbS have demonstrated a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.82% (and independently certificated values of 10.62%), which is significantly higher than the PCE of 9.39% for PbO-PbS QD based ones. For the first time, systematic investigations are carried out on the effect of lead precursor engineering on the device performance. It is revealed that acetate can act as an efficient capping ligands together with oleic acid, providing better surface coverage and replace some of the harmful hydroxyl (OH) ligands during the synthesis. Then the acetate on the surface can be exchanged by iodide and lead to desired passivation. This work demonstrates that the precursor engineering has great potential in performance improvement. It is also pointed out that the initial synthesis is an often neglected but critical stage and has abundant room for optimization to further improve the quality of the resultant QDs, leading to breakthrough efficiency. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Monitoring on board spacecraft by means of passive detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ambrozova, I.; Brabcova, K.; Spurny, F.; Shurshakov, V. A.; Kartsev, I. S.; Tolochek, R. V.

2011-01-01

To estimate the radiation risk of astronauts during space missions, it is necessary to measure dose characteristics in various compartments of the spacecraft; this knowledge can be further used for estimating the health hazard in planned missions. This contribution presents results obtained during several missions on board the International Space Station (ISS) during 2005-09. A combination of thermoluminescent and plastic nuclear track detectors was used to measure the absorbed dose and dose equivalent. These passive detectors have several advantages, especially small dimensions, which enabled their placement at various locations in different compartments inside the ISS or inside the phantom. Variation of dosimetric quantities with the phase of the solar cycle and the position inside the ISS is discussed. (authors)

Improvement in IBC-silicon solar cell performance by insertion of highly doped crystalline layer at heterojunction interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bashiri, Hadi; Azim Karami, Mohammad; Mohammadnejad, Shahramm

2017-01-01

By inserting a thin highly doped crystalline silicon layer between the base region and amorphous silicon layer in an interdigitated back-contact (IBC) silicon solar cell, a new passivation layer is investigated. The passivation layer performance is characterized by numerical simulations. Moreover, the dependence of the output parameters of the solar cell on the additional layer parameters (doping concentration and thickness) is studied. By optimizing the additional passivation layer in terms of doping concentration and thickness, the power conversion efficiency could be improved by a factor of 2.5%, open circuit voltage is increased by 30 mV and the fill factor of the solar cell by 7.4%. The performance enhancement is achieved due to the decrease of recombination rate, a decrease in solar cell resistivity and improvement of field effect passivation at heterojunction interface. The above-mentioned results are compared with reported results of the same conventional interdigitated back-contact silicon solar cell structure. Furthermore, the effect of a-Si:H/c-Si interface defect density on IBC silicon solar cell parameters with a new passivation layer is studied. The additional passivation layer also reduces the sensitivity of output parameter of solar cell to interface defect density. (paper)

Starting a local conservation and passive solar retrofit program: an energy planning sourcebook

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barber, V; Mathews, R

1982-02-01

A city planner or a neighborhood activist may wish to initiate a local conservation and passive solar retrofit program but may not have previous experience in doing so. This sourcebook is designed to assist interested individuals with their energy planning efforts, from determining retrofit potential, to financing and implementing the program. An approach or methodology is provided which can be applied to determine retrofit potential in single-family residences, mobile homes, multifamily residences, and nonresidential buildings. Case studies in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are given as examples. Guidelines are provided for evaluating the economic benefits of a retrofit program through benefit-cost analysis and economic base studies at the city and neighborhood levels. Also included are approaches to community outreach, detailing how to get started, how to gain local support, and examples of successful programs throughout the US. The need for financing, the development of a local strategy, public and private financing techniques, and community energy service organizations are examined. In addition to the Albuquerque case studies, a brief technology characterization, heat-loss calculations, economic tools, and a list of resources are appended.

Climate classification and passive solar design implications in China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lau, Chris C.S.; Lam, Joseph C. [Building Energy Research Group, Department of Building and Construction, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Yang, Liu [School of Architecture, Xi' an University of Architecture and Technology, Shaanxi 710055 (China)

2007-07-15

China's climate differs greatly in various regions, ranging from severe cold to hot and arid to humid. This has significant influences on energy efficient building design strategies and energy use. Solar radiation data from 123 measuring stations were used to propose a map indicating the solar radiation climates in China. A cluster analysis was adopted to identify the prevailing solar climates using the monthly average daily clearness index, K{sub t}, as climatic variable. Five major solar climates were identified with annual average K{sub t} ranging from 0.3 in the Sichuan Basin to 0.65 in the north and northwest regions. The solar climates were compared with the more widely used general (thermal) climates (severe cold, cold, hot summer and cold winter, mild and hot summer and warm winter) and the major topography (basin, plain and plateau), and implications for building designs were briefly discussed. (author)

Climate classification and passive solar design implications in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lau, Chris C.S.; Lam, Joseph C.; Yang, Liu

2007-01-01

China's climate differs greatly in various regions, ranging from severe cold to hot and arid to humid. This has significant influences on energy efficient building design strategies and energy use. Solar radiation data from 123 measuring stations were used to propose a map indicating the solar radiation climates in China. A cluster analysis was adopted to identify the prevailing solar climates using the monthly average daily clearness index, K t , as climatic variable. Five major solar climates were identified with annual average K t ranging from 0.3 in the Sichuan Basin to 0.65 in the north and northwest regions. The solar climates were compared with the more widely used general (thermal) climates (severe cold, cold, hot summer and cold winter, mild and hot summer and warm winter) and the major topography (basin, plain and plateau), and implications for building designs were briefly discussed

Experimental Study of the Effect for Water Depth on the Mass Transfer of Passive Solar Still Chemical Solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fayadh M. Abed

2018-01-01

Full Text Available An experimental study on a passive solar distiller in the Tikrit city on (latitude line"34 36o north, longitude line "45 43o east, and purpose of that study to raise the efficiency and productivity of the solar distiller. And then design the monoclinic solar distiller and add reflector plate and a solar concentrate. The Practical tests were conducted at a rate of every half-hour from the beginning of February to the beginning of the month of June. The study began by comparing the solar distiller that contain the concentrates and without contain it. Then study the influence of adding coal and chemical solutions, like blue Thymol solution and blue bromophenol solution to see the additions effect on the productivity and efficiency of distiller, and also The study was conducted to see the effect of the water depth on the productivity of distiller with take four water depths within the basin are (2,1.5,1,0.5 cm of water. The tests were conducted in weather conditions close. and the results of the study, That distilled added his concentrates improved its productivity by 46% and efficiency increases 43% with non-use of concentrates, and coal increased efficiency by 36% and productivity improved up to 38%, the addition of  blue Thymol solution increases the efficiency by 19% and productivity by 16%, as well as bromophenol solution  increase productivity by 23% and improve efficiency by 25%, when comparing the additions found that the best one is coal. Through the study of the depth of the water show that increases productivity and efficiency by reducing the depth of the water in the basin distiller. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.25130/tjes.24.2017.13

Hood River Passive House

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hales, David [BA-PIRC, Spokane, WA (United States)

2014-01-01

The Hood River Passive Project was developed by Root Design Build of Hood River Oregon using the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) to meet all of the requirements for certification under the European Passive House standards. The Passive House design approach has been gaining momentum among residential designers for custom homes and BEopt modeling indicates that these designs may actually exceed the goal of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Building America program to "reduce home energy use by 30%-50% (compared to 2009 energy codes for new homes). This report documents the short term test results of the Shift House and compares the results of PHPP and BEopt modeling of the project. The design includes high R-Value assemblies, extremely tight construction, high performance doors and windows, solar thermal DHW, heat recovery ventilation, moveable external shutters and a high performance ductless mini-split heat pump. Cost analysis indicates that many of the measures implemented in this project did not meet the BA standard for cost neutrality. The ductless mini-split heat pump, lighting and advanced air leakage control were the most cost effective measures. The future challenge will be to value engineer the performance levels indicated here in modeling using production based practices at a significantly lower cost.

Modelling of electric characteristics of 150-watt peak solar panel using Boltzmann sigmoid function under various temperature and irradiance

Science.gov (United States)

Sapteka, A. A. N. G.; Narottama, A. A. N. M.; Winarta, A.; Amerta Yasa, K.; Priambodo, P. S.; Putra, N.

2018-01-01

Solar energy utilized with solar panel is a renewable energy that needs to be studied further. The site nearest to the equator, it is not surprising, receives the highest solar energy. In this paper, a modelling of electrical characteristics of 150-Watt peak solar panels using Boltzmann sigmoid function under various temperature and irradiance is reported. Current, voltage, temperature and irradiance data in Denpasar, a city located at just south of equator, was collected. Solar power meter is used to measure irradiance level, meanwhile digital thermometer is used to measure temperature of front and back panels. Short circuit current and open circuit voltage data was also collected at different temperature and irradiance level. Statistically, the electrical characteristics of 150-Watt peak solar panel can be modelled using Boltzmann sigmoid function with good fit. Therefore, it can be concluded that Boltzmann sigmoid function might be used to determine current and voltage characteristics of 150-Watt peak solar panel under various temperature and irradiance.

Experimental investigation into heating and airflow in trombe walls and solar chimneys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Habib, A.; Burek, S.

2006-01-01

Trombe Walls and solar chimneys are examples of passive solar air heating systems. However, the airflow and thermal efficiency characteristics of this type of system are not well understood, and partly for this reason, they are not commonly utilised. This paper reports on an experimental investigation into buoyancy-driven convection in a test rig designed to simulate the operation of a passive solar collector. The test rig comprised a vertical open-ended channel, approximately 1a square, heated from one side. The channel depth could be varied from 20mm to 110mm, and heating inputs varied from 200W to 1000W. Temperatures and airflow rates were measured and recorded, to characterise both steady-state and transient performance. The principal findings are: 1. Time constants (for heating)ranged typically between 30 and 70 minutes. 2. Flow regimes were mainly laminar (Reynolds number varing from ∼500 to ∼4000, depending on heat input and channel depth. 3. The thermal efficiency (as a solar collector and the heat transfer coefficient were functions of heat input, and were not depended on the channel depth. 4. The mass flow rate through the channel increased bath as the heat input increased and as the channel depth increased. The paper presents these findings and discusses their implications in more detail.(Author)

Amine-Based Passivating Materials for Enhanced Optical Properties and Performance of Organic-Inorganic Perovskites in Light-Emitting Diodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seungjin; Park, Jong Hyun; Lee, Bo Ram; Jung, Eui Dae; Yu, Jae Choul; Di Nuzzo, Daniele; Friend, Richard H; Song, Myoung Hoon

2017-04-20

The use of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites in optoelectronic applications are attracting an interest because of their outstanding characteristics, which enable a remarkable enhancement of device efficiency. However, solution-processed perovskite crystals unavoidably contain defect sites that cause hysteresis in perovskite solar cells (PeSCs) and blinking in perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs). Here, we report significant beneficial effects using a new treatment based on amine-based passivating materials (APMs) to passivate the defect sites of methylammonium lead tribromide (MAPbBr 3 ) through coordinate bonding between the nitrogen atoms and undercoordinated lead ions. This treatment greatly enhanced the PeLED's efficiency, with an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 6.2%, enhanced photoluminescence (PL), a lower threshold for amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), a longer PL lifetime, and enhanced device stability. Using confocal microscopy, we observed the cessation of PL blinking in perovskite films treated with ethylenediamine (EDA) due to passivation of the defect sites in the MAPbBr 3 .

Target Detection Based on EBPSK Satellite Passive Radar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu Zeyuan

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Passive radar is a topic anti stealth technology with simple structure, and low cost. Radiation source model, signal transmission model, and target detection are the key points of passive radar technology research. The paper analyzes the characteristics of EBPSK signal modulation and target detection method aspect of spaceborne radiant source. By comparison with other satellite navigation and positioning system, the characteristics of EBPSK satellite passive radar system are analyzed. It is proved that the maximum detection range of EBPSK satellite signal can satisfy the needs of the proposed model. In the passive radar model, sparse representation is used to achieve high resolution DOA detection. The comparison with the real target track by simulation demonstrates that effective detection of airborne target using EBPSK satellite passive radar system based on sparse representation is efficient.

Passivation Strategies on Board Airbus ds Leo Pcdus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lapeña Emilio

2017-01-01

This paper deals with the different strategies followed in the Airbus DS LEO PCDUs regarding the implementation of the passivation function in several LEO missions with different architectures (DET and MPPT solar array power conditioning. In the selection of the solution implemented in the frame of every mission, a key driver is the degree of advance in the test performed over flight representative battery modules regarding their safe behavior when deeply depleted after a long period in orbit with the passivation applied over the spacecraft.

Solar energy in Amersfoort, Netherlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eijpe, H.A.

1997-01-01

For the first time in the world a newly to be built housing area (Nieuwland in Amersfoort, Netherlands) will be constructed, exclusively on the basis of sustainability. First, the use of three forms of solar energy conversion techniques (thermal solar energy, passive solar energy and photovoltaic energy) is going to be integrated in 50 rental houses. At the end of this century 10,000 m 2 of solar cells will be installed with a capacity of 1 MWp. 2 figs

Improvement of Electrical Characteristics and Stability of Amorphous Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide Thin Film Transistors Using Nitrocellulose Passivation Layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Kwan Yup; Tak, Young Jun; Kim, Won-Gi; Hong, Seonghwan; Kim, Hyun Jae

2017-04-19

In this research, nitrocellulose is proposed as a new material for the passivation layers of amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide thin film transistors (a-IGZO TFTs). The a-IGZO TFTs with nitrocellulose passivation layers (NC-PVLs) demonstrate improved electrical characteristics and stability. The a-IGZO TFTs with NC-PVLs exhibit improvements in field-effect mobility (μ FE ) from 11.72 ± 1.14 to 20.68 ± 1.94 cm 2 /(V s), threshold voltage (V th ) from 1.85 ± 1.19 to 0.56 ± 0.35 V, and on/off current ratio (I on/off ) from (5.31 ± 2.19) × 10 7 to (4.79 ± 1.54) × 10 8 compared to a-IGZO TFTs without PVLs, respectively. The V th shifts of a-IGZO TFTs without PVLs, with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) PVLs, and with NC-PVLs under positive bias stress (PBS) test for 10,000 s represented 5.08, 3.94, and 2.35 V, respectively. These improvements were induced by nitrogen diffusion from NC-PVLs to a-IGZO TFTs. The lone-pair electrons of diffused nitrogen attract weakly bonded oxygen serving as defect sites in a-IGZO TFTs. Consequently, the electrical characteristics are improved by an increase of carrier concentration in a-IGZO TFTs, and a decrease of defects in the back channel layer. Also, NC-PVLs have an excellent property as a barrier against ambient gases. Therefore, the NC-PVL is a promising passivation layer for next-generation display devices that simultaneously can improve electrical characteristics and stability against ambient gases.

Excellent Silicon Surface Passivation Achieved by Industrial Inductively Coupled Plasma Deposited Hydrogenated Intrinsic Amorphous Silicon Suboxide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jia Ge

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We present an alternative method of depositing a high-quality passivation film for heterojunction silicon wafer solar cells, in this paper. The deposition of hydrogenated intrinsic amorphous silicon suboxide is accomplished by decomposing hydrogen, silane, and carbon dioxide in an industrial remote inductively coupled plasma platform. Through the investigation on CO2 partial pressure and process temperature, excellent surface passivation quality and optical properties are achieved. It is found that the hydrogen content in the film is much higher than what is commonly reported in intrinsic amorphous silicon due to oxygen incorporation. The observed slow depletion of hydrogen with increasing temperature greatly enhances its process window as well. The effective lifetime of symmetrically passivated samples under the optimal condition exceeds 4.7 ms on planar n-type Czochralski silicon wafers with a resistivity of 1 Ωcm, which is equivalent to an effective surface recombination velocity of less than 1.7 cms−1 and an implied open-circuit voltage (Voc of 741 mV. A comparison with several high quality passivation schemes for solar cells reveals that the developed inductively coupled plasma deposited films show excellent passivation quality. The excellent optical property and resistance to degradation make it an excellent substitute for industrial heterojunction silicon solar cell production.

Effect of alloying elements on characteristics of iron passive state in sulfuric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rejes Jola, O.; Mustafa-Zade, F.M.; Sukhotin, A.M.; Tchannikova, O.A.

1981-01-01

The curves of anodic polarization of iron binary alloys with Cr, Mo, W, Ni, Si, Co, Mn, Re, Ti, Al, Cu, Bi, Zn, In, V, Sb, Ta, Hf, Pb, Sn, Zr, Nb, Ce, B, P, S in 0.5 MH 2 SO 4 are studied. Passivation potentials, potentials of total passivation, transpassivity and current density are determined in the passivity region. All alloys had alpha-structure, the content of alloying elements was close to solubility in solid solution. Elements are classified according to the type of their effect on passive state of iron. Character of this effect does not have a direct connection with passivation ability the elements themselves, it is determined, probably, by a possibility to form stable passivating ruixed oxides of the ferrospinel type [ru

Using renewable energy to create comfort in the first Romanian passive house suited for offices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Gabriel

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Using renewable energy is becoming more profitable nowadays because of applying advanced technology. The paper, presented by the authors, analyses the case of using solar and geothermal energy to create comfort in homes with low energy consumption. In this situation, the performance of the systems that take energy from low-heat renewable sources and convert it into useful energy is growing. The characteristics of the buildings with low power consumption, of passive houses in particular, can cause the development of a new generation of devices to create comfort. The energy used to create comfort in the first passive house built in Romania, which was designed for offices, analyzed by the authors, is using both geothermal and solar power. The authors present the energy performance of the building correlated with the performance of the air-conditioning system that uses ground-water heat pumps. The thermodynamic analysis presented, highlights how the performance of geothermal energy systems increased, their variation depending on the climate zone variation parameter values. The authors make a detailed analysis, in the presented paper, about the influence of the working conditions of the installation elements, on the heat pump energy consumption and the methods adopted to reduce losses and increase system performance.

Experimental study on comprehensive utilization of solar energy and energy balance in an integrated solar house

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Huawei; Liu, Yuting; Shen, Jinqiu; Xiang, Can; He, Sinian; Wan, Zhongmin; Jiang, Meng; Duan, Chen; Shu, Shuiming

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Active and passive solar house technology is integrated in the solar house. • Solar thermal system and solar photoelectric system are measured and analyzed. • Energy balance and energy consumption are analyzed with valuable experimental data. • “Zero energy consumption” is truly achieved with the solar supply rate of 1.19 in winter. - Abstract: An integrated solar house with numerous advanced envelops is designed and constructed to investigate the comprehensive utilization of solar energy, energy efficiency and energy balance, which combines active solar house technology with passive solar house technology including solar photovoltaic system, solar water heating system, direct-gain door and windows. Solar radiation intensity, performance of the photovoltaic system, water temperature, and indoor and outdoor temperature are measured, results of the experiments indicate that solar glass window on the south wall can maintain the average indoor temperature at 21.4 °C in the case of average outdoor temperature at 11.2 °C without any external heat supply. The output current of the solar photovoltaic system shows the same trend as solar radiation intensity. When the intensity is 619.7 W/m"2, the instantaneous generation power could reach a value of 781.9 W, cumulative capacity throughout the day achieves 4.56 kW h and photovoltaic conversion efficiency 9.8%. When the average intensity throughout a day is 358 W/m"2, the solar water heating system could help to raise the temperature of 450 L water by 30 °C with its heat collecting efficiency being 37.4%. Through the analysis of the overall energy system in the solar house, it can be derived that this solar house could achieve “zero energy consumption” in winter with the solar supply rate at 1.19.

The study of the heat-engineering characteristics of a solar heat collector based on aluminum heat pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khairnasov, S.M.; Zaripov, V.K.; Passamakin, B.M. et al.

2013-01-01

This paper presents the results of studies into the heat-engineering characteristics of a flat heat solar collector based on aluminum heat pipes that is designed to be used in building facades. The principle of work and the structure of the solar collector are considered; the results of its comparison with a traditional flat solar collector are presented. The studies were performed at a heat carrier temperature range of +10 - +30 degree C and at a solar heat flow density of 400 - 1000 W/m 2 . The obtained experimental heat-engineering characteristics of the collector based on heat pipes show that they are at a level of traditional flow solar collectors; for example, its efficiency is 0.65 - 0.73. Meanwhile, the hydraulic resistance of the structure with heat pipes is by a factor of 2 - 2.4 smaller and ensures a high level of scalability, reliability, and maintainability, which is important when using it as an element of facade constructions of solar heat systems. (author)

STATISTICAL STUDY OF STRONG AND EXTREME GEOMAGNETIC DISTURBANCES AND SOLAR CYCLE CHARACTERISTICS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kilpua, E. K. J.; Olspert, N.; Grigorievskiy, A.; Käpylä, M. J.; Tanskanen, E. I.; Pelt, J.; Miyahara, H.; Kataoka, R.; Liu, Y. D.

2015-01-01

We study the relation between strong and extreme geomagnetic storms and solar cycle characteristics. The analysis uses an extensive geomagnetic index AA data set spanning over 150 yr complemented by the Kakioka magnetometer recordings. We apply Pearson correlation statistics and estimate the significance of the correlation with a bootstrapping technique. We show that the correlation between the storm occurrence and the strength of the solar cycle decreases from a clear positive correlation with increasing storm magnitude toward a negligible relationship. Hence, the quieter Sun can also launch superstorms that may lead to significant societal and economic impact. Our results show that while weaker storms occur most frequently in the declining phase, the stronger storms have the tendency to occur near solar maximum. Our analysis suggests that the most extreme solar eruptions do not have a direct connection between the solar large-scale dynamo-generated magnetic field, but are rather associated with smaller-scale dynamo and resulting turbulent magnetic fields. The phase distributions of sunspots and storms becoming increasingly in phase with increasing storm strength, on the other hand, may indicate that the extreme storms are related to the toroidal component of the solar large-scale field

STATISTICAL STUDY OF STRONG AND EXTREME GEOMAGNETIC DISTURBANCES AND SOLAR CYCLE CHARACTERISTICS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kilpua, E. K. J. [Department of Physics, University Helsinki (Finland); Olspert, N.; Grigorievskiy, A.; Käpylä, M. J.; Tanskanen, E. I.; Pelt, J. [ReSoLVE Centre of Excellence, Department of Computer Science, P.O. Box 15400, FI-00076 Aalto Univeristy (Finland); Miyahara, H. [Musashino Art University, 1-736 Ogawa-cho, Kodaira-shi, Tokyo 187-8505 (Japan); Kataoka, R. [National Institute of Polar Research, 10-3 Midori-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8518 (Japan); Liu, Y. D. [State Key Laboratory of Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

2015-06-20

We study the relation between strong and extreme geomagnetic storms and solar cycle characteristics. The analysis uses an extensive geomagnetic index AA data set spanning over 150 yr complemented by the Kakioka magnetometer recordings. We apply Pearson correlation statistics and estimate the significance of the correlation with a bootstrapping technique. We show that the correlation between the storm occurrence and the strength of the solar cycle decreases from a clear positive correlation with increasing storm magnitude toward a negligible relationship. Hence, the quieter Sun can also launch superstorms that may lead to significant societal and economic impact. Our results show that while weaker storms occur most frequently in the declining phase, the stronger storms have the tendency to occur near solar maximum. Our analysis suggests that the most extreme solar eruptions do not have a direct connection between the solar large-scale dynamo-generated magnetic field, but are rather associated with smaller-scale dynamo and resulting turbulent magnetic fields. The phase distributions of sunspots and storms becoming increasingly in phase with increasing storm strength, on the other hand, may indicate that the extreme storms are related to the toroidal component of the solar large-scale field.

Fabricating solar cells with silicon nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Loscutoff, Paul; Molesa, Steve; Kim, Taeseok

2014-09-02

A laser contact process is employed to form contact holes to emitters of a solar cell. Doped silicon nanoparticles are formed over a substrate of the solar cell. The surface of individual or clusters of silicon nanoparticles is coated with a nanoparticle passivation film. Contact holes to emitters of the solar cell are formed by impinging a laser beam on the passivated silicon nanoparticles. For example, the laser contact process may be a laser ablation process. In that case, the emitters may be formed by diffusing dopants from the silicon nanoparticles prior to forming the contact holes to the emitters. As another example, the laser contact process may be a laser melting process whereby portions of the silicon nanoparticles are melted to form the emitters and contact holes to the emitters.

Logarithmic spiral trajectories generated by Solar sails

Science.gov (United States)

Bassetto, Marco; Niccolai, Lorenzo; Quarta, Alessandro A.; Mengali, Giovanni

2018-02-01

Analytic solutions to continuous thrust-propelled trajectories are available in a few cases only. An interesting case is offered by the logarithmic spiral, that is, a trajectory characterized by a constant flight path angle and a fixed thrust vector direction in an orbital reference frame. The logarithmic spiral is important from a practical point of view, because it may be passively maintained by a Solar sail-based spacecraft. The aim of this paper is to provide a systematic study concerning the possibility of inserting a Solar sail-based spacecraft into a heliocentric logarithmic spiral trajectory without using any impulsive maneuver. The required conditions to be met by the sail in terms of attitude angle, propulsive performance, parking orbit characteristics, and initial position are thoroughly investigated. The closed-form variations of the osculating orbital parameters are analyzed, and the obtained analytical results are used for investigating the phasing maneuver of a Solar sail along an elliptic heliocentric orbit. In this mission scenario, the phasing orbit is composed of two symmetric logarithmic spiral trajectories connected with a coasting arc.

Thermal Feature of a Modified Solar Phase Change Material Storage Wall System

OpenAIRE

Luo, Chenglong; Xu, Lijie; Ji, Jie; Liao, Mengyin; Sun, Dan

2018-01-01

This work is to study a novel solar PCM storage wall technology, that is, a dual-channel and thermal-insulation-in-the-middle type solar PCM storage wall (MSPCMW) system. The system has the following four independent functions, passive solar heating, heat preservation, heat insulation, and passive cooling, and it can agilely cope with the requirements of climatization of buildings in different seasons throughout the year and is exactly suitable for building in regions characterized by hot sum...

Enhanced solar cell efficiency and stability using ZnS passivation layer for CdS quantum-dot sensitized actinomorphic hexagonal columnar ZnO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Yanli; Tao, Qiang; Fu, Wuyou; Yang, Haibin; Zhou, Xiaoming; Zhang, Yanyan; Su, Shi; Wang, Peng; Li, Minghui

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The synthetic of ZnS/CdS QDs/AHC-ZnO photoanode with a simple method. • The power conversion efficiency of the ZnS/CdS QDs/AHC-ZnO is 1.81%. • The effects of photovoltaic performances caused by CdS and ZnS amounts were studied. • ZnS passivation layer enhanced electron lifetime significantly. - Abstract: We report the photoanodes consisting of CdS quantum-dots (QDs) sensitized actinomorphic hexagonal columnar ZnO (CdS QDs/AHC-ZnO) with ZnS passivation layer are applied for solar cells. Simple chemical solution synthesized AHC-ZnO films on transparent conducting glass substrates, and then, AHC-ZnO is functionalized with uniform CdS and ZnS QDs via successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The as-prepared materials were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, UV–vis diffused reflectance absorption spectra and photovoltaic performances analysis. Photovoltaic performances results indicate the quantity of CdS QDs as well as the visible light absorption threshold can be effectively controlled by varying the coating cycles during the SILAR process, and the photocurrent density (Jsc) is greatly improved by increasing the amount of ZnS. By optimizing the AHC-ZnO with the amount of CdS and ZnS, the best efficiency of 1.81% was achieved for solar cell under AM 1.5 G illumination with Jsc = 7.44 mA/cm 2 , Voc = 0.57 V and FF = 43%

Experimental study on thermal-hydraulic characteristics of secondary-side passive ECRHR system of AC600

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Bingde; Xiao Zejun; Zhuo Wenbin

1998-10-01

An integral system experimental test rig was designed to study the thermal-hydraulic characteristics of secondary-side passive emergency core residual heat removal (ECRHR) system of AC600. Total sets of 166 experimental data on steady state have been obtained and main influence factors on heat removal capacity are identified. The experimental data shows that core residual heat can be removed through natural circulation under the condition of circumstance temperature 6∼23 degree C and L th of 11 m, provided wind-speed higher than 1.5 m/s in the test parameter scope. Experimental results illustrate that short disturbance of wind-speed, power and valve opening had no significant impact on natural circulation. The system seems to tolerate to these disturbance. A correlation of two-phase natural circulation flow rate is derived from constitutive equations by using of specific system parameters and several semi-empirical formulas are obtained. Compared with the measuring data, the deviation of 98.8% data points is within +-15%. The objectives of transient experiment study is to investigate the start-up modes and transition behaviors. The results of 46 runs show the natural circulation of system can be set up by means of all three start-up modes, and its transient characteristics, especially, the system stability and transit time are determined by not only start-up modes, but also system's configuration, initial and boundary conditions, mainly. The calculating results of MISAP-PRHR code, a computer code developed for passive safety system, reveal that it can predict quantitatively the steady state characteristics, such as, pressure, flowrate, heat removal capacity and the stable transient process can be well simulated, too

Characterization of Al2O3 surface passivation of silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albadri, Abdulrahman M.

2014-01-01

A study of the passivation of silicon surface by aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) is reported. A correlation of fixed oxide charge density (Q f ) and interface trap density (D it ) on passivation efficiency is presented. Low surface recombination velocity (SRV) was obtained even by as-deposited Al 2 O 3 films and this was found to be associated to the passivation of interface states. Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy spectra show the existence of an interfacial silicon oxide thin layer in both as-deposited and annealed Al 2 O 3 films. Q f is found positive in as-deposited films and changing to negative upon subsequent annealing, providing thus an enhancement of the passivation in p-type silicon wafers, associated to field effects. Secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis confirms the correlation between D it and hydrogen concentration at the Al 2 O 3 /Si interface. A lowest SRV of 15 cm/s was obtained after an anneal at 400 °C in nitrogen atmosphere. - Highlights: • Al 2 O 3 provides superior passivation for silicon surfaces. • Atomic layer deposition-Al 2 O 3 was deposited at a low temperature of 200 °C. • A lowest surface passivation velocity of 15 cm/s was obtained after an anneal at 400 °C in nitrogen. • As-deposited Al 2 O 3 films form very thin SiO 2 layer responsible of low interface trap densities. • High negative fixed charge density of (− 2 × 10 12 cm −2 ) was achieved upon annealing at 400 °C

Ambient plasma treatment of silicon wafers for surface passivation recovery

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Jia; Prinz, Markus; Markert, Thomas; Aberle, Armin G.; Mueller, Thomas

2017-08-01

In this work, the effect of an ambient plasma treatment powered by compressed dry air on the passivation quality of silicon wafers coated with intrinsic amorphous silicon sub-oxide is investigated. While long-time storage deteriorates the effective lifetime of all samples, a short ambient plasma treatment improves their passivation qualities. By studying the influence of the plasma treatment parameters on the passivation layers, an optimized process condition was identified which even boosted the passivation quality beyond its original value obtained immediately after deposition. On the other hand, the absence of stringent requirement on gas precursors, vacuum condition and longtime processing makes the ambient plasma treatment an excellent candidate to replace conventional thermal annealing in industrial heterojunction solar cell production.

Guanidinium: A Route to Enhanced Carrier Lifetime and Open-Circuit Voltage in Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

De Marco, Nicholas; Zhou, Huanping; Chen, Qi; Sun, Pengyu; Liu, Zonghao; Meng, Lei; Yao, En-Ping; Liu, Yongsheng; Schiffer, Andy; Yang, Yang

2016-02-10

Hybrid perovskites have shown astonishing power conversion efficiencies owed to their remarkable absorber characteristics including long carrier lifetimes, and a relatively substantial defect tolerance for solution-processed polycrystalline films. However, nonradiative charge carrier recombination at grain boundaries limits open circuit voltages and consequent performance improvements of perovskite solar cells. Here we address such recombination pathways and demonstrate a passivation effect through guanidinium-based additives to achieve extraordinarily enhanced carrier lifetimes and higher obtainable open circuit voltages. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements yield carrier lifetimes in guanidinium-based films an order of magnitude greater than pure-methylammonium counterparts, giving rise to higher device open circuit voltages and power conversion efficiencies exceeding 17%. A reduction in defect activation energy of over 30% calculated via admittance spectroscopy and confocal fluorescence intensity mapping indicates successful passivation of recombination/trap centers at grain boundaries. We speculate that guanidinium ions serve to suppress formation of iodide vacancies and passivate under-coordinated iodine species at grain boundaries and within the bulk through their hydrogen bonding capability. These results present a simple method for suppressing nonradiative carrier loss in hybrid perovskites to further improve performances toward highly efficient solar cells.

High-efficient solar cells with porous silicon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Migunova, A.A.

2002-01-01

It has been shown that the porous silicon is multifunctional high-efficient coating on silicon solar cells, modifies its surface and combines in it self antireflection and passivation properties., The different optoelectronic effects in solar cells with porous silicon were considered. The comparative parameters of uncovered photodetectors also solar cells with porous silicon and other coatings were resulted. (author)

Solar building construction. Special edition of the journal 'Sonnenenergie'; Solares Bauen. Sonderheft der Sonnenenergie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rust, A. (comp.)

2003-10-01

This special issue of October 2003 reviews solar architecture, planning, applications, technology, market and knowledge. Subjects: Falkenweg housing development; Q-Cells solar factory; Modehaus Zara building; Haus Westermayr McCready building; Federal Environmental Office building, Dessau; 'Haus im Himmel' building; NRW state representatives building in Berlin; Zero-emission building 'Sunny Woods', Zurich; Hellerau workshop buildings, Dresden; HOCHTIEF PRISMA Haus building, Frankfurt; Solar government buildings, Berlin; SOLARBAU programme; Energy supply concepts based on photovoltaic power supply; Solar cooling; Photovoltaic lamellas; Solar building construction; Solar contracting; Solar building modernisation; Integrated PV systems in Europe; Living in passive buildings; Funding programmes for renewable energy sources and building construction. (orig./AKF)

Study on the CMP characteristics of a copper passivity layer formed by dipping in an oxidizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Youn-Ok; Lee, Woo-Sun; Choi, Gwon-Woo; Lee, Kang-Yeon; Kim, Nam-Oh

2011-01-01

Copper has been the material for ultra-large-scale integrated circuits owing to its excellent electromigration resistance and low electrical resistance. The polishing mechanism of metal chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) has been reported to be a repeated process of passive oxide layer formation through the use of on oxidizer and then the abrasion action of the slurry. However, because copper is softer and more sensitive to corrosion than tungsten, the slurry composition and the polishing mechanism during the copper CMP process may be more complicated. In a general Cu-CMP process, a mixture of an alumina-based slurry and an oxidizer in proper proportion is used in order to form a passive oxide layer such as CuO and CuO 2 . However, a conventional CMP process consumes an unnecessary amount of slurry to formed the passive layer. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a new method. The copper samples were oxidized by dipping in an oxidizer for an appropriate time to minimize the consumption of slurry before the CMP process. Then, we performed the CMP process. In order to compare the polishing characteristics of the copper thin film, we discuss the CMP removal rate and non-uniformity, as well as the microstructure of the surface and a layer cross-section based on a scanning.

Application of Breathing Architectural Members to the Natural Ventilation of a Passive Solar House

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyung-Soon Park

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The efficient operation of a passive solar house requires an efficient ventilation system to prevent the loss of energy and provide the required ventilation rates. This paper proposes the use of “breathing architectural members” (BAMs as passive natural ventilation devices to achieve much improved ventilation and insulation performance compared to mechanical ventilation. Considering the importance of evaluating the ventilation and insulation performances of the members, we also propose numerical models for predicting the heat and air movements afforded by the members. The numerical model was validated by comparison with experimental results. The effectiveness of the BAMs was also verified by installation in houses located in an area with warm climate. For this purpose, chamber experiments were performed using samples of the BAMs, as well as numerical simulations to assess natural ventilation and heat load. The main findings of the study are as follows: (1 the one-dimensional chamber experiments confirmed the validity of the numerical models for predicting the heat and air movements afforded by the BAMs. Comparison of the experimental and calculated values for the temperature of air that flowed into the room from outside revealed a difference of less than 5%; (2 observations of the case studies in which BAMs were installed in the ceilings and exterior walls of Tokyo model houses revealed good annual ventilation and energy-saving effects. When BAMs with an opening area per unit area of A = 0.002 m2/m2 were applied to three surfaces, the required ventilation rate was 0.5 ACH (air changes per hour, and this was achieved consistently. Compared to a house with general insulation and conventional mechanical ventilation, heating load was reduced by 15.3%–40.2% depending on the BAM installation points and the differing areas of the house models.

Apartment building built to passive-house standard with solar balanced ventilation system; Mehrfamilien-Passivhaus mit solarem Luftsystem. Lueftung/Luftheizung/WRG/Solarfassade an der Rychenbergstrasse, Winterthur - Schlussbericht

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guetermann, A.

2002-04-15

This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) deals with an apartment building in Winterthur, Switzerland, built to passive-house standards and equipped with a solar balanced ventilation system. The building and its convective solar facade are described, as are the fan-assisted, balanced ventilation systems used. The operation of the systems in winter, during transitional periods and in summer is discussed. Domestic hot water preparation is looked at. The energy balance of the building is examined, as is the economic viability of the energy systems. The building, its energy installations and the measurement concept used are considered in detail. Finally, the findings of the study are summarised and commented on.

An investigation on the performance characteristics of solar flat plate collector with different selective surface coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Madhukeshwara, N. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, B.I.E.T, Davanagere, Karnataka (India); Prakash, E.S. [Department of Studies in Mechanical Engineering, U.B.D.T.C.E, Davanagere, Karnataka (India)

2012-07-01

In the present work, investigations are made to study performance characteristics of solar flat plate collector with different selective surface coatings. Flat plate collector is one of the important solar energy trapping device which uses air or water as working fluid. Of the many solar collector concepts presently being developed, the relative simple flat plate solar collector has found the widest application so far. Its characteristics are known, and compared with other collector types, it is the easiest and least expensive to fabricate, install, and maintain. Moreover, it is capable of using both the diffuse and the direct beam solar radiation. For residential and commercial use, flat plate collectors can produce heat at sufficiently high temperatures to heat swimming pools, domestic hot water, and buildings; they also can operate a cooling unit, particularly if the incident sunlight is increased by the use of reflector. Temperatures up to 70 C are easily attained by flat plate collectors. With very careful engineering using special surfaces, reflectors to increase the incident radiation and heat resistant materials, higher operating temperatures are feasible.

Solar energy an introduction

CERN Document Server

Mackay, Michael E

2015-01-01

Solar Energy presents an introduction to all aspects of solar energy, from photovoltaic devices to active and passive solar thermal energy conversion, giving both a detailed and broad perspective of the field. It is aimed at the beginner involved in solar energy or a related field, or for someone wanting to gain a broader perspective of solar energy technologies. A chapter considering solar radiation, basic principles applied to solar energy, semiconductor physics, and light absorption brings the reader on equal footing with the technology of either solar generated electrical current or useful heat. Details of how a solar cell works and then production of current from a photovoltaic device is discussed. Characterization of a solar cell is examined, allowing one the ability to interpret the current-voltage relation, followed by discussion of parameter extraction from this relation. This information can be used to understand what limits the performance of a given solar cell with the potential to optimize its pe...

Specific characteristics of radon passive/open model detectors compared to passive/close and charcoal devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andru, J.

1990-01-01

All passive/open detectors, also called Unfiltered alpha Track Detectors (UTDs), are built around KODAK LR115 film, only material sensitive to all ambient alpha particles and capable to work in open mode. The principle of open detectors is not new. They are largely used worldwide, often by scientists (in France, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden etc.). However, their particular functioning needs some explanation and some reminders. This paper is more aimed to discuss generalities than details of calculation. The estimation of the Potential Alpha Energy (PAE) concentration is about 4 times better than that from other passive detectors and it includes thoron progeny. The film is more sensitive to ambient decay products than it is to Radon as track count is higher for alpha's of greater initial energy

Passive cooling of standalone flat PV module with cotton wick structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandrasekar, M.; Suresh, S.; Senthilkumar, T.; Ganesh karthikeyan, M.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • A simple passive cooling system is developed for standalone flat PV modules. • 30% Reduction in module temperature is observed with developed cooling system. • 15.61% Increase in output power of PV module is found with developed cooling system. • Module efficiency is increased by 1.4% with cooling arrangement. • Lower thermal degradation due to narrow range of temperature characteristics. - Abstract: In common, PV module converts only 4–17% of the incoming solar radiation into electricity. Thus more than 50% of the incident solar energy is converted as heat and the temperature of PV module is increased. The increase in module temperature in turn decreases the electrical yield and efficiency of the module with a permanent structural damage of the module due to prolonged period of thermal stress (also known as thermal degradation of the module). An effective way of improving efficiency and reducing the rate of thermal degradation of a PV module is to reduce the operating temperature of PV module. This can be achieved by cooling the PV module during operation. Hence in the present work, a simple passive cooling system with cotton wick structures is developed for standalone flat PV modules. The thermal and electrical performance of flat PV module with cooling system consisting of cotton wick structures in combination with water, Al 2 O 3 /water nanofluid and CuO/water nanofluid are investigated experimentally. The experimental results are also compared with the thermal and electrical performance of flat PV module without cooling system

Surface passivation of n-type doped black silicon by atomic-layer-deposited SiO2/Al2O3 stacks

Science.gov (United States)

van de Loo, B. W. H.; Ingenito, A.; Verheijen, M. A.; Isabella, O.; Zeman, M.; Kessels, W. M. M.

2017-06-01

Black silicon (b-Si) nanotextures can significantly enhance the light absorption of crystalline silicon solar cells. Nevertheless, for a successful application of b-Si textures in industrially relevant solar cell architectures, it is imperative that charge-carrier recombination at particularly highly n-type doped black Si surfaces is further suppressed. In this work, this issue is addressed through systematically studying lowly and highly doped b-Si surfaces, which are passivated by atomic-layer-deposited Al2O3 films or SiO2/Al2O3 stacks. In lowly doped b-Si textures, a very low surface recombination prefactor of 16 fA/cm2 was found after surface passivation by Al2O3. The excellent passivation was achieved after a dedicated wet-chemical treatment prior to surface passivation, which removed structural defects which resided below the b-Si surface. On highly n-type doped b-Si, the SiO2/Al2O3 stacks result in a considerable improvement in surface passivation compared to the Al2O3 single layers. The atomic-layer-deposited SiO2/Al2O3 stacks therefore provide a low-temperature, industrially viable passivation method, enabling the application of highly n- type doped b-Si nanotextures in industrial silicon solar cells.

Potential for solar space heating in Scotland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Macgregor, A W.K.

1980-07-01

This paper investigates the relative effectiveness of passive-type solar-assisted space heating systems at various latitudes within the British Isles. A comparison is made of the useful solar gain of the same system linked to the same house at four different locations. Month-by-month energy balances indicate that the annual useful solar contribution at the highest latitude (Lerwick, 60 deg N) is about 35% higher than at the lowest latitude (Kew, 53 deg N). The main reason for this difference is the higher heating loads in the north, particularly outside the winter months. The estimated available irradiation on south-facing vertical surfaces was almost the same at all four locations. Previous work in the UK indicates that, contrary to the conclusions in this paper, more southerly latitudes were the most favorable for solar space heating. The reasons for the disparity are discussed. It is recommended that research and development of passive solar-assisted space heating systems should be most vigorously pursued in the more northerly latitudes of the British Isles, where both the potential benefit and the need are greatest.

Defect generation/passivation by low energy hydrogen implant for silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sopori, B.L.; Zhou, T.Q.; Rozgonyi, G.A.

1990-01-01

Low energy ion implant is shown to produce defects in silicon. These defects include surface damage, hydrogen agglomeration, formation of platelets with (111) habit plane and decoration of dislocations. Hydrogen also produces an inversion type of surface on boron doped silicon. These effects indicate that a preferred approach for passivation is to incorporate hydrogen from the back side of the cell. A backside H + implant technique is described. The results show that degree of passivation differs for various devices. A comparison of the defect structures of hydrogenated devices indicates that the structure and the distribution of defects in the bulk of the material plays a significant role in determining the degree of passivation

Drying kinetics and characteristics of dried gambir leaves using solar heating and silica gel dessicant

Science.gov (United States)

Hasibuan, R.; Hidayati, J.; Sundari, R.; Wicaksono, A. S.

2018-02-01

A drying combination of solar heating and silica gel dessicant has been applied to dry gambir leaves. The solar energy is captured by a collector to heat the air and the hot air is used to dry gambir leaves in a drying chamber. An exhaust fan in drying chamber assists to draw water molecules from gambir leaves accelerated by silica gel dessicant. This study has investigated the drying kinetics and drying characteristics of gambir leaves drying. In drying operation the air velocity is tuned by a PWM (pulse width modulation) controller to adjust minimum and maximum level, which is based on the rotation speed of the exhaust fan. The results show that the air velocity influenced the drying kinetics and drying characteristics of gambir leaves using solar-dessicant drying at 40 cm distance between exhaust fan and silica gel dessicant.

Characteristics of low-latitude ionospheric depletions and enhancements during solar minimum

Science.gov (United States)

Haaser, R. A.; Earle, G. D.; Heelis, R. A.; Klenzing, J.; Stoneback, R.; Coley, W. R.; Burrell, A. G.

2012-10-01

Under the waning solar minimum conditions during 2009 and 2010, the Ion Velocity Meter, part of the Coupled Ion Neutral Dynamics Investigation aboard the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System satellite, is used to measure in situ nighttime ion densities and drifts at altitudes between 400 and 550 km during the hours 21:00-03:00 solar local time. A new approach to detecting and classifying well-formed ionospheric plasma depletions and enhancements (bubbles and blobs) with scale sizes between 50 and 500 km is used to develop geophysical statistics for the summer, winter, and equinox seasons during the quiet solar conditions. Some diurnal and seasonal geomagnetic distribution characteristics confirm previous work on equatorial irregularities and scintillations, while other elements reveal new behaviors that will require further investigation before they may be fully understood. Events identified in the study reveal very different and often opposite behaviors of bubbles and blobs during solar minimum. In particular, more bubbles demonstrating deeper density fluctuations and faster perturbation plasma drifts typically occur earlier near the magnetic equator, while blobs of similar magnitude occur more often far away from the geomagnetic equator closer to midnight.

Passivation layer breakdown during laser-fired contact formation for photovoltaic devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raghavan, A.; DebRoy, T.; Palmer, T. A.

2014-01-01

Low resistance laser-fired ohmic contacts (LFCs) can be formed on the backside of Si-based solar cells using microsecond pulses. However, the impact of these longer pulse durations on the dielectric passivation layer is not clear. Retention of the passivation layer during processing is critical to ensure low recombination rates of electron-hole pairs at the rear surface of the device. In this work, advanced characterization tools are used to demonstrate that although the SiO 2 passivation layer melts directly below the laser, it is well preserved outside the immediate LFC region over a wide range of processing parameters. As a result, low recombination rates at the passivation layer/wafer interface can be expected despite higher energy densities associated with these pulse durations.

Passive P-control of a grid-connected photovoltaic inverter

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meza, C.; Jeltsema, D.; Scherpen, J. M. A.; Biel, D.

2008-01-01

A passive P-controller for a single-phase single-stage grid-connected photovoltaic inverter is presented. Explicit dependance of the PV array parameters on external unpredictable variables such as temperature and solar irradiance is avoided by extending the control scheme with a reference estimator.

Photovoltaic solar cell

Science.gov (United States)

Nielson, Gregory N; Okandan, Murat; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis; Resnick, Paul J

2013-11-26

A photovoltaic solar cell for generating electricity from sunlight is disclosed. The photovoltaic solar cell comprises a plurality of spaced-apart point contact junctions formed in a semiconductor body to receive the sunlight and generate the electicity therefrom, the plurality of spaced-apart point contact junctions having a first plurality of regions having a first doping type and a second plurality of regions having a second doping type. In addition, the photovoltaic solar cell comprises a first electrical contact electrically connected to each of the first plurality of regions and a second electrical contact electrically connected to each of the second plurality of regions, as well as a passivation layer covering major surfaces and sidewalls of the photovoltaic solar cell.

Performance characteristics of solar air heater with surface mounted obstacles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bekele, Adisu; Mishra, Manish; Dutta, Sushanta

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Solar air heater with delta shaped obstacles have been studied. • Obstacle angle of incidence strongly affects the thermo-hydraulic performance. • Thermal performance of obstacle mounted collectors is superior to smooth collectors. • Thermo-hydraulic performance of the present SAH is higher than those in previous studies. - Abstract: The performance of conventional solar air heaters (SAHs) can be improved by providing obstacles on the heated wall (i.e. on the absorber plate). Experiments have been performed to collect heat transfer and flow-friction data from an air heater duct with delta-shaped obstacles mounted on the absorber surface and having an aspect ratio 6:1 resembling the conditions close to the solar air heaters. This study encompassed for the range of Reynolds number (Re) from 2100 to 30,000, relative obstacle height (e/H) from 0.25 to 0.75, relative obstacle longitudinal pitch (P l /e) from 3/2 to 11/2, relative obstacle transverse pitch (P t /b) from 1 to 7/3 and the angle of incidence (α) varied from 30° to 90°. The thermo-hydraulic performance characteristics of SAH have been compared with the previous published works and the optimum range of the geometries have been explored for the better performance of such air-heaters compared to the other designs of solar air heaters

Performance Modeling of Mimosa pudica Extract as a Sensitizer for Solar Energy Conversion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. B. Shitta

2016-01-01

Full Text Available An organic material is proposed as a sustainable sensitizer and a replacement for the synthetic sensitizer in a dye-sensitized solar cell technology. Using the liquid extract from the leaf of a plant called Mimosa pudica (M. pudica as a sensitizer, the performance characteristics of the extract of M. pudica are investigated. The photo-anode of each of the solar cell sample is passivated with a self-assembly monolayer (SAM from a set of four materials, including alumina, formic acid, gelatine, and oxidized starch. Three sets of five samples of an M. pudica–based solar cell are produced, with the fifth sample used as the control experiment. Each of the solar cell samples has an active area of 0.3848cm2. A two-dimensional finite volume method (FVM is used to model the transport of ions within the monolayer of the solar cell. The performance of the experimentally fabricated solar cells compares qualitatively with the ones obtained from the literature and the simulated solar cells. The highest efficiency of 3% is obtained from the use of the extract as a sensitizer. It is anticipated that the comparison of the performance characteristics with further research on the concentration of M. pudica extract will enhance the development of a reliable and competitive organic solar cell. It is also recommended that further research should be carried out on the concentration of the extract and electrolyte used in this study for a possible improved performance of the cell.

Time-to-impact estimation in passive missile warning systems

Science.gov (United States)

Şahıngıl, Mehmet Cihan

2017-05-01

A missile warning system can detect the incoming missile threat(s) and automatically cue the other Electronic Attack (EA) systems in the suit, such as Directed Infrared Counter Measure (DIRCM) system and/or Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS). Most missile warning systems are currently based on passive sensor technology operating in either Solar Blind Ultraviolet (SBUV) or Midwave Infrared (MWIR) bands on which there is an intensive emission from the exhaust plume of the threatening missile. Although passive missile warning systems have some clear advantages over pulse-Doppler radar (PDR) based active missile warning systems, they show poorer performance in terms of time-to-impact (TTI) estimation which is critical for optimizing the countermeasures and also "passive kill assessment". In this paper, we consider this problem, namely, TTI estimation from passive measurements and present a TTI estimation scheme which can be used in passive missile warning systems. Our problem formulation is based on Extended Kalman Filter (EKF). The algorithm uses the area parameter of the threat plume which is derived from the used image frame.

Numerical analysis and experimental validation of heat transfer characteristic for flat-plate solar air collector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hung, Tzu-Chen; Huang, Tsung-Jie; Lee, Duen-Sheng; Lin, Chih-Hung; Pei, Bau-Shei; Li, Zeng-Yao

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Various types of solar air collectors are discussed. • CFD has been used to validate the characteristics of heat transfer. • Solar Ray Tracing has been successfully used for thermal radiation flux. - Abstract: This study combines both concepts of solar ventilation technology and solar air collector. This is a quite innovative and potential facility to effectively use thermal energy and reduce the accumulation of heat in the indoor space simultaneously. The purpose of this study is to create a prototype and implement the experiments. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach is employed to validate the characteristics of the flow and heat transfer. For the accuracy of numerical predictions, the method of Solar Ray Tracing was used for thermal radiation flux as boundary condition on the wall. The local heat transfer correlation was investigated to predict surrounding wind speed upon device cover. Three sorts of glasses and several aspect ratios of flow channels have been compared to conclude the optimal configuration. In addition, four important factors, such as the stagnant layer thickness, emissivity on the illustrated surface, mass flow rate and the height of the device, are also considered and discussed in detail. The result showed that the optimal design is dominated by the combination of an aspect ratio of 50 mm:10 mm, and appropriate mass flow rate to the height of the device. The present work on thermal energy collection can assist us in designing a powerful solar air collector in some potential applications.

Geomagnetism during solar cycle 23: Characteristics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Louis Zerbo

2013-05-01

Full Text Available On the basis of more than 48 years of morphological analysis of yearly and monthly values of the sunspot number, the aa index, the solar wind speed and interplanetary magnetic field, we point out the particularities of geomagnetic activity during the period 1996–2009. We especially investigate the last cycle 23 and the long minimum which followed it. During this period, the lowest values of the yearly averaged IMF (3 nT and yearly averaged solar wind speed (364 km/s are recorded in 1996, and 2009 respectively. The year 2003 shows itself particular by recording the highest value of the averaged solar wind (568 km/s, associated to the highest value of the yearly averaged aa index (37 nT. We also find that observations during the year 2003 seem to be related to several coronal holes which are known to generate high-speed wind stream. From the long time (more than one century study of solar variability, the present period is similar to the beginning of twentieth century. We especially present the morphological features of solar cycle 23 which is followed by a deep solar minimum.

Effect of Fullerene Passivation on the Charging and Discharging Behavior of Perovskite Solar Cells: Reduction of Bound Charges and Ion Accumulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, Yen-Chen; Wang, Leeyih; Hsieh, Hsiao-Chi; Lin, King-Fu

2018-04-11

Ion accumulation of organometal halide perovskites (OHPs) induced by electrode polarization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) under illumination has been intensely studied and associated with a widely observed current-voltage hysteresis behavior. This work is dedicated to the investigation of the behavior of charged species at the compact TiO 2 /OHP interface with respect to electrode polarization in PSC devices. By providing a comprehensive discussion of open-circuit voltage ( V OC ) buildup and V OC decay under illumination and in the dark for the PSCs modified with [6,6]-phenyl-C 61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) at the TiO 2 /OHP interface and their corresponding electrochemical impedance spectroscopies (EISs), a justified mechanism is proposed attempting to elucidate the dynamics of interfacial species with respect to the time and frequency domains. Our results demonstrate that the retarded V OC buildup and decay observed in PSC devices are related to the formation of bound charges in TiO 2 , which is essential to neutralize the oppositely charged ions accumulating at the OHP side. Besides, inserting a thicker PCBM at the TiO 2 /OHP interface as a passivation layer can alleviate the electrode polarization more efficiently as verified by the low dielectric constant measured from EIS. Moreover, photoluminescence measurements indicate that PCBM at the TiO 2 /OHP interface is capable of passivating a trap state and improving charge transfer. However, with respect to the time scale investigated in this work, the reduction of the hysteresis behavior on a millisecond scale is more likely due to less bound charge formation at the interface rather than shallow trap-state passivation by PCBM. After all, this work comprehensively demonstrates the interfacial properties of PSCs associated with PCBM passivation and helps to further understand its impact on charging/discharging as well as device performance.

Highly air stable passivation of graphene based field effect devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Sagade, Abhay A; Neumaier, Daniel; Schall, Daniel; Otto, Martin; Pesquera, Amaia; Centeno, Alba; Elorza, Amaia Zurutuza; Kurz, Heinrich

2015-02-28

The sensitivity of graphene based devices to surface adsorbates and charge traps at the graphene/dielectric interface requires proper device passivation in order to operate them reproducibly under ambient conditions. Here we report on the use of atomic layer deposited aluminum oxide as passivation layer on graphene field effect devices (GFETs). We show that successful passivation produce hysteresis free DC characteristics, low doping level GFETs stable over weeks though operated and stored in ambient atmosphere. This is achieved by selecting proper seed layer prior to deposition of encapsulation layer. The passivated devices are also demonstrated to be robust towards the exposure to chemicals and heat treatments, typically used during device fabrication. Additionally, the passivation of high stability and reproducible characteristics is also shown for functional devices like integrated graphene based inverters.

Energy efficiency and comfort conditions in passive solar buildings: Effect of thermal mass at equatorial high altitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Ogoli, David Mwale

This dissertation is based on the philosophy that architectural design should not just be a function of aesthetics, but also of energy-efficiency, advanced technologies and passive solar strategies. A lot of published literature is silent regarding buildings in equatorial highland regions. This dissertation is part of the body of knowledge that attempts to provide a study of energy in buildings using thermal mass. The objectives were to establish (1) effect of equatorial high-altitude climate on thermal mass, (2) effect of thermal mass on moderating indoor temperatures, (3) effect of thermal mass in reducing heating and cooling energy, and (4) the amount of time lag and decrement factor of thermal mass. Evidence to analyze the effect of thermal mass issues came from three sources. First, experimental physical models involving four houses were parametrically conducted in Nairobi, Kenya. Second, energy computations were made using variations in thermal mass for determining annual energy usage and costs. Third, the data gathered were observed, evaluated, and compared with currently published research. The findings showed that: (1) Equatorial high-altitude climates that have diurnal temperature ranging about 10--15°C allow thermal mass to moderate indoor temperatures; (2) Several equations were established that indicate that indoor mean radiant temperatures can be predicted from outdoor temperatures; (3) Thermal mass can reduce annual energy for heating and cooling by about 71%; (4) Time lag and decrement of 200mm thick stone and concrete thermal mass can be predicted by a new formula; (5) All windows on a building should be shaded. East and west windows when shaded save 51% of the cooling energy. North and south windows when fully shaded account for a further 26% of the cooling energy; (6) Insulation on the outside of a wall reduces energy use by about 19.6% below the levels with insulation on the inside. The basic premise of this dissertation is that decisions that

Proceedings of the Canadian Solar Industries Association Solar Forum 2005 : sunny days ahead : a forum on solar energy for government officials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

Solar energy is the fastest growing energy source in the world. Government involvement is critical in the deployment of solar energy. This forum focused on the application of solar energy in government facilities. The forum was divided into 3 sessions: (1) solar technologies and markets; (2) government initiatives that support solar energy; and (3) the use of solar energy on government facilities in Canada. The current state of solar technologies and products in Canada was reviewed. Solar thermal markets were discussed with reference to passive solar energy and photovoltaic applications. On-site solar generation for federal facilities was discussed, and various federal initiatives were reviewed. Issues concerning Ontario's standard offer contract program were discussed. Government users and buyers of solar products spoke of their experiences in using solar energy and the challenges that were faced. The role that solar energy can play in reducing government costs was discussed, as well as the impact of solar energy on the environment. Opportunities and barriers to the use of solar energy in Canada were explored. The conference featured 14 presentations, of which 2 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs

Stable High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells via Grain Boundary Passivation

KAUST Repository

Niu, Tianqi; Lu, Jing; Munir, Rahim; Li, Jianbo; Barrit, Dounya; Zhang, Xu; Hu, Hanlin; Yang, Zhou; Amassian, Aram; Zhao, Kui; Liu, Shengzhong Frank

2018-01-01

the energy offset between the semiconducting molecules and the perovskite influences trap states and intergrain carrier transport. The superior optoelectronic properties are attained by optimizing the molecular passivation treatments. These benefits

Selective deposition contact patterning using atomic layer deposition for the fabrication of crystalline silicon solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Young Joon; Shin, Woong-Chul; Chang, Hyo Sik

2014-01-01

Selective deposition contact (SDC) patterning was applied to fabricate the rear side passivation of crystalline silicon (Si) solar cells. By this method, using screen printing for contact patterning and atomic layer deposition for the passivation of Si solar cells with Al 2 O 3 , we produced local contacts without photolithography or any laser-based processes. Passivated emitter and rear-contact solar cells passivated with ozone-based Al 2 O 3 showed, for the SDC process, an up-to-0.7% absolute conversion-efficiency improvement. The results of this experiment indicate that the proposed method is feasible for conversion-efficiency improvement of industrial crystalline Si solar cells. - Highlights: • We propose a local contact formation process. • Local contact forms a screen print and an atomic layer deposited-Al 2 O 3 film. • Ozone-based Al 2 O 3 thin film was selectively deposited onto patterned silicon. • Selective deposition contact patterning method can increase cell-efficiency by 0.7%

Characterization of solar cells for space applications. Volume 11: Electrical characteristics of 2 ohm-cm, 228 micron wraparound solar cells as a function of intensity, temperature, and irradiation. [for solar electric propulsion

Science.gov (United States)

Anspaugh, B. E.; Beckert, D. M.; Downing, R. G.; Weiss, R. S.

1980-01-01

Parametric characterization data on Spectrolab 2 by 4 cm, 2 ohm/cm, 228 micron thick wraparound cell, a candidate for the Solar Electric Propulsion Mission, are presented. These data consist of the electrical characteristics of the solar cell under a wide range of temperature and illumination intensity combinations of the type encountered in space applications.

Asymmetric band offsets in silicon heterojunction solar cells: Impact on device performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seif, Johannes Peter, E-mail: johannes.seif@alumni.epfl.ch; Ballif, Christophe; De Wolf, Stefaan [Photovoltaics and Thin-Film Electronics Laboratory, Institute of Microengineering (IMT), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Rue de la Maladière 71b, CH-2002 Neuchâtel (Switzerland); Menda, Deneb; Özdemir, Orhan [Department of Physics, Yıldız Technical University, Davutpasa Campus, TR-34210 Esenler, Istanbul (Turkey); Descoeudres, Antoine; Barraud, Loris [CSEM, PV-Center, Jaquet-Droz 1, CH-2002 Neuchâtel (Switzerland)

2016-08-07

Amorphous/crystalline silicon interfaces feature considerably larger valence than conduction band offsets. In this article, we analyze the impact of such band offset asymmetry on the performance of silicon heterojunction solar cells. To this end, we use silicon suboxides as passivation layers—inserted between substrate and (front or rear) contacts—since such layers enable intentionally exacerbated band-offset asymmetry. Investigating all topologically possible passivation layer permutations and focussing on light and dark current-voltage characteristics, we confirm that to avoid fill factor losses, wider-bandgap silicon oxide films (of at least several nanometer thin) should be avoided in hole-collecting contacts. As a consequence, device implementation of such films as window layers—without degraded carrier collection—demands electron collection at the front and hole collection at the rear. Furthermore, at elevated operating temperatures, once possible carrier transport barriers are overcome by thermionic (field) emission, the device performance is mainly dictated by the passivation of its surfaces. In this context, compared to the standard amorphous silicon layers, the wide-bandgap oxide layers applied here passivate remarkably better at these temperatures, which may represent an additional benefit under practical operation conditions.

The temperature dependence of the characteristics of crystalline-silicon-based heterojunction solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Sachenko, A. V.; Kryuchenko, Yu. V.; Kostylyov, V. P.; Korkishko, R. M.; Sokolovskyi, I. O.; Abramov, A. S.; Abolmasov, S. N.; Andronikov, D. A.; Bobyl', A. V.; Panaiotti, I. E.; Terukov, E. I.; Titov, A. S.; Shvarts, M. Z.

2016-03-01

Temperature dependences of the photovoltaic characteristics of ( p)a-Si/( i)a-Si:H/( n)c-Si singlecrystalline- silicon based heterojunction-with-intrinsic-thin-layer (HIT) solar cells have been measured in a temperature range of 80-420 K. The open-circuit voltage ( V OC), fill factor ( FF) of the current-voltage ( I-U) characteristic, and maximum output power ( P max) reach limiting values in the interval of 200-250 K on the background of monotonic growth in the short-circuit current ( I SC) in a temperature range of 80-400 K. At temperatures below this interval, the V OC, FF, and P max values exhibit a decrease. It is theoretically justified that a decrease in the photovoltaic energy conversion characteristics of solar cells observed on heating from 250 to 400 K is related to exponential growth in the intrinsic conductivity. At temperatures below 200 K, the I-U curve shape exhibits a change that is accompanied by a drop in V OC. Possible factors that account for the decrease in V OC, FF, and P max are considered.

Amorphous silicon oxide layers for surface passivation and contacting of heterostructure solar cells of amorphous and crystalline silicon; Amorphe Siliziumoxidschichten zur Oberflaechenpassivierung und Kontaktierung von Heterostruktur-Solarzellen aus amorphen und kristallinem Silizium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Einsele, Florian

2010-02-05

films is dominated by the diffusion of atomic hydrogen being suitable for the saturation of interface defects. This shows in a distinct increase of the passivation quality of annealed films. The heterostructure back contact for solar cells on p-type c-Si consists of an undoped, full area passivation film, followed by a boron doped p-type contact layer. If highly doped, this layer generates a back surface field effect which decreases the recombination by reflecting minority charge carriers from the defect rich interface. An undoped passivation layer of a-Si:H improves the passivation by saturating interface defects. Effusion measurements on stacks of undoped and doped layers show an increase of the hydrogen diffusion in the undoped layer due to the presence of the doped layer. The doped layer shifts the Fermi level of the undoped layer towards the valence band edge. This shift increases the diffusion coefficient of hydrogen due to an effective reduction of the Si-H bond energy. As a consequence, the presence of the doped contact layer increases the mobility of atomic hydrogen in the passivation layer, with atomic hydrogen being necessary for the passivation of interface defects. The thickness of the passivation layer critically affects both the passivation and the electrical conductance of the back contact. Whereas the passivation quality steadily improves with increasing thickness, the conductance drops when exceeding a critical thickness in a range of 4 nm to 8 nm. Temperature dependent measurements yield a thermal activation of the conductance with an activation energy of E{sub A} {approx_equal} 0.5 eV, which is attributed to the valence band offset {Delta}E{sub V} between a-Si:H and c-Si. This high barrier requires a tunneling process for majority charge carriers and explains the abrupt decrease of conductance with increasing passivation layer thickness. Passivation layers of a-SiO{sub x}:H form a blocking junction on p-type c-Si, which is explained by an oxygen

Characteristics of seasonal variation and solar activity dependence of the geomagnetic solar quiet daily variation

Science.gov (United States)

Shinbori, A.; Koyama, Y.; Nose, M.; Hori, T.

2017-12-01

Characteristics of seasonal variation and solar activity dependence of the X- and Y-components of the geomagnetic solar quiet (Sq) daily variation at Memanbetsu in mid-latitudes and Guam near the equator have been investigated using long-term geomagnetic field data with 1-h time resolution from 1957 to 2016. In this analysis, we defined the quiet day when the maximum value of the Kp index is less than 3 for that day. In this analysis, we used the monthly average of the adjusted daily F10.7 corresponding to geomagnetically quiet days. For identification of the monthly mean Sq variation in the X and Y components (Sq-X and Sq-Y), we first determined the baseline of the X and Y components from the average value from 22 to 2 h (LT: local time) for each quiet day. Next, we calculated a deviation from the baseline of the X- and Y-components of the geomagnetic field for each quiet day, and computed the monthly mean value of the deviation for each local time. As a result, Sq-X and Sq-Y shows a clear seasonal variation and solar activity dependence. The amplitude of seasonal variation increases significantly during high solar activities, and is proportional to the solar F10.7 index. The pattern of the seasonal variation is quite different between Sq-X and Sq-Y. The result of the correlation analysis between the solar F10.7 index and Sq-X and Sq-Y shows almost the linear relationship, but the slope and intercept of the linear fitted line varies as function of local time and month. This implies that the sensitivity of Sq-X and Sq-Y to the solar activity is different for different local times and seasons. The local time dependence of the offset value of Sq-Y at Guam and its seasonal variation suggest a magnetic field produced by inter-hemispheric field-aligned currents (FACs). From the sign of the offset value of Sq-Y, it is infer that the inter-hemispheric FACs flow from the summer to winter hemispheres in the dawn and dusk sectors and from the winter to summer hemispheres in

Surface etching technologies for monocrystalline silicon wafer solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Muzhi

With more than 200 GW of accumulated installations in 2015, photovoltaics (PV) has become an important green energy harvesting method. The PV market is dominated by solar cells made from crystalline silicon wafers. The engineering of the wafer surfaces is critical to the solar cell cost reduction and performance enhancement. Therefore, this thesis focuses on the development of surface etching technologies for monocrystalline silicon wafer solar cells. It aims to develop a more efficient alkaline texturing method and more effective surface cleaning processes. Firstly, a rapid, isopropanol alcohol free texturing method is successfully demonstrated to shorten the process time and reduce the consumption of chemicals. This method utilizes the special chemical properties of triethylamine, which can form Si-N bonds with wafer surface atoms. Secondly, a room-temperature anisotropic emitter etch-back process is developed to improve the n+ emitter passivation. Using this method, 19.0% efficient screen-printed aluminium back surface field solar cells are developed that show an efficiency gain of 0.15% (absolute) compared with conventionally made solar cells. Finally, state-of-the-art silicon surface passivation results are achieved using hydrogen plasma etching as a dry alternative to the classical hydrofluoric acid wet-chemical process. The effective native oxide removal and the hydrogenation of the silicon surface are shown to be the reasons for the excellent level of surface passivation achieved with this novel method.

Starting characteristics of direct current motors powered by solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, S.; Appelbaum, J.

1989-01-01

Direct current motors are used in photovoltaic systems. Important characteristics of electric motors are the starting to rated current and torque ratios. These ratios are dictated by the size of the solar cell array and are different for the various dc motor types. Discussed here is the calculation of the starting to rated current ratio and starting to rated torque ratio of the permanent magnet, and series and shunt excited motors when powered by solar cells for two cases: with and without a maximum-power-point-tracker (MPPT) included in the system. Comparing these two cases, one gets a torque magnification of about 3 for the permanent magnet motor and about 7 for other motor types. The calculation of the torques may assist the PV system designer to determine whether or not to include an MPPT in the system.

Investigation on Solar Heating System with Building-Integrated Heat Storage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heller, Alfred

1996-01-01

Traditional solar heating systems cover between 5 and 10% of the heat demand fordomestic hot water and comfort heating. By applying storage capacity this share can beincreased much. The Danish producer of solar heating systems, Aidt-Miljø, markets such a system including storage of dry sand heated...... by PP-pipe heat exchanger. Heat demand is reduced due to direct solar heating and due to storage. The storage affects the heat demand passively due to higher temperatures. Hence heat loss is reduced and passive heating is optioned. In theory, by running the system flow backwards, active heating can...... solar collector area of the system, was achieved. Active heating from the sand storage was not observed. The pay-back time for the system can be estimated to be similar to solar heated domestic hot water systems in general. A number of minor improvements on the system could be pointed out....

Solar Energy Now.

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Harvey, Ed.

Twenty articles addressing different aspects of solar energy are compiled in this book. They represent the views of different governmental and non-governmental organizations, members of congress, and other individuals including, for example, Barry Commoner and Amory Lovins. Topics discussed include the need for federal support, passive solar…

Life cycle cost analysis of single slope hybrid (PV/T) active solar still

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Shiv; Tiwari, G.N.

2009-01-01

This paper presents the life cycle cost analysis of the single slope passive and hybrid photovoltaic (PV/T) active solar stills, based on the annual performance at 0.05 m water depth. Effects of various parameters, namely interest rate, life of the system and the maintenance cost have been taken into account. The comparative cost of distilled water produced from passive solar still (Rs. 0.70/kg) is found to be less than hybrid (PV/T) active solar still (Rs. 1.93/kg) for 30 years life time of the systems. The payback periods of the passive and hybrid (PV/T) active solar still are estimated to be in the range of 1.1-6.2 years and 3.3-23.9 years, respectively, based on selling price of distilled water in the range of Rs. 10/kg to Rs. 2/kg. The energy payback time (EPBT) has been estimated as 2.9 and 4.7 years, respectively. (author)

Formation of BaSi2 heterojunction solar cells using transparent MoOx hole transport layers

Science.gov (United States)

Du, W.; Takabe, R.; Baba, M.; Takeuchi, H.; Hara, K. O.; Toko, K.; Usami, N.; Suemasu, T.

2015-03-01

Heterojunction solar cells that consist of 15 nm thick molybdenum trioxide (MoOx, x < 3) as a hole transport layer and 600 nm thick unpassivated or passivated n-BaSi2 layers were demonstrated. Rectifying current-voltage characteristics were observed when the surface of BaSi2 was exposed to air. When the exposure time was decreased to 1 min, an open circuit voltage of 200 mV and a short circuit current density of 0.5 mA/cm2 were obtained under AM1.5 illumination. The photocurrent density under a reverse bias voltage of -1 V reached 25 mA/cm2, which demonstrates the significant potential of BaSi2 for solar cell applications.

Thermal Feature of a Modified Solar Phase Change Material Storage Wall System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chenglong Luo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This work is to study a novel solar PCM storage wall technology, that is, a dual-channel and thermal-insulation-in-the-middle type solar PCM storage wall (MSPCMW system. The system has the following four independent functions, passive solar heating, heat preservation, heat insulation, and passive cooling, and it can agilely cope with the requirements of climatization of buildings in different seasons throughout the year and is exactly suitable for building in regions characterized by hot summer and cold winter. The present work experimentally analyzes thermal feature of the system working in summer and winter modes, respectively.

Impact of Various Charge States of Hydrogen on Passivation of Dislocation in Silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Lihui; Lou, Jingjing; Fu, Jiayi; Ji, Zhenguo

2018-03-01

Dislocation, one of typical crystallographic defects in silicon, is detrimental to the minority carrier lifetime of silicon wafer. Hydrogen passivation is able to reduce the recombination activity of dislocation, however, the passivation efficacy is strongly dependent on the experimental conditions. In this paper, a model based on the theory of hydrogen charge state control is proposed to explain the passivation efficacy of dislocation correlated to the peak temperature of thermal annealing and illumination intensity. Experimental results support the prediction of the model that a mix of positively charged hydrogen and negatively charged hydrogen at certain ratio can maximise the passivation efficacy of dislocation, leading to a better power conversion efficiency of silicon solar cell with dislocation in it.

Interface characteristics of spin-on-dielectric SiO{sub x}-buffered passivation layers for AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ko, Pil-Seok; Park, Kyoung-Seok; Yoon, Yeo-Chang [Division of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Dongguk University, 100-715 Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Sheen, Mi-Hyang [Department of Materials Science Engineering, Seoul National University, 151-742 Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sam-Dong, E-mail: samdong@dongguk.edu [Division of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Dongguk University, 100-715 Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-08-31

To reveal the cause for significant enhancement of dc current performance of the AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with the spin-on-dielectric (SOD) SiO{sub x}-buffered passivation structure compared to the conventional Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} passivation deposited by plasma-enhanced vapor deposition (PECVD), we characterized the passivation interfaces using the cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, cathodoluminescence, capacitance–voltage (C–V) characterizations, and Hall-effect measurements. The interface state density of PECVD Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} passivation was in the range of 10{sup 12}–10{sup 13} cm{sup −2} eV{sup −1}, which is one-order higher than that of the SOD (10{sup 11}–10{sup 12} cm{sup −2} eV{sup −1}) as measured by C–V measurements from the metal–insulator–semiconductor capacitors. Higher density of effective oxide charge density (especially dominant contribution of ionic mobile charge) was also derived from the PECVD Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} passivation. A well-resolved reduction of the electron Hall mobility of the Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} passivation compared to that of the perhydropolysilazane SOD passivation, which can be due to the higher-density interface states and trap charges, can answer the relative dc current collapse of our HEMT devices. - Highlights: • Spin-on-dielectric (SOD)-buffered passivation for AlGaN/GaN HEMTs • Characterize the charge density and interface states using the C–V measurements • SOD-buffered passivation minimizes surface states at the interface. • DC performance of SOD-buffered structure is due to the interface characteristics.

Passive safety and the advanced liquid metal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, D.J.; Pedersen, D.R.; Marchaterre, J.F.

1988-01-01

Advanced Liquid Metal Reactors being developed today in the USA are designed to make maximum use of passive safety features. Much of the LMR safety work at Argonne National Laboratory is concerned with demonstrating, both theoretically and experimentally, the effectiveness of the passive safety features. The characteristics that contribute to passive safety are discussed, with particular emphasis on decay heat removal systems, together with examples of Argonne's theoretical and experimental programs in this area

Characterization of solar cells for space applications. Volume 7: Electrical characteristics of Spectrolab HEWAC BSF, textured, 10 ohm-cm, 225 micron solar cells as a function of intensity and temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Anspaugh, B. E.; Beckert, D. M.; Downing, R. G.; Miyahira, T. F.; Weiss, R. S.

1979-01-01

Electrical characteristics of Spectrolab HEWAC BSF, textured, 10 ohm cm, 225 micron solar cells are presented in graphical and tabular format as a function of solar illumination intensity and temperature.

The influence of silicon wafer thickness on characteristics of multijunction solar cells with vertical p—n-junctions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gnilenko A. B.

2012-02-01

Full Text Available A multijunction silicon solar cell with vertical p–n junctions consisted of four serial n+–p–p+-structures was simulated using Silvaco TCAD software package. The dependence of solar cell characteristics on the silicon wafer thickness is investigated for a wide range of values.

Effects of surface passivation on twin-free GaAs nanosheets.

Science.gov (United States)

Arab, Shermin; Chi, Chun-Yung; Shi, Teng; Wang, Yuda; Dapkus, Daniel P; Jackson, Howard E; Smith, Leigh M; Cronin, Stephen B

2015-02-24

Unlike nanowires, GaAs nanosheets exhibit no twin defects, stacking faults, or dislocations even when grown on lattice mismatched substrates. As such, they are excellent candidates for optoelectronic applications, including LEDs and solar cells. We report substantial enhancements in the photoluminescence efficiency and the lifetime of passivated GaAs nanosheets produced using the selected area growth (SAG) method with metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Measurements are performed on individual GaAs nanosheets with and without an AlGaAs passivation layer. Both steady-state photoluminescence and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy are performed to study the optoelectronic performance of these nanostructures. Our results show that AlGaAs passivation of GaAs nanosheets leads to a 30- to 40-fold enhancement in the photoluminescence intensity. The photoluminescence lifetime increases from less than 30 to 300 ps with passivation, indicating an order of magnitude improvement in the minority carrier lifetime. We attribute these enhancements to the reduction of nonradiative recombination due to the compensation of surface states after passivation. The surface recombination velocity decreases from an initial value of 2.5 × 10(5) to 2.7 × 10(4) cm/s with passivation.

Fundamental characteristics on electric system of solar electric vehicle; Solar car no denki keito ni kansuru kiso tokusei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujita, S; Sasaki, M; Kaga, T; Koyama, N [Hachinohe Institute of Technology, Aomori (Japan)

1996-10-27

The electric system of a solar vehicle was removed and the fundamental characteristics examined in order to carry out a basic experiment on the electric system. Using a basic circuit with panels, batteries and loads connected, the voltage and current were measured in the presence/absence of the trackers, batteries, etc., and then, their effects were examined. Simultaneously, the quantity of solar radiation was also measured. The lowering of the output voltage was somewhat relaxed with the use of the trackers. Further, with the trackers used, the output voltage of the panel was small in spite of a large quantity of solar radiation compared to the case without the trackers, which was due to the restriction of the output voltage by the trackers. When measured without batteries, the output voltage of the panel was such that the load current was also influenced by the variation of insolation, so that, with a large decrease in insolation, the load current was decreased with the supply of current suspended from the panel. 7 figs., 1 tab.

Passive energy standard in building as a perspective of sustainable development - first passive houses in Croatia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miscevic, Lj.

2005-01-01

The paper presents the projects and implementation of the first passive family houses in Croatia. The Croatian Solar House (CSH) is a national technological-development project by a group of authors, which is based on passive house standard as an energy-terms point of departure. The House EV1 is a wood-made passive house under construction, while the House M4 is the first passive house in Croatia made in poro-concrete and reinforced concrete made ceiling slabs. Both houses comply with the heating energy consumption requirements under the passive house definition, i.e., the annual consumption does not exceed 15 kWh/m2. These houses are also referred to as 'houses without heating', 'houses with thermal comfort without heating' or 'one-liter houses' because their consumption is equivalent to one liter of fuel oil by one square meter a year. Assuming the high-value thermal protection, passive house is equipped with an installation system which houses a heat pump and ventilation system for continuous introduction of fresh air indoors. The use of renewable energy sources enabled the accomplishment by far the biggest energy savings in the construction industry, ensuring optimal conditions for healthy living without harmful gas emissions. Since 1990 there is an exponential growth of constructed passive houses in Europe. Germany is leading this trend with total of 150,000 free-standing houses, house raw units or residential units in small multi-apartment buildings. The research project-program of the European Union: Cost Efficiency Passive Houses as European Union Standard (CEPHEUS) has confirmed, by scientific monitoring during several years, the energy- and cost-efficiency of such architecture and construction model in more than 250 units in Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland. Therefore the passive house is proposed as a standard for residential architecture and construction, but also for general construction of all functional types of non-residential architecture

Passivation of nanocrystalline TiO2 junctions by surface adsorbed phosphinate amphiphiles enhances the photovoltaic performance of dye sensitized solar cells

KAUST Repository

Wang, Mingkui

2009-01-01

We report a new class of molecular insulators that electronically passivate the surface of nanocrystalline titania films for high performance dye sensitized solar cells (DSC). Using electrical impedance measurements we demonstrate that co-adsorption of dineohexyl bis-(3,3-dimethyl-butyl)-phosphinic acid (DINHOP), along with the amphiphilic ruthenium sensitizer Z907Na increased substantially the power output of the cells mainly due to a retardation of interfacial recombination of photo-generated charge carriers. The use of phosphinates as anchoring groups opens up new avenues for modification of the surface by molecular insulators, sensitizers and other electro-active molecules to realize the desired optoelectronic performance of devices based on oxide junctions. © 2009 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Bystanders' Supportive and Passive Responses to Cyberaggression

Science.gov (United States)

Machackova, Hana; Dedkova, Lenka; Sevcikova, Anna; Cerna, Alena

2018-01-01

Bystanders in cyberaggression can support the victim, join the aggressor, or remain passive. We examined how supportive and passive adolescent Czech cyberbystanders (N = 443, ages 12-18) differ in terms of individual characteristics, emotional responses, and contextual factors. The most substantial distinguishing factor between the two groups…

Solar Energy Education Packet for Elementary & Secondary Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Center for Renewable Resources, Washington, DC.

The arrangement of this packet is essentially evolutionary, with a conscious effort to alternate reading assignments, activities and experiments. It begins with solar energy facts and terminology as background to introduce the reader to basic concepts. It progresses into a discussion of passive solar systems. This is followed by several projects…

Electromagnetic analysis of the passive stabilizers for EAST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du Shijun; Wang Liheng; Liu Xufeng; Yao Damao

2006-01-01

The electromagnetic problems of the passive stabilizers for EAST are analyzed in this paper. The eddy currents in the passive plates induced by vertical plasma motion converge at the edge of the plates. The time constant of the passive plates is relied on the eddy currents distribution and can be determined by analyzing the natural decay characteristic of eddy currents. The mutual inductance between the passive plates and the plasma can be found by calculating the flux in the plasma ring from the eddy currents. The distribution of electromagnetic loads acting on the passive plates is not uniform. As the poloidal eddy currents gather at the vertical connection conductors, the large normal electromagnetic forces caused by the stronger toroidal field and the poloidal currents concentrate at some regions of the passive plates

Solar energy; Product information. Zonne-energie; Produktinformatie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kruisheer, N

1992-03-20

In five brief articles product information is given on solar energy applications with special attention to the Netherlands. After an introduction on solar energy availability in the Netherlands the developments in solar boiler techniques are dealt with. Solar water heaters have advantages for the environment, and government subsidies stimulate different uses of such water heaters. Also the developments of solar cells show good prospects, not only for developing countries, but also for the industrialized countries. In brief the developments in solar energy storage and the connection of solar equipment to the grid are discussed. Finally attention is paid to the applications of passive solar energy in the housing construction, the use of transparent thermal insulation and the developments of translucent materials. 18 figs., 18 ills.

Employing Si solar cell technology to increase efficiency of ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Vermang, Bart; Wätjen, Jörn Timo; Fjällström, Viktor; Rostvall, Fredrik; Edoff, Marika; Kotipalli, Ratan; Henry, Frederic; Flandre, Denis

2014-10-01

Reducing absorber layer thickness below 500 nm in regular Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) solar cells decreases cell efficiency considerably, as both short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage are reduced because of incomplete absorption and high Mo/CIGS rear interface recombination. In this work, an innovative rear cell design is developed to avoid both effects: a highly reflective rear surface passivation layer with nano-sized local point contact openings is employed to enhance rear internal reflection and decrease the rear surface recombination velocity significantly, as compared with a standard Mo/CIGS rear interface. The formation of nano-sphere shaped precipitates in chemical bath deposition of CdS is used to generate nano-sized point contact openings. Evaporation of MgF 2 coated with a thin atomic layer deposited Al 2 O 3 layer, or direct current magnetron sputtering of Al 2 O 3 are used as rear surface passivation layers. Rear internal reflection is enhanced substantially by the increased thickness of the passivation layer, and also the rear surface recombination velocity is reduced at the Al 2 O 3 /CIGS rear interface. (MgF 2 /)Al 2 O 3 rear surface passivated ultra-thin CIGS solar cells are fabricated, showing an increase in short circuit current and open circuit voltage compared to unpassivated reference cells with equivalent CIGS thickness. Accordingly, average solar cell efficiencies of 13.5% are realized for 385 nm thick CIGS absorber layers, compared with 9.1% efficiency for the corresponding unpassivated reference cells.

Employing Si solar cell technology to increase efficiency of ultra-thin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Vermang, Bart; Wätjen, Jörn Timo; Fjällström, Viktor; Rostvall, Fredrik; Edoff, Marika; Kotipalli, Ratan; Henry, Frederic; Flandre, Denis

2014-01-01

Reducing absorber layer thickness below 500 nm in regular Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells decreases cell efficiency considerably, as both short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage are reduced because of incomplete absorption and high Mo/CIGS rear interface recombination. In this work, an innovative rear cell design is developed to avoid both effects: a highly reflective rear surface passivation layer with nano-sized local point contact openings is employed to enhance rear internal reflection and decrease the rear surface recombination velocity significantly, as compared with a standard Mo/CIGS rear interface. The formation of nano-sphere shaped precipitates in chemical bath deposition of CdS is used to generate nano-sized point contact openings. Evaporation of MgF2 coated with a thin atomic layer deposited Al2O3 layer, or direct current magnetron sputtering of Al2O3 are used as rear surface passivation layers. Rear internal reflection is enhanced substantially by the increased thickness of the passivation layer, and also the rear surface recombination velocity is reduced at the Al2O3/CIGS rear interface. (MgF2/)Al2O3 rear surface passivated ultra-thin CIGS solar cells are fabricated, showing an increase in short circuit current and open circuit voltage compared to unpassivated reference cells with equivalent CIGS thickness. Accordingly, average solar cell efficiencies of 13.5% are realized for 385 nm thick CIGS absorber layers, compared with 9.1% efficiency for the corresponding unpassivated reference cells. PMID:26300619

Solar Schematic

Science.gov (United States)

1979-01-01

The home shown at right is specially designed to accommodate solar heating units; it has roof planes in four directions, allowing placement of solar collectors for best exposure to the sun. Plans (bottom) and complete working blueprints for the solar-heated house are being marketed by Home Building Plan Service, Portland, Oregon. The company also offers an inexpensive schematic (center) showing how a homeowner only moderately skilled in the use of tools can build his own solar energy system, applicable to new or existing structures. The schematic is based upon the design of a low-cost solar home heating system built and tested by NASA's Langley Research Center; used to supplement a warm-air heating system, it can save the homeowner about 40 percent of his annual heating bill for a modest investment in materials and components. Home Building Plan Service saved considerable research time by obtaining a NASA technical report which details the Langley work. The resulting schematic includes construction plans and simplified explanations of solar heat collection, collectors and other components, passive heat factors, domestic hot water supply and how to work with local heating engineers.

Fluctuation characteristics of solar radiation in crop cultivation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, S.; Suzuki, H.

1996-01-01

The objective of this study was to clarify the fluctuation of solar radiation for long and short periods, which is very crucial for plant growth. Data obtained from a meteorological observatory were used to investigate solar radiation and sunshine duration for a long period. For a short period, observation of global solar radiation and sky solar radiation were conducted in a glass house and at an open field. (1) Yearly average percentage of solar radiation at Kagawa from 1973 to 1994 was 44.3%, and its coefficient of variation was 3.9%. The percentage of possible sunshine and the coefficient were larger than those of solar radiation, 47.3% and 56% respectively. (2) Percentage of possible solar radiation and percentage of possible sunshine showed seasonal variation. Those coefficients of variation both increased exponentially with cloud amount. (3) Variations of global solar radiation and direct solar radiation were more remarkable in the glass house than those in the open field, while variations of sky solar radiation were small in the house and at the open field. (4) The fluctuation of solar radiation observed every 5 minutes was presented as the difference of radiation, present value minus the preceding value. The difference was positive in the morning, negative in the afternoon at the open field. In the house both positive and negative values were obtained the whole day. (5) Diurnal variation of ratio of direct solar radiation to sky solar radiation showed a parabolic effect, whereas it had irregular and large fluctuations at the open field

Solar Energy: A Middle School Unit. Environmental Education Occasional Paper No. 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Jack L.; Cantrell, Joseph S.

This collection of teaching activities was developed to provide teachers with guidance in presenting solar energy education to students of middle school age. The unit provides activities presenting learning opportunities involving: (1) passive solar collectors, (2) active solar collectors, (3) concentrating collectors, and (4) photovoltaic cell…

Photovoltaic characteristics of diffused P/+N bulk GaAs solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Borrego, J. M.; Keeney, R. P.; Bhat, I. B.; Bhat, K. N.; Sundaram, L. G.; Ghandhi, S. K.

1982-01-01

The photovoltaic characteristics of P(+)N junction solar cells fabricated on bulk GaAs by an open tube diffusion technique are described in this paper.Spectral response measurements were analyzed in detail and compared to a computer simulation in order to determine important material parameters. It is projected that proper optimization of the cell parameters can increase the efficiency of the cells from 12.2 percent to close to 20 percent.

Public Policies of Solar Energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouvier, Yves; Pehlivanian, Sophie; Teissier, Pierre; Chauvin-Michel, Marion; Forget, Marie; Raymond, Roland; Hyun Jin Yu, Julie; Popiolek, Nathalie; Guthleben, Denis

2013-01-01

This dossier about the Public Policies of Solar Energy brings together the presentations given in June 2013 at a colloquium organised by the Savoie university of Chambery (France): Introduction (Yves Bouvier, Sophie Pehlivanian); Passive solar energy in the shade of the French energy policy, 1945-1986 (Pierre Teissier); Solar architectures and energy policies in France: from oil crisis to solar crisis (Marion Chauvin-Michel); Sun in media, between promotion and contestation (Sophie Pehlivanian); Public policies of solar energy and territorial jurisdictions: the example of village photovoltaic power plants (Marie Forget); Energy social system and ordinary creative movement (Roland Raymond); The Historical Evolution of South Korea's Solar PV Policies since the 1970's (Julie Hyun Jin Yu, Nathalie Popiolek); Research on solar energy from yesterday to the present day: an historical project (Denis Guthleben); Photovoltaic power: public policies and economical consequences. The French choices in the international context - 1973-2013 (Alain Ricaud)

Development of passive design zones in China using bioclimatic approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lam, Joseph C.; Yang Liu; Liu Jiaping

2006-01-01

This paper presents the work on development of passive design zones for different climates in China. A total of 18 cities representing the five major climatic types, namely severe cold, cold, hot summer and cold winter, mild and hot summer and warm winter were selected for climatic analysis. Measured weather data were gathered and analysed. A bioclimatic approach was adopted in which the comfort zone and 12 monthly climatic lines were determined and plotted on the psychrometric chart for each city. From these bioclimatic charts, the potential use of passive design strategies such as solar heating, natural ventilation, thermal mass with/without night ventilation and evaporative cooling was assessed. A total of nine passive design strategy zones were identified, and appropriate design strategies suggested for both summer and winter consideration

Here comes the sun. Solar energy technology in the USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van der Wees, G.

1998-01-01

An overview is given of the energy policy in the USA with respect to solar energy technology and the marketing of solar energy applications. In particular, attention is paid to the Million Solar Roofs programme, small-scale and medium-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems (Residential PV and Utility Scale PV), solar thermal systems (Parabolic Trough, Power tower, and Solar Dish/Engine). Also examples of passive solar systems are given. Finally, a number of aspects with regard to market implementation, e.g. net-metering. 9 refs

Effect of band-aligned double absorber layers on photovoltaic characteristics of chemical bath deposited PbS/CdS thin film solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho Yeon, Deuk; Chandra Mohanty, Bhaskar; Lee, Seung Min; Soo Cho, Yong

2015-09-23

Here we report the highest energy conversion efficiency and good stability of PbS thin film-based depleted heterojunction solar cells, not involving PbS quantum dots. The PbS thin films were grown by the low cost chemical bath deposition (CBD) process at relatively low temperatures. Compared to the quantum dot solar cells which require critical and multistep complex procedures for surface passivation, the present approach, leveraging the facile modulation of the optoelectronic properties of the PbS films by the CBD process, offers a simpler route for optimization of PbS-based solar cells. Through an architectural modification, wherein two band-aligned junctions are stacked without any intervening layers, an enhancement of conversion efficiency by as much as 30% from 3.10 to 4.03% facilitated by absorption of a wider range of solar spectrum has been obtained. As an added advantage of the low band gap PbS stacked over a wide gap PbS, the devices show stability over a period of 10 days.

Thin-film polycrystalline silicon solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Funghnan, B. W.; Blanc, J.; Phillips, W.; Redfield, D.

1980-08-01

Thirty-four new solar cells were fabricated on Wacker Sislo substrates and the AM-1 parameters were measured. A detailed comparison was made between the measurement of minority carrier diffusion length by the OE method and the penetrating light laser scan grain boundary photoresponse linewidth method. The laser scan method has more experimental uncertainty and agrees within 10 to 50% with the QE method. It allows determination of L over a large area. Atomic hydrogen passivation studies continued on Wacker material by three techniques. A method of determining surface recombination velocity, s, from laser scan data was developed. No change in s in completed solar cells after H-plasma treatment was observed within experimental error. H-passivation of bare silicon cars as measured by the new laser scan photoconductivity technique showed very large effects.

Solar energy in practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eijpe, H.A.

1996-01-01

One of the Dutch energy distribution companies (REMU) applies integrated passive, thermal and photovoltaic solar energy systems in fifty newly built dwellings in Amersfoort, Netherlands. The houses are equipped with a combi-boiler (solar energy and natural gas) and 22.5m 2 photovoltaic panels to produce electricity. Six houses are equipped with an electric heat pump, while the other 44 houses have a high-efficiency low-NO x combi-boiler. The experiences with the project so-far are outlined. 6 figs., 1 tab., 10 refs

Effect of electroless nickel on the series resistance of high-efficiency inkjet printed passivated emitter rear contacted solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lenio, Martha A.T. [REC Technology US, Inc., 1159 Triton Dr., Foster City, CA 94301 (United States); Lennon, A.J.; Ho-Baillie, A.; Wenham, S.R. [ARC Photovoltaics Centre of Excellence, University of NSW, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia)

2010-12-15

Many existing and emerging solar cell technologies rely on plated metal to form the front surface contacts, and aluminium to form the rear contact. Interactions between the metal plating solutions and the aluminium rear can have a significant impact on cell performance. This paper describes non-uniform nickel deposition on the sintered aluminium rear surface of passivated emitter and rear contacted (PERC) cells patterned using an inkjet printing technique. Rather than being plated homogeneously over the entire rear surface as is observed on an alloyed aluminium rear, the nickel is plated only in the vicinity of the point openings in the rear surface silicon dioxide dielectric layer. Furthermore, this non-uniform nickel deposition was shown to increase the contact resistance of the rear point contacts by an order of magnitude, resulting in higher series resistance values for these fabricated PERC cells. (author)

Materials for passively safe reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simnad, T.

1993-01-01

Future nuclear power capacity will be based on reactor designs that include passive safety features if recent progress in advanced nuclear power developments is realized. There is a high potential for nuclear systems that are smaller and easier to operate than the current generation of reactors, especially when passive or intrinsic characteristics are applied to provide inherent stability of the chain reaction and to minimize the burden on equipment and operating personnel. Taylor, has listed the following common generic technical features as the most important goals for the principal reactor development systems: passive stability, simplification, ruggedness, case of operation, and modularity. Economic competitiveness also depends on standardization and assurance of licensing. The performance of passively safe reactors will be greatly influenced by the successful development of advanced fuels and materials that will provide lower fuel-cycle costs. A dozen new designs of advanced power reactors have been described recently, covering a wide spectrum of reactor types, including pressurized water reactors, boiling water reactors, heavy-water reactors, modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (MHTGRs), and fast breeder reactors. These new designs address the need for passive safety features as well as the requirement of economic competitiveness

A Numerical Study on the Heat Transfer Characteristics of a Solar Thermal Receiver with High-temperature Heat Pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Young Hark; Jung, Eui Guk; Boo, Joon Hong

2007-01-01

A numerical analysis was conducted to predict the heat transfer characteristics of a solar receiver which is subject to very high heat fluxes and temperatures for solar thermal applications. The concentration ratio of the solar receiver ranges from 200 to 1000 and the concentrated heat is required to be transported to a certain distance for specific applications. The study deals with a solar receiver incorporating high-temperature sodium heat pipe as well as typical one that employs a molten-salt circulation loop. The isothermal characteristics in the receiver section is of major concern. The diameter of the solar thermal receiver was 120 mm and the length was 400 mm. For the molten-salt circulation type receiver, 48 axial channels of the same dimensions were attached to the outer wall of the receiver with even spacing in the circumferential direction. The molten salt fed through the channels by forced convection using a special pump. For the heat pipe receiver, the channels are changed to high-temperature sodium heat pipes. Commercial softwares were employed to deal with the radiative heat transfer inside the receiver cavity and the convection heat transfer along the channels. The numerical results are compared and analyzed from the view point of high-temperature solar receiver

Solar Energy Technologies and the Utilization on Native American Tribal Lands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hall, Kathryn [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)

2017-08-31

As an undergraduate researcher, I worked on a new technology called nanofluid-based direct absorption solar collectors (DASC) which is a type of solar water heater that has the potential to be more efficient than traditional solar water heaters. Because of my experience with this type of technology, I decided to look into other types of solar energy technologies which could be used on Native American tribal lands. Some types of solar energy technologies that I wanted to focus on are photovoltaic solar energy systems, passive solar design, and solar water heaters.

Comparison of swimming pools alternative passive and active heating systems based on renewable energy sources in Southern Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katsaprakakis, Dimitris Al.

2015-01-01

This article examines different passive and active heating systems for swimming pools. The passive systems introduced in this article are: * The swimming pools' enclosure. * The placement of floating insulating covers on the pools' surfaces whenever they are not used. The examined active systems in this article are: * A biomass heater. * A biomass heater and solar collectors combi-system. * Vertical geothermal heat exchangers (GHE) co-operating with geothermal heat pumps (GHP). The methodology employed for the introduced systems' evaluation is the arithmetic computational simulation of the swimming pools' annual heating, using annual time series of averaged hourly values for the available solar radiation and the calculated pools' thermal power demand (heating loads). The dimensioning of the active systems aims at the maximisation of the heating production from R.E.S. (renewable energy sources). and the optimisation of the corresponding investments' economic indexes. The examined systems are evaluated technically and economically versus fundamental criteria. It is proved that significant reduction of the heating loads is achieved with the introduced passive systems. The reduced swimming pools' heating loads can be successfully covered by the proposed R.E.S. active systems. The fossil fuels consumption is eliminated. The corresponding investments' payback periods can be lower than 5 years. - Highlights: • The passive solar systems reduce the swimming pools heating loads more than 90%. • The examined active heating system exhibit payback periods lower than 3.5 years. • The energy saving is maximised with a biomass heater – solar collectors system. • Single biomass heaters exhibits the shortest payback period. • GHE–GHP can be used in cases of low solar radiation and lack of biomass fuels

The impact of silicon solar cell architecture and cell interconnection on energy yield in hot & sunny climates

KAUST Repository

Haschke, Jan

2017-03-23

Extensive knowledge of the dependence of solar cell and module performance on temperature and irradiance is essential for their optimal application in the field. Here we study such dependencies in the most common high-efficiency silicon solar cell architectures, including so-called Aluminum back-surface-field (BSF), passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC), passivated emitter rear totally diffused (PERT), and silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells. We compare measured temperature coefficients (TC) of the different electrical parameters with values collected from commercial module data sheets. While similar TC values of the open-circuit voltage and the short circuit current density are obtained for cells and modules of a given technology, we systematically find that the TC under maximum power-point (MPP) conditions is lower in the modules. We attribute this discrepancy to additional series resistance in the modules from solar cell interconnections. This detrimental effect can be reduced by using a cell design that exhibits a high characteristic load resistance (defined by its voltage-over-current ratio at MPP), such as the SHJ architecture. We calculate the energy yield for moderate and hot climate conditions for each cell architecture, taking into account ohmic cell-to-module losses caused by cell interconnections. Our calculations allow us to conclude that maximizing energy production in hot and sunny environments requires not only a high open-circuit voltage, but also a minimal series-to-load-resistance ratio.

Job creation potential of solar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McMonagle, R.

2005-01-01

This document defines the size of the job market within Canada's solar industry and presents a preliminary forecast of the employment opportunities through to 2025. The issue of job potential within Canada's solar technologies is complicated by the wide range of different fields and technologies within the solar industry. The largest energy generator of the solar technologies is passive solar, but the jobs in this sector are generally in the construction trades and window manufacturers. The Canadian Solar Industries Association estimates that there are about 360 to 500 firms in Canada with the primary business of solar technologies, employing between 900 to 1,200 employees. However, most solar manufacturing jobs in Canada are for products exports as demonstrated by the 5 main solar manufacturers in Canada who estimate that 50 to 95 per cent of their products are exported. The main reason for their high export ratio is the lack of a Canadian market for their products. The 3 categories of job classifications within the solar industry include manufacturing, installation, and operations and maintenance. The indirect jobs include photovoltaic system hardware, solar hot water heating, solar air ventilation, and glass/metal framing. 17 refs., 3 tabs., 2 figs

Current-voltage characteristics of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells: connection between light and dark curves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boix, Pablo P.; Guerrero, Antonio; Garcia-Belmonte, Germa; Bisquert, Juan [Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices Group, Departament de Fisica, Universitat Jaume I, ES-12071 Castello (Spain); Marchesi, Luis F. [Laboratorio Interdisciplinar de, Eletroquimica e Ceramica (LIEC), Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (Brazil); Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices Group, Departament de Fisica, Universitat Jaume I, ES-12071 Castello (Spain)

2011-11-15

A connection is established between recombination and series resistances extracted from impedance spectroscopy and current-voltage curves of polythiophene:fullerene organic solar cells. Recombination is shown to depend exclusively on the (Fermi level) voltage, which allows construction of the current-voltage characteristics in any required conditions based on a restricted set of measurements. The analysis highlights carrier recombination current as the determining mechanism of organic solar cell performance. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Solar energy guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lentz, A.; Winter, R.

1993-07-01

Many aspects with regard to the practical use of solar energy are discussed. This guide is aimed at informing local and regional administrators, committee members of housing corporations and public utilities and public relations officers on the possibilities to use solar energy. In chapter one an overview is given of the use of solar energy in the housing sector, the recreational sector, agricultural sector, industry, trade and other sectors. In the chapters two, three and four attention is paid to passive solar energy, active thermal solar energy and photovoltaic energy respectively. In the chapters five and six aspects concerning the implementation of solar energy systems in practice are discussed. First an outline of the parties involved in implementing solar energy is given: the municipality, the energy utility, the province, local authorities, advisors, housing constructors and the occupants of the buildings. Then attention is paid to the consequences of implementing solar energy for the building inspection and regulations, the finances, energy savings and the environment. In chapter seven an overview is given of the subsidy regulations of the European Community, the Dutch national and local governments. Chapter contains addresses of solar thermal systems, photovoltaic systems and other institutes operating in the field of solar energy, as well as the titles of a number of brochures and courses. 51 figs., 7 tabs., 86 refs

Self-passivation Rule and the Effect of Post-treatment in GBs of Solar Cell Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chengyan; Chen, Shiyou; Xiang, Hongjun; Gong, Xingao

Grain boundaries (GBs) existing in polycrystalline semiconductors alloys inducing a great deal of deep defect levels are usually harmful to cells' photovoltaic performance. Experimental and theoretical investigations verified that these defect levels come from the GBs' dangling bonds. We find that, the defect levels in anion core of GB can be passivated by its cations, called by self-passivation. For instance, the post-treated by CdCl2, Cd can eliminate the defect levels by saturating Te dangling bonds in the grain boundary of CdTe. We verify that the idea of self-passivation rule can perfectly explain the benign GBs of CISe and CZTS by sodium treatment. The present work reveals a general mechanism about how dopants in GBs eliminate the defect states through passivating the dangling bonds in covalent polycrystalline semiconductors, and sheds light on how to passivate dangling bonds in GBs with alterative processes. National Science Foundation of China, international collaboration project of MOST, Pujiang plan, Program for Professor of Special Appointment (Eastern Scholar), and Shanghai Rising-star program.

Performance characteristics and parametric choices of a solar thermophotovoltaic cell at the maximum efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, Qingchun; Liao, Tianjun; Yang, Zhimin; Chen, Xiaohang; Chen, Jincan

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: The overall model of the solar thermophotovoltaic cell (STPVC) composed of an optical lens, an absorber, an emitter, and a photovoltaic (PV) cell with an integrated back-side reflector is updated to include various irreversible losses. - Highlights: • A new model of the irreversible solar thermophotovoltaic system is proposed. • The material and structure parameters of the system are considered. • The performance characteristics at the maximum efficiency are revealed. • The optimal values of key parameters are determined. • The system can obtain a large efficiency under a relative low concentration ratio. - Abstract: The overall model of the solar thermophotovoltaic cell (STPVC) composed of an optical lens, an absorber, an emitter, and a photovoltaic (PV) cell with an integrated back-side reflector is updated to include various irreversible losses. The power output and efficiency of the cell are analytically derived. The performance characteristics of the STPVC at the maximum efficiency are revealed. The optimum values of several important parameters, such as the voltage output of the PV cell, the area ratio of the absorber to the emitter, and the band-gap of the semiconductor material, are determined. It is found that under the condition of a relative low concentration ratio, the optimally designed STPVC can obtain a relative large efficiency.

Enhanced Passive Cooling for Waterless-Power Production Technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez, Salvador B. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-06-14

Recent advances in the literature and at SNL indicate the strong potential for passive, specialized surfaces to significantly enhance power production output. Our exploratory computational and experimental research indicates that fractal and swirl surfaces can help enable waterless-power production by increasing the amount of heat transfer and turbulence, when compared with conventional surfaces. Small modular reactors, advanced reactors, and non-nuclear plants (e.g., solar and coal) are ideally suited for sCO2 coolant loops. The sCO2 loop converts the thermal heat into electricity, while the specialized surfaces passively and securely reject the waste process heat in an environmentally benign manner. The resultant, integrated energy systems are highly suitable for small grids, rural areas, and arid regions.

Solar Energy Education. Renewable energy: a background text. [Includes glossary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1985-01-01

Some of the most common forms of renewable energy are presented in this textbook for students. The topics include solar energy, wind power hydroelectric power, biomass ocean thermal energy, and tidal and geothermal energy. The main emphasis of the text is on the sun and the solar energy that it yields. Discussions on the sun's composition and the relationship between the earth, sun and atmosphere are provided. Insolation, active and passive solar systems, and solar collectors are the subtopics included under solar energy. (BCS)

Performance of the PBX-M passive plate stabilization system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kugel, H.W.; Bell, R.; Bernabei, S.

1994-02-01

The PBX-M passive plate stabilization system provides significant stabilization of long-wavelength external kink modes, the slowing of vertical instability growth rates, and the amelioration of disruption characteristics. The passive plate stabilization system has allowed the use of LHCD and IBW to induce current density and pressure profile modifications, and m = 1 divertor biasing for modifying edge plasma transport. Improvements in the passive plate system insulators and support structures have provided reliable operation. Impurity influxes with the close-fitting passive plates are low. Solid target boronization is applied routinely to reduce conditioning time and maintain clean conditions

Assessing Climate to Improve Solar Design. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse (EREC) Brochure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, J.J.A.

2001-01-01

This fact sheet complements the fact sheet on passive solar design, and provides information on how sunlight, weather patterns, and microclimates affect the performance of solar energy systems and designs

Passive cooling of a fixed bed nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petry, V.J.; Bortoli, A.L. de; Sefidwash, F.

2005-01-01

Small nuclear reactors without the need for on-site refuelling have greater simplicity, better compliance with passive safety systems, and are more adequate for countries with small electric grids and limited investment capabilities. Here the passive cooling characteristic of the fixed bed nuclear reactor (FBNR), that is being developed under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Coordinated Research Project, is studied. A mathematical model is developed to calculate the temperature distribution in the fuel chamber of the reactor. The results demonstrate the passive cooling of this nuclear reactor concept. (authors)

Impact of microcrystalline silicon carbide growth using hot-wire chemical vapor deposition on crystalline silicon surface passivation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pomaska, M.; Beyer, W.; Neumann, E.; Finger, F.; Ding, K.

2015-01-01

Highly crystalline microcrystalline silicon carbide (μc-SiC:H) with excellent optoelectronic material properties is a promising candidate as highly transparent doped layer in silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells. These high quality materials are usually produced using hot wire chemical vapor deposition under aggressive growth conditions giving rise to the removal of the underlying passivation layer and thus the deterioration of the crystalline silicon (c-Si) surface passivation. In this work, we introduced the n-type μc-SiC:H/n-type μc-SiO x :H/intrinsic a-SiO x :H stack as a front layer configuration for p-type SHJ solar cells with the μc-SiO x :H layer acting as an etch-resistant layer against the reactive deposition conditions during the μc-SiC:H growth. We observed that the unfavorable expansion of micro-voids at the c-Si interface due to the in-diffusion of hydrogen atoms through the layer stack might be responsible for the deterioration of surface passivation. Excellent lifetime values were achieved under deposition conditions which are needed to grow high quality μc-SiC:H layers for SHJ solar cells. - Highlights: • High surface passivation quality was preserved after μc-SiC:H deposition. • μc-SiC:H/μc-SiO x :H/a-SiO x :H stack a promising front layer configuration • Void expansion at a-SiO x :H/c-Si interface for deteriorated surface passivation • μc-SiC:H provides a high transparency and electrical conductivity.