WorldWideScience

Sample records for photovoltaic concentrator arrays

  1. Design of photovoltaic central power station concentrator array

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1984-02-01

    A design for a photovoltaic central power station using tracking concentrators has been developed. The 100 MW plant is assumed to be located adjacent to the Saguaro Power Station of Arizona Public Service. The design assumes an advanced Martin Marietta two-axis tracking fresnel lens concentrator. The concentrators are arrayed in 5 MW subfields, each with its own power conditioning unit. The photovoltaic plant output is connected to the existing 115 kV switchyard. The site specific design allows detailed cost estimates for engineering, site preparation, and installation. Collector and power conditioning costs have been treated parametrically.

  2. Component and prototype panel testing of the mini-dome Fresnel lens photovoltaic concentrator array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piszczor, Michael F.; Swartz, Clifford K.; O'Neill, Mark J.

    1990-01-01

    The mini-dome Fresnel lens concentrator array, a high-efficiency, lightweight space photovoltaic array concept, is described. The three critical elements of the array concept are the Fresnel lens concentrator, the prismatic cell power cover, and the photovoltaic cell. Prototype concentrator lenses have been fabricated and tested, with optical efficiencies reaching 90 percent. Work is progressing on the design and fabrication of the panel structure. The impact of recent advances in 30 percent-efficient multijunction photovoltaic cells on array performance is also discussed. Near-term performance goals of 300 w/sq m and 100 w/kg are now feasible.

  3. Nonimaging concentrators for photovoltaic arrays in space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winston, R.; Greenman, P.; Rockey, D.

    1981-01-01

    Two stage concentrators are studied in order to design an optimum concentrator for photovoltaic arrays in space. The study is directed at designs with two-dimensional geometries because they are better suited to moderate concentrations of about 10 X to 50 X, and because the instantaneous flux distribution is more uniform. It is found that with an f/0.5 primary, where f is the focal length of the primary, the flux distribution is very smooth regardless of the angle of incidence of the radiation. As the focal ratio is increased, peaks in the distribution begin to appear. The nonuniformities can be reduced by introducing small, closely spaced distortions into the reflecting surfaces, and practical arrays can achieve a concentration of 10 when the acceptance half angle is 4.25 deg or 50 when the acceptance half angle is + or - 1 deg.

  4. Low-cost modular array-field designs for flat-panel and concentrator photovoltaic systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Post, H. N.; Carmichael, D. C.; Alexander, G.; Castle, J. A.

    1982-09-01

    Described are the design and development of low-cost, modular array fields for flat-panel and concentrator photovoltaic (PV) systems. The objective of the work was to reduce substantially the cost of the array-field Balance-of-System (BOS) subsystems and site-specific design costs as compared to previous PV installations. These subsystems include site preparation, foundations, support structures, electrical writing, grounding, lightning protection, electromagnetic interference considerations, and controls. To reduce these BOS and design costs, standardized modular (building-block) designs for flat-panel and concentrator array fields have been developed that are fully integrated and optimized for lowest life-cycle costs. Using drawings and specifications now available, these building-block designs can be used in multiples to install various size array fields. The developed designs are immediately applicable (1982) and reduce the array-field BOS costs to a fraction of previous costs.

  5. A Systematic Method of Interconnection Optimization for Dense-Array Concentrator Photovoltaic System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siaw, Fei-Lu

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents a new systematic approach to analyze all possible array configurations in order to determine the most optimal dense-array configuration for concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems. The proposed method is fast, simple, reasonably accurate, and very useful as a preliminary study before constructing a dense-array CPV panel. Using measured flux distribution data, each CPV cells' voltage and current values at three critical points which are at short-circuit, open-circuit, and maximum power point are determined. From there, an algorithm groups the cells into basic modules. The next step is I-V curve prediction, to find the maximum output power of each array configuration. As a case study, twenty different I-V predictions are made for a prototype of nonimaging planar concentrator, and the array configuration that yields the highest output power is determined. The result is then verified by assembling and testing of an actual dense-array on the prototype. It was found that the I-V curve closely resembles simulated I-V prediction, and measured maximum output power varies by only 1.34%. PMID:24453823

  6. A Systematic Method of Interconnection Optimization for Dense-Array Concentrator Photovoltaic System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fei-Lu Siaw

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a new systematic approach to analyze all possible array configurations in order to determine the most optimal dense-array configuration for concentrator photovoltaic (CPV systems. The proposed method is fast, simple, reasonably accurate, and very useful as a preliminary study before constructing a dense-array CPV panel. Using measured flux distribution data, each CPV cells’ voltage and current values at three critical points which are at short-circuit, open-circuit, and maximum power point are determined. From there, an algorithm groups the cells into basic modules. The next step is I-V curve prediction, to find the maximum output power of each array configuration. As a case study, twenty different I-V predictions are made for a prototype of nonimaging planar concentrator, and the array configuration that yields the highest output power is determined. The result is then verified by assembling and testing of an actual dense-array on the prototype. It was found that the I-V curve closely resembles simulated I-V prediction, and measured maximum output power varies by only 1.34%.

  7. A systematic method of interconnection optimization for dense-array concentrator photovoltaic system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siaw, Fei-Lu; Chong, Kok-Keong

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents a new systematic approach to analyze all possible array configurations in order to determine the most optimal dense-array configuration for concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems. The proposed method is fast, simple, reasonably accurate, and very useful as a preliminary study before constructing a dense-array CPV panel. Using measured flux distribution data, each CPV cells' voltage and current values at three critical points which are at short-circuit, open-circuit, and maximum power point are determined. From there, an algorithm groups the cells into basic modules. The next step is I-V curve prediction, to find the maximum output power of each array configuration. As a case study, twenty different I-V predictions are made for a prototype of nonimaging planar concentrator, and the array configuration that yields the highest output power is determined. The result is then verified by assembling and testing of an actual dense-array on the prototype. It was found that the I-V curve closely resembles simulated I-V prediction, and measured maximum output power varies by only 1.34%.

  8. Performance study of solar cell arrays based on a Trough Concentrating Photovoltaic/Thermal system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Ming; Ji, Xu; Li, Guoliang; Wei, Shengxian; Li, YingFeng; Shi, Feng

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → The performances of solar cell arrays based on a Trough Concentrating Photovoltaic/Thermal (TCPV/T) system have been studied. → The optimum concentration ratios for the single crystalline silicon cell, the Super cells and the GaAs cells were studied by experiments. → The influences between the solar cell's performance and the series resistances, the working temperature, solar irradiation intensity were explored. - Abstract: The performances of solar cell arrays based on a Trough Concentrating Photovoltaic/Thermal (TCPV/T) system have been studied via both experiment and theoretical calculation. The I-V characteristics of the solar cell arrays and the output performances of the TCPV/T system demonstrated that among the investigated four types of solar cell arrays, the triple junction GaAs cells possessed good performance characteristics and the polysilicon cells exhibited poor performance characteristics under concentrating conditions. The optimum concentration ratios for the single crystalline silicon cell, the Super cells and the GaAs cells were also studied by experiments. The optimum concentration ratios for the single crystalline silicon cells and Super cells were 4.23 and 8.46 respectively, and the triple junction GaAs cells could work well at higher concentration ratio. Besides, some theoretical calculations and experiments were performed to explore the influences of the series resistances and the working temperature. When the series resistances R s changed from 0 Ω to 1 Ω, the maximum power P m of the single crystalline silicon, the polycrystalline silicon, the Super cell and the GaAs cell arrays decreased by 67.78%, 74.93%, 77.30% and 58.07% respectively. When the cell temperature increased by 1 K, the short circuit current of the four types of solar cell arrays decreased by 0.11818 A, 0.05364 A, 0.01387 A and 0.00215 A respectively. The research results demonstrated that the output performance of the solar cell arrays with lower

  9. Relative potentials of concentrating and two-axis tracking flat-plate photovoltaic arrays for central-station applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borden, C. S.; Schwartz, D. L.

    1984-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to assess the relative economic potentials of concenrating and two-axis tracking flat-plate photovoltaic arrays for central-station applications in the mid-1990's. Specific objectives of this study are to provide information on concentrator photovoltaic collector probabilistic price and efficiency levels to illustrate critical areas of R&D for concentrator cells and collectors, and to compare concentrator and flat-plate PV price and efficiency alternatives for several locations, based on their implied costs of energy. To deal with the uncertainties surrounding research and development activities in general, a probabilistic assessment of commercially achievable concentrator photovoltaic collector efficiencies and prices (at the factory loading dock) is performed. The results of this projection of concentrator photovoltaic technology are then compared with a previous flat-plate module price analysis (performed early in 1983). To focus this analysis on specific collector alternatives and their implied energy costs for different locations, similar two-axis tracking designs are assumed for both concentrator and flat-plate options.

  10. Photovoltaic Array Space Power flight experiment plus diagnostics (PASP+) modules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cooley, W.T.; Adams, S.F.; Reinhardt, K.C.; Piszczor, M.F.

    1992-01-01

    The Photovoltaic Array Space Power Plus Diagnostics flight experiment (PASP+) subsumes twelve solar array modules which represent the state of the art in the space photovoltaic array industry. Each of the twelve modules individually feature specific photovoltaic technologies such as advanced semiconductor materials, multi-bandgap structures, lightweight array designs, advanced interconnect technologies, or concentrator array designs. This paper will describe each module in detail including the configuration, components, materials, anticipated on orbit performance, and some of the aspects of each array technology. The layout of each module and the photovoltaic cell or array cross section will be presented graphically. A discussion on the environmental constraints and materials selection will be included as well as a delineation of the differences between the modules and the baseline array configuration in its intended application

  11. Theory for optimal design of waveguiding light concentrators in photovoltaic microcell arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Semichaevsky, Andrey V; Johnson, Harley T; Yoon, Jongseung; Nuzzo, Ralph G; Li, Lanfang; Rogers, John

    2011-06-10

    Efficiency of ultrathin flexible solar photovoltaic silicon microcell arrays can be significantly improved using nonimaging solar concentrators. A fluorophore is introduced to match the solar spectrum and the low-reflectivity wavelength range of Si, reduce the escape losses, and allow the nontracking operation. In this paper we optimize our solar concentrators using a luminescent/nonluminescent photon transport model. Key modeling results are compared quantitatively to experiments and are in good agreement with the latter. Our solar concentrator performance is not limited by the dye self-absorption. Bending deformations of the flexible solar collectors do not result in their indirect gain degradation compared to flat solar concentrators with the same projected area.

  12. Optical characterization of nonimaging dish concentrator for the application of dense-array concentrator photovoltaic system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Ming-Hui; Chong, Kok-Keong; Wong, Chee-Woon

    2014-01-20

    Optimization of the design of a nonimaging dish concentrator (NIDC) for a dense-array concentrator photovoltaic system is presented. A new algorithm has been developed to determine configuration of facet mirrors in a NIDC. Analytical formulas were derived to analyze the optical performance of a NIDC and then compared with a simulated result obtained from a numerical method. Comprehensive analysis of optical performance via analytical method has been carried out based on facet dimension and focal distance of the concentrator with a total reflective area of 120 m2. The result shows that a facet dimension of 49.8 cm, focal distance of 8 m, and solar concentration ratio of 411.8 suns is the most optimized design for the lowest cost-per-output power, which is US$1.93 per watt.

  13. Reduction of intensity variations on a photovoltaic array with compound parabolic concentrators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenman, P.; Ogallagher, J.; Winston, R.; Costogue, E.

    1979-01-01

    The reduction of nonuniformities in the intensity distribution of light focused on a photovoltaic array by a compound parabolic concentrator is investigated. The introduction of small distortions into the surfaces of the reflector in order to diffuse the incident collimated light to fill the angular acceptance of the concentrator is calculated by means of ray tracing to decrease the irradiance nonuniformity at the cost of a lowered effective concentration of the concentrator. Measurements of the intensity distribution on a scale test model in terrestrial sunlight with corrugated aluminized mylar reflectors are shown to be in good agreement with the ray tracing results. A two-stage concentrator consisting of a focusing primary and a nonimaging secondary is also shown to result in a fairly uniform intensity distribution except in the case of a 4-deg incidence angle, which may be corrected by the introduction of distortions into one or both concentration stages.

  14. The mini-dome Fresnel lens photovoltaic concentrator array - Current status of component and prototype panel testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piszczor, M. F.; Swartz, C. K.; O'Neill, M. J.; Mcdanal, A. J.; Fraas, L. M.

    1990-01-01

    NASA Lewis and ENTECH have been developing a high-efficiency, lightweight space photovoltaic concentrator array. The emphasis of the program has shifted to fabrication and testing of the minidome Fresnel lens and other array components. Protototype lenses have been tested for optical efficiency, with results around 90 percent, and tracking error performance. The results of these tests have been very consistent with the predicted analytical performance. Work has also progressed in the fabrication of the array support structure. Recent advances in 30 percent efficient stacked cell technology will have a significant effect on the array performance. It is concluded that near-term array performance goals of 300 W/sq m and 100 W/kg are feasible.

  15. Experimental study on direct-contact liquid film cooling simulated dense-array solar cells in high concentrating photovoltaic system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Yiping; Shi, Xusheng; Huang, Qunwu; Cui, Yong; Kang, Xue

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Direct-contact liquid film cooling dense-array solar cells was first proposed. • Average temperature was controlled well below 80 °C. • The maximum temperature difference was less than 10 °C. • The heat transfer coefficient reached up to 11.91 kW/(m"2·K) under 589X. - Abstract: This paper presented a new method of cooling dense-array solar cells in high concentrating photovoltaic system by direct-contact liquid film, and water was used as working fluid. An electric heating plate was designed to simulate the dense-array solar cells in high concentrating photovoltaic system. The input power of electric heating plate simulated the concentration ratios. By heat transfer experiments, the effect of water temperatures and flow rates on heat transfer performance was investigated. The results indicated that: the average temperature of simulated solar cells was controlled well below 80 °C under water temperature of 30 °C and flow rate of 300 L/h when concentration ratio ranged between 300X and 600X. The maximum temperature difference among temperature measurement points was less than 10 °C, which showed the temperature distribution was well uniform. The heat transfer coefficient reached up to 11.91 kW/(m"2·K) under concentration ratio of 589X. To improve heat transfer performance and obtain low average temperature of dense-array solar cells, lower water temperature and suitable water flow rate are preferred.

  16. EPRI 25kW high concentration photovoltaic integrated array concept and associated economics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gunn, J.A.; Dostalek, F.J.

    1993-01-01

    This paper describes a cost effective photovoltaic array design for the high concentration technology being developed by the Electric Power Research Institute for utility scale applications. The concept of an ''integrated array'' is to attach Fresnel lens parquets directly to the front of the tracker structure and PV panels directly to the back of the structure thereby eliminating redundant structural components. The concept also incorporates the maximum use of automated manufacturing techniques for all components thereby minimizing material waste, fabrication and assembly labor. This paper also describes the results of a first approach cost and economic study for the technology which shows the potential for levelized energy cost below $0.10/kWh for a 50 MW ac plant given a mature technology

  17. Performance analysis of solar cell arrays in concentrating light intensity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Yongfeng; Li Ming; Lin Wenxian; Wang Liuling; Xiang Ming; Zhang Xinghua; Wang Yunfeng; Wei Shengxian

    2009-01-01

    Performance of concentrating photovoltaic/thermal system is researched by experiment and simulation calculation. The results show that the I-V curve of the GaAs cell array is better than that of crystal silicon solar cell arrays and the exergy produced by 9.51% electrical efficiency of the GaAs solar cell array can reach 68.93% of the photovoltaic/thermal system. So improving the efficiency of solar cell arrays can introduce more exergy and the system value can be upgraded. At the same time, affecting factors of solar cell arrays such as series resistance, temperature and solar irradiance also have been analyzed. The output performance of a solar cell array with lower series resistance is better and the working temperature has a negative impact on the voltage in concentrating light intensity. The output power has a -20 W/V coefficient and so cooling fluid must be used. Both heat energy and electrical power are then obtained with a solar trough concentrating photovoltaic/thermal system. (semiconductor devices)

  18. Design, testing, and economics of a 430 W sub p photovoltaic concentrator array for non grid-connected applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maish, A. B.; Rios, M., Jr.; Togami, H.

    A stand-alone 430 W/sub p/ photovoltaic (PV) concentrating system for low power, non grid-connected applications has been designed, fabricated, and tested at Sandia National Laboratories. The array consists of four passively cooled Fresnel lens concentrating modules on a newly developed polar axis tracking structure. Two axis tracking is provided using a self powered clock drive unit mounted on a single post foundation. Test results of tracking accuracy, array output power, parasitic power, performance in winds and array reliability are discussed. using a range of estimated production costs for small production volumes, the life-cycle energy costs have been calculated and compared to the equivalent energy costs of a 3 kW diesel electric generator set and of an equivalent flat panel PV system.

  19. Photovoltaic applications of Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winston, R.

    1975-01-01

    The use of a compound parabolic concentrator as field collector, in conjunction with a primary focusing concentrator for photovoltaic applications is studied. The primary focusing concentrator can be a parabolic reflector, an array of Fresnel mirrors, a Fresnel lens or some other lens. Silicon solar cell grid structures are proposed that increase efficiency with concentration up to 10 suns. A ray tracing program has been developed to determine energy distribution at the exit of a compound parabolic concentrator. Projected total cost of a CPC/solar cell system will be between 4 and 5 times lower than for flat plate silicon cell arrays.

  20. Flat-plate photovoltaic array design optimization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, R. G., Jr.

    1980-01-01

    An analysis is presented which integrates the results of specific studies in the areas of photovoltaic structural design optimization, optimization of array series/parallel circuit design, thermal design optimization, and optimization of environmental protection features. The analysis is based on minimizing the total photovoltaic system life-cycle energy cost including repair and replacement of failed cells and modules. This approach is shown to be a useful technique for array optimization, particularly when time-dependent parameters such as array degradation and maintenance are involved.

  1. Concentrator Photovoltaics

    CERN Document Server

    Luque, Antonio L

    2007-01-01

    Photovoltaic solar-energy conversion is one of the most promising technologies for generating renewable energy, and conversion of concentrated sunlight can lead to reduced cost for solar electricity. In fact, photovoltaic conversion of concentrated sunlight insures an efficient and cost-effective sustainable power resource. This book gives an overview of all components, e.g. cells, concentrators, modules and systems, for systems of concentrator photovoltaics. The authors report on significant results related to design, technology, and applications, and also cover the fundamental physics and market considerations. Specific contributions include: theory and practice of sunlight concentrators; an overview of concentrator PV activities; a description of concentrator solar cells; design and technology of modules and systems; manufacturing aspects; and a market study.

  2. Nonimaging solar concentrator with near-uniform irradiance for photovoltaic arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Gallagher, Joseph J.; Winston, Roland; Gee, Randy

    2001-11-01

    We report results of a study our group has undertaken to design a solar concentrator with uniform irradiance on a planar target. This attribute is especially important for photovoltaic concentrators. We find that a variety of optical mixers, some incorporating a moderate level of concentration, can be quite effective in achieving near uniform irradiance.

  3. Commercial Application of a Photovoltaic Concentrator system. Phase I. Final report, 1 June 1978-28 February 1979

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anderson, D.J.; Anderson, E.R.; Bardwell, K.M.

    1980-04-01

    This report documents the design and analysis of the BDM CAPVC (Commercial Application of a Photovoltaic Concentrator) system. The preliminary design, prototype test and evaluation, system analysis, and final design of a large-scale concentrating photovoltaic system are described. The application is on an attractive new office building which represents a large potential market. The photovoltaic concentrating array is a roof-mounted, single-axis linear parabolic trough, using single crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells. A total of 6720 square feet of aperture is focussed on 13,944 PV cells. The photovoltaic system operates in parallel with the local utility in an augmentary loadsharing operating mode. The array is actively cooled and the thermal energy utilized for building heat during winter months. (WHK)

  4. Automated installation methods for photovoltaic arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briggs, R.; Daniels, A.; Greenaway, R.; Oster, J., Jr.; Racki, D.; Stoeltzing, R.

    1982-11-01

    Since installation expenses constitute a substantial portion of the cost of a large photovoltaic power system, methods for reduction of these costs were investigated. The installation of the photovoltaic arrays includes all areas, starting with site preparation (i.e., trenching, wiring, drainage, foundation installation, lightning protection, grounding and installation of the panel) and concluding with the termination of the bus at the power conditioner building. To identify the optimum combination of standard installation procedures and automated/mechanized techniques, the installation process was investigated including the equipment and hardware available, the photovoltaic array structure systems and interfaces, and the array field and site characteristics. Preliminary designs of hardware for both the standard installation method, the automated/mechanized method, and a mix of standard installation procedures and mechanized procedures were identified to determine which process effectively reduced installation costs. In addition, costs associated with each type of installation method and with the design, development and fabrication of new installation hardware were generated.

  5. Photovoltaic array mounting apparatus, systems, and methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, Jack Raymond; Atchley, Brian; Hudson, Tyrus Hawkes; Johansen, Emil

    2016-01-05

    A photovoltaic array, including: (a) supports laid out on a surface in rows and columns; (b) photovoltaic modules positioned on top of the supports; and (c) fasteners connecting the photovoltaic modules to the supports, wherein the supports have an upper pedestal surface and a lower pedestal surface such that the photovoltaic modules are positioned at a non-horizontal angle when edges of the photovoltaic modules are positioned on top of the upper and lower pedestal surfaces, and wherein a portion of the fasteners rotate to lock the photovoltaic modules onto the supports.

  6. White butterflies as solar photovoltaic concentrators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shanks, Katie; Senthilarasu, S.; Ffrench-Constant, Richard H.; Mallick, Tapas K.

    2015-07-01

    Man’s harvesting of photovoltaic energy requires the deployment of extensive arrays of solar panels. To improve both the gathering of thermal and photovoltaic energy from the sun we have examined the concept of biomimicry in white butterflies of the family Pieridae. We tested the hypothesis that the V-shaped posture of basking white butterflies mimics the V-trough concentrator which is designed to increase solar input to photovoltaic cells. These solar concentrators improve harvesting efficiency but are both heavy and bulky, severely limiting their deployment. Here, we show that the attachment of butterfly wings to a solar cell increases its output power by 42.3%, proving that the wings are indeed highly reflective. Importantly, and relative to current concentrators, the wings improve the power to weight ratio of the overall structure 17-fold, vastly expanding their potential application. Moreover, a single mono-layer of scale cells removed from the butterflies’ wings maintained this high reflectivity showing that a single layer of scale cell-like structures can also form a useful coating. As predicted, the wings increased the temperature of the butterflies’ thorax dramatically, showing that the V-shaped basking posture of white butterflies has indeed evolved to increase the temperature of their flight muscles prior to take-off.

  7. White butterflies as solar photovoltaic concentrators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shanks, Katie; Senthilarasu, S; Ffrench-Constant, Richard H; Mallick, Tapas K

    2015-07-31

    Man's harvesting of photovoltaic energy requires the deployment of extensive arrays of solar panels. To improve both the gathering of thermal and photovoltaic energy from the sun we have examined the concept of biomimicry in white butterflies of the family Pieridae. We tested the hypothesis that the V-shaped posture of basking white butterflies mimics the V-trough concentrator which is designed to increase solar input to photovoltaic cells. These solar concentrators improve harvesting efficiency but are both heavy and bulky, severely limiting their deployment. Here, we show that the attachment of butterfly wings to a solar cell increases its output power by 42.3%, proving that the wings are indeed highly reflective. Importantly, and relative to current concentrators, the wings improve the power to weight ratio of the overall structure 17-fold, vastly expanding their potential application. Moreover, a single mono-layer of scale cells removed from the butterflies' wings maintained this high reflectivity showing that a single layer of scale cell-like structures can also form a useful coating. As predicted, the wings increased the temperature of the butterflies' thorax dramatically, showing that the V-shaped basking posture of white butterflies has indeed evolved to increase the temperature of their flight muscles prior to take-off.

  8. Photovoltaic array with minimally penetrating rooftop support system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lenox, Carl J.S.

    2012-10-23

    A photovoltaic array including a plurality of photovoltaic assemblies and a plurality of mounting units. The mounting units each include an elongate rail and a plurality of leg assemblies. The rail is sized and configured to maintain a portion of at least two of the photovoltaic assemblies, with the leg assemblies extending from the rail in a spaced-apart fashion and terminating in a foot for placement against a rooftop structure for minimally penetration installation. Further, at least one of the leg assemblies can include a retractable leg. When the photovoltaic array is installed to a rooftop structure including a membrane intermittently secured to a rooftop deck, the retractable leg accommodates upward billowing of the membrane under windy conditions.

  9. The performance analysis of the Trough Concentrating Solar Photovoltaic/Thermal system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, M., E-mail: liming@ynnu.edu.c [Solar Energy Research Institute, Yunnan Normal University, 650092 Kunming (China); Li, G.L. [School of Physics and Electronic Information, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650092 (China); Ji, X.; Yin, F.; Xu, L. [Solar Energy Research Institute, Yunnan Normal University, 650092 Kunming (China)

    2011-06-15

    Research highlights: {yields} A 2 m{sup 2} Trough Concentrating Photovoltaic/Thermal (TCPV/T) system is built, a single crystalline silicon solar cell array, a polycrystalline silicon cell array, a Super cell array and a GaAs cell array are respectively used in the experiments. {yields} Another 10 m{sup 2} TCPV/T system using the GaAs cell array and a concentrating silicon cell array are also constructed and characterized. {yields} The economic performance analysis show the electricity generating cost of the TCPV/T system with the concentrating silicon cell array can catch up with flat-plate PV system. -- Abstract: The electrical and thermal performance of a 2 m{sup 2} Trough Concentrating Photovoltaic/Thermal (TCPV/T) system with an energy flux ratio 10.27 are characterized by experiments. A single crystalline silicon solar cell array, a polycrystalline silicon cell array, a Super cell array and a GaAs cell array are respectively used in the experiments. The experimental results show that the electrical performance of the system with the GaAs cell array is better than that of crystal silicon solar cell arrays. The superior output performance of the GaAs cell array mainly benefits from its lower series resistance. But the thermal performances of the system using the single crystal silicon solar cell array and the polycrystalline silicon solar cell array are better. It results from the widths of the two types of cells in the system close to that of the focal line. Another 10 m{sup 2} TCPV/T system with an energy flux ratio of 20 using the GaAs cell array and a concentrating silicon cell array are also constructed and characterized. The experimental results indicate that the photoelectric efficiency of the GaAs cell array is 23.83%, and the instantaneous electrical efficiency and thermal efficiency of the system are 9.88% and 49.84% respectively. While the instantaneous electrical efficiency and thermal efficiency of the system using the low-cost concentrating

  10. The performance analysis of the Trough Concentrating Solar Photovoltaic/Thermal system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, M.; Li, G.L.; Ji, X.; Yin, F.; Xu, L.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → A 2 m 2 Trough Concentrating Photovoltaic/Thermal (TCPV/T) system is built, a single crystalline silicon solar cell array, a polycrystalline silicon cell array, a Super cell array and a GaAs cell array are respectively used in the experiments. → Another 10 m 2 TCPV/T system using the GaAs cell array and a concentrating silicon cell array are also constructed and characterized. → The economic performance analysis show the electricity generating cost of the TCPV/T system with the concentrating silicon cell array can catch up with flat-plate PV system. -- Abstract: The electrical and thermal performance of a 2 m 2 Trough Concentrating Photovoltaic/Thermal (TCPV/T) system with an energy flux ratio 10.27 are characterized by experiments. A single crystalline silicon solar cell array, a polycrystalline silicon cell array, a Super cell array and a GaAs cell array are respectively used in the experiments. The experimental results show that the electrical performance of the system with the GaAs cell array is better than that of crystal silicon solar cell arrays. The superior output performance of the GaAs cell array mainly benefits from its lower series resistance. But the thermal performances of the system using the single crystal silicon solar cell array and the polycrystalline silicon solar cell array are better. It results from the widths of the two types of cells in the system close to that of the focal line. Another 10 m 2 TCPV/T system with an energy flux ratio of 20 using the GaAs cell array and a concentrating silicon cell array are also constructed and characterized. The experimental results indicate that the photoelectric efficiency of the GaAs cell array is 23.83%, and the instantaneous electrical efficiency and thermal efficiency of the system are 9.88% and 49.84% respectively. While the instantaneous electrical efficiency and thermal efficiency of the system using the low-cost concentrating silicon cell array are 7.51% and 42

  11. Photovoltaic cell array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eliason, J. T. (Inventor)

    1976-01-01

    A photovoltaic cell array consisting of parallel columns of silicon filaments is described. Each fiber is doped to produce an inner region of one polarity type and an outer region of an opposite polarity type to thereby form a continuous radial semi conductor junction. Spaced rows of electrical contacts alternately connect to the inner and outer regions to provide a plurality of electrical outputs which may be combined in parallel or in series.

  12. Plasmonic Nanocone Arrays as Photoconductive and Photovoltaic Metamaterials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhukovsky, Sergei; Babicheva, Viktoriia; Evlyuknin, Andrey B.

    2014-01-01

    Photoconductive and photovolta ic properties of metamaterials comprising plasmonic nanocone arrays embedded in a semiconductor matrix are studied. Under uniform plane-wave illumination, directed photocurrent and electromotive force arise ne ar asymmetrically shaped nanocones. The resulting giant...... photogalvanic effect is a plasmonic analogue of the bulk photovoltaic effect in ferroelectrics....

  13. Designing Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, R. G., Jr.

    1984-01-01

    Report presents overview of state of art in design techniques for flat-plate solar photovoltaic modules and arrays. Paper discusses design requirements, design analyses, and test methods identified and developed for this technology over past several years in effort to reduce cost and improve utility and reliability for broad spectrum of terrestrial applications.

  14. Model Building of Photovoltaic Array with MPPT Function and Research on Single Phase Grid Connected

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Zhengzhou

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available With the continued development of solar photovoltaic technology, research on distributed grid connected photovoltaic system has become a research focus in the field of photovoltaic grid power plant and the computer simulation technology is an effective technology means in the study. On the basis of the photovoltaic array output characteristic equation, the photovoltaic array maximum power control simulation model based on M function is established by using MATLAB/Simulink and the simulation model of single phase grid connected photovoltaic array is proposed. It overcomes the shortcomings of the process of building the model of the PV array by using Simulink component library and provides the basic guarantee for the realization of system simulation, guiding theory research and system design.

  15. Commercial/industrial photovoltaic module and array requirement study. Low-cost solar array project engineering area

    Science.gov (United States)

    1981-01-01

    Design requirements for photovoltaic modules and arrays used in commercial and industrial applications were identified. Building codes and referenced standards were reviewed for their applicability to commercial and industrial photovoltaic array installation. Four general installation types were identified - integral (replaces roofing), direct (mounted on top of roofing), stand-off (mounted away from roofing), and rack (for flat or low slope roofs, or ground mounted). Each of the generic mounting types can be used in vertical wall mounting systems. This implies eight mounting types exist in the commercial/industrial sector. Installation costs were developed for these mounting types as a function of panel/module size. Cost drivers were identified. Studies were performed to identify optimum module shapes and sizes and operating voltage cost drivers. The general conclusion is that there are no perceived major obstacles to the use of photovoltaic modules in commercial/industrial arrays.

  16. APSA - A new generation of photovoltaic solar arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stella, P. M.; Kurland, R. M.

    1989-01-01

    This paper provides details on the Advanced Photovoltaic Solar Array (APSA) wing design, fabrication, and testing. The impact of array size change on performance and mechanical characteristics is discussed. Projections for future performance enhancements that may be expected through the use of advanced solar cells presently under development are examined.

  17. Can Integrated Micro-Optical Concentrator Technology Revolutionize Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Solar Energy Harvesting?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haney, Michael W.

    2015-12-01

    The economies-of-scale and enhanced performance of integrated micro-technologies have repeatedly delivered disruptive market impact. Examples range from microelectronics to displays to lighting. However, integrated micro-scale technologies have yet to be applied in a transformational way to solar photovoltaic panels. The recently announced Micro-scale Optimized Solar-cell Arrays with Integrated Concentration (MOSAIC) program aims to create a new paradigm in solar photovoltaic panel technology based on the incorporation of micro-concentrating photo-voltaic (μ-CPV) cells. As depicted in Figure 1, MOSAIC will integrate arrays of micro-optical concentrating elements and micro-scale PV elements to achieve the same aggregated collection area and high conversion efficiency of a conventional (i.e., macro-scale) CPV approach, but with the low profile and mass, and hopefully cost, of a conventional non-concentrated PV panel. The reduced size and weight, and enhanced wiring complexity, of the MOSAIC approach provide the opportunity to access the high-performance/low-cost region between the conventional CPV and flat-plate (1-sun) PV domains shown in Figure 2. Accessing this portion of the graph in Figure 2 will expand the geographic and market reach of flat-plate PV. This talk reviews the motivation and goals for the MOSAIC program. The diversity of the technical approaches to micro-concentration, embedded solar tracking, and hybrid direct/diffuse solar resource collection found in the MOSAIC portfolio of projects will also be highlighted.

  18. Development of photovoltaic array and module safety requirements

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-01-01

    Safety requirements for photovoltaic module and panel designs and configurations likely to be used in residential, intermediate, and large-scale applications were identified and developed. The National Electrical Code and Building Codes were reviewed with respect to present provisions which may be considered to affect the design of photovoltaic modules. Limited testing, primarily in the roof fire resistance field was conducted. Additional studies and further investigations led to the development of a proposed standard for safety for flat-plate photovoltaic modules and panels. Additional work covered the initial investigation of conceptual approaches and temporary deployment, for concept verification purposes, of a differential dc ground-fault detection circuit suitable as a part of a photovoltaic array safety system.

  19. Concentrating photovoltaic solar panel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cashion, Steven A; Bowser, Michael R; Farrelly, Mark B; Hines, Braden E; Holmes, Howard C; Johnson, Jr., Richard L; Russell, Richard J; Turk, Michael F

    2014-04-15

    The present invention relates to photovoltaic power systems, photovoltaic concentrator modules, and related methods. In particular, the present invention features concentrator modules having interior points of attachment for an articulating mechanism and/or an articulating mechanism that has a unique arrangement of chassis members so as to isolate bending, etc. from being transferred among the chassis members. The present invention also features adjustable solar panel mounting features and/or mounting features with two or more degrees of freedom. The present invention also features a mechanical fastener for secondary optics in a concentrator module.

  20. Model Building of Photovoltaic Array with MPPT Function and Research on Single Phase Grid Connected

    OpenAIRE

    Li Zhengzhou

    2016-01-01

    With the continued development of solar photovoltaic technology, research on distributed grid connected photovoltaic system has become a research focus in the field of photovoltaic grid power plant and the computer simulation technology is an effective technology means in the study. On the basis of the photovoltaic array output characteristic equation, the photovoltaic array maximum power control simulation model based on M function is established by using MATLAB/Simulink and the simulation m...

  1. Ultradense, Deep Subwavelength Nanowire Array Photovoltaics As Engineered Optical Thin Films

    KAUST Repository

    Tham, Douglas; Heath, James R.

    2010-01-01

    A photovoltaic device comprised of an array of 20 nm wide, 32 nm pitch array of silicon nanowires is modeled as an optical material. The nanowire array (NWA) has characteristic device features that are deep in the subwavelength regime for light

  2. Solar cell array design handbook - The principles and technology of photovoltaic energy conversion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauschenbach, H. S.

    1980-01-01

    Photovoltaic solar cell array design and technology for ground-based and space applications are discussed from the user's point of view. Solar array systems are described, with attention given to array concepts, historical development, applications and performance, and the analysis of array characteristics, circuits, components, performance and reliability is examined. Aspects of solar cell array design considered include the design process, photovoltaic system and detailed array design, and the design of array thermal, radiation shielding and electromagnetic components. Attention is then given to the characteristics and design of the separate components of solar arrays, including the solar cells, optical elements and mechanical elements, and the fabrication, testing, environmental conditions and effects and material properties of arrays and their components are discussed.

  3. Characterization of photovoltaic array performance: an overview

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ross, Jr., R. G.

    1986-09-15

    Characterization of the electrical performance of a photovoltaic array can take many forms depending on the end use of the data. Typical uses include buyer-seller negotiations, system performance prediction, and performance measurement. Buyer-seller negotiations may deal with specifying the size (power) of an array to be purchased under some standard reporting conditions, and may treat the warranty conditions governing allowable degradation of this performance with time. System design, on the other hand, requires prediction of performance under varying field conditions, not standard reporting conditions, and must include the non-ideal realities of operating systems: array shadowing, steep angles of incidence, soiling, and array-load energy utilization. Typical uses of predicted array performance include array sizing tradeoffs, tracking-pointing comparisons, load-array interface analyses and system economic evaluations. The third use, performance measurement, refers to the characterization of an as-built array as opposed to prediction of the performance of an array to be built. This may be done to assess actual array performance or to measure performance degradation over time.

  4. 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.

  5. Effects of concentrated sunlight on organic photovoltaics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tromholt, Thomas; Katz, Eugene A.; Hirsch, Baruch

    2010-01-01

    We report the effects of concentrated sunlight on key photovoltaic parameters and stability of organic photovoltaics (OPV). Sunlight collected and concentrated outdoors was focused into an optical fiber and delivered onto a 1 cm2 bulk-heterojunction cell. Sunlight concentration C was varied gradu...

  6. Maximum power point tracking of partially shaded solar photovoltaic arrays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roy Chowdhury, Shubhajit; Saha, Hiranmay [IC Design and Fabrication Centre, Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Jadavpur University (India)

    2010-09-15

    The paper presents the simulation and hardware implementation of maximum power point (MPP) tracking of a partially shaded solar photovoltaic (PV) array using a variant of Particle Swarm Optimization known as Adaptive Perceptive Particle Swarm Optimization (APPSO). Under partially shaded conditions, the photovoltaic (PV) array characteristics get more complex with multiple maxima in the power-voltage characteristic. The paper presents an algorithmic technique to accurately track the maximum power point (MPP) of a PV array using an APPSO. The APPSO algorithm has also been validated in the current work. The proposed technique uses only one pair of sensors to control multiple PV arrays. This result in lower cost and higher accuracy of 97.7% compared to earlier obtained accuracy of 96.41% using Particle Swarm Optimization. The proposed tracking technique has been mapped onto a MSP430FG4618 microcontroller for tracking and control purposes. The whole system based on the proposed has been realized on a standard two stage power electronic system configuration. (author)

  7. Design of a photovoltaic central power station: flat-plate array

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1984-02-01

    A design for a photovoltaic central power station using fixed flat-panel arrays has been developed. The 100 MW plant is assumed to be located adjacent to the Saguaro Power Station of Arizona Public Service. The design assumes high-efficiency photovoltaic modules using dendritic web cells. The modules are arranged in 5 MW subfields, each with its own power conditioning unit. The photovoltaic output is connected to the existing 115 kV utility switchyard. The site specific design allows detailed cost estimates for engineering, site preparation, and installation. Collector and power conditioning costs have been treated parametrically.

  8. Wind loads on flat plate photovoltaic array fields

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, R. D.; Zimmerman, D. K.

    1981-01-01

    The results of an experimental analysis (boundary layer wind tunnel test) of the aerodynamic forces resulting from winds acting on flat plate photovoltaic arrays are presented. Local pressure coefficient distributions and normal force coefficients on the arrays are shown and compared to theoretical results. Parameters that were varied when determining the aerodynamic forces included tilt angle, array separation, ground clearance, protective wind barriers, and the effect of the wind velocity profile. Recommended design wind forces and pressures are presented, which envelop the test results for winds perpendicular to the array's longitudinal axis. This wind direction produces the maximum wind loads on the arrays except at the array edge where oblique winds produce larger edge pressure loads. The arrays located at the outer boundary of an array field have a protective influence on the interior arrays of the field. A significant decrease of the array wind loads were recorded in the wind tunnel test on array panels located behind a fence and/or interior to the array field compared to the arrays on the boundary and unprotected from the wind. The magnitude of this decrease was the same whether caused by a fence or upwind arrays.

  9. Experimental characterization of a concentrating photovoltaic system varying the light concentration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Renno, C.; Petito, F.; Landi, G.; Neitzert, H.C.

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Experimental characterization of a concentrating photovoltaic system. • Analysis of the point-focus concentrating system performances. • Photovoltaic system parameters as function of the concentration factor. - Abstract: The concentrating photovoltaic system represents one of the most promising solar technologies because it allows a more efficient energy conversion. When a CPV system is designed, the main parameter which has to be considered is the concentration factor that affects both the system energy performances and its configuration. An experimental characterization of a CPV system previously realized at the University of Salerno, is presented in this paper considering several aspects related to the optical configuration, the concentration factor and the solar cell used. In particular, the parameters of an Indium Gallium Phosphide/Gallium Arsenide/Germanium triple-junction solar cell are investigated as function of the concentration factor determined by means of an experimental procedure that uses different optical configurations. The maximum concentration factor reached by the CPV system is 310 suns. The cell parameters dependence on the concentration is reported together with an electroluminescence analysis of the Indium Gallium Phosphide/Gallium Arsenide/Germanium cell. A monitoring of the electrical power provided by the system during its working is also presented corresponding to different direct irradiance values. A mean power of 2.95 W with an average efficiency of 32.8% is obtained referring to a mean irradiance of 930 W/m"2; lower values are obtained when the irradiance is highly fluctuating. The concentrating photovoltaic system electric energy output is estimated considering different concentration levels; the maximal obtained value is 23.5 W h on a sunny day at 310×. Finally, the temperature of the triple-junction solar cell is evaluated for different months in order to evaluate the potential annual thermal energy production

  10. Modeling impact of environmental factors on photovoltaic array performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Jie; Sun, Yize; Xu, Yang [College of Mechanical Engineering, Donghua University NO.2999, North Renmin Road, Shanghai (China)

    2013-07-01

    It is represented in this paper that a methodology to model and quantify the impact of the three environmental factors, the ambient temperature, the incident irradiance and the wind speed, upon the performance of photovoltaic array operating under outdoor conditions. First, A simple correlation correlating operating temperature with the three environmental variables is validated for a range of wind speed studied, 2-8, and for irradiance values between 200 and 1000. Root mean square error (RMSE) between modeled operating temperature and measured values is 1.19% and the mean bias error (MBE) is -0.09%. The environmental factors studied influence I-V curves, P-V curves, and maximum-power outputs of photovoltaic array. The cell-to-module-to-array mathematical model for photovoltaic panels is established in this paper and the method defined as segmented iteration is adopted to solve the I-V curve expression to relate model I-V curves. The model I-V curves and P-V curves are concluded to coincide well with measured data points. The RMSE between numerically calculated maximum-power outputs and experimentally measured ones is 0.2307%, while the MBE is 0.0183%. In addition, a multivariable non-linear regression equation is proposed to eliminate the difference between numerically calculated values and measured ones of maximum power outputs over the range of high ambient temperature and irradiance at noon and in the early afternoon. In conclusion, the proposed method is reasonably simple and accurate.

  11. Residential photovoltaic module and array requirement study. Low-Cost Solar Array Project engineering area. Final report appendices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-06-01

    This volume contains the appendices to a study to identify design requirements for photovoltaic modules and arrays used in residential applications. Appendices include: (1) codes, standards, and manuals of accepted practice-definition and importance; (2) regional code variations-impact; (3) model and city codes-review; (4) National Electric Code (NEC)-review; (5) types of standards-definition and importance; (6) federal standards-review; (7) standards review method; (8) manuals of accepted practice; (9) codes and referenced standards-summary; (10) public safety testing laboratories; (11) insurance review; (12) studies approach; (13) mounting configurations; (14) module/panel size and shape cost analysis; (15) grounding, wiring, terminal and voltage studies; (16) array installation cost summary; (17) photovoltaic shingle/module comparison; (18) retrofit application; (19) residential photovoltaic module performance criteria; (20) critique of JPL's solar cell module design and test specifications for residential applications; and (21) CSI format specification. (WHK)

  12. Real Time Photovoltaic Array Simulator for Testing Grid-Connected PV Inverters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sera, Dezso; Valentini, Massimo; Raducu, Alin

    2008-01-01

    In this paper a real time flexible PV array simulator is presented. It is a system that can simulate different PV panel arrays in specific environmental conditions. To evaluate performance of the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) of grid-connected Photovoltaic (PV) inverters only measurements...... undertaken with an appropriate PV array simulator provide accurate and reproducible results. Thus the PV array simulator has been developed and implemented. MPPT efficiency tests on a commercial grid-connected PV inverter have been performed to validate the PV array simulator....

  13. Broadband absorption of semiconductor nanowire arrays for photovoltaic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Ningfeng; Lin, Chenxi; Povinelli, Michelle L

    2012-01-01

    We use electromagnetic simulations to carry out a systematic study of broadband absorption in vertically-aligned semiconductor nanowire arrays for photovoltaic applications. We study six semiconductor materials that are commonly used for solar cells. We optimize the structural parameters of each nanowire array to maximize the ultimate efficiency. We plot the maximal ultimate efficiency as a function of height to determine how it approaches the perfect-absorption limit. We further show that the ultimate efficiencies of optimized nanowire arrays exceed those of equal-height thin films for all six materials and over a wide range of heights from 100 nm to 100 µm

  14. Plasmonic Photovoltaic Cells with Dual-Functional Gold, Silver, and Copper Half-Shell Arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Ling; Kim, Gyu Min; Nishi, Hiroyasu; Tatsuma, Tetsu

    2017-09-12

    Solid-state photovoltaic cells based on plasmon-induced charge separation (PICS) have attracted growing attention during the past decade. However, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the previously reported devices, which are generally loaded with dispersed metal nanoparticles as light absorbers, has not been sufficiently high. Here we report simpler plasmonic photovoltaic cells with interconnected Au, Ag, and Cu half-shell arrays deposited on SiO 2 @TiO 2 colloidal crystals, which serve both as a plasmonic light absorber and as a current collector. The well-controlled and easily prepared plasmonic structure allows precise comparison of the PICS efficiency between different plasmonic metal species. The cell with the Ag half-shell array has higher photovoltaic performance than the cells with Au and Cu half-shell arrays because of the high population of photogenerated energetic electrons, which gives a high electron injection efficiency and suppressed charge recombination probability, achieving the highest PCE among the solid-state PICS devices even without a hole transport layer.

  15. A novel application for concentrator photovoltaic in the field of agriculture photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Luqing; Guan, Chenggang; Zhang, Fangxin; Li, Ming; Lv, Hui; Liu, Yang; Yao, Peijun; Ingenhoff, Jan; Liu, Wen

    2017-09-01

    Agriculture photovoltaics is a trend setting area which has already led to a new industrial revolution. Shortage of land in some countries and desertification of land where regular solar panels are deployed are some of the major problems in the photovoltaic industry. Concentrator photovoltaics experienced a decline in applicability after the cost erosion of regular solar panels at the end of the last decade. We demonstrate a novel and unique application for concentrator photovoltaics tackling at a same time the issue of conventional photovoltaics preventing the land being used for agricultural purpose where ever solar panels are installed. We leverage the principle of diffractive and interference technology to split the sun light into transmitted wavelengths necessary for plant growth and reflected wavelengths useful for solar energy generation. The technology has been successfully implemented in field trials and sophisticated scientific studies have been undertaken to evaluate the suitability of this technology for competitive solar power generation and simultaneous high-quality plant growth. The average efficiency of the agriculture photovoltaic system has reached more than 8% and the average efficiency of the CPV system is 6.80%.

  16. Improved ATIR concentrator photovoltaic module

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adriani, Paul M.; Mao, Erwang

    2013-09-01

    Novel aggregated total internal reflection (ATIR) concentrator photovoltaic module design comprises 2-D shaped primary and secondary optics that effectively combine optical efficiency, low profile, convenient range of acceptance angles, reliability, and manufacturability. This novel optical design builds upon previous investigations by improving the shapes of primary and secondary optics to enable improved long-term reliability and manufacturability. This low profile, low concentration (5x to 10x) design fits well with one-axis trackers that are often used for flat plate crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules in large scale ground mount installations. Standard mounting points, materials, and procedures apply without changes from flat plate modules.

  17. Combination solar photovoltaic heat engine energy converter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chubb, Donald L.

    1987-01-01

    A combination solar photovoltaic heat engine converter is proposed. Such a system is suitable for either terrestrial or space power applications. The combination system has a higher efficiency than either the photovoltaic array or the heat engine alone can attain. Advantages in concentrator and radiator area and receiver mass of the photovoltaic heat engine system over a heat-engine-only system are estimated. A mass and area comparison between the proposed space station organic Rankine power system and a combination PV-heat engine system is made. The critical problem for the proposed converter is the necessity for high temperature photovoltaic array operation. Estimates of the required photovoltaic temperature are presented.

  18. High-Speed Monitoring of Multiple Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Array Configurations and Supplementary Weather Station.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyd, Matthew T

    2017-06-01

    Three grid-connected monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic arrays have been instrumented with research-grade sensors on the Gaithersburg, MD campus of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). These arrays range from 73 kW to 271 kW and have different tilts, orientations, and configurations. Irradiance, temperature, wind, and electrical measurements at the arrays are recorded, and images are taken of the arrays to monitor shading and capture any anomalies. A weather station has also been constructed that includes research-grade instrumentation to measure all standard meteorological quantities plus additional solar irradiance spectral bands, full spectrum curves, and directional components using multiple irradiance sensor technologies. Reference photovoltaic (PV) modules are also monitored to provide comprehensive baseline measurements for the PV arrays. Images of the whole sky are captured, along with images of the instrumentation and reference modules to document any obstructions or anomalies. Nearly, all measurements at the arrays and weather station are sampled and saved every 1s, with monitoring having started on Aug. 1, 2014. This report describes the instrumentation approach used to monitor the performance of these photovoltaic systems, measure the meteorological quantities, and acquire the images for use in PV performance and weather monitoring and computer model validation.

  19. Airport Solar Photovoltaic Concentrator Project. Phase 1 - final report, June 1, 1978-February 28, 1979

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-12-01

    The system design, analysis, and specification, site preparation, and operation and evaluation plan for a 500 kWe photovoltaic power supply to be located at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, are presented. The solar cell arrays are concentrator silicon solar cells with tracking 70X Cassegrain-type concentrators. The power conditioning system, tracking system, and control systems are described in detal. Environmental impact studies are described. Component specifications and drawings are included. (WHK)

  20. The optimal configuration of photovoltaic module arrays based on adaptive switching controls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chao, Kuei-Hsiang; Lai, Pei-Lun; Liao, Bo-Jyun

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We propose a strategy for determining the optimal configuration of a PV array. • The proposed strategy was based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) method. • It can identify the optimal module array connection scheme in the event of shading. • It can also find the optimal connection of a PV array even in module malfunctions. - Abstract: This study proposes a strategy for determining the optimal configuration of photovoltaic (PV) module arrays in shading or malfunction conditions. This strategy was based on particle swarm optimization (PSO). If shading or malfunctions of the photovoltaic module array occur, the module array immediately undergoes adaptive reconfiguration to increase the power output of the PV power generation system. First, the maximal power generated at various irradiation levels and temperatures was recorded during normal array operation. Subsequently, the irradiation level and module temperature, regardless of operating conditions, were used to recall the maximal power previously recorded. This previous maximum was compared with the maximal power value obtained using the maximum power point tracker to assess whether the PV module array was experiencing shading or malfunctions. After determining that the array was experiencing shading or malfunctions, PSO was used to identify the optimal module array connection scheme in abnormal conditions, and connection switches were used to implement optimal array reconfiguration. Finally, experiments were conducted to assess the strategy for identifying the optimal reconfiguration of a PV module array in the event of shading or malfunctions

  1. Performance of solar photovoltaic array fed water pumping system ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper discusses the design and performance analysis of a solar photovoltaic (SPV) array fed water pumping system utilizing a special class of highly rugged machine with simple drive system called switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive. The proposed method of water pumping system also provides the cost effective ...

  2. Multijunction Photovoltaic Technologies for High-Performance Concentrators: Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McConnell, R.; Symko-Davies, M.

    2006-05-01

    Multijunction solar cells provide high-performance technology pathways leading to potentially low-cost electricity generated from concentrated sunlight. The National Center for Photovoltaics at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has funded different III-V multijunction solar cell technologies and various solar concentration approaches. Within this group of projects, III-V solar cell efficiencies of 41% are close at hand and will likely be reported in these conference proceedings. Companies with well-developed solar concentrator structures foresee installed system costs of $3/watt--half of today's costs--within the next 2 to 5 years as these high-efficiency photovoltaic technologies are incorporated into their concentrator photovoltaic systems. These technology improvements are timely as new large-scale multi-megawatt markets, appropriate for high performance PV concentrators, open around the world.

  3. Photovoltaic solar concentrator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielson, Gregory N.; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis; Okandan, Murat; Resnick, Paul J.; Sanchez, Carlos Anthony; Clews, Peggy J.; Gupta, Vipin P.

    2015-09-08

    A process including forming a photovoltaic solar cell on a substrate, the photovoltaic solar cell comprising an anchor positioned between the photovoltaic solar cell and the substrate to suspend the photovoltaic solar cell from the substrate. A surface of the photovoltaic solar cell opposite the substrate is attached to a receiving substrate. The receiving substrate may be bonded to the photovoltaic solar cell using an adhesive force or a metal connecting member. The photovoltaic solar cell is then detached from the substrate by lifting the receiving substrate having the photovoltaic solar cell attached thereto and severing the anchor connecting the photovoltaic solar cell to the substrate. Depending upon the type of receiving substrate used, the photovoltaic solar cell may be removed from the receiving substrate or remain on the receiving substrate for use in the final product.

  4. Concentrated photovoltaics, a case study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonini Piergiorgio

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Concentrated Photovoltaics (CPV, once a niche technology, has now reached the maturity and reliability for large scale power generation. Especially in regions where temperatures are very high, the use of high efficiency triple junction solar cells with concentrating optics allows stable energy yield. Thus CPV can be seen as complementary and not in concurrence with silicon photovoltaics. The state of the art, the advantages and limitations of this technology will be shown. Among the main advantages of CPV is the possibility of a much higher energy supply, when compared to silicon photovoltaics, both comparing CPV and silicon with same area or the same installed power. The use of recycled and recyclable materials allows a more environmentally friendly production. The possibility to couple CPV with desalination facilities, energy storage will be analysed. As an example a case study of a CPV installation in Northern Italy is discussed. Here the use of mature technologies, derived from automotive and lighting sectors resulted in a simple and efficient module.

  5. PVSIM{copyright}: A simulation program for photovoltaic cells, modules, and arrays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    King, D.L.; Dudley, J.K.; Boyson, W.E.

    1996-06-01

    An electrical simulation model for photovoltaic cells, modules, and arrays has been developed that will be useful to a wide range of analysts in the photovoltaic industry. The Microsoft{reg_sign} Windows{trademark} based program can be used to analyze individual cells, to analyze the effects of cell mismatch or reverse bias(`hot spot`) heating in modules and to analyze the performance of large arrays of modules including bypass and blocking diodes. User defined statistical variance can be applied to the fundamental parameters used to simulate the cells and diodes. The model is most appropriate for cells that can be accurately modeled using a two-diode equivalent circuit. This paper describes the simulation program and illustrates its versatility with examples.

  6. Design considerations for large roof-integrated photovoltaic arrays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ropp, M.E.; Begovic, M.; Rohatgi, A. [Georgia Inst. of Tech., Atlanta, GA (United States); Long, R. [Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta (United States). Office of Facilities

    1997-01-01

    This paper describes calculations and modeling used in the design of the photovoltaic (PV) array built on the roof of the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, the aquatic sports venue for the 1996 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The software package PVFORM (version 3.3) was extensively utilized; because of its importance to this work, it is thoroughly reviewed here. Procedures required to adapt PVFORM to this particular installation are described. The expected behavior and performance of the system, including maximum power output, annual energy output and maximum expected temperature, are then presented, and the use of this information in making informed design decisions is described. Finally, since the orientation of the PV array is not optimal, the effect of the unoptimized array orientation on the system`s performance is quantified. (author)

  7. Assessment of low-cost manufacturing process sequences. [photovoltaic solar arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, R. G.

    1979-01-01

    An extensive research and development activity to reduce the cost of manufacturing photovoltaic solar arrays by a factor of approximately one hundred is discussed. Proposed and actual manufacturing process descriptions were compared to manufacturing costs. An overview of this methodology is presented.

  8. Characterization of the electrical output of flat-plate photovoltaic arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez, C. C.; Hill, G. M.; Ross, R. G., Jr.

    1982-01-01

    The electric output of flat-plate photovoltaic arrays changes constantly, due primarily to changes in cell temperature and irradiance level. As a result, array loads such as direct-current to alternating-current power conditioners must be able to accommodate widely varying input levels, while maintaining operation at or near the array maximum power point.The results of an extensive computer simulation study that was used to define the parameters necessary for the systematic design of array/power-conditioner interfaces are presented as normalized ratios of power-conditioner parameters to array parameters, to make the results universally applicable to a wide variety of system sizes, sites, and operating modes. The advantages of maximum power tracking and a technique for computing average annual power-conditioner efficiency are discussed.

  9. Fault Analysis in Solar Photovoltaic Arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Ye

    Fault analysis in solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays is a fundamental task to increase reliability, efficiency and safety in PV systems. Conventional fault protection methods usually add fuses or circuit breakers in series with PV components. But these protection devices are only able to clear faults and isolate faulty circuits if they carry a large fault current. However, this research shows that faults in PV arrays may not be cleared by fuses under some fault scenarios, due to the current-limiting nature and non-linear output characteristics of PV arrays. First, this thesis introduces new simulation and analytic models that are suitable for fault analysis in PV arrays. Based on the simulation environment, this thesis studies a variety of typical faults in PV arrays, such as ground faults, line-line faults, and mismatch faults. The effect of a maximum power point tracker on fault current is discussed and shown to, at times, prevent the fault current protection devices to trip. A small-scale experimental PV benchmark system has been developed in Northeastern University to further validate the simulation conclusions. Additionally, this thesis examines two types of unique faults found in a PV array that have not been studied in the literature. One is a fault that occurs under low irradiance condition. The other is a fault evolution in a PV array during night-to-day transition. Our simulation and experimental results show that overcurrent protection devices are unable to clear the fault under "low irradiance" and "night-to-day transition". However, the overcurrent protection devices may work properly when the same PV fault occurs in daylight. As a result, a fault under "low irradiance" and "night-to-day transition" might be hidden in the PV array and become a potential hazard for system efficiency and reliability.

  10. Fabrication and performance analysis of concentrated hybrid photovoltaic system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Murthy Krishna

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Sun is the most important source of renewable source of energy. During the past few decades there has been an ever-increasing interest in Photovoltaic (PV cells as it directly converts solar radiation into electricity. This paper involves the performance study of photovoltaic system under concentrated solar radiation. The main problem with the concentration solar energy is the drastic increase in temperature of the photovoltaic module resulting in a decrease in performance efficiency of the system. This problem of overheating of the system can be overcome by providing cooling which would ensure operation of the module in the optimal temperature range. Hence, the setup would function as a hybrid model serving the dual purpose of power generation while also utilizing the waste heat for water heating applications. The experimental set up consist of a novel arrangement of concentrator and reflector and the cooling system. The Hybrid Photovoltaic System was repeatedly tested under real time conditions on several days. A comparison was drawn between the results obtained from direct exposure of a standard photovoltaic module to that obtained from the hybrid system in order to better understand the improvement in performance parameters. The study shown a significant improvement of output of standard photovoltaic module under the concentrated solar radiation.

  11. Smart Global Maximum Power Point Tracking Controller of Photovoltaic Module Arrays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Long-Yi Chang

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This study first explored the effect of shading on the output characteristics of modules in a photovoltaic module array. Next, a modified particle swarm optimization (PSO method was employed to track the maximum power point of the multiple-peak characteristic curve of the array. Through the optimization method, the weighting value and cognition learning factor decreased with an increasing number of iterations, whereas the social learning factor increased, thereby enhancing the tracking capability of a maximum power point tracker. In addition, the weighting value was slightly modified on the basis of the changes in the slope and power of the characteristic curve to increase the tracking speed and stability of the tracker. Finally, a PIC18F8720 microcontroller was coordinated with peripheral hardware circuits to realize the proposed PSO method, which was then adopted to track the maximum power point of the power–voltage (P–V output characteristic curve of the photovoltaic module array under shading. Subsequently, tests were conducted to verify that the modified PSO method exhibited favorable tracking speed and accuracy.

  12. Photovoltaic solar concentrator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielson, Gregory N.; Gupta, Vipin P.; Okandan, Murat; Watts, Michael R.

    2016-03-15

    A photovoltaic solar concentrator is disclosed with one or more transverse-junction solar cells (also termed point contact solar cells) and a lens located above each solar cell to concentrate sunlight onto the solar cell to generate electricity. Piezoelectric actuators tilt or translate each lens to track the sun using a feedback-control circuit which senses the electricity generated by one or more of the solar cells. The piezoelectric actuators can be coupled through a displacement-multiplier linkage to provide an increased range of movement of each lens. Each lens in the solar concentrator can be supported on a frame (also termed a tilt plate) having three legs, with the movement of the legs being controlled by the piezoelectric actuators.

  13. Regional climate consequences of large-scale cool roof and photovoltaic array deployment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Millstein, Dev; Menon, Surabi

    2011-01-01

    Modifications to the surface albedo through the deployment of cool roofs and pavements (reflective materials) and photovoltaic arrays (low reflection) have the potential to change radiative forcing, surface temperatures, and regional weather patterns. In this work we investigate the regional climate and radiative effects of modifying surface albedo to mimic massive deployment of cool surfaces (roofs and pavements) and, separately, photovoltaic arrays across the United States. We use a fully coupled regional climate model, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, to investigate feedbacks between surface albedo changes, surface temperature, precipitation and average cloud cover. With the adoption of cool roofs and pavements, domain-wide annual average outgoing radiation increased by 0.16 ± 0.03 W m -2 (mean ± 95% C.I.) and afternoon summertime temperature in urban locations was reduced by 0.11-0.53 deg. C, although some urban areas showed no statistically significant temperature changes. In response to increased urban albedo, some rural locations showed summer afternoon temperature increases of up to + 0.27 deg. C and these regions were correlated with less cloud cover and lower precipitation. The emissions offset obtained by this increase in outgoing radiation is calculated to be 3.3 ± 0.5 Gt CO 2 (mean ± 95% C.I.). The hypothetical solar arrays were designed to be able to produce one terawatt of peak energy and were located in the Mojave Desert of California. To simulate the arrays, the desert surface albedo was darkened, causing local afternoon temperature increases of up to + 0.4 deg. C. Due to the solar arrays, local and regional wind patterns within a 300 km radius were affected. Statistically significant but lower magnitude changes to temperature and radiation could be seen across the domain due to the introduction of the solar arrays. The addition of photovoltaic arrays caused no significant change to summertime outgoing radiation when averaged

  14. Effects of design on cost of flat-plate solar photovoltaic arrays for terrestrial central station power applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsou, P.; Stolte, W.

    1978-01-01

    The paper examines the impact of module and array designs on the balance-of-plant costs for flat-plate terrestrial central station power applications. Consideration is given to the following types of arrays: horizontal, tandem, augmented, tilt adjusted, and E-W tracking. The life-cycle cost of a 20-year plant life serves as the costing criteria for making design and cost tradeoffs. A tailored code of accounts is developed for determining consistent photovoltaic power plant costs and providing credible photovoltaic system cost baselines for flat-plate module and array designs by costing several varying array design approaches.

  15. Building integrated concentrating photovoltaics: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chemisana, Daniel

    2011-01-01

    For building integration, Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) systems can offer a host of advantages over conventional flat panel devices, the most notable being: a higher electrical conversion efficiency in the PV cells, better use of space, ease of recycling of constituent materials, and reduced use of toxic products involved in the PV cells' production process. However, the viability of Building-Integrated Concentrating PV (BICPV) systems is dependent on their ability to offer a comparative economic advantage over flat panel photovoltaic technologies whose market prices are decreasing from day to day and which offer other advantages such as ease of replacement of structural elements. A comparative analysis is presented of the main existing CPV systems' suitability for use in buildings, in which the different challenges specific to integration of each system are discussed. The systems are categorized by type of concentration technology and concentration factor. (author)

  16. High Efficiency Nanostructured III-V Photovoltaics for Solar Concentrator Application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hubbard, Seth

    2012-09-12

    The High Efficiency Nanostructured III-V Photovoltaics for Solar Concentrators project seeks to provide new photovoltaic cells for Concentrator Photovoltaics (CPV) Systems with higher cell efficiency, more favorable temperature coefficients and less sensitivity to changes in spectral distribution. The main objective of this project is to provide high efficiency III-V solar cells that will reduce the overall cost per Watt for power generation using CPV systems.This work is focused both on a potential near term application, namely the use of indium arsenide (InAs) QDs to spectrally "tune" the middle (GaAs) cell of a SOA triple junction device to a more favorable effective bandgap, as well as the long term goal of demonstrating intermediate band solar cell effects. The QDs are confined within a high electric field i-region of a standard GaAs solar cell. The extended absorption spectrum (and thus enhanced short circuit current) of the QD solar cell results from the increase in the sub GaAs bandgap spectral response that is achievable as quantum dot layers are introduced into the i-region. We have grown InAs quantum dots by OMVPE technique and optimized the QD growth conditions. Arrays of up to 40 layers of strain balanced quantum dots have been experimentally demonstrated with good material quality, low residual stain and high PL intensity. Quantum dot enhanced solar cells were grown and tested under simulated one sun AM1.5 conditions. Concentrator solar cells have been grown and fabricated with 5-40 layers of QDs. Testing of these devices show the QD cells have improved efficiency compared to baseline devices without QDs. Device modeling and measurement of thermal properties were performed using Crosslight APSYS. Improvements in a triple junction solar cell with the insertion of QDs into the middle current limiting junction was shown to be as high as 29% under one sun illumination for a 10 layer stack QD enhanced triple junction solar cell. QD devices have strong

  17. SIMULATION OF NEW SIMPLE FUZZY LOGIC MAXIMUM POWER POINT TRACKER FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Serhoud

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available A new simple fuzzy method used for tracking the maximum power point tracker (MPPT for photovoltaic systems is proposed. The input parameters   and duty cycle D are used to generate the optimal MPPT under different operating conditions, The photovoltaic system simulated and constructed by photovoltaic arrays, a DC/DC boost converter, a fuzzy MPPT control and a resistive load, The Fuzzy control law designed and the results in a simulation platform will be presented and compare to Perturbation and observation (P&O controller.

  18. Freeform optics for photovoltaic concentration

    OpenAIRE

    Benitez Gimenez, Pablo; Miñano Dominguez, Juan Carlos

    2012-01-01

    Freeform surfaces are the key of the state-of-the-art nonimaging optics to solve the challenges in concentration photovoltaics. Different families (FK, XR, FRXI) will be presented, based on the SMS 3D design method and Köhler homogenization.

  19. Qualification standard for photovoltaic concentrator modules

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McConnell, R.; Kurtz, S.; Bottenberg, W. R.; Hammond, R.; Jochums, S. W.; McDanal, A. J.; Roubideaux, D.; Whitaker, C.; Wohlgemuth, J.

    2000-05-05

    The paper describes a proposed qualification standard for photovoltaic concentrator modules. The standard's purpose is to provide stress tests and procedures to identify any component weakness in photovoltaic concentrator modules intended for power generation applications. If no weaknesses are identified during qualification, both the manufacturer and the customer can expect a more reliable product. The qualification test program for the standard includes thermal cycles, humidity-freeze cycles, water spray, off-axis beam damage, hail impact, hot-spot endurance, as well as electrical tests for performance, ground continuity, isolation, wet insulation resistance, and bypass diodes. Because concentrator module performance can not be verified using solar simulator and reference cell procedures suitable for flat-plate modules, the standard specifies an outdoor I-V test analysis allowing a performance comparison before and after a test procedure. Two options to this complex analysis are the use of a reference concentrator module for side-by-side outdoor comparison with modules undergoing various tests and a dark I-V performance check.

  20. RTI photovoltaic concentrator applications experiment. Phase I. System design. Final report, 1 June 1978-28 February 1979

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burger, R M; Whisnant, R A; Drake, W C; Daluge, D R; Alberts, R D

    1979-03-01

    An experiment has been designed in which a 100 kW photovoltaic concentrator system serving the electrical load provided by an energy-efficient office-laboratory building will be built and operated in the Research Triangle Park of North Carolina. Since the purpose of the experiment is to provide the essential data for design and installation of future operational systems, the system is designed for operational flexibility. In its main operational mode, a defined primary load is diverted from the utility during all peak-demand periods. This requires the use of 1000 kWh of lead-acid batteries for energy storage. Other operational modes provide for obtaining data on peak demand reduction, on alternative battery use strategies, and on system performance with an isolated load. Operation of the system in parallel with utility-supplied power requires that the photovoltaic array outputs be inverted and that the power be controlled to achieve the operational objectives. Ten 2-axis tracking arrays consisting of 70X parabolic concentrators are used. The system will provide approximately 103 megawatt-hours of power annually to the load and the design is compatible with future retrofits including more efficient solar cells, higher concentration ratios, thermal energy collection, and other technological developments, ensuring its usefulness in research and development beyond the PRDA-35 experiment.

  1. Standard Test Methods for Electrical Performance of Nonconcentrator Terrestrial Photovoltaic Modules and Arrays Using Reference Cells

    CERN Document Server

    American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

    2008-01-01

    1.1 These test methods cover the electrical performance of photovoltaic modules and arrays under natural or simulated sunlight using a calibrated reference cell. 1.1.1 These test methods allow a reference module to be used instead of a reference cell provided the reference module has been calibrated using these test methods against a calibrated reference cell. 1.2 Measurements under a variety of conditions are allowed; results are reported under a select set of reporting conditions (RC) to facilitate comparison of results. 1.3 These test methods apply only to nonconcentrator terrestrial modules and arrays. 1.4 The performance parameters determined by these test methods apply only at the time of the test, and imply no past or future performance level. 1.5 These test methods apply to photovoltaic modules and arrays that do not contain series-connected photovoltaic multijunction devices; such module and arrays should be tested according to Test Methods E 2236. 1.6 The values stated in SI units are to be re...

  2. Photovoltaic static concentrator analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almonacid, G.; Luque, A.; Molledo, A. G.

    1984-12-01

    Ray tracing is the basis of the present analysis of truncated bifacial compound parabolic concentrators filled with a dielectric substance, which are of interest in photovoltaic applications where the bifacial cells allow higher static concentrations to be achieved. Among the figures of merit for this type of concentrator, the directional intercept factor plays a major role and is defined as the ratio of the power of the collector to that at the entry aperture, in a lossless concentrator illuminated by light arriving from a given direction. A procedure for measuring outdoor, full size panels has been developed, and a correction method for avoiding the effect of unwanted diffuse radiation during the measurements is presented.

  3. Wind loads on flat plate photovoltaic array fields (nonsteady winds)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, R. D.; Zimmerman, D. K.

    1981-01-01

    Techniques to predict the dynamic response and the structural dynamic loads of flat plate photovoltaic arrays due to wind turbulence were analyzed. Guidelines for use in predicting the turbulent portion of the wind loading on future similar arrays are presented. The dynamic response and the loads dynamic magnification factor of the two array configurations are similar. The magnification factors at a mid chord and outer chord location on the array illustrated and at four points on the chord are shown. The wind tunnel test experimental rms pressure coefficient on which magnification factors are based is shown. It is found that the largest response and dynamic magnification factor occur at a mid chord location on an array and near the trailing edge. A technique employing these magnification factors and the wind tunnel test rms fluctuating pressure coefficients to calculate design pressure loads due to wind turbulence is presented.

  4. Photovoltaic array for Martian surface power

    Science.gov (United States)

    Appelbaum, J.; Landis, G. A.

    1992-01-01

    Missions to Mars will require electric power. A leading candidate for providing power is solar power produced by photovoltaic arrays. To design such a power system, detailed information on solar-radiation availability on the Martian surface is necessary. The variation of the solar radiation on the Martian surface is governed by three factors: (1) variation in Mars-Sun distance; (2) variation in solar zenith angle due to Martian season and time of day; and (3) dust in the Martian atmosphere. A major concern is the dust storms, which occur on both local and global scales. However, there is still appreciable diffuse sunlight available even at high opacity, so that solar array operation is still possible. Typical results for tracking solar collectors are also shown and compared to the fixed collectors. During the Northern Hemisphere spring and summer the isolation is relatively high, 2-5 kW-hr/sq m-day, due to the low optical depth of the Martian atmosphere. These seasons, totalling a full terrestrial year, are the likely ones during which manned mission will be carried out.

  5. Multiphysics modelling and experimental validation of high concentration photovoltaic modules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Theristis, Marios; Fernández, Eduardo F.; Sumner, Mike; O'Donovan, Tadhg S.

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A multiphysics modelling approach for concentrating photovoltaics was developed. • An experimental campaign was conducted to validate the models. • The experimental results were in good agreement with the models. • The multiphysics modelling allows the concentrator’s optimisation. - Abstract: High concentration photovoltaics, equipped with high efficiency multijunction solar cells, have great potential in achieving cost-effective and clean electricity generation at utility scale. Such systems are more complex compared to conventional photovoltaics because of the multiphysics effect that is present. Modelling the power output of such systems is therefore crucial for their further market penetration. Following this line, a multiphysics modelling procedure for high concentration photovoltaics is presented in this work. It combines an open source spectral model, a single diode electrical model and a three-dimensional finite element thermal model. In order to validate the models and the multiphysics modelling procedure against actual data, an outdoor experimental campaign was conducted in Albuquerque, New Mexico using a high concentration photovoltaic monomodule that is thoroughly described in terms of its geometry and materials. The experimental results were in good agreement (within 2.7%) with the predicted maximum power point. This multiphysics approach is relatively more complex when compared to empirical models, but besides the overall performance prediction it can also provide better understanding of the physics involved in the conversion of solar irradiance into electricity. It can therefore be used for the design and optimisation of high concentration photovoltaic modules.

  6. Design and simulation of a low concentrating photovoltaic/thermal system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosell, J.I.; Vallverdu, X.; Lechon, M.A.; Ibanez, M.

    2005-01-01

    The advantages of photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) collectors and low solar concentration technologies are combined into a photovoltaic/thermal system to increase the solar energy conversion efficiency. This paper presents a prototype 11X concentration rate and two axis tracking system. The main novelty is the coupling of a linear Fresnel concentrator with a channel photovoltaic/thermal collector. An analytical model to simulate the thermal behaviour of the prototype is proposed and validated. Measured thermal performance of the solar system gives values above 60%. Theoretical analysis confirms that thermal conduction between the PV cells and the absorber plate is a critical parameter

  7. Characterization and Diagnostics for Photovoltaic Modules and Arrays

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spataru, Sergiu

    part of this work were developed based on two well-known module characterization techniques, namely current-voltage (I-V) characterization, and electroluminescence imaging. he I-V based module diagnostic methods were developed by combining the strengths of light I-V and dark I-V characterization......, characterization and diagnostic methods are increasingly important in identifying and understanding the failures and degradation modes affecting PV modules and arrays, as well as developing relevant tools and tests for assessing the reliability and lifetime of PV modules. This thesis investigates diagnostic...... methods for characterizing and detecting degradation modes in crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and arrays, and is structured into two parts. The first part of this work is focused on developing PV module characterization and diagnostic methods for use in module diagnostics and failure...

  8. Tracking integration in concentrating photovoltaics using laterally moving optics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duerr, Fabian; Meuret, Youri; Thienpont, Hugo

    2011-05-09

    In this work the concept of tracking-integrated concentrating photovoltaics is studied and its capabilities are quantitatively analyzed. The design strategy desists from ideal concentration performance to reduce the external mechanical solar tracking effort in favor of a compact installation, possibly resulting in lower overall cost. The proposed optical design is based on an extended Simultaneous Multiple Surface (SMS) algorithm and uses two laterally moving plano-convex lenses to achieve high concentration over a wide angular range of ±24°. It achieves 500× concentration, outperforming its conventional concentrating photovoltaic counterparts on a polar aligned single axis tracker.

  9. Photovoltaic concentrator assembly with optically active cover

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plesniak, Adam P

    2014-01-21

    A photovoltaic concentrator assembly that includes a housing that defines an internal volume and includes a rim, wherein the rim defines an opening into the internal volume, a photovoltaic cell positioned in the internal volume, and an optical element that includes an optically active body and a flange extending outward from the body, wherein the flange is sealingly engaged with the rim of the housing to enclose the internal volume.

  10. Performance characteristics of a combination solar photovoltaic heat engine energy converter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chubb, Donald L.

    1987-01-01

    A combination solar photovoltaic heat engine converter is proposed. Such a system is suitable for either terrestrial or space power applications. The combination system has a higher efficiency than either the photovoltaic array or the heat engine alone can attain. Advantages in concentrator and radiator area and receiver mass of the photovoltaic heat engine system over a heat-engine-only system are estimated. A mass and area comparison between the proposed space station organic Rankine power system and a combination PV-heat engine system is made. The critical problem for the proposed converter is the necessity for high temperature photovoltaic array operation. Estimates of the required photovoltaic temperature are presented.

  11. Performance investigation of a concentrating photovoltaic/thermal system with transmissive Fresnel solar concentrator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng, Chaoqing; Zheng, Hongfei; Wang, Rui; Ma, Xinglong

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A common design method of a cycloidal transmissive Fresnel solar concentrator was presented. • The gallium arsenide high concentrated solar was used as the receiver. • High efficiency of electric generating could be achieved at noon. • Fresnel solar concentrator was studied and compared in hazy weather and clear weather. - Abstract: A design method of a cycloidal transmissive Fresnel solar concentrator which can provide a certain width focal line was presented in this study. Based on the optical principle of refraction, the dimensions of each wedge-shaped element of Fresnel lens are calculated. An optical simulation has been done to obtain the optical efficiency of the concentrator for different tracking error and axial incidence angle. It has been found that about 80% of the incident sunlight can still be gathered by the absorber when the tracking error is within 0.7°. When the axial angle of incidence is within 10°, it almost has no influence to the receiving rate. The concentrating photovoltaic/thermal system with transmissive Fresnel solar concentrator has been designed in this paper. Take the gallium arsenide high concentrated battery as the receiver, experimental research about cylindrical Fresnel concentrating photovoltaic/thermal system is undertaken in the real sky. Main parameters are tested such as the temperature distribution on receiver, electric energy and thermal energy outputs of concentrating photovoltaic/thermal system, the efficiency of multipurpose utilization of electric and heat, and so on. The test results in clear weather show that maximum electric generating efficiency is about 18% at noon, the maximum heat receiving rate of cooling water is about 45%. At noon time (11:00–13:00), the total efficiency of thermal and electricity can reach more than 55%. Performance of this concentrating photovoltaic/thermal system with transmissive Fresnel solar concentrator is studied and compared in two types typical weather, hazy

  12. Photovoltaic array sizing for Yemeni electrical needs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Al-Motawakel, M K; McVeigh, J C; Probert, S D; Norton, B

    1986-10-01

    A behavioural model has been developed for correlating the area of the solar array, the capacity of the storage batteries, and the system cost of a roof-top or centralized solar-energy system relative to the average daily electricity demand. The mathematical analysis incorporates pertinent social, economic, climatic and energy-resource factors. The model is employed to predict the average daily electrical needs for any one of the ten common energy uses currently occurring in Yemeni houses, reviews these needs in terms of the available solar energy systems, selects the relevant system components, and suggests the most cost-effective appropriate design of solar photovoltaic system.

  13. Freeform optics applications in photovoltaic concentration

    OpenAIRE

    Miñano Dominguez, Juan Carlos; Benitez Gimenez, Pablo; Zamora Herranz, Pablo; Mendes Lopes, Joao; Buljan, Marina; Santamaria Galdon, Maria Asuncion

    2012-01-01

    Freeform surfaces are the key of the state-of-the-art nonimaging optics to solve the challenges in concentration photovoltaics. Different families (FK, XR, FRXI) will be presented, based on the SMS 3D design method and Köhler homogenization.

  14. NASA advanced space photovoltaic technology-status, potential and future mission applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flood, Dennis J.; Piszczor, Michael, Jr.; Stella, Paul M.; Bennett, Gary L.

    1989-01-01

    The NASA program in space photovoltaic research and development encompasses a wide range of emerging options for future space power systems, and includes both cell and array technology development. The long range goals are to develop technology capable of achieving 300 W/kg for planar arrays, and 300 W/sq m for concentrator arrays. InP and GaAs planar and concentrator cell technologies are under investigation for their potential high efficiency and good radiation resistance. The Advanced Photovoltaic Solar Array (APSA) program is a near term effort aimed at demonstrating 130 W/kg beginning of life specific power using thin (62 micrometer) silicon cells. It is intended to be technology transparent to future high efficiency cells and provides the baseline for development of the 300 W/kg array.

  15. Low concentration ratio solar array for low Earth orbit multi-100 kW application. Volume 1: Design, analysis and development tests

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-01-01

    A preliminary design effort directed toward a low concentration ratio photovoltaic array system capable of delivering multihundred kilowatts (300 kW to 1000 kW range) in low earth orbit is described. The array system consists of two or more array modules each capable of delivering between 113 kW to 175 kW using silicon solar cells or gallium arsenide solar cells, respectively. The array module deployed area is 1320 square meters and consists of 4356 pyramidal concentrator elements. The module, when stowed in the Space Shuttle's payload bay, has a stowage volume of a cube with 3.24 meters on a side. The concentrator elements are sized for a geometric concentration ratio (GCR) of six with an aperture area of .25 sq. m. The structural analysis and design trades leading to the baseline design are discussed. It describes the configuration, as well as optical, thermal and electrical performance analyses that support the design and overall performance estimates for the array are described.

  16. Accelerated stability testing of organic photovoltaics using concentrated sunlight

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Katz, Eugene A.; Manor, Assaf; Mescheloff, Asaf

    2012-01-01

    We suggest to use concentrated sunlight for accelerated studies of light-induced mechanisms in the degradation of organic photovoltaics (OPV) based on the polymer (P3HT)/fullerene (PCBM) bulk heterojunctions. Two particular cases of the degradation are reported.......We suggest to use concentrated sunlight for accelerated studies of light-induced mechanisms in the degradation of organic photovoltaics (OPV) based on the polymer (P3HT)/fullerene (PCBM) bulk heterojunctions. Two particular cases of the degradation are reported....

  17. High-concentration planar microtracking photovoltaic system exceeding 30% efficiency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price, Jared S.; Grede, Alex J.; Wang, Baomin; Lipski, Michael V.; Fisher, Brent; Lee, Kyu-Tae; He, Junwen; Brulo, Gregory S.; Ma, Xiaokun; Burroughs, Scott; Rahn, Christopher D.; Nuzzo, Ralph G.; Rogers, John A.; Giebink, Noel C.

    2017-08-01

    Prospects for concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) power are growing as the market increasingly values high power conversion efficiency to leverage now-dominant balance of system and soft costs. This trend is particularly acute for rooftop photovoltaic power, where delivering the high efficiency of traditional CPV in the form factor of a standard rooftop photovoltaic panel could be transformative. Here, we demonstrate a fully automated planar microtracking CPV system 660× concentration ratio over a 140∘ full field of view. In outdoor testing over the course of two sunny days, the system operates automatically from sunrise to sunset, outperforming a 17%-efficient commercial silicon solar cell by generating >50% more energy per unit area per day in a direct head-to-head competition. These results support the technical feasibility of planar microtracking CPV to deliver a step change in the efficiency of rooftop solar panels at a commercially relevant concentration ratio.

  18. A Procedure for Modeling Photovoltaic Arrays under Any Configuration and Shading Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Gonzalez Montoya

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Photovoltaic (PV arrays can be connected following regular or irregular connection patterns to form regular configurations (e.g., series-parallel, total cross-tied, bridge-linked, etc. or irregular configurations, respectively. Several reported works propose models for a single configuration; hence, making the evaluation of arrays with different configuration is a considerable time-consuming task. Moreover, if the PV array adopts an irregular configuration, the classical models cannot be used for its analysis. This paper proposes a modeling procedure for PV arrays connected in any configuration and operating under uniform or partial shading conditions. The procedure divides the array into smaller arrays, named sub-arrays, which can be independently solved. The modeling procedure selects the mesh current solution or the node voltage solution depending on the topology of each sub-array. Therefore, the proposed approach analyzes the PV array using the least number of nonlinear equations. The proposed solution is validated through simulation and experimental results, which demonstrate the proposed model capacity to reproduce the electrical behavior of PV arrays connected in any configuration.

  19. Concentration of solar radiation by white backed photovoltaic panels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smestad, G; Hamill, P

    1984-12-01

    In this paper, we present an analysis of the concentration achieved by white backed photovoltaic panels. Concentration is due to the trapping by light scattered in the refractive plate to which the solar cell is bonded. Using the reciprocity relation and assuming the ideal case of a Lambertian distribution, a detailed model is formulated that includes the effects of the thickness and walls of the concentrator. This model converges to the thermodynamic limit and is found to be consistent with experimental results for a wide range of cell sizes. Finally, the model is generalized to multiple-cell photovoltaic panels.

  20. Ultradense, Deep Subwavelength Nanowire Array Photovoltaics As Engineered Optical Thin Films

    KAUST Repository

    Tham, Douglas

    2010-11-10

    A photovoltaic device comprised of an array of 20 nm wide, 32 nm pitch array of silicon nanowires is modeled as an optical material. The nanowire array (NWA) has characteristic device features that are deep in the subwavelength regime for light, which permits a number of simplifying approximations. Using photocurrent measurements as a probe of the absorptance, we show that the NWA optical properties can be accurately modeled with rigorous coupled-wave analysis. The densely structured NWAs behave as homogeneous birefringent materials into the ultraviolet with effective optical properties that are accurately modeled using the dielectric functions of bulk Si and SiO 2, coupled with a physical model for the NWA derived from ellipsometry and transmission electron microscopy. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

  1. Electricity from photovoltaic solar cells. Flat-Plate Solar Array Project of the US Department of Energy's National Photovoltaics Program: 10 years of progress

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christensen, Elmer

    1985-01-01

    The objectives were to develop the flat-plate photovoltaic (PV) array technologies required for large-scale terrestrial use late in the 1980s and in the 1990s; advance crystalline silicon PV technologies; develop the technologies required to convert thin-film PV research results into viable module and array technology; and to stimulate transfer of knowledge of advanced PV materials, solar cells, modules, and arrays to the PV community. Progress reached on attaining these goals, along with future recommendations are discussed.

  2. Optics of two-stage photovoltaic concentrators with dielectric second stages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ning, Xiaohui; O'Gallagher, Joseph; Winston, Roland

    1987-04-01

    Two-stage photovoltaic concentrators with Fresnel lenses as primaries and dielectric totally internally reflecting nonimaging concentrators as secondaries are discussed. The general design principles of such two-stage systems are given. Their optical properties are studied and analyzed in detail using computer ray trace procedures. It is found that the two-stage concentrator offers not only a higher concentration or increased acceptance angle, but also a more uniform flux distribution on the photovoltaic cell than the point focusing Fresnel lens alone. Experimental measurements with a two-stage prototype module are presented and compared to the analytical predictions.

  3. Optics of two-stage photovoltaic concentrators with dielectric second stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ning, X; O'Gallagher, J; Winston, R

    1987-04-01

    Two-stage photovoltaic concentrators with Fresnel lenses as primaries and dielectric totally internally reflecting nonimaging concentrators as secondaries are discussed. The general design principles of such two-stage systems are given. Their optical properties are studied and analyzed in detail using computer ray trace procedures. It is found that the two-stage concentrator offers not only a higher concentration or increased acceptance angle, but also a more uniform flux distribution on the photovoltaic cell than the point focusing Fresnel lens alone. Experimental measurements with a two-stage prototype module are presented and compared to the analytical predictions.

  4. A compact spectrum splitting concentrator for high concentration photovoltaics based on the dispersion of a lens

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, J.; Flowers, C. A.; Yao, Y.; Atwater, H. A.; Rockett, A. A.; Nuzzo, R. G.

    2018-06-01

    Photovoltaic devices used in conjunction with functional optical elements for light concentration and spectrum splitting are known to be a viable approach for highly efficient photovoltaics. Conventional designs employ discrete optical elements, each with the task of either performing optical concentration or separating the solar spectrum. In the present work, we examine the performance of a compact photovoltaic architecture in which a single lens plays a dual role as both a concentrator and a spectrum splitter, the latter made possible by exploiting its intrinsic dispersion. A four-terminal two-junction InGaP/GaAs device is prepared to validate the concept and illustrates pathways for improvements. A spectral separation in the visible range is demonstrated at the focal point of a plano-convex lens with a geometric concentration ratio of 1104X with respect to the InGaP subcell.

  5. Photovoltaic Performance of a Nanowire/Quantum Dot Hybrid Nanostructure Array Solar Cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yao; Yan, Xin; Zhang, Xia; Ren, Xiaomin

    2018-02-23

    An innovative solar cell based on a nanowire/quantum dot hybrid nanostructure array is designed and analyzed. By growing multilayer InAs quantum dots on the sidewalls of GaAs nanowires, not only the absorption spectrum of GaAs nanowires is extended by quantum dots but also the light absorption of quantum dots is dramatically enhanced due to the light-trapping effect of the nanowire array. By incorporating five layers of InAs quantum dots into a 500-nm high-GaAs nanowire array, the power conversion efficiency enhancement induced by the quantum dots is six times higher than the power conversion efficiency enhancement in thin-film solar cells which contain the same amount of quantum dots, indicating that the nanowire array structure can benefit the photovoltaic performance of quantum dot solar cells.

  6. Enhancing transformer dynamic rating through grid application of photovoltaic arrays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Gasseir, M.M.; Sayer, M.A.; Alteneder, K.P.; McCulla, G.A.; Bigger, J.

    1993-01-01

    This paper demonstrates that exact matching between the substation's peak-day load profile and the profile of coincident net output generation of the PV array is unjustifiable and will unduly lead to overlooking many investment deferment opportunities that would otherwise be major components of high value applications of PV arrays. Further, the paper shows how and to what extent the load matchability requirement could be relaxed. Because of the thermal inertia of transformers, the output of an adequately sized and located photovoltaic array can both delay and reduce transformer temperature rise even in cases where load peak occurs after sunset. The time lag due to thermal inertia and ambient temperature decline allow overloading of the transformer beyond its normal rating without significant loss of life. Simulations depicting the interplay between PV array capacity, ambient temperature, transformer size, oil and winding temperature rise, peak load magnitude, load profile and loss of life, have been conducted. Tradeoffs between PV array capacity and transformer over-rating gains have been assessed. The impacts of PV generation on the over-rating potential of an actual 22.4-MVA bank transformer of a Salt River Project (SRP) distribution substation in Phoenix, Arizona were evaluated

  7. Characterization of a photovoltaic-thermal module for Fresnel linear concentrator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chemisana, D.; Ibanez, M.; Rosell, J.I.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → A combined domed Fresnel lens - CPC PVT system is designed and characterized. → Electrical and thermal experiments have been performed. → CFD analysis has been used to determine thermal characteristic dimensionless numbers. - Abstract: An advanced solar unit is designed to match the needs of building integration and concentrating photovoltaic/thermal generation. The unit proposed accurately combines three elements: a domed linear Fresnel lens as primary concentrator, a compound parabolic reflector as secondary concentrator and a photovoltaic-thermal module. In this work the photovoltaic-thermal generator is built, analysed and characterized. Models for the electrical and thermal behaviour of the module are developed and validated experimentally. Applying a thermal resistances approach the results from both models are combined. Finally, efficiency electrical and thermal curves are derived from theoretical analysis showing good agreement with experimental measurements.

  8. Feasibility and parametric evaluation of hybrid concentrated photovoltaic-thermoelectric system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rezaniakolaei, Alireza; Rosendahl, Lasse Aistrup

    2017-01-01

    Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system integrated with thermoelectric generators (TEGs) is a novel technology that has potential to offer high efficient system. In this study, a thermally coupled model of concentrated photovoltaic-thermoelctric (CPV/TEG) system is established to investigate...... feasibility of the hybrid system over wide range of solar concentrations and different types of heat sinks. The model takes into account critical design parameters in the CPV and the TEG module. The results of this study show that for thermoelectric materials with ZT ≈ 1, the CPV/TEG system is more efficient...

  9. Organic photovoltaic cells with pentacene nanocolumn arrays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Shuwen; Schaefer, Peter; Rabe, Juergen P.; Koch, Norbert [Institut fuer Physik, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Brook-Taylor-Str. 6, 12489 Berlin (Germany)

    2011-07-01

    Highly ordered pentacene nanocolumn arrays were fabricated by glancing angle deposition (GLAD) on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates. The nanocolumn diameter was set to 100-150 nm as revealed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Interdigitated bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells (OPVCs) were formed by spin-coating [6,6]-phenyl-C{sub 61}-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as the acceptor material onto the pentacene nanocolumn film. Bathocuproine (BCP) was deposited on top of PCBM as exciton blocking layer. The conversion efficiency of nanocolumn-based OPVCs was significantly higher compared to planar heterojunction OPVCs of the same materials. Further device performance improvement was achieved through employing a thin pentacene seed layer before GLAD, which promoted PCBM solution infiltration between pentacene nanocolumns.

  10. Characterization of a low concentrator photovoltaics module

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Butler, B.A. [Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P. O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Dyk, E.E. van, E-mail: ernest.vandyk@nmmu.ac.za [Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P. O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Vorster, F.J.; Okullo, W.; Munji, M.K. [Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P. O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Booysen, P. [Setsolar, P. O. Box 15934, Panorama 7506 (South Africa)

    2012-05-15

    Low concentration photovoltaic (LCPV) systems have the potential to reduce the cost per kWh of electricity compared to conventional flat-plate photovoltaics (PV) by up to 50%. The cost-savings are realised by replacing expensive PV cells with relatively cheaper optical components to concentrate incident solar irradiance onto a receiver and by tracking the sun along either 1 axis or 2 axes. A LCPV module consists of three interrelated subsystems, viz., the optical, electrical and the thermal subsystems, which must be considered for optimal module design and performance. Successful integration of these subsystems requires the balancing of cost, performance and reliability. In this study LCPV experimental prototype modules were designed, built and evaluated with respect to optimisation of the three subsystems and overall performance. This paper reports on the optical and electrical evaluation of a prototype LCPV module.

  11. Characterization of a low concentrator photovoltaics module

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Butler, B.A.; Dyk, E.E. van; Vorster, F.J.; Okullo, W.; Munji, M.K.; Booysen, P.

    2012-01-01

    Low concentration photovoltaic (LCPV) systems have the potential to reduce the cost per kWh of electricity compared to conventional flat-plate photovoltaics (PV) by up to 50%. The cost-savings are realised by replacing expensive PV cells with relatively cheaper optical components to concentrate incident solar irradiance onto a receiver and by tracking the sun along either 1 axis or 2 axes. A LCPV module consists of three interrelated subsystems, viz., the optical, electrical and the thermal subsystems, which must be considered for optimal module design and performance. Successful integration of these subsystems requires the balancing of cost, performance and reliability. In this study LCPV experimental prototype modules were designed, built and evaluated with respect to optimisation of the three subsystems and overall performance. This paper reports on the optical and electrical evaluation of a prototype LCPV module.

  12. Characterization of a low concentrator photovoltaics module

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, B. A.; van Dyk, E. E.; Vorster, F. J.; Okullo, W.; Munji, M. K.; Booysen, P.

    2012-05-01

    Low concentration photovoltaic (LCPV) systems have the potential to reduce the cost per kWh of electricity compared to conventional flat-plate photovoltaics (PV) by up to 50%. The cost-savings are realised by replacing expensive PV cells with relatively cheaper optical components to concentrate incident solar irradiance onto a receiver and by tracking the sun along either 1 axis or 2 axes. A LCPV module consists of three interrelated subsystems, viz., the optical, electrical and the thermal subsystems, which must be considered for optimal module design and performance. Successful integration of these subsystems requires the balancing of cost, performance and reliability. In this study LCPV experimental prototype modules were designed, built and evaluated with respect to optimisation of the three subsystems and overall performance. This paper reports on the optical and electrical evaluation of a prototype LCPV module.

  13. Performance investigation of low – Concentration photovoltaic systems under hot and arid conditions: Experimental and numerical results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yousef, Mohamed S.; Abdel Rahman, Ali K.; Ookawara, S.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Influence of cooling on the performance of photovoltaic systems. • A comprehensive model (optical, thermal, and electrical) was developed. • Experimental measurements were conducted under hot climate conditions. • For conventional photovoltaic with cooling, about 11% more power was obtained. • For concentrated photovoltaic with cooling, about 15% more power was obtained. - Abstract: In this study, a comparative performance analysis was performed between a conventional photovoltaic system and a low-concentration photovoltaic system. Two typical photovoltaic modules and two compound parabolic concentrating photovoltaic systems were examined. A Cooling system was employed to lower the temperature of the solar cells in each of the two configurations. Experimental and numerical investigations of the performance of the two arrangements with and without cooling were presented. Experiments were conducted outdoors at the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, subjected to the hot climate conditions of New Borg El-Arab City, Alexandria, Egypt (Longitude/Latitude: E 029°42′/N 30°55′). A comprehensive system model was established, which comprises an optical model, coupled with thermal and electrical models. The coupled model was developed analytically and solved numerically, using MATLAB software, to assess the overall performance of the two configurations, considering the concentration ratio of the concentrated photovoltaic system to be 2.4X. The results indicated that cooling the solar panels considerably improved the electrical power yield of the photovoltaic systems. By employing cooling, the temperatures of the conventional photovoltaic system and the concentrated photovoltaic system were effectively lowered by approximately 25% and 30%, respectively, resulting in a significant enhancement in the electrical power output of the photovoltaic system by 11% and that of the concentrated photovoltaic system by 15%. Furthermore, the

  14. Proceedings of the Flat-Plate Solar Array Project Research Forum on the Design of Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Arrays for Central Stations

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-01-01

    The Flat Plate Solar Array Project, focuses on advancing technologies relevant to the design and construction of megawatt level central station systems. Photovoltaic modules and arrays for flat plate central station or other large scale electric power production facilities require the establishment of a technical base that resolves design issues and results in practical and cost effective configurations. Design, qualification and maintenance issues related to central station arrays derived from the engineering and operating experiences of early applications and parallel laboratory reserch activities are investigated. Technical issues are examined from the viewpoint of the utility engineer, architect/engineer and laboratory researcher. Topics on optimum source circuit designs, module insulation design for high system voltages, array safety, structural interface design, measurements, and array operation and maintenance are discussed.

  15. Space satellite power system. [conversion of solar energy by photovoltaic solar cell arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glaser, P. E.

    1974-01-01

    The concept of a satellite solar power station was studied. It is shown that it offers the potential to meet a significant portion of future energy needs, is pollution free, and is sparing of irreplaceable earth resources. Solar energy is converted by photovoltaic solar cell arrays to dc energy which in turn is converted into microwave energy in a large active phased array. The microwave energy is beamed to earth with little attenuation and is converted back to dc energy on the earth. Economic factors are considered.

  16. Proceedings of the Flat-Plate Solar Array Project Research Forum on Photovoltaic Metallization Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-01-01

    A photovoltaic Metallization Research forum, under the sponsorship of the Flat-Plate Solar Array Project consisted of five sessions, covering: (1) the current status of metallization systems, (2) system design, (3) thick-film metallization, (4) advanced techniques, and (5) future metallization challenges.

  17. Maximum photovoltaic power tracking for the PV array using the fractional-order incremental conductance method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, Chia-Hung; Huang, Cong-Hui; Du, Yi-Chun; Chen, Jian-Liung

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → The FOICM can shorten the tracking time less than traditional methods. → The proposed method can work under lower solar radiation including thin and heavy clouds. → The FOICM algorithm can achieve MPPT for radiation and temperature changes. → It is easy to implement in a single-chip microcontroller or embedded system. -- Abstract: This paper proposes maximum photovoltaic power tracking (MPPT) for the photovoltaic (PV) array using the fractional-order incremental conductance method (FOICM). Since the PV array has low conversion efficiency, and the output power of PV array depends on the operation environments, such as various solar radiation, environment temperature, and weather conditions. Maximum charging power can be increased to a battery using a MPPT algorithm. The energy conversion of the absorbed solar light and cell temperature is directly transferred to the semiconductor, but electricity conduction has anomalous diffusion phenomena in inhomogeneous material. FOICM can provide a dynamic mathematical model to describe non-linear characteristics. The fractional-order incremental change as dynamic variable is used to adjust the PV array voltage toward the maximum power point. For a small-scale PV conversion system, the proposed method is validated by simulation with different operation environments. Compared with traditional methods, experimental results demonstrate the short tracking time and the practicality in MPPT of PV array.

  18. Solar Powered Aircraft, Photovoltaic Array/Battery System Tabletop Demonstration: Design and Operation Manual

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colozza, Anthony J.; Scheiman, David A.; Bailey, Sheila (Technical Monitor)

    2000-01-01

    A system was constructed to demonstrate the power system operation of a solar powered aircraft. The system consists of a photovoltaic (PV) array, a charge controller, a battery, an electric motor and propeller. The system collects energy from the PV array and either utilizes this energy to operate an electric motor or stores it in a rechargeable battery for future use. The system has a control panel which displays the output of the array and battery as well as the total current going to the electric motor. The control panel also has a means for adjusting the output to the motor to control its speed. The entire system is regulated around 12 VDC.

  19. Standard Test Method for Wet Insulation Integrity Testing of Photovoltaic Arrays

    CERN Document Server

    American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

    2010-01-01

    1.1 This test method covers a procedure to determine the insulation resistance of a photovoltaic (PV) array (or its component strings), that is, the electrical resistance between the array's internal electrical components and is exposed, electrically conductive, non-current carrying parts and surfaces of the array. 1.2 This test method does not establish pass or fail levels. The determination of acceptable or unacceptable results is beyond the scope of this test method. 1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard. 1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

  20. Technique for Outdoor Test on Concentrating Photovoltaic Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paola Sansoni

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Outdoor experimentation of solar cells is essential to maximize their performance and to assess utilization requirements and limits. More generally tests with direct exposure to the sun are useful to understand the behavior of components and new materials for solar applications in real working conditions. Insolation and ambient factors are uncontrollable but can be monitored to know the environmental situation of the solar exposure experiment. A parallel characterization of the photocells can be performed in laboratory under controllable and reproducible conditions. A methodology to execute solar exposure tests is proposed and practically applied on photovoltaic cells for a solar cogeneration system. The cells are measured with concentrated solar light obtained utilizing a large Fresnel lens mounted on a sun tracker. Outdoor measurements monitor the effects of the exposure of two multijunction photovoltaic cells to focused sunlight. The main result is the continuous acquisition of the V-I (voltage-current curve for the cells in different conditions of solar concentration and temperature of exercise to assess their behavior. The research investigates electrical power extracted, efficiency, temperatures reached, and possible damages of the photovoltaic cell.

  1. Road map for photovoltaic electricity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2011-02-01

    This road map aims at highlighting industrial, technological and social challenges, at elaborating comprehensive visions, at highlighting technological locks, and at outlining research needs for the photovoltaic sector. It considers the following sector components: preparation of photo-sensitive materials, manufacturing of photovoltaic cells, manufacturing of photovoltaic arrays, design and manufacturing of electric equipment to control photovoltaic arrays and to connect them to the grid. It highlights the demand for photovoltaic installations, analyzes the value chain, proposes a vision of the sector by 2050 and defines target for 2020, discusses needs for demonstration and experimentation

  2. Feasibility and parametric evaluation of hybrid concentrated photovoltaic-thermoelectric system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rezaniakolaei, Alireza; Rosendahl, Lasse Aistrup

    2017-01-01

    Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system integrated with thermoelectric generators (TEGs) is a novel technology that has potential to offer high efficient system. In this study, a thermally coupled model of concentrated photovoltaic-thermoelctric (CPV/TEG) system is established to investigate...... than CPV-only system. The results indicate that contribution of the TEG in power generation enhances at high sun concentrations. Depending to critical design parameters of the CPV and the TEG, there are optimal values for heat transfer coefficient in the heat sink that offer minimum energy cost....... feasibility of the hybrid system over wide range of solar concentrations and different types of heat sinks. The model takes into account critical design parameters in the CPV and the TEG module. The results of this study show that for thermoelectric materials with ZT ≈ 1, the CPV/TEG system is more efficient...

  3. A photovoltaic catenary-tent array for the Martian surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crutchik, M.; Colozza, Anthony J.; Appelbaum, J.

    1993-01-01

    To provide electrical power during an exploration mission to Mars, a deployable tent-shaped structure with a flexible photovoltaic (PV) blanket is proposed. The array is designed with a self-deploying mechanism utilizing pressurized gas expansion. The structural design for the array uses a combination of cables, beams, and columns to support and deploy the PV blanket. Under the force of gravity a cable carrying a uniform load will take the shape of a catenary curve. A catenary-tent collector is self shadowing which must be taken into account in the solar radiation calculation. The shape and the area of the shadow on the array was calculated and used in the determination of the global radiation on the array. The PV blanket shape and structure dimension were optimized to achieve a configuration which maximizes the specific power (W/kg). The optimization was performed for four types of PV blankets (Si, GaAs/Ge, GaAs CLEFT, and amorphous Si) and four types of structure materials (Carbon composite, Aramid Fiber composite, Aluminum, and Magnesium). The results show that the catenary shape of the PV blanket, which produces the highest specific power, corresponds to zero end angle at the base with respect to the horizontal. The tent angle is determined by the combined effect of the array structure specific mass and the PV blanket output power. The combination of carbon composite structural material and GaAs CLEFT solar cells produce the highest specific power. The study was carried out for two sites on Mars corresponding to the Viking Lander locations. The designs were also compared for summer, winter, and yearly operation.

  4. A comparison of performance of flat and bent photovoltaic luminescent solar concentrators

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vishwanathan, B.; Reinders, A. H.M.E.; de Boer, D.K.G.; Desmet, L.; Ras, A. J.M.; Zahn, F. H.; Debije, M.G.

    2015-01-01

    To employ new solar photovoltaic technologies in products and buildings, many systems need to be adapted. Inspired by the cylindrical shape, in this work we have evaluated the performance of luminescent solar concentrator photovoltaic (LSC-PV) elements with narrow PV cell strips that could be

  5. TwinFocus, a concentrated photovoltaic module based on mature technologies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonini Piergiorgio

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Among solar power generation, concentrated photovoltaics (CPV based on multijunction (MJ solar cells, is one of the most promising technology for hot climates. The fact that multijunction solar cells based on direct band gap semiconductors demonstrate lower dependence on temperature than silicon solar cells boosted their use in concentrated photovoltaics modules. Departing from the mainstream design of Fresnel lenses, the CPV module based on TwinFocus design with off-axis quasi parabolic mirrors differentiates itself for its compactness and the possibility of easy integration also in roof-top applications. A detailed description of the module and of the systems will be given together with measured performances, and expectations for the next release.

  6. Experimental validation of a heat transfer model for concentrating photovoltaic system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sendhil Kumar, Natarajan; Matty, Katz; Rita, Ebner; Simon, Weingaertner; Ortrun, Aßländer; Alex, Cole; Roland, Wertz; Tim, Giesen; Tapas Kumar, Mallick

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, a three dimensional heat transfer model is presented for a novel concentrating photovoltaic design for Active Solar Panel Initiative System (ASPIS). The concentration ratio of two systems (early and integrated prototype) are 5× and 10× respectively, designed for roof-top integrated Photovoltaic systems. ANSYS 12.1, CFX package was effectively used to predict the temperatures of the components of the both ASPIS systems at various boundary conditions. The predicted component temperatures of an early prototype were compared with experimental results of ASPIS, which were carried out in Solecta – Israel and at the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) – Austria. It was observed that the solar cell and lens temperature prediction shows good agreement with Solecta measurements. The minimum and maximum deviation of 3.8% and 17.9% were observed between numerical and Solecta measurements and the maximum deviations of 16.9% were observed between modeling and AIT measurements. Thus, the developed validated thermal model enables to predict the component temperatures for concentrating photovoltaic systems. - Highlights: ► Experimentally validated heat transfer model for concentrating Photovoltaic system developed. ► Predictions of solar cell temperatures for parallactic tracking CPV system for roof integration. ► The ASPIS module contains 2 mm wide 216 solar cells manufactured based on SATURN technology. ► A solar cell temperature of 44 °C was predicted for solar radiation intensity was 1000 W/m 2 and ambient temperature was 20 °C. ► Average deviation was 6% and enabled to predict temperature of any CPV system.

  7. Glass fiber reinforced concrete for terrestrial photovoltaic arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maxwell, H.

    1979-01-01

    The use of glass-fiber-reinforced concrete (GRC) as a low-cost structural substrate for terrestrial solar cell arrays is discussed. The properties and fabrication of glass-reinforced concrete structures are considered, and a preliminary design for a laminated solar cell assembly built on a GRC substrate is presented. A total cost for such a photovoltaic module, composed of a Korad acrylic plastic film front cover, an aluminum foil back cover, an ethylene/vinyl acetate pottant/adhesive and a cotton fabric electrical isolator in addition to the GRC substrate, of $9.42/sq m is projected, which is less than the $11.00/sq m cost goal set by the Department of Energy. Preliminary evaluations are concluded to have shown the design capabilities and cost effectiveness of GRC; however, its potential for automated mass production has yet to be evaluated.

  8. Temperature compensated photovoltaic array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosher, Dan Michael

    1997-11-18

    A temperature compensated photovoltaic module (20) comprised of a series of solar cells (22) having a thermally activated switch (24) connected in parallel with several of the cells (22). The photovoltaic module (20) is adapted to charge conventional batteries having a temperature coefficient (TC) differing from the temperature coefficient (TC) of the module (20). The calibration temperatures of the switches (24) are chosen whereby the colder the ambient temperature for the module (20), the more switches that are on and form a closed circuit to short the associated solar cells (22). By shorting some of the solar cells (22) as the ambient temperature decreases, the battery being charged by the module (20) is not excessively overcharged at lower temperatures. PV module (20) is an integrated solution that is reliable and inexpensive.

  9. Teaching Photovoltaic Array Modelling and Characterization Using a Graphical User Interface and a Flash Solar Simulator

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spataru, Sergiu; Sera, Dezso; Kerekes, Tamas

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents a set of laboratory tools aimed to support students with various backgrounds (no programming) to understand photovoltaic array modelling and characterization techniques. A graphical user interface (GUI) has been developed in Matlab, for modelling PV arrays and characterizing...... the effect of different types of parameters and operating conditions, on the current-voltage and power-voltage curves. The GUI is supported by experimental investigation and validation on PV module level, with the help of an indoor flash solar simulator....

  10. Electricity from photovoltaic solar cells: Flat-Plate Solar Array Project final Report. Volume II: Silicon material

    OpenAIRE

    Lutwack, R.

    1986-01-01

    The Flat-Plate Solar Array (FSA) Project, funded by the U.S. Government and managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, was formed in 1975 to develop the module/array technology needed to attain widespread terrestrial use of photovoltaics by 1985. To accomplish this, the FSA Project established and managed an Industry, University, and Federal Government Team to perform the needed research and development. The goal of the Silicon Material Task, a part of the FSA Project, was to develop and ...

  11. Multiple Solutions for Reconfiguration to Address Partial Shading Losses in Solar Photovoltaic Arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Nikesh; Pareek, Smita; Chaturvedi, Nitin; Dahiya, Ratna

    2018-03-01

    Solar photovoltaic (SPV) systems are steadily rising and considered as the best alternatives to meet the rising demand of energy. In developing countries like India, SPV’s contribution being a clean energy is the most favourable. However, experiences have shown that produced power of these systems is usually affected due to day, night, seasonal variations, insolation, partial shading conditions etc. Among these parameters, partial shading causes a huge reduction in output power of PV systems. This results in lack of confidence for this technology among users. Thus, it is important and a major challenge in PV systems to minimize the effect of partial shading on their energy production. The work in this paper aims to propose solutions for reconfiguration of solar photovoltaic arrays in order to reduce partial shading losses and thus to enhance power generation.

  12. Production. Which price for photovoltaic?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dupin, L.

    2011-01-01

    As the French government decided to reduce its financial support to photovoltaic energy, a first article identifies and comments the issues to be addressed to have a competitive French photovoltaic industry: to bet on second generation arrays (thin layer arrays), to have higher yearly objectives in terms of installed power (800 MW or 1 GW instead of 500 MW, in order to create a reference market), to redefine the financing and the electricity purchase scheme, to promote self consumption, to support exportation. The second article presents the first French photovoltaic test and certification centre, located near Chambery, where solar arrays are inspected and where their ageing is simulated through thermal fatigue and impact testing

  13. 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.

  14. Space Photovoltaic Concentrator Using Robust Fresnel Lenses, 4-Junction Cells, Graphene Radiators, and Articulating Receivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Neill, Mark; McDanal, A. J.; Brandhorst, Henry; Spence, Brian; Iqbal, Shawn; Sharps, Paul; McPheeters, Clay; Steinfeldt, Jeff; Piszczor, Michael; Myers, Matt

    2016-01-01

    At the 42nd PVSC, our team presented recent advances in our space photovoltaic concentrator technology. These advances include more robust Fresnel lenses for optical concentration, more thermally conductive graphene radiators for waste heat rejection, improved color-mixing lens technology to minimize chromatic aberration losses with 4-junction solar cells, and an articulating photovoltaic receiver enabling single-axis sun-tracking, while maintaining a sharp focal line despite large beta angles of incidence. In the past year, under a NASA Phase II SBIR program, our team has made much additional progress in the development of this new space photovoltaic concentrator technology, as described in this paper.

  15. Recent results for concentrator photovoltaics in Japan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaguchi, Masafumi; Takamoto, Tatsuya; Araki, Kenji; Kojima, Nobuaki

    2016-04-01

    We summarize the Europe-Japan Collaborative Research Project on Concentrator Photovoltaics (CPV); NGCPV Project (a New Generation of Concentrator PhotoVoltaic cells, modules and systems). The aim of this project was to accelerate the move to very high efficiency and lower cost CPV technologies and to enhance the widespread deployment of CPV systems. Seven European partners and nine Japanese partners have contributed to this international collaboration. The following objectives have been reached: 1) a CPV cell with InGaP/GaAs/InGaAs three-junction world-record efficiency of 44.4% has been developed by Sharp, 2) 50 kW and 15 kW CPV plant operations with an average DC efficiency of 27.8% have been demonstrated in Spain (since mid-2012), 3) a new “Intrepid” CPV module with 31.3% efficiency has been developed by Daido Steel, 4) standard measurement of CPV cells has been established by FhG-ISE and AIST, and 46.0% efficiency has been confirmed for the direct-bonded GaInP/GaAs/GaInAsP/GaInAs four-junction solar cell under this project, 5) the fundamental research on novel materials and structures for CPV has also been conducted.

  16. Wafer integrated micro-scale concentrating photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Tian; Li, Duanhui; Li, Lan; Jared, Bradley; Keeler, Gordon; Miller, Bill; Sweatt, William; Paap, Scott; Saavedra, Michael; Das, Ujjwal; Hegedus, Steve; Tauke-Pedretti, Anna; Hu, Juejun

    2017-09-01

    Recent development of a novel micro-scale PV/CPV technology is presented. The Wafer Integrated Micro-scale PV approach (WPV) seamlessly integrates multijunction micro-cells with a multi-functional silicon platform that provides optical micro-concentration, hybrid photovoltaic, and mechanical micro-assembly. The wafer-embedded micro-concentrating elements is shown to considerably improve the concentration-acceptance-angle product, potentially leading to dramatically reduced module materials and fabrication costs, sufficient angular tolerance for low-cost trackers, and an ultra-compact optical architecture, which makes the WPV module compatible with commercial flat panel infrastructures. The PV/CPV hybrid architecture further allows the collection of both direct and diffuse sunlight, thus extending the geographic and market domains for cost-effective PV system deployment. The WPV approach can potentially benefits from both the high performance of multijunction cells and the low cost of flat plate Si PV systems.

  17. Exergy, Energy, and Dynamic Parameter Analysis of Indigenously Developed Low-Concentration Photovoltaic System

    OpenAIRE

    Pankaj Yadav; Brijesh Tripathi; Manoj Kumar

    2013-01-01

    Piecewise linear parabolic trough collector (PLPTC) is designed and developed to concentrate solar radiation on monocrystalline silicon based photovoltaic module. A theoretical model is used to perform electrical energy and exergy analysis of low-concentration photovoltaic (LCPV) system working under actual test conditions (ATC). The exergy efficiency of LCPV system is in the range from 5.1% to 4.82% with increasing rate of input exergy rate from 30.81 W to 96.12 W, when conce...

  18. Self-Cleaning Microcavity Array for Photovoltaic Modules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vüllers, Felix; Fritz, Benjamin; Roslizar, Aiman; Striegel, Andreas; Guttmann, Markus; Richards, Bryce S; Hölscher, Hendrik; Gomard, Guillaume; Klampaftis, Efthymios; Kavalenka, Maryna N

    2018-01-24

    Development of self-cleaning coatings is of great interest for the photovoltaic (PV) industry, as soiling of the modules can significantly reduce their electrical output and increase operational costs. We fabricated flexible polymeric films with novel disordered microcavity array (MCA) topography from fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) by hot embossing. Because of their superhydrophobicity with water contact angles above 150° and roll-off angles below 5°, the films possess self-cleaning properties over a wide range of tilt angles, starting at 10°, and contaminant sizes (30-900 μm). Droplets that impact the FEP MCA surface with velocities of the same order of magnitude as that of rain bounce off the surface without impairing its wetting properties. Additionally, the disordered MCA topography of the films enhances the performance of PV devices by improving light incoupling. Optical coupling of the FEP MCA films to a glass-encapsulated multicrystalline silicon solar cell results in 4.6% enhancement of the electrical output compared to that of an uncoated device.

  19. Current Status of Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) Technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Philipps, Simon P. [Fraunhofer Inst. for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Freiburg (Germany); Bett, Andreas W. [Fraunhofer Inst. for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Freiburg (Germany); Horowitz, Kelsey [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Kurtz, Sarah [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2015-12-01

    This report summarizes the status of the concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) market and industry as well as current trends in research and technology. This report is intended to guide research agendas for Fraunhofer ISE, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and other R&D organizations. Version 1.1 of this report includes recent progress in CPV. The recent record module efficiency of 38.9% at Concentrator Standard Test Conditions (CSTC) is an impressive result, demonstrating the continuing opportunity for CPV technology to improve. 38.9% at Concentrator Standard Test Conditions (CSTC) is an impressive result, demonstrating the continuing opportunity for CPV technology to improve. 38.9% at Concentrator Standard Test Conditions (CSTC) is an impressive result, demonstrating the continuing opportunity for CPV technology to improve. 38.9% at Concentrator Standard Test Conditions (CSTC) is an impressive result, demonstrating the continuing opportunity for CPV technology to improve.

  20. Photovoltaic generator with a spherical imaging lens for use with a paraboloidal solar reflector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angel, Roger P

    2013-01-08

    The invention is a generator for photovoltaic conversion of concentrated sunlight into electricity. A generator according to the invention incorporates a plurality of photovoltaic cells and is intended for operation near the focus of a large paraboloidal reflector pointed at the sun. Within the generator, the entering concentrated light is relayed by secondary optics to the cells arranged in a compact, concave array. The light is delivered to the cells at high concentration, consistent with high photovoltaic conversion efficiency and low cell cost per unit power output. Light enters the generator, preferably first through a sealing window, and passes through a field lens, preferably in the form of a full sphere or ball lens centered on the paraboloid focus. This lens forms a concentric, concave and wide-angle image of the primary reflector, where the intensity of the concentrated light is stabilized against changes in the position of concentrated light entering the generator. Receiving the stabilized light are flat photovoltaic cells made in different shapes and sizes and configured in a concave array corresponding to the concave image of a given primary reflector. Photovoltaic cells in a generator are also sized and interconnected so as to provide a single electrical output that remains high and stable, despite aberrations in the light delivered to the generator caused by, for example, mispointing or bending of the primary reflector. In some embodiments, the cells are set back from the image formed by the ball lens, and part of the light is reflected onto each cell small secondary reflectors in the form of mirrors set around its perimeter.

  1. Proceedings of the flat-plate solar array project research forum on photovoltaic metallization systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    1983-11-15

    A Photovoltaic Metallization Research Forum, under the sponsorship of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Flat-Plate Solar Array Project and the US Department of Energy, was held March 16-18, 1983 at Pine Mountain, Georgia. The Forum consisted of five sessions, covering (1) the current status of metallization systems, (2) system design, (3) thick-film metallization, (4) advanced techniques and (5) future metallization challenges. Twenty-three papers were presented.

  2. Enhanced model of photovoltaic cell/panel/array considering the direct and reverse modes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zegaoui, Abdallah; Boutoubat, Mohamed; Sawicki, Jean-Paul; Kessaissia, Fatma Zohra; Djahbar, Abdelkader; Aillerie, Michel

    2018-05-01

    This paper presents an improved generalized physical model for photovoltaic, PV cells, panels and arrays taking into account the behavior of these devices when considering their biasing existing in direct and reverse modes. Existing PV physical models generally are very efficient for simulating influence of irradiation changes on the short circuit current but they could not visualize the influences of temperature changes. The Enhanced Direct and Reverse Mode model, named EDRM model, enlightens the influence on the short-circuit current of both temperature and irradiation in the reverse mode of the considered PV devices. Due to its easy implementation, the proposed model can be a useful power tool for the development of new photovoltaic systems taking into account and in a more exhaustive manner, environmental conditions. The developed model was tested on a marketed PV panel and it gives a satisfactory results compared with parameters given in the manufacturer datasheet.

  3. Development of Fresnel-based Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV System with Uniform Irradiance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irfan Ullah

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Different designs have been presented to achieve high concentration and uniformity for the concentrated photovoltaic (CPV system. Most of the designs have issues of low efficiency in terms of irradiance uniformity. To this end, we present a design methodology to increase irradiance uniformity over solar cell. The system consists of an eight-fold Fresnel lens as a primary optical element (POE and an optical lens, which consists of eight parts, as a secondary optical element (SOE. Sunlight is focused through the POE and then light is spread over cell through the SOE. In the design, maximum sunlight is passed over cell by minimizing losses. Results have shown that the proposed CPV design gives good irradiance uniformity. The concentration module based on this novel design is a promising option for the development of a cost-effective photovoltaic solar energy generation.

  4. Transient Model of Hybrid Concentrated Photovoltaic with Thermoelectric Generator

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mahmoudi Nezhad, Sajjad; Qing, Shaowei; Rezaniakolaei, Alireza

    2017-01-01

    Transient performance of a concentrated photovoltaic thermoelectric (CPV-TEG) hybrid system is modeled and investigated. A heat sink with water, as the working fluid has been implemented as the cold reservoir of the hybrid system to harvest the heat loss from CPV cell and to increase the efficiency...

  5. Photovoltaic Systems with and without Radiation Concentrators for Temperate and Tropical Regions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vania Reis de Souza Sant’Anna

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The industrial development of solar photovoltaic technology has attracted investors and influenced governments to establish public policies for the sector. The present research consisted of studying, building and testing low concentration solar radiation systems for photovoltaic energy conversion. The study used optical nonimaging parameters for the V-trough type radiation concentrator constructed of anodized aluminum, to reflect and to cool. Designed to concentrate radiation by about two times and consisting of a set of photovoltaic modules connected in parallel, they were modeled in the Laboratory of Energy Area in the Department of Agricultural Engineering of the Federal University of Vicosa, Brazil, at the coordinates 20°45′14′′ S latitude, 42°52′53′′ W longitude and altitude 648.74 m. They were installed to the geographic North, with the same slope as the local latitude. For comparative analysis, it was determined the electrical characteristics for evaluation of the prototype’s performance with and without radiation concentration, the final productivity for cities in tropical and temperate regions and economic analysis for the system. It was concluded that the prototypes allowed for a gain of energy with concentration, about 31.3% more, and therefore a productivity gain for the analyzed cities in, kWh·kWp−1.

  6. Performance analysis of solar cell arrays in concentrating light intensity

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Xu Yongfeng; Li Ming; Wang Liuling; Lin Wenxian; Xiang Ming; Zhang Xinghua; Wang Yunfeng; Wei Shengxian

    2009-01-01

    tage in concentrating light intensity. The output power has a -20 W/V coefficient and so cooling fluid must be used. Both heat energy and electrical power are then obtained with a solar trough concentrating photovoltaic/thermal system.

  7. Estimating Solar Irradiation Absorbed by Photovoltaic Panels with Low Concentration Located in Craiova, Romania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ionel L. Alboteanu

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Solar irradiation is one of the important parameters that should be taken into consideration for the design and utilization of a photovoltaic system. Usually, the input parameters of a photovoltaic system are solar irradiation, the ambient environment temperature and the wind speed, and as a consequence most photovoltaic systems are equipped with sensors for measuring these parameters. This paper presents several mathematical models for solar irradiation assessment. The starting point is represented by the mathematical model of extraterrestrial irradiation, and resulting finally in the model for solar irradiation, absorbed by a low concentration photovoltaic panel. These estimating models of solar irradiation have been particularized for the Craiova, Romania, and have been verified through numerical simulation. Regarding terrestrial solar irradiation, four mathematical models have been adopted, namely Adnot, Haurwitz, Kasten and Empirical (EIM. Of these, the most appropriate for the Craiova location were the models Adnot and Empirical. Consequently, for the calculation of the solar irradiation absorbed by the photovoltaic (PV panels with low concentration, these models have been taken into consideration. In this study, a comparative analysis was also carried out with respect to the solar irradiation absorbed by the PV panels without concentration and those with collectedness of the solar radiation. This analysis was based on the results of numerical simulation and experimental tests.

  8. Design and construction of non-imaging planar concentrator for concentrator photovoltaic system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chong, K.K.; Siaw, F.L.; Wong, C.W.; Wong, G.S. [Faculty of Engineering and Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Off Jalan Genting Kelang, Setapak, 53300 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan (Malaysia)

    2009-05-15

    A novel configuration of solar concentrator, which is the non-imaging planar concentrator, capable of producing much more uniform sunlight and reasonably high concentration ratio, is designed and constructed. This design is envisioned to be incorporated in concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems. The work presented here reports on the design, optical alignment and application of the prototype, which is installed at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Malaysia. In the architecture of the prototype, 360 flat mirrors, each with a dimension of 4.0 cm x 4.0 cm, are arranged into 24 rows and 15 columns with a total reflection area of about 5760 cm{sup 2}. In addition to that, illumination distribution for the prototype is simulated and its results are then compared with the experiment result. (author)

  9. Wire Array Photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner-Evans, Dan

    Over the past five years, the cost of solar panels has dropped drastically and, in concert, the number of installed modules has risen exponentially. However, solar electricity is still more than twice as expensive as electricity from a natural gas plant. Fortunately, wire array solar cells have emerged as a promising technology for further lowering the cost of solar. Si wire array solar cells are formed with a unique, low cost growth method and use 100 times less material than conventional Si cells. The wires can be embedded in a transparent, flexible polymer to create a free-standing array that can be rolled up for easy installation in a variety of form factors. Furthermore, by incorporating multijunctions into the wire morphology, higher efficiencies can be achieved while taking advantage of the unique defect relaxation pathways afforded by the 3D wire geometry. The work in this thesis shepherded Si wires from undoped arrays to flexible, functional large area devices and laid the groundwork for multijunction wire array cells. Fabrication techniques were developed to turn intrinsic Si wires into full p-n junctions and the wires were passivated with a-Si:H and a-SiNx:H. Single wire devices yielded open circuit voltages of 600 mV and efficiencies of 9%. The arrays were then embedded in a polymer and contacted with a transparent, flexible, Ni nanoparticle and Ag nanowire top contact. The contact connected >99% of the wires in parallel and yielded flexible, substrate free solar cells featuring hundreds of thousands of wires. Building on the success of the Si wire arrays, GaP was epitaxially grown on the material to create heterostructures for photoelectrochemistry. These cells were limited by low absorption in the GaP due to its indirect bandgap, and poor current collection due to a diffusion length of only 80 nm. However, GaAsP on SiGe offers a superior combination of materials, and wire architectures based on these semiconductors were investigated for multijunction

  10. Analisis Mode Sistem Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Hibrid Microhydro - Photovoltaic Array Menggunakan Homer (Studi Kasus : Kampung Bayang Janiah, Kabupaten Pesisir Selatan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Novi Kurniasih

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available In this study discusses the optimization of the design and analysis of engineering economics Hybrid Power Plant Off-Grid Microhydro - Photovoltaic Array with the help of software HOMER 2 version 2.81. Utilization of Hybrid Power Plant System can overcome the electrical problems in Bayang Janiah village, Nagari Koto Ranah, Bayang Utara Subdistrict, Pesisir Selatan District that is far from the reach of the grid and can improve the reliability of electricity economically in which initially operated only 12 hours/day sourced from microhydro power plant only, can be upgraded to full operation 24 hours/day. From the analysis that has been conducted, obtained monthly discharge of Bayang Janiah river availability using dependable discharge F. J. Mock 90% of 102 L/s to 14 m of effective head is able to move the hydro turbine to produce power of about 11,3 kW. Meanwhile, for an array of photovoltaic systems produce power equal to 8.4 kW with a number of solar modules by 84 modules and the number of battery 6 V 1.091 Ah required 8 units and a bidirectional converter with a total capacity of 10 kW, totaling 2 units. HOMER simulation results show that the determination of the configuration of the hybrid power plant system design most optimal for application in Bayang Janiah village lowest Total NPC is based on the integration between microhydro - photovoltaic array - battery bank - bidirectional converter. On the optimal system configuration, microhydro contribution of 78.945 kWh/yr, a photovoltaic array of 11.404 kWh/yr, with a Total NPC of $ 146.041, Levelized COE of $ 0,525/kWh, while the electrical energy consumption of 30.668 kWh per year and has excess energy of 59.608 kWh/yr, so it can meet the needs of household electricity to 56 households as well as social facilities in the village.

  11. Photovoltaic concentrator technology development project. Sixth project integration meeting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    1980-10-01

    Thirty-three abstracts and short papers are presented which describe the current status of research, development, and demonstration of concentrator solar cell technology. Solar concentrators discussed include the parabolic trough, linear focus Fresnel lens, point focus Fresnel lens, and the parabolic dish. Solar cells studied include silicon, GaAs, and AlGaAs. Research on multiple junction cells, combined photovoltaic/thermal collectors, back contact solar cells, and beam splitter modules is described. Concentrator solar cell demonstration programs are reported. Contractor status summaries are given for 33 US DOE concentrator solar cell contracts; a description of the project, project status, and key results to date is included. (WHK)

  12. Optimalisasi Desain Sistem Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Hybrid Diesel Generator  Photovoltaic Array Menggunakan Homer (Studi Kasus : Desa Sirilogui, Kabupaten Kepulauan Mentawai

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dewi Purnama Sari

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Hybrid Power Plant is one of the solutions to overcome the shortage of electricity in underdeveloped and isolated areas not covered by PLN electricity network, due to underdeveloped regions generally have the geography and topography that does not allow for expansion of PLN electricity network. Integration of the two power plants is a conventional power plant (diesel generator that comes from fuel oil (BBM with power plants sourced from renewable energy (photovoltaic arrays is an advantageous solution to meet the needs of daily electricity load in remote areas such as the Village Sirilogui located in the District of North Siberut Mentawai Islands, because the integration of photovoltaic arrays diesel generator can provide 24 hour lighting solution for 310 households (families in the village Sirilogui which at first only enjoy the lighting for 4 hours, and even then only at night days, from 06.00 to 10.00 pm o'clock sourced from 3 units of diesel generator. With the integration of these two power plants, diesel generator operation can be minimized so it saves fuel consumption and reduce CO2 emissions caused by the operation of the diesel generator. This study focuses the discussion on Design Optimization of Hybrid Power Plant System Diesel Generator-Photovoltaic Array by using HOMER as a tool for simulation. HOMER software is used to help simplify the task of the modeler in evaluating the design of hybrid power plant system that allows to sort based on the total net present cost (TNPC, the lowest for the most optimal system. In this study, the results of the design for the system with the daily electricity load of 479,280 kWh most optimal based on the simulation results using HOMER ie photovoltaic capacity of 65 kW, 3 units of diesel generators with a capacity of each 15 kW, 156 units of battery and bidirectional converter with a capacity of 78 kW TNPC amounted to $ 1.362.474 and the cost of energy (COE of $ 1,485/kWh. Hybrid Power Plant System

  13. Experimental research on photovoltaic module for asymmetrical compound parabolic concentrator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yuan, Jinshe; Wang, Mingyue [Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing (China). Department of Physics; Yang, Changmin [Xian University of Technology, Xian (China). Department of Applied Physics

    2008-07-01

    The photovoltaic module for the use of fixed asymmetrical CPC concentrator was designed and fabricated based on the performance of polycrystalline-silicon solar cells with back surface field (BSF) structure. The performance of the combination of the module and asymmetrical CPC concentrator was investigated. The results show its effective concentration ratio to be 2.46 and the output power of the PV-a-CPC system to be increased by 2.13 times compared with that of the module approximately. (orig.)

  14. Reversible degradation in ITO-containing organic photovoltaics under concentrated sunlight

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Galagan, Y.O.; Mescheloff, A.; Veenstra, S.C.; Andriessen, H.A.J.M.; Katz, E.A.

    2015-01-01

    Stabilities of ITO-containing and ITO-free organic solar cells were investigated under simulated AM 1.5G illumination and under concentrated natural sunlight. In both cases ITO-free devices exhibit high stability, while devices containing ITO show degradation of their photovoltaic performance. The

  15. Design of a Solar Motor Drive System Fed by a Direct-Connected Photovoltaic Array

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AYDOGMUS, O.

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available A solar motor pump drive system is modeled and simulated. The proposed drive system does not require any kind of energy storage system and dc-dc converter. The system is connected directly to a photovoltaic (PV array. Thus, a low cost solar system can be achieved. A vector controlled Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM is used as a solar motor to increase the efficiency of system. The motor is designed for a low rated voltage level about 24V. The hill climbing MPPT method is used for balanced the motor power and PV power to obtain a high efficiency. The results are performed by using MATLAB/SimPowerSystem blocks. In addition, the PV array is modeled to allow for the possibility of running as on-line adjustable in simulation environment without using lookup table. The performances of motor, MPPT and drive system are analyzed in different conditions as temperature and irradiation of PV array.

  16. Dynamic thermal analysis of a concentrated photovoltaic system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avrett, John T., II; Cain, Stephen C.; Pochet, Michael

    2012-02-01

    Concentrated photovoltaic (PV) technology represents a growing market in the field of terrestrial solar energy production. As the demand for renewable energy technologies increases, further importance is placed upon the modeling, design, and simulation of these systems. Given the U.S. Air Force cultural shift towards energy awareness and conservation, several concentrated PV systems have been installed on Air Force installations across the country. However, there has been a dearth of research within the Air Force devoted to understanding these systems in order to possibly improve the existing technologies. This research presents a new model for a simple concentrated PV system. This model accurately determines the steady state operating temperature as a function of the concentration factor for the optical part of the concentrated PV system, in order to calculate the optimum concentration that maximizes power output and efficiency. The dynamic thermal model derived is validated experimentally using a commercial polysilicon solar cell, and is shown to accurately predict the steady state temperature and ideal concentration factor.

  17. Inorganic Photovoltaics Materials and Devices: Past, Present, and Future

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hepp, Aloysius F.; Bailey, Sheila G.; Rafaelle, Ryne P.

    2005-01-01

    This report describes recent aspects of advanced inorganic materials for photovoltaics or solar cell applications. Specific materials examined will be high-efficiency silicon, gallium arsenide and related materials, and thin-film materials, particularly amorphous silicon and (polycrystalline) copper indium selenide. Some of the advanced concepts discussed include multi-junction III-V (and thin-film) devices, utilization of nanotechnology, specifically quantum dots, low-temperature chemical processing, polymer substrates for lightweight and low-cost solar arrays, concentrator cells, and integrated power devices. While many of these technologies will eventually be used for utility and consumer applications, their genesis can be traced back to challenging problems related to power generation for aerospace and defense. Because this overview of inorganic materials is included in a monogram focused on organic photovoltaics, fundamental issues and metrics common to all solar cell devices (and arrays) will be addressed.

  18. Safety-related requirements for photovoltaic modules and arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levins, A.; Smoot, A.; Wagner, R.

    1984-01-01

    Safety requirements for photovoltaic module and panel designs and configurations for residential, intermediate, and large scale applications are investigated. Concepts for safety systems, where each system is a collection of subsystems which together address the total anticipated hazard situation, are described. Descriptions of hardware, and system usefulness and viability are included. A comparison of these systems, as against the provisions of the 1984 National Electrical Code covering photovoltaic systems is made. A discussion of the Underwriters Laboratory UL investigation of the photovoltaic module evaluated to the provisions of the proposed UL standard for plat plate photovoltaic modules and panels is included. Grounding systems, their basis and nature, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are described. The meaning of frame grounding, circuit groundings, and the type of circuit ground are covered.

  19. Potential high efficiency solar cells: Applications from space photovoltaic research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flood, D. J.

    1986-01-01

    NASA involvement in photovoltaic energy conversion research development and applications spans over two decades of continuous progress. Solar cell research and development programs conducted by the Lewis Research Center's Photovoltaic Branch have produced a sound technology base not only for the space program, but for terrestrial applications as well. The fundamental goals which have guided the NASA photovoltaic program are to improve the efficiency and lifetime, and to reduce the mass and cost of photovoltaic energy conversion devices and arrays for use in space. The major efforts in the current Lewis program are on high efficiency, single crystal GaAs planar and concentrator cells, radiation hard InP cells, and superlattice solar cells. A brief historical perspective of accomplishments in high efficiency space solar cells will be given, and current work in all of the above categories will be described. The applicability of space cell research and technology to terrestrial photovoltaics will be discussed.

  20. Solar radiation on Mars: Stationary photovoltaic array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Appelbaum, J.; Sherman, I.; Landis, G. A.

    1993-01-01

    Solar energy is likely to be an important power source for surface-based operation on Mars. Photovoltaic cells offer many advantages. In this article we have presented analytical expressions and solar radiation data for stationary flat surfaces (horizontal and inclined) as a function of latitude, season and atmospheric dust load (optical depth). The diffuse component of the solar radiation on Mars can be significant, thus greatly affecting the optimal inclination angle of the photovoltaic surface.

  1. Systematic procedures for sizing photovoltaic pumping system, using water tank storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamidat, A.; Benyoucef, B.

    2009-01-01

    In this work, the performances of the photovoltaic pumping destined to supply drinking water in remote and scattered small villages have been studied. The methodology adopted proposes various procedures based on the water consumption profiles, total head, tank capacity and photovoltaic array peak power. A method of the load losses probability (LLP) has been used to optimize sizing of the photovoltaic pumping systems with a similarity between the storage energy in batteries and water in tanks. The results were carried out using measured meteorological data for four localities in Algeria: Algiers and Oran in the north, Bechar and Tamanrasset in the south. The results show that the performance of the photovoltaic pumping system depends deeply on the pumping total head and the peak power of the photovoltaic array. Also, for the southern localities, the LLP method shows that the size of the photovoltaic array varies versus LLP on a small scale. On the other hand, for the northern localities, the sizing of the photovoltaic array is situated on a large scale power. Because of the current high crud-oil price, the photovoltaic pumping still to be the best adopted energy resource to supply drinking water in remote and scattered villages

  2. Monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic luminescent solar concentrator with 4.2% power conversion efficiency

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Desmet, L.; Ras, A.J.M.; Boer, de D.K.G.; Debije, M.G.

    2012-01-01

    We report conversion efficiencies of experimental single and dual light guide luminescent solar concentrators. We have built several 5¿¿cm×5¿¿cm and 10¿¿cm×10¿¿cm luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) demonstrators consisting of c-Si photovoltaic cells attached to luminescent light guides of Lumogen

  3. Outdoor Performance Comparison of Concentrator Photovoltaic and Flat Plate Photovoltaic Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hidaka Yoshihide

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Output characteristics of tracking type concentrator photovoltaic (CPV system, multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si PV system, CIGS PV system, and amorphous silicon (a-Si PV system were analyzed in the data period of a year from August 2013 to July 2014. In this study, we analyzed the influence of environmental factors using average photon energy (APE and temperature of solar cell (Tcell. The characteristics of 14 kW CPV system, 50 kW mc-Si PV system, 60 kW CIGS PV system, 1.35 kW a-Si PV system were evaluated and compared. As a result, the output performance of CPV was highest between the four systems at the most frequent conditions in the outdoor environment.

  4. A general modeling method for I-V characteristics of geometrically and electrically configured photovoltaic arrays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Guangyu; Nguang, Sing Kiong; Partridge, Ashton

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → A novel and general method is proposed for modeling PV arrays or modules. → A robust algorithm is used for the first time to improve the convergence to solution. → Auxiliary functions in other general methods are not compulsory in our method. → It is novel that geometric configuration is also incorporated. → A case study is performed to show the approach's advantages and unique features. - Abstract: A general method for modeling typical photovoltaic (PV) arrays and modules is proposed to find the exact current and voltage relationship of PV arrays or modules of geometrically and electrically different configurations. Nonlinear characteristic equations of electrical devices in solar array or module systems are numerically constructed without adding any virtual electrical components. Then, a robust damped Newton method is used to find exact I-V relationship of these general nonlinear equations, where the convergence is guaranteed. The model can deal with different mismatch effects such as different configurations of bypass diodes, and partial shading. Geometry coordinates of PV components are also considered to facilitate the modeling of the actual physical configuration. Simulation of a PV array with 48 modules, partially shaded by a concrete structure, is performed to verify the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method.

  5. Photovoltaic concentrator module improvements study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Levy, S.L.; Kerschen, K.A. (Black and Veatch, Kansas City, MO (United States)); Hutchison, G. (Solar Kinetics, Inc., Dallas, TX (United States)); Nowlan, M.J. (Spire Corp., Bedford, MA (United States))

    1991-08-01

    This report presents results of a project to design and fabricate an improved photovoltaic concentrator module. Using previous work as a baseline, this study conducted analyses and testing to select major module components and design features. The lens parquet and concentrator solar cell were selected from the highest performing, available components. A single 185X point-focus module was fabricated by the project team and tested at Sandia. Major module characteristics include a 6 by 4 compression-molded acrylic lens parquet (0.737 m{sup 2} area), twenty-four 0.2 ohms-cm, FZ, p-Si solar cells (1.56 cm{sup 2} area) soldered to ceramic substrates and copper heat spreaders, and an aluminized steel housing with corrugated bottom. This project marked the first attempt to use prismatic covers on solar cells in a high-concentration, point-focus application. Cells with 15 percent metallization were obtained, but problems with the fabrication and placement of prismatic covers on these cells lead to the decision not to use covers in the prototype module. Cell assembly fabrication, module fabrication, and module optical design activities are presented here. Test results are also presented for bare cells, cell assemblies, and module. At operating conditions of 981 watts/m{sup 2} DNI and an estimated cell temperature of 65{degrees}C, the module demonstrated an efficiency of 13.9 percent prior to stressed environmental exposure. 12 refs., 56 figs., 7 tabs.

  6. Optimum Design Of Grid Connected Photovoltaic System Using Concentrators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eng. Mohammed Fawzy

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Due to the increasing demand of electrical energy in Egypt and also in many neighboring countries around the world the main problem facing electrical energy production using classical methods such steam power stations is the depletion of fossil fuels. The gap between the electrical energy demand and the continuous increase on the fossil fuel cost make the problem of electricity generation more sophisticated. With the continuous decrease of the photovoltaic PV technologies cost it doesnt make sense neglecting the importance of electricity production using solar photovoltaic PV especially that the annual average daily energy received is about 6 kamp12310whmamp123112day in Cairo Egypt 30N.In this work a detailed simulation model including photovoltaic PV module characteristics and climatic conditions of Cairo Egypt is developed. The model compares fixed PV systems electrical energy output with photovoltaic PV system using concentrators and double axis tracker systems. The comparison includes the energy generated area required as well as the cost per kwh generated. The optimality criterion is the cost per kwh generated. The system that gives the minimum cost per kwh is the optimum system. To verify the developed model the simulation results of fixed PV modules and CPV using tracking system obtained by the model are compared with practical measurements of 40KW peak station erected in Cairo Egypt 30N.Very good agreement between measured values and results obtained from detailed simulation model. For fixed PV system the detailed economic analysis showed that it gives minimum cost perkwh generated Comparisons among these systems are presented. For Cairo results showed that a cost of about 6 to 9 US centskwh is attainable.

  7. Broadband High Efficiency Fractal-Like and Diverse Geometry Silicon Nanowire Arrays for Photovoltaic Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    AL-Zoubi, Omar H.

    Solar energy has many advantages over conventional sources of energy. It is abundant, clean and sustainable. One way to convert solar energy directly into electrical energy is by using the photovoltaic solar cells (PVSC). Despite PVSC are becoming economically competitive, they still have high cost and low light to electricity conversion efficiency. Therefore, increasing the efficiency and reducing the cost are key elements for producing economically more competitive PVSC that would have significant impact on energy market and saving environment. A significant percentage of the PVSC cost is due to the materials cost. For that, thin films PVSC have been proposed which offer the benefits of the low amount of material and fabrication costs. Regrettably, thin film PVSC show poor light to electricity conversion efficiency because of many factors especially the high optical losses. To enhance conversion efficiency, numerous techniques have been proposed to reduce the optical losses and to enhance the absorption of light in thin film PVSC. One promising technique is the nanowire (NW) arrays in general and the silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays in particular. The purpose of this research is to introduce vertically aligned SiNW arrays with enhanced and broadband absorption covering the entire solar spectrum while simultaneously reducing the amount of material used. To this end, we apply new concept for designing SiNW arrays based on employing diversity of physical dimensions, especially radial diversity within certain lattice configurations. In order to study the interaction of light with SiNW arrays and compute their optical properties, electromagnetic numerical modeling is used. A commercial numerical electromagnetic solver software package, high frequency structure simulation (HFSS), is utilized to model the SiNW arrays and to study their optical properties. We studied different geometries factors that affect the optical properties of SiNW arrays. Based on this study, we

  8. Concentrator photovoltaic module architectures with capabilities for capture and conversion of full global solar radiation

    KAUST Repository

    Lee, Kyu Tae; Yao, Yuan; He, Junwen; Fisher, Brent; Sheng, Xing; Lumb, Matthew; Xu, Lu; Anderson, Mikayla A.; Scheiman, David; Han, Seungyong; Kang, Yongseon; Gumus, Abdurrahman; Bahabry, Rabab R.; Lee, Jung Woo; Paik, Ungyu; Bronstein, Noah D.; Alivisatos, A. Paul; Meitl, Matthew; Burroughs, Scott; Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa; Lee, Jeong Chul; Nuzzo, Ralph G.; Rogers, John A.

    2016-01-01

    Emerging classes ofconcentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules reach efficiencies that are far greater than those of even the highest performance flat-plate PV technologies, with architectures that have the potential to provide the lowest cost of energy in locations with high direct normal irradiance (DNI). A disadvantage is their inability to effectively use diffuse sunlight, thereby constraining widespread geographic deployment and limiting performance even under the most favorable DNI conditions. This study introduces a module design that integrates capabilities in flat-plate PV directly with the most sophisticated CPV technologies, for capture of both direct and diffuse sunlight, thereby achieving efficiency in PV conversion of the global solar radiation. Specific examples of this scheme exploit commodity silicon (Si) cells integrated with two different CPV module designs, where they capture light that is not efficiently directed by the concentrator optics onto large-scale arrays of miniature multijunction (MJ) solar cells that use advanced III-V semiconductor technologies. In this CPV scheme (

  9. Concentrator photovoltaic module architectures with capabilities for capture and conversion of full global solar radiation

    KAUST Repository

    Lee, Kyu Tae

    2016-12-06

    Emerging classes ofconcentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules reach efficiencies that are far greater than those of even the highest performance flat-plate PV technologies, with architectures that have the potential to provide the lowest cost of energy in locations with high direct normal irradiance (DNI). A disadvantage is their inability to effectively use diffuse sunlight, thereby constraining widespread geographic deployment and limiting performance even under the most favorable DNI conditions. This study introduces a module design that integrates capabilities in flat-plate PV directly with the most sophisticated CPV technologies, for capture of both direct and diffuse sunlight, thereby achieving efficiency in PV conversion of the global solar radiation. Specific examples of this scheme exploit commodity silicon (Si) cells integrated with two different CPV module designs, where they capture light that is not efficiently directed by the concentrator optics onto large-scale arrays of miniature multijunction (MJ) solar cells that use advanced III-V semiconductor technologies. In this CPV scheme (

  10. Simulation and development of a multi-leg homogeniser concentrating assembly for concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system with electrical rating analysis

    KAUST Repository

    Burhan, Muhammad

    2016-03-09

    Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system utilizing multi-junction solar cells, is the main focus for current research, offering highest efficiency among all photovoltaic systems. The main aspect of CPV system is the design and performance of concentrating assembly, as it determines the performance of whole CPV system. However, the conventional design of CPV concentrating assembly dedicates one concentrator for each solar cell, in which single concentrator is capable to concentrate solar radiation onto single solar cell. This paper proposes a novel concentrating assembly for CPV system, which is designed to concentrate solar radiation onto four multi-junction solar cells with a single set of concentrators. The proposed design not only can reduce the number of concentrators and assembly efforts for CPV systems, but also achieved an acceptance angle of 1°. In this paper, the proposed multi-leg homogeniser CPV concentrating assembly is designed, developed, experimentally tested and verified through ray tracing simulation. The paper also discuss the development of mini, precise and accurate but cost effective two axis solar tracker for CPV system, which can be installed at any location even at rooftop of residential buildings, unlike conventional large scale CPV systems. Moreover, through the electrical rating analysis of the developed CPV system, its performance can be accurately estimated in any region. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Simulation and development of a multi-leg homogeniser concentrating assembly for concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system with electrical rating analysis

    KAUST Repository

    Burhan, Muhammad; Chua, Kian Jon Ernest; Ng, Kim Choon

    2016-01-01

    Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system utilizing multi-junction solar cells, is the main focus for current research, offering highest efficiency among all photovoltaic systems. The main aspect of CPV system is the design and performance of concentrating assembly, as it determines the performance of whole CPV system. However, the conventional design of CPV concentrating assembly dedicates one concentrator for each solar cell, in which single concentrator is capable to concentrate solar radiation onto single solar cell. This paper proposes a novel concentrating assembly for CPV system, which is designed to concentrate solar radiation onto four multi-junction solar cells with a single set of concentrators. The proposed design not only can reduce the number of concentrators and assembly efforts for CPV systems, but also achieved an acceptance angle of 1°. In this paper, the proposed multi-leg homogeniser CPV concentrating assembly is designed, developed, experimentally tested and verified through ray tracing simulation. The paper also discuss the development of mini, precise and accurate but cost effective two axis solar tracker for CPV system, which can be installed at any location even at rooftop of residential buildings, unlike conventional large scale CPV systems. Moreover, through the electrical rating analysis of the developed CPV system, its performance can be accurately estimated in any region. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Designing a concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) system in adjunct with a silicon photovoltaic panel for a solar competition car

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arias-Rosales, Andrés.; Barrera-Velásquez, Jorge; Osorio-Gómez, Gilberto; Mejía-Gutiérrez, Ricardo

    2014-06-01

    Solar competition cars are a very interesting research laboratory for the development of new technologies heading to their further implementation in either commercial passenger vehicles or related applications. Besides, worldwide competitions allow the spreading of such ideas where the best and experienced teams bet on innovation and leading edge technologies, in order to develop more efficient vehicles. In these vehicles, some aspects generally make the difference such as aerodynamics, shape, weight, wheels and the main solar panels. Therefore, seeking to innovate in a competitive advantage, the first Colombian solar vehicle "Primavera", competitor at the World Solar Challenge (WSC)-2013, has implemented the usage of a Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) system as a complementary solar energy module to the common silicon photovoltaic panel. By harvesting sunlight with concentrating optical devices, CPVs are capable of maximizing the allowable photovoltaic area. However, the entire CPV system weight must be less harmful than the benefit of the extra electric energy generated, which in adjunct with added manufacture and design complexity, has intervened in the fact that CPVs had never been implemented in a solar car in such a scale as the one described in this work. Design considerations, the system development process and implementation are presented in this document considering both the restrictions of the context and the interaction of the CPV system with the solar car setup. The measured data evidences the advantage of using this complementary system during the competition and the potential this technology has for further developments.

  13. Concentrating photovoltaics for the Tropics. Final Report, June 1, 1978-February 28, 1979

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-06-30

    The design and specification of a photovoltaic concentrator total energy system are presented. The design will provide nearly half the electrical energy needs and most of the thermal energy needs (absorption chillers) of the Center for Energy and Environment Research, University of Puerto Rico, and the hot water needs of the Oncologic Hospital and Children's Hospital, Puerto Rico Medical Center. The system will utilize 34,190 sq ft of 40X slat type concentrators with secondary CPC concentrators to provide 162 kWe. The combined photovoltaic/thermal collector system utilizes a 20,000 gal steel thermal storage tank, and two absorption refrigeration units which will produce a total of 149 tons of cooling. Detailed drawings and system fabrication and installation plans are included. Insolation data for the San Juan, Puerto Rico site are presented, and calculated system performance based on this data is presented. (WHK)

  14. Concentrating photovoltaics for the Tropics. Final Report, June 1, 1978-February 28, 1979

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-06-30

    The design and specification of a photovoltaic concentrator total energy system are presented. The design will provide nearly half the electrical energy needs and most of the thermal energy needs (absorption chillers) of the Center for Energy and Environment Research, University of Puerto Rico, and the hot water needs of the Oncologic Hospital and Children's Hospital, Puerto Rico Medical Center. The system will utilize 34,190 sq ft of 40X slat type concentrators with secondary CPC concentrators to provide 162 kWe. The combined photovoltaic/thermal collector system utilizes a 20,000 gal steel thermal storage tank, and two absorption refrigeration units which will produce a total of 149 tons of cooling. Detailed drawings and system fabrication and installation plans are included. Insolation data for the San Juan, Puerto Rico site are presented, and calculated system performance based on this data is presented. (WHK)

  15. Design and experimental investigation of a Multi-segment plate concentrated photovoltaic solar energy system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Gang; Chen, Zeshao; Hu, Peng

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A multi-segment plate concentrated photovoltaic solar energy system was proposed. • A prototype of this new concentrator was developed for experimental investigation. • Experimental investigation results showed a good concentrating uniformity. - Abstract: Solar energy is one of the most promising renewable energies and meaningful for the sustainable development of energy source. A multi-segment plate concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar power system was proposed in this paper, the design principle of the multi-segment plate concentrator of this solar power system was given, which could provide uniform solar radiation flux density distribution on solar cells. A prototype of this multi-segment plate CPV solar power system was developed for the experimental study, aiming at the investigations of solar radiation flux density distribution and PV performances under this concentrator design. The experimental results showed that the solar radiation flux density distribution provided by the multi-segment plate concentrator had a good uniformity, and the number and temperature of solar cells both influence the photoelectric transformation efficiency of the CPV solar power system.

  16. Catalyst-free, III-V nanowire photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, D. G.; Lambert, N.; Fry, P. W.; Foster, A.; Krysa, A. B.; Wilson, L. R.

    2014-05-01

    We report on room temperature, photovoltaic operation of catalyst-free GaAs p-i-n junction nanowire arrays. Growth studies were first performed to determine the optimum conditions for controlling the vertical and lateral growth of the nanowires. Following this, devices consisting of axial p-i-n junctions were fabricated by planarising the nanowire arrays with a hard baked polymer. We discuss the photovoltaic properties of this proof-of-concept device, and significant improvements to be made during the growth.

  17. Grounds of two positions photovoltaic panels

    OpenAIRE

    Castán Fortuño, Fernando

    2008-01-01

    The objective of this Master Thesis is to find the optimum positioning for a two positions photovoltaic panel. Hence, it will be implemented a model in order to optimize the energy of the sun that the photovoltaic panel is receiving by its positioning. Likewise this project will include the comparison with other photovoltaic panel systems as the single position photovoltaics panels. Ultimately, it is also going to be designed a system array for the optimized model of two positions photovoltai...

  18. Photovoltaic cell module and method of forming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, Malinda; Juen, Donnie; Ketola, Barry; Tomalia, Mary Kay

    2017-12-12

    A photovoltaic cell module, a photovoltaic array including at least two modules, and a method of forming the module are provided. The module includes a first outermost layer and a photovoltaic cell disposed on the first outermost layer. The module also includes a second outermost layer disposed on the photovoltaic cell and sandwiching the photovoltaic cell between the second outermost layer and the first outermost layer. The method of forming the module includes the steps of disposing the photovoltaic cell on the first outermost layer, disposing a silicone composition on the photovoltaic cell, and compressing the first outermost layer, the photovoltaic cell, and the second layer to form the photovoltaic cell module.

  19. Nonimaging polygonal mirrors achieving uniform irradiance distributions on concentrating photovoltaic cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitz, Max; Dähler, Fabian; Elvinger, François; Pedretti, Andrea; Steinfeld, Aldo

    2017-04-10

    We introduce a design methodology for nonimaging, single-reflection mirrors with polygonal inlet apertures that generate a uniform irradiance distribution on a polygonal outlet aperture, enabling a multitude of applications within the domain of concentrated photovoltaics. Notably, we present single-mirror concentrators of square and hexagonal perimeter that achieve very high irradiance uniformity on a square receiver at concentrations ranging from 100 to 1000 suns. These optical designs can be assembled in compound concentrators with maximized active area fraction by leveraging tessellation. More advanced multi-mirror concentrators, where each mirror individually illuminates the whole area of the receiver, allow for improved performance while permitting greater flexibility for the concentrator shape and robustness against partial shading of the inlet aperture.

  20. Outdoor measurements of a photovoltaic system using diffractive spectrum-splitting and concentration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Mohammad

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In a single-bandgap absorber, photons having energy less than the bandgap are not absorbed, while those having energy larger than the bandgap lose the excess energy via thermalization. We present outdoor measurements of a photovoltaic system that overcomes these losses via spectrum splitting and concentration using a planar diffractive optic. The system was comprised of the diffractive optic coupled with GaInP and CIGS solar cells. The optic provides a geometric concentration of 3X for each solar cell. It is easily fabricated by single-step grayscale lithography and it is ultra-thin with a maximum thickness of only 2.5μm. Electrical measurements under direct sunlight demonstrated an increase of ∼25% in total output power compared to the reference case without spectrum splitting and concentration. Since different bandgaps are in the same plane, the proposed photovoltaic system successfully circumvents the lattice-matching and current-matching issues in conventional tandem multi-junction solar cells. This system is also tolerant to solar spectrum variation and fill-factor degradation of constitutive solar cells.

  1. Measurement techniques and instruments suitable for life-prediction testing of photovoltaic arrays. Interim report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Noel, G.T.; Sliemers, F.A.; Deringer, G.C.; Wood, V.E.; Wilkes, K.E.; Gaines, G.B.; Carmichael, D.C.

    1978-01-15

    The validation of a service life of 20 years for low-cost photovoltaic arrays must be accomplished through accelerated life-prediction tests. A methodology for such tests has been developed in a preceding study. The results discussed consist of the initial identification and assessment of all known measurement techniques and instruments that might be used in these life-prediction tests. Array failure modes, relevant materials property changes, and primary degradation mechanisms are discussed as a prerequisite to identifying suitable measurement techniques and instruments. Candidate techniques and instruments are identified on the basis of extensive reviews of published and unpublished information. These methods are organized in six measurement categories--chemical, electrical, optical, thermal, mechanical, and ''other physicals''. Using specified evaluation criteria, the most promising techniques and instruments for use in life-prediction tests of arrays are then selected. These recommended techniques and their characteristics are described. Recommendations are made regarding establishment of the adequacy, particularly with respect to precision, of the more fully developed techniques for this application, and regarding the experimental evaluation of promising developmental techniques. Measurement needs not satisfied by presently available techniques/instruments are also identified.

  2. Space Environment Testing of Photovoltaic Array Systems at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Brandon S.; Schneider, Todd A.; Vaughn, Jason A.; Wright, Kenneth H., Jr.

    2015-01-01

    To successfully operate a photovoltaic (PV) array system in space requires planning and testing to account for the effects of the space environment. It is critical to understand space environment interactions not only on the PV components, but also the array substrate materials, wiring harnesses, connectors, and protection circuitry (e.g. blocking diodes). Key elements of the space environment which must be accounted for in a PV system design include: Solar Photon Radiation, Charged Particle Radiation, Plasma, and Thermal Cycling. While solar photon radiation is central to generating power in PV systems, the complete spectrum includes short wavelength ultraviolet components, which photo-ionize materials, as well as long wavelength infrared which heat materials. High energy electron radiation has been demonstrated to significantly reduce the output power of III-V type PV cells; and proton radiation damages material surfaces - often impacting coverglasses and antireflective coatings. Plasma environments influence electrostatic charging of PV array materials, and must be understood to ensure that long duration arcs do not form and potentially destroy PV cells. Thermal cycling impacts all components on a PV array by inducing stresses due to thermal expansion and contraction. Given such demanding environments, and the complexity of structures and materials that form a PV array system, mission success can only be ensured through realistic testing in the laboratory. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center has developed a broad space environment test capability to allow PV array designers and manufacturers to verify their system's integrity and avoid costly on-orbit failures. The Marshall Space Flight Center test capabilities are available to government, commercial, and university customers. Test solutions are tailored to meet the customer's needs, and can include performance assessments, such as flash testing in the case of PV cells.

  3. Solar photovoltaic/thermal residential experiment. Phase I. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Darkazalli, G.

    1980-07-01

    Month-by-month energy transfer data between an occupied residence and its energy supply systems are presented. The data were obtained during the first phase of photovoltaic/thermal residential research conducted at the University of Texas at Arlington/Solar Energy Research Facility. This research was part of the US Department of Energy Photovoltaic/Thermal Project managed by the M.I.T. Lincoln Laboratory. Energy transfer data are divided into different categories depending on how the energy is consumed. Energy transfers between some system components are also categorized. These components include a flat-plate thermal collector array, a flat-plate photovoltaic array, a dc-to-ac inverter, thermal storage tanks, and a series heat pump. System operations included directing surplus electrical energy (generated by the photovoltaic array) into the local utility grid. The heat pump used off-peak utility power to chill water during the cooling season.

  4. Modeling and simulation of the solar concentrator in photovoltaic systems through the application of a new BRDF function model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plachta, Kamil

    2016-04-01

    The paper presents a new algorithm that uses a combination of two models of BRDF functions: Torrance-Sparrow model and HTSG model. The knowledge of technical parameters of a surface is especially useful in the construction of the solar concentrator. The concentrator directs the reflected solar radiation on the surface of photovoltaic panels, increasing the amount of incident radiance. The software applying algorithm allows to calculate surface parameters of the solar concentrator. Performed simulation showing the share of diffuse component and directional component in reflected stream for surfaces made from particular materials. The impact of share of each component in reflected stream on the efficiency of the solar concentrator and photovoltaic surface has also been described. Subsequently, simulation change the value of voltage, current and power output of monocrystalline photovoltaic panels installed in a solar concentrator system has been made for selected surface of materials solar concentrator.

  5. Beam-Forming Concentrating Solar Thermal Array Power Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cwik, Thomas A. (Inventor); Dimotakis, Paul E. (Inventor); Hoppe, Daniel J. (Inventor)

    2016-01-01

    The present invention relates to concentrating solar-power systems and, more particularly, beam-forming concentrating solar thermal array power systems. A solar thermal array power system is provided, including a plurality of solar concentrators arranged in pods. Each solar concentrator includes a solar collector, one or more beam-forming elements, and one or more beam-steering elements. The solar collector is dimensioned to collect and divert incoming rays of sunlight. The beam-forming elements intercept the diverted rays of sunlight, and are shaped to concentrate the rays of sunlight into a beam. The steering elements are shaped, dimensioned, positioned, and/or oriented to deflect the beam toward a beam output path. The beams from the concentrators are converted to heat at a receiver, and the heat may be temporarily stored or directly used to generate electricity.

  6. Electrical research on solar cells and photovoltaic materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orehotsky, J.

    1984-01-01

    The flat-plate solar cell array program which increases the service lifetime of the photovoltaic modules used for terrestrial energy applications is discussed. The current-voltage response characteristics of the solar cells encapsulated in the modules degrade with service time and this degradation places a limitation on the useful lifetime of the modules. The most desirable flat-plate array system involves solar cells consisting of highly polarizable materials with similar electrochemical potentials where the cells are encapsulated in polymers in which ionic concentrations and mobilities are negligibly small. Another possible mechanism limiting the service lifetime of the photovoltaic modules is the gradual loss of the electrical insulation characteristics of the polymer pottant due to water absorption or due to polymer degradation from light or heat effects. The mechanical properties of various polymer pottant materials and of electrochemical corrosion mechanisms in solar cell material are as follows: (1) electrical and ionic resistivity; (2) water absorption kinetics and water solubility limits; and (3) corrosion characterization of various metallization systems used in solar cell construction.

  7. Distributed solar photovoltaic array location and extent dataset for remote sensing object identification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradbury, Kyle; Saboo, Raghav; L. Johnson, Timothy; Malof, Jordan M.; Devarajan, Arjun; Zhang, Wuming; M. Collins, Leslie; G. Newell, Richard

    2016-12-01

    Earth-observing remote sensing data, including aerial photography and satellite imagery, offer a snapshot of the world from which we can learn about the state of natural resources and the built environment. The components of energy systems that are visible from above can be automatically assessed with these remote sensing data when processed with machine learning methods. Here, we focus on the information gap in distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays, of which there is limited public data on solar PV deployments at small geographic scales. We created a dataset of solar PV arrays to initiate and develop the process of automatically identifying solar PV locations using remote sensing imagery. This dataset contains the geospatial coordinates and border vertices for over 19,000 solar panels across 601 high-resolution images from four cities in California. Dataset applications include training object detection and other machine learning algorithms that use remote sensing imagery, developing specific algorithms for predictive detection of distributed PV systems, estimating installed PV capacity, and analysis of the socioeconomic correlates of PV deployment.

  8. Global Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT of a Photovoltaic Module Array Constructed through Improved Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuei-Hsiang Chao

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The present study proposes a maximum power point tracking (MPPT method in which improved teaching-learning-based optimization (I-TLBO is applied to perform global MPPT of photovoltaic (PV module arrays under dissimilar shading situations to ensure the maximum power output of the module arrays. The proposed I-TLBO enables the automatic adjustment of teaching factors according to the self-learning ability of students. Incorporating smart-tracking and self-study strategies can effectively improve the tracking response speed and steady-state tracking performance. To evaluate the feasibility of the proposed I-TLBO, a HIP-2717 PV module array from Sanyo Electric was employed to compose various arrays with different serial and parallel configurations. The arrays were operated under different shading conditions to test the MPPT with double, triple, or quadruple peaks of power-voltage characteristic curves. Boost converters were employed with TMS320F2808 digital signal processors to test the proposed MPPT method. Empirical results confirm that the proposed method exhibits more favorable dynamic and static-state response tracking performance compared with that of conventional TLBO.

  9. Optical design of a solar flux homogenizer for concentrator photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kreske, Kathi

    2002-04-01

    An optical solution is described for the redistribution of the light reflected from a 400-m2 paraboloidal solar concentrating dish as uniformly as possible over an approximately 1-m2 plane. Concentrator photovoltaic cells will be mounted at this plane, and they require a uniform light distribution for high efficiency. It is proposed that the solar cells will be mounted at the output of a rectangular receiver box with reflective sidewalls (i.e., a kaleidoscope), which will redistribute the light. I discuss the receiver box properties that influence the light distribution reaching the solar cells.

  10. Arrays of ZnO/CuInxGa1−xSe2 nanocables with tunable shell composition for efficient photovoltaics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akram, Muhammad Aftab; Javed, Sofia; Xu, Jun; Mujahid, Mohammad; Lee, Chun-Sing

    2015-01-01

    Arrays of one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure are receiving much attention for their optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications due to their advantages in light absorption, charge separation, and transportation. In this work, arrays of ZnO/CuIn x Ga 1−x Se 2 core/shell nanocables with tunable shell compositions over the full range of 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 have been controllably synthesized. Chemical conversions of ZnO nanorods to a series of ZnO-based nanocables, including ZnO/ZnSe, ZnO/CuSe, ZnO/CuSe/In x Ga 1−x , ZnO/CuSe/(In x Ga 1−x ) 2 Se 3 , and ZnO/CuIn x Ga 1−x Se 2 , are well designed and successfully achieved. Composition-dependent influences of the CuIn x Ga 1−x Se 2 shells on photovoltaic performance are investigated. It is found that the increase in indium content (x) leads to an increase in short-circuit current density (J SC ) but a decrease in open-circuit voltage (V OC ) for the ZnO/CuIn x Ga 1−x Se 2 nanocable solar cells. An array of ZnO/CuIn 0.67 Ga 0.33 Se 2 nanocables with a length of ∼1 μm and a shell thickness of ∼10 nm exhibits a bandgap of 1.20 eV, and yields a maximum power conversion efficiency of 1.74% under AM 1.5 G illumination at an intensity of 100 mW/cm 2 . It dramatically surpasses that (0.22%) of the ZnO/CuIn 0.67 Ga 0.33 Se 2 planar thin-film device. Our work reveals that 1D nanoarray allows efficient photovoltaics without using toxic CdS buffer layer

  11. Road map for photovoltaic electricity; Feuille de route sur l'electricite photovoltaique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2011-02-15

    This road map aims at highlighting industrial, technological and social challenges, at elaborating comprehensive visions, at highlighting technological locks, and at outlining research needs for the photovoltaic sector. It considers the following sector components: preparation of photo-sensitive materials, manufacturing of photovoltaic cells, manufacturing of photovoltaic arrays, design and manufacturing of electric equipment to control photovoltaic arrays and to connect them to the grid. It highlights the demand for photovoltaic installations, analyzes the value chain, proposes a vision of the sector by 2050 and defines target for 2020, discusses needs for demonstration and experimentation

  12. Design optimization of photovoltaic powered water pumping systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ghoneim, A.A.

    2006-01-01

    The use of photovoltaics as the power source for pumping water is one of the most promising areas in photovoltaic applications. With the increased use of water pumping systems, more attention has been paid to their design and optimum utilization in order to achieve the most reliable and economical operation. This paper presents the results of performance optimization of a photovoltaic powered water pumping system in the Kuwait climate. The direct coupled photovoltaic water pumping system studied consists of the PV array, DC motor, centrifugal pump, a storage tank that serves a similar purpose to battery storage and a maximum power point tracker to improve the efficiency of the system. The pumped water is desired to satisfy the domestic needs of 300 persons in a remote area in Kuwait. Assuming a figure of 40 l/person/day for water consumption, a volume of 12 m 3 should be pumped daily from a deep well throughout the year. A computer simulation program is developed to determine the performance of the proposed system in the Kuwait climate. The simulation program consists of a component model for the PV array with maximum power point tracker and component models for both the DC motor and the centrifugal pump. The five parameter model is adapted to simulate the performance of amorphous silicon solar cell modules. The size of the PV array, PV array orientation and the pump-motor-hydraulic system characteristics are varied to achieve the optimum performance for the proposed system. The life cycle cost method is implemented to evaluate the economic feasibility of the optimized photovoltaic powered water pumping system. At the current prices of PV modules, the cost of the proposed photovoltaic powered water pumping system is found to be less expensive than the cost of the conventional fuel system. In addition, the expected reduction in the prices of photovoltaic modules in the near future will make photovoltaic powered water pumping systems more feasible

  13. Photovoltaic array: Power conditioner interface characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez, C. C.; Hill, G. M.; Ross, R. G., Jr.

    1982-01-01

    The electrical output (power, current, and voltage) of flat plate solar arrays changes constantly, due primarily to changes in cell temperature and irradiance level. As a result, array loads such as dc-to-ac power conditioners must be capable of accommodating widely varying input levels while maintaining operation at or near the maximum power point of the array. The array operating characteristics and extreme output limits necessary for the systematic design of array load interfaces under a wide variety of climatic conditions are studied. A number of interface parameters are examined, including optimum operating voltage, voltage energy, maximum power and current limits, and maximum open circuit voltage. The effect of array degradation and I-V curve fill factor or the array power conditioner interface is also discussed. Results are presented as normalized ratios of power conditioner parameters to array parameters, making the results universally applicable to a wide variety of system sizes, sites, and operating modes.

  14. Simulation and development of a multi-leg homogeniser concentrating assembly for concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system with electrical rating analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burhan, Muhammad; Chua, Kian Jon Ernest; Ng, Kim Choon

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Novel multi-leg homogeniser concentrating assembly is developed for CPV system. • Single set of concentrator, concentrates sunlight on 4 MJCs with 1° acceptance angle. • The system performance is analyzed through experiment and ray tracing simulation. • Mini two axis solar tracker, with high tracking accuracy, is developed and tested. • Electrical rating analysis accurately estimates CPV system performance in any region. - Abstract: Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system utilizing multi-junction solar cells, is the main focus for current research, offering highest efficiency among all photovoltaic systems. The main aspect of CPV system is the design and performance of concentrating assembly, as it determines the performance of whole CPV system. However, the conventional design of CPV concentrating assembly dedicates one concentrator for each solar cell, in which single concentrator is capable to concentrate solar radiation onto single solar cell. This paper proposes a novel concentrating assembly for CPV system, which is designed to concentrate solar radiation onto four multi-junction solar cells with a single set of concentrators. The proposed design not only can reduce the number of concentrators and assembly efforts for CPV systems, but also achieved an acceptance angle of 1°. In this paper, the proposed multi-leg homogeniser CPV concentrating assembly is designed, developed, experimentally tested and verified through ray tracing simulation. The paper also discuss the development of mini, precise and accurate but cost effective two axis solar tracker for CPV system, which can be installed at any location even at rooftop of residential buildings, unlike conventional large scale CPV systems. Moreover, through the electrical rating analysis of the developed CPV system, its performance can be accurately estimated in any region.

  15. EXERGY AND CARBON CREDITS FOR SERIES CONNECTED N PHOTOVOLTAIC THERMAL - COMPOUND PARABOLIC CONCENTRATOR (PVT-CPC) COLLECTOR: AT CONSTANT OUTLET TEMPERATURE

    OpenAIRE

    Rohit Tripathi 1,*, G. N. Tiwari 2

    2017-01-01

    In the present study, overall energy and exergy performance of partially covered N photovoltaic thermal - compound parabolic concentrators (PVT-CPC) (25% covered by glass to glass PV module) collector connected in series have been carried out at constant outlet temperature mode. Further, comparison in performance for partially covered N photovoltaic thermal - compound parabolic concentrators (PVT-CPC) [case (i)] and N compound parabolic concentrators (CPC) collector [case (ii)] connected in s...

  16. Double-pass photovoltaic / thermal (PV/T) solar collector with advanced heat transfer features

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohd Nazari Abu Bakar; Baharudin Yatim; Mohd Yusof Othman; Kamaruzzaman Sopian

    2006-01-01

    The use of PV/T in combination with concentrating reflectors has a potential to significantly increase power production from a given solar cell area. A prototype double-pass photovoltaic-thermal solar air collector with CPR and fins has been designed and fabricated and its performance over a range of operating conditions was studied. The absorber of the hybrid photovoltaic / thermal (PV/T) collector under investigation consists of an array of solar cells for generating electricity, compound parabolic concentrator (CPR) to increase the radiation intensity falling on the solar cells and fins attached to the back side of the absorber plate to improve heat transfer to the flowing air. The thermal, electrical and combined electrical and thermal efficiencies of the collector are presented and discussed

  17. Si Wire-Array Solar Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boettcher, Shannon

    2010-03-01

    Micron-scale Si wire arrays are three-dimensional photovoltaic absorbers that enable orthogonalization of light absorption and carrier collection and hence allow for the utilization of relatively impure Si in efficient solar cell designs. The wire arrays are grown by a vapor-liquid-solid-catalyzed process on a crystalline (111) Si wafer lithographically patterned with an array of metal catalyst particles. Following growth, such arrays can be embedded in polymethyldisiloxane (PDMS) and then peeled from the template growth substrate. The result is an unusual photovoltaic material: a flexible, bendable, wafer-thickness crystalline Si absorber. In this paper I will describe: 1. the growth of high-quality Si wires with controllable doping and the evaluation of their photovoltaic energy-conversion performance using a test electrolyte that forms a rectifying conformal semiconductor-liquid contact 2. the observation of enhanced absorption in wire arrays exceeding the conventional light trapping limits for planar Si cells of equivalent material thickness and 3. single-wire and large-area solid-state Si wire-array solar cell results obtained to date with directions for future cell designs based on optical and device physics. In collaboration with Michael Kelzenberg, Morgan Putnam, Joshua Spurgeon, Daniel Turner-Evans, Emily Warren, Nathan Lewis, and Harry Atwater, California Institute of Technology.

  18. Will we exceed 50% efficiency in photovoltaics?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luque, Antonio

    2011-08-01

    Solar energy is the most abundant and reliable source of energy we have to provide for the multi-terawatt challenge we are facing. Although huge, this resource is relatively dispersed. High conversion efficiency is probably necessary for cost effectiveness. Solar cell efficiencies above 40% have been achieved with multijunction (MJ) solar cells. These achievements are here described. Possible paths for improvement are hinted at including third generation photovoltaics concepts. It is concluded that it is very likely that the target of 50% will eventually be achieved. This high efficiency requires operating under concentrated sunlight, partly because concentration helps increase the efficiency but mainly because the cost of the sophisticated cells needed can only be paid by extracting as much electric power form each cell as possible. The optical challenges associated with the concentrator optics and the tools for overcoming them, in particular non-imaging optics, are briefly discussed and the results and trends are described. It is probable that optical efficiency over 90% will be possible in the future. This would lead to a module efficiency of 45%. The manufacturing of a concentrator has to be addressed at three levels of integration: module, array, and photovoltaic (PV) subfield. The PV plant as a whole is very similar than a flat module PV plant with two-axes tracking. At the module level, the development of tools for easy manufacturing and quality control is an important topic. Furthermore, they can accommodate in different position cells with different spectral sensitivities so complementing the effort in manufacturing MJ cells. At the array level, a proper definition of the nameplate watts, since the diffuse light is not used, is under discussion. The cost of installation of arrays in the field can be very much reduced by self aligning tracking control strategies. At the subfield level, aspects such as the self shadowing of arrays causes the CPV subfields to

  19. Study of the electrical and thermal performances of photovoltaic thermal collector-compound parabolic concentrated

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahed Hameed Jaaz

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available The importance of utilizing the solar energy as a very suitable source among multi-source approaches to replace the conventional energy is on the rise in the last four decades. The invention of the photovoltaic module (PV could be the corner stone in this process. However, the limited amount of energy obtained from PV was and still the main challenge of full utilization of the solar energy. In this paper, the use of the compound parabolic concentrator (CPC along with the thermal photovoltaic module (PVT where the cooling process of the CPC is conducted using a novel technique of water jet impingement has applied experimentally and physically tested. The test includes the effect of water jet impingement on the total power, electrical efficiency, thermal efficiency, and total efficiency on CPC-PVT system. The cooling process at the maximum irradiation by water jet impingement resulted in improving the electrical efficiency by 7%, total output power by 31% and the thermal efficiency by 81%. These results outperform the recent highest results recorded by the most recent work. Keywords: Photovoltaic thermal collectors, Electrical performance, Thermal performance, Compound parabolic concentrator, Jet impingement

  20. 聚光光伏技术概述%Overview of Concentrating Photovoltaic

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    张志刚

    2012-01-01

      With the environmental pollution aggravation and fossil fuel depletion,harnessing the power of the sun directly or indirectly remains at the core of future energy scenarios. Concentrating photovoltaics(CPV),with the advantage of higher photovoltaic conversion efficiency and lower consumption of solar cells,have great potential of reducing the cost of photovoltaic generation system. This review focuses on the history and current status of CPV systems.%  随着化石能源的消耗和环境污染的加剧,直接或间接利用太阳能成为了未来能源模式的核心内容之一。在光伏发电技术中,具有高转换效率、低芯片消耗优势的聚光光伏发电(CPV)技术在降低光伏发电成本方面潜力巨大。本文将对聚光光伏发电技术进行介绍。

  1. Optimized organic photovoltaics with surface plasmons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omrane, B.; Landrock, C.; Aristizabal, J.; Patel, J. N.; Chuo, Y.; Kaminska, B.

    2010-06-01

    In this work, a new approach for optimizing organic photovoltaics using nanostructure arrays exhibiting surface plasmons is presented. Periodic nanohole arrays were fabricated on gold- and silver-coated flexible substrates, and were thereafter used as light transmitting anodes for solar cells. Transmission measurements on the plasmonic thin film made of gold and silver revealed enhanced transmission at specific wavelengths matching those of the photoactive polymer layer. Compared to the indium tin oxide-based photovoltaic cells, the plasmonic solar cells showed overall improvements in efficiency up to 4.8-fold for gold and 5.1-fold for the silver, respectively.

  2. InPhoCUS (Inflated Photovoltaic Ultra-light Mirror Concentrators): First Results Of The Project And Future Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pravettoni, Mauro; Barbato, Maurizio; Cooper, Thomas; Pedretti, Andrea; Ambrosetti, Gianluca; Steinfeld, Aldo

    2011-12-01

    InPhoCUS (Inflated PhotovoltaiC Ultra-light mirror concentratorS) is a concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) project funded by the Swiss Confederation's Innovation Promotion Agency (CTI) and developed by Airlight Energy Holding SA, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The proposed novel concentrating system has already been patented for concentrated solar power applications: it is made by unconventional pneumatic multilayer polymeric mirrors, has an innovative fibre-reinforced concrete structure and an original tilting mechanism to track the sun. The innovative CPV solar collector is profitable for electric power plants both for the sun-belt region and in the Mediterranean. In this paper the authors present the novel CPV system and preliminary results on cost analysis, optical design and thermal modelling.

  3. A Three-Dimensional Radiation Transfer Model to Evaluate Performance of Compound Parabolic Concentrator-Based Photovoltaic Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingjing Tang

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available In the past, two-dimensional radiation transfer models (2-D models were widely used to investigate the optical performance of linear compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs, in which the radiation transfer on the cross-section of CPC troughs is considered. However, the photovoltaic efficiency of solar cells depends on the real incidence angle instead of the projection incidence angle, thus 2-D models can’t reasonably evaluate the photovoltaic performance of CPC-based photovoltaic systems (CPVs. In this work, three-dimensional radiation transfer (3-D model within CPC-θa/θe, the CPC with a maximum exit angle θe for radiation within its acceptance angle (θa, is investigated by means of vector algebra, solar geometry and imaging principle of plane mirror, and effects of geometry of CPV-θa/θe on its annual electricity generation are studied. Analysis shows that, as compared to similar photovoltaic (PV panels, the use of CPCs makes the incident angle of solar rays on solar cells increase thus lowers the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of solar cells. Calculations show that, 2-D models can reasonably predict the optical performance of CPVs, but such models always overestimate the photovoltaic performance of CPVs, and even can’t predict the variation trend of annual power output of CPV-θa/θe with θe. Results show that, for full CPV-θa/θe with a given θa, the annual power output increases with θe first and then comes to a halt as θe > 83°, whereas for truncated CPV-θa/θe with a given geometric concentration (Ct, the annual power output decreases with θe.

  4. Performance of Partially Covered N Number of Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) - Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) Series Connected Water Heating System

    OpenAIRE

    Rohit Tripathi; Sumit Tiwari; G. N. Tiwari

    2016-01-01

    In present study, an approach is adopted where photovoltaic thermal flat plate collector is integrated with compound parabolic concentrator. Analytical expression of temperature dependent electrical efficiency of N number of partially covered Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) - Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) water collector connected in series has been derived with the help of basic thermal energy balance equations. Analysis has been carried for winter weather condition at Delhi location, Ind...

  5. Photovoltaic Cells and Systems: Current State and Future Trends

    OpenAIRE

    Hadj Bourdoucen; Joseph A. Jervase; Abdullah Al-Badi; Adel Gastli; Arif Malik

    2000-01-01

    Photovoltaics is the process of converting solar energy into electrical energy. Any photovoltaic system invariably consists of solar cell arrays and electric power conditioners. Photovoltaic systems are reliable, quiet, safe and both environmentally benign and self-sustaining. In addition, they are cost-effective for applications in remote areas. This paper presents a review of solar system components and integration, manufacturing, applications, and basic research related to photovoltaics. P...

  6. Production. Which price for photovoltaic?; Production - le photovoltaique, a quel prix

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dupin, L.

    2011-02-15

    As the French government decided to reduce its financial support to photovoltaic energy, a first article identifies and comments the issues to be addressed to have a competitive French photovoltaic industry: to bet on second generation arrays (thin layer arrays), to have higher yearly objectives in terms of installed power (800 MW or 1 GW instead of 500 MW, in order to create a reference market), to redefine the financing and the electricity purchase scheme, to promote self consumption, to support exportation. The second article presents the first French photovoltaic test and certification centre, located near Chambery, where solar arrays are inspected and where their ageing is simulated through thermal fatigue and impact testing

  7. An Advanced Photovoltaic Array Regulator Module

    Science.gov (United States)

    Button, Robert M.

    1996-01-01

    Current trends in satellite design are focused on developing small, reliable, and inexpensive spacecraft. To that end, a modular power management and distribution system is proposed which will help transition the aerospace industry towards an assembly line approach to building spacecraft. The modular system is based on an innovative DC voltage boost converter called the Series Connected Boost Unit (SCBU). The SCBU uses any isolating DC-DC converter and adds a unique series connection. This simple modification provides the SCBU topology with many advantages over existing boost converters. Efficiencies of 94-98%, power densities above 1,000 W/kg, and inherent fault tolerance are just a few of the characteristics presented. Limitations of the SCBU technology are presented, and it is shown that the SCBU makes an ideal photovoltaic an-ay regulator. A set of photovoltaic power system requirements are presented that can be applied to almost any low Earth orbit satellite. Finally, a modular design based on the series connected boost unit is outlined and functional descriptions of the components are given.

  8. Simulation of the optimal size of photovoltaic system using ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    . ... is composed of photovoltaic array, power tracker, battery storage, inverter and load. The data used were the sunshine duration and solar radiation intensity for ... covered by the photovoltaic system without battery storage, monthly-average ...

  9. Photonic Design for Photovoltaics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kosten, E.; Callahan, D.; Horowitz, K.; Pala, R.; Atwater, H.

    2014-08-28

    We describe photonic design approaches for silicon photovoltaics including i) trapezoidal broadband light trapping structures ii) broadband light trapping with photonic crystal superlattices iii) III-V/Si nanowire arrays designed for broadband light trapping.

  10. Cost estimates for flat plate and concentrator collector arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimada, K.

    1982-01-01

    The current module and installation costs for the U.S. National Photovoltaic Program's grid-connected systems are significantly higher than required for economic viability of this alternative. Attention is accordingly given to the prospects for installed module cost reductions in flat plate, linear focus Fresnel concentrator, and point focus Fresnel concentrator candidate systems. Cost projections indicate that all three systems would meet near-term and midterm goals, provided that module costs of $2.80/W(p) and $0.70/W(p), respectively, are met. The point focus Fresnel system emerges as the most viable for the near term.

  11. Research on the Electrical Characteristics of Photovoltaic Arrays and Corresponding MPPT Simulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shengming Li

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Photovoltaic cells, as the primary part of a solar photovoltaic system, are a nonlinear DC power supply related to multiple parameters. The demand of increasing the generating efficiency of photovoltaic cells requires having a good understanding of their electrical characteristics. In this study, the mathematical and physical model of the photovoltaic cells was built by the means of Matlab and Simulink based on the internal principles and equivalent circuits of the photovoltaic cells. After the simulation of such practical and versatile model, it’s found that the nonlinear P-V and I-V characteristics of the photovoltaic cells, with the change of sunlight intensity and temperature, could be accurately reflected by this high simulation precision model. Furthermore, the Maximum Power Point Tracking method was proposed using the logical formula dP/dI=0 of the maximum power point of photovoltaic cells. This method can simply and fast implement the tracking for the maximum power point.

  12. Analysis and research on Maximum Power Point Tracking of Photovoltaic Array with Fuzzy Logic Control and Three-point Weight Comparison Method

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    LIN; Kuang-Jang; LIN; Chii-Ruey

    2010-01-01

    The Photovoltaic Array has a best optimal operating point where the array operating can obtain the maximum power.However, the optimal operating point can be compromised by the strength of solar radiation,angle,and by the change of environment and load.Due to the constant changes in these conditions,it has become very difficult to locate the optimal operating point by following a mathematical model.Therefore,this study will focus mostly on the application of Fuzzy Logic Control theory and Three-point Weight Comparison Method in effort to locate the optimal operating point of solar panel and achieve maximum efficiency in power generation. The Three-point Weight Comparison Method is the comparison between the characteristic curves of the voltage of photovoltaic array and output power;it is a rather simple way to track the maximum power.The Fuzzy Logic Control,on the other hand,can be used to solve problems that cannot be effectively dealt with by calculation rules,such as concepts,contemplation, deductive reasoning,and identification.Therefore,this paper uses these two kinds of methods to make simulation successively. The simulation results show that,the Three-point Comparison Method is more effective under the environment with more frequent change of solar radiation;however,the Fuzzy Logic Control has better tacking efficiency under the environment with violent change of solar radiation.

  13. Design construction and analysis of solar ridge concentrator photovoltaic (PV) system to improve battery charging performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narasimman, Kalaiselvan; Selvarasan, Iniyan

    2016-05-01

    A ridge concentrator photovoltaic system for a 10W multi-crystalline solar panel was designed with the concentration ratios of 1X and 2X. The ray tracing model of ridge concentrator photovoltaic system was carried out using Trace-Pro simulation. The optimum tilt angle for the concentrator PV system throughout the year was computed. The electrical parameters of the 3 panels were analyzed. The effect of temperature on the electrical performance of the panel was also studied. The reduction of voltage due to increasing panel temperature was managed by MPES type Charge controller. Glass reflector with reflectivity 0.95 was chosen as the ridge wall for the concentrator system. The maximum power outputs for the 1X and 2X panel reached were 9W and 10.5W with glass reflector. The percentage of power improvement for 1X and 2X concentrations were 22.3% and 45.8% respectively. The 2X concentrated panel connected battery takes lower time to charge compared with normal panel connected battery. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  14. Microsystem enabled photovoltaic modules and systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielson, Gregory N; Sweatt, William C; Okandan, Murat

    2015-05-12

    A microsystem enabled photovoltaic (MEPV) module including: an absorber layer; a fixed optic layer coupled to the absorber layer; a translatable optic layer; a translation stage coupled between the fixed and translatable optic layers; and a motion processor electrically coupled to the translation stage to controls motion of the translatable optic layer relative to the fixed optic layer. The absorber layer includes an array of photovoltaic (PV) elements. The fixed optic layer includes an array of quasi-collimating (QC) micro-optical elements designed and arranged to couple incident radiation from an intermediate image formed by the translatable optic layer into one of the PV elements such that it is quasi-collimated. The translatable optic layer includes an array of focusing micro-optical elements corresponding to the QC micro-optical element array. Each focusing micro-optical element is designed to produce a quasi-telecentric intermediate image from substantially collimated radiation incident within a predetermined field of view.

  15. Degradation of Solar Array Components in a Combined UV/VUV High Temperature Test Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nömayr Christel

    2017-01-01

    A design verification test under UV/VUV conditions of sun exposed materials and technologies on component level is presented which forms part of the overall verification and qualification of the solar array design of the MTM and MPO. The test concentrates on the self-contamination aspects and the resulting performance losses of the solar array under high intensity and elevated temperature environment representative for the photovoltaic assembly (PVA.

  16. Technology developments toward 30-year-life of photovoltaic modules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, R. G., Jr.

    1984-01-01

    As part of the United States National Photovoltaics Program, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Flat-Plate Solar Array Project (FSA) has maintained a comprehensive reliability and engineering sciences activity addressed toward understanding the reliability attributes of terrestrial flat-plate photovoltaic arrays and to deriving analysis and design tools necessary to achieve module designs with a 30-year useful life. The considerable progress to date stemming from the ongoing reliability research is discussed, and the major areas requiring continued research are highlighted. The result is an overview of the total array reliability problem and of available means of achieving high reliability at minimum cost.

  17. Electrical Rating of Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) Systems: Long-Term Performance Analysis and Comparison to Conventional PV Systems

    KAUST Repository

    Burhan, Muhammad

    2016-02-29

    The dynamic nature of meteorological data and the commercial availability of diverse photovoltaic systems, ranging from single-junction silicon-based PV panels to concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems utilizing multi-junction solar cells and a two-axis solar tracker, demand a simple but accurate methodology for energy planners and PV system designers to understand the economic feasibility of photovoltaic or renewable energy systems. In this paper, an electrical rating methodology is proposed that provides a common playing field for planners, consumers and PV manufacturers to evaluate the long-term performance of photovoltaic systems, as long-term electricity rating is deemed to be a quick and accurate method to evaluate economic viability and determine plant sizes and photovoltaic system power production. A long-term performance analysis based on monthly and electrical ratings (in kWh/m2/year) of two developed CPV prototypes, the Cassegrain mini dish and Fresnel lens CPVs with triple-junction solar cells operating under the meteorological conditions of Singapore, is presented in this paper. Performances are compared to other conventional photovoltaic systems.

  18. Optimization of single channel glazed photovoltaic thermal (PVT) array using Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) and carbon credit earned by the optimized array

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Sonveer; Agrawal, Sanjay; Gadh, Rajit

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Optimization of SCGPVT array using Evolutionary Algorithm. • The overall exergy gain is maximized with an Evolutionary Algorithm. • Annual Performance has been evaluated for New Delhi (India). • There are improvement in results than the model given in literature. • Carbon credit analysis has been done. - Abstract: In this paper, work is carried out in three steps. In the first step, optimization of single channel glazed photovoltaic thermal (SCGPVT) array has been done with an Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) keeping the overall exergy gain is an objective function of the SCGPVT array. For maximization of overall exergy gain, total seven design variables have been optimized such as length of the channel (L), mass flow rate of flowing fluid (m_F), velocity of flowing fluid (V_F), convective heat transfer coefficient through the tedlar (U_T), overall heat transfer coefficient between solar cell to ambient through glass cover (U_S_C_A_G), overall back loss heat transfer coefficient from flowing fluid to ambient (U_F_A) and convective heat transfer coefficient of tedlar (h_T). It has been observed that the instant overall exergy gain obtained from optimized system is 1.42 kW h, which is 87.86% more than the overall exergy gain of a un-optimized system given in literature. In the second step, overall exergy gain and overall thermal gain of SCGPVT array has been evaluated annually and there are 69.52% and 88.05% improvement in annual overall exergy gain and annual overall thermal gain respectively than the un-optimized system for the same input irradiance and ambient temperature. In the third step, carbon credit earned by the optimized SCGPVT array has also been evaluated as per norms of Kyoto Protocol Bangalore climatic conditions.

  19. Micro solar concentrators: Design and fabrication for microcells arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jutteau, Sébastien; Paire, Myriam; Proise, Florian; Lombez, Laurent; Guillemoles, Jean-François

    2015-09-01

    In this work we look at a micro-concentrating system adapted to a new type of concentrator photovoltaic material, well known for flate-plate applications, Cu(In,Ga)Se2. Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells are polycrystalline thin film devices that can be deposited by a variety of techniques. We proposed to use a microcell architecture [1], [2], with lateral dimensions varying from a few μm to hundreds of μm, to adapt the film cell to concentration conditions. A 5% absolute efficiency increase on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 microcells at 475 suns has been observed for a final efficiency of 21.3%[3]. We study micro-concentrating systems adapted to the low and middle concentration range, where thin film concentrator cells will lean to substrate fabrication simplification and cost savings. Our study includes optical design, fabrication and experimental tests of prototypes.

  20. Performance comparison between ethanol phase-change immersion and active water cooling for solar cells in high concentrating photovoltaic system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Yiping; Wen, Chen; Huang, Qunwu; Kang, Xue; Chen, Miao; Wang, Huilin

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Thermal performances of ethanol phase-change immersion and active water cooling are compared. • Effects of operation parameters on ethanol phase-change immersion are studied. • Optimum filling ratio is 30% for ethanol phase-change immersion cooling system. • Exergy efficiency of ethanol phase-change immersion method increases by 57%. - Abstract: This paper presents an optimized ethanol phase-change immersion cooling method to obtain lower temperature of dense-array solar cells in high concentrating photovoltaic system. The thermal performances of this system were compared with a conventional active water cooling system with minichannels from the perspectives of start-up characteristic, temperature uniformity, thermal resistance and heat transfer coefficient. This paper also explored the influences of liquid filling ratio, absolute pressure and water flow rate on thermal performances. Dense-array LEDs were used to simulate heat power of solar cells worked under high concentration ratios. It can be observed that the optimal filling ratio was 30% in which the thermal resistance was 0.479 °C/W and the heat transfer coefficient was 9726.21 W/(m 2 ·°C). To quantify the quality of energy output of two cooling systems, exergy analysis are conducted and maximum exergy efficiencies were 17.70% and 11.27%, respectively. The experimental results represent an improvement towards thermal performances of ethanol phase-change immersion cooling system due to the reduction in contact thermal resistance. This study improves the operation control and applications for ethanol phase-change immersion cooling technology.

  1. Enhanced photovoltaic performance of fully flexible dye-sensitized solar cells based on the Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} coated hierarchical TiO{sub 2} nanowire-nanosheet arrays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Wenwu; Hong, Chengxun; Wang, Hui-gang; Zhang, Mei; Guo, Min, E-mail: guomin@ustb.edu.cn

    2016-02-28

    Graphical abstract: Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} coated hierarchical TiO{sub 2} nanowire-sheet arrays photoanode was synthesized on Ti-mesh substrate by using a hydrothermal approach for fully flexible dye-sensitized solar cells which exhibited well photovoltaic efficiency of 4.55%. - Highlights: • Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} coated hierarchical TiO{sub 2} nanowire-nanosheet arrays were prepared on Ti-mesh. • Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} coated TiO{sub 2} HNWAs/Pt-ITO-PEN flexible DSSC was constructed. • The fully flexible DSSC exhibited an enhanced photovoltaic performance of 4.55%. • The reasons for the improved conversion efficiency of the DSSC were discussed. - Abstract: Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} coated hierarchical TiO{sub 2} nanowire-sheet arrays photoanode was synthesized on flexible Ti-mesh substrate by using a hydrothermal approach. The effect of TiO{sub 2} morphology and Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} coating layer on the photovoltaic performance of the flexible dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on Ti-mesh supported nanostructures were systematically investigated. Compared to the TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays (NWAs), hierarchical TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays (HNWAs) with enlarged internal surface area and strong light scattering properties exhibited higher overall conversion efficiency. The introduction of thin Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} coating layers on the surface of the TiO{sub 2} HNWAs played a key role in improving the photovoltaic performance of the flexible DSSC. By separating the TiO{sub 2} and electrolyte (I{sup –}/I{sub 3}{sup –}), the Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} energy barrier decreased the electron recombination rate and increased electron collection efficiency and injection efficiency, resulting in improved J{sub sc} and V{sub oc}. Furthermore, the influence of Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} coating amounts on the power conversion efficiency were discussed in detail. The fully flexible DSSC based on Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} coated TiO{sub 2} HNWAs films with a thickness of 14 μm displayed a well photovoltaic property

  2. Solar Radiation on Mars: Tracking Photovoltaic Array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Appelbaum, Joseph; Flood, Dennis J.; Crutchik, Marcos

    1994-01-01

    A photovoltaic power source for surface-based operation on Mars can offer many advantages. Detailed information on solar radiation characteristics on Mars and the insolation on various types of collector surfaces are necessary for effective design of future planned photovoltaic systems. In this article we have presented analytical expressions for solar radiation calculation and solar radiation data for single axis (of various types) and two axis tracking surfaces and compared the insulation to horizontal and inclined surfaces. For clear skies (low atmospheric dust load) tracking surfaces resulted in higher insolation than stationary surfaces, whereas for highly dusty atmospheres, the difference is small. The insolation on the different types of stationary and tracking surfaces depend on latitude, season and optical depth of the atmosphere, and the duration of system operation. These insolations have to be compared for each mission.

  3. Nonimaging light concentrator with uniform irradiance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winston, Roland; Gee, Randy C.

    2003-04-01

    A nonimaging light concentrator system including a primary collector of light, an optical mixer disposed near the focal zone for collecting light from the primary collector, the optical mixer having a transparent entrance aperture, an internally reflective housing for substantially total internal reflection of light, a transparent exit aperture and an array of photovoltaic cells disposed near the transparent exit aperture.

  4. The status of lightweight photovoltaic space array technology based on amorphous silicon solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanak, Joseph J.; Kaschmitter, Jim

    1991-01-01

    Ultralight, flexible photovoltaic (PV) array of amorphous silicon (a-Si) was identified as a potential low cost power source for small satellites. A survey was conducted of the status of the a-Si PV array technology with respect to present and future performance, availability, cost, and risks. For existing, experimental array blankets made of commercial cell material, utilizing metal foil substrates, the Beginning of Life (BOL) performance at Air Mass Zero (AM0) and 35 C includes total power up to 200 W, power per area of 64 W/sq m and power per weight of 258 W/kg. Doubling of power per weight occurs when polyimide substrates are used. Estimated End of Life (EOL) power output after 10 years in a nominal low earth orbit would be 80 pct. of BOL, the degradation being due to largely light induced effects (-10 to -15 pct.) and in part (-5 pct.) to space radiation. Predictions for the year 1995 for flexible PV arrays, made on the basis of published results for rigid a-Si modules, indicate EOL power output per area and per weight of 105 W/sq m and 400 W/kg, respectively, while predictions for the late 1990s based on existing U.S. national PV program goals indicate EOL values of 157 W/sq m and 600 W/kg. Cost estimates by vendors for 200 W ultralight arrays in volume of over 1000 units range from $100/watt to $125/watt. Identified risks include the lack of flexible, space compatible encapsulant, the lack of space qualification effort, recent partial or full acquisitions of US manufacturers of a-Si cells by foreign firms, and the absence of a national commitment for a long range development program toward developing of this important power source for space.

  5. Solar Photovoltaic DC Systems: Basics and Safety: Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McNutt, Peter F [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Sekulic, William R [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Dreifuerst, Gary [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - retired

    2018-04-02

    Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems are common and growing with 42.4 GW installed capacity in U.S. (almost 15 GW added in 2016). This paper will help electrical workers, and emergency responders understand the basic operating principles and hazards of PV DC arrays. We briefly discuss the following aspects of solar photovoltaic (PV) DC systems: the effects of solar radiation and temperature on output power; PV module testing standards; common system configurations; a simple PV array sizing example; NEC guidelines and other safety features; DC array commissioning, periodic maintenance and testing; arc-flash hazard potential; how electrical workers and emergency responders can and do work safely around PV arrays; do moonlight and artificial lighting pose a real danger; typical safe operating procedures; and other potential DC-system hazards to be aware of. We also present some statistics on PV DC array electrical incidents and injuries. Safe PV array operation is possible with a good understanding of PV DC arrays basics and having good safe operating procedures in place.

  6. Using Measured Plane-of-Array Data Directly in Photovoltaic Modeling: Methodology and Validation: Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Freeman, Janine; Freestate, David; Riley, Cameron; Hobbs, William

    2016-11-01

    Measured plane-of-array (POA) irradiance may provide a lower-cost alternative to standard irradiance component data for photovoltaic (PV) system performance modeling without loss of accuracy. Previous work has shown that transposition models typically used by PV models to calculate POA irradiance from horizontal data introduce error into the POA irradiance estimates, and that measured POA data can correlate better to measured performance data. However, popular PV modeling tools historically have not directly used input POA data. This paper introduces a new capability in NREL's System Advisor Model (SAM) to directly use POA data in PV modeling, and compares SAM results from both POA irradiance and irradiance components inputs against measured performance data for eight operating PV systems.

  7. NASA-OAST program in photovoltaic energy conversion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mullin, J. P.; Flood, D. J.

    1982-01-01

    The NASA program in photovoltaic energy conversion includes research and technology development efforts on solar cells, blankets, and arrays. The overall objectives are to increase conversion efficiency, reduce mass, reduce cost, and increase operating life. The potential growth of space power requirements in the future presents a major challenge to the current state of technology in space photovoltaic systems.

  8. Directory of French photovoltaic research and industry 2011

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poubeau, Romain; Simmonet, Raphael; Canals, Jonathan

    2011-05-01

    After an overview of what is at stake in terms of industrial employment in the photovoltaic sector, a presentation of competitiveness clusters, a description of the value chain (cell manufacturers, arrays manufacturers, power inverter manufacturers, electric equipment manufacturers, structure component manufacturers, fabrication steps, etc.) in the photovoltaic sector, this document proposes a directory (addresses, activity descriptions) of research and industrial actors of the photovoltaic sector in France: research centres, manufacturers, industrial projects

  9. Effects of Titanium Oxide Nanotube Arrays with Different Lengths on the Characteristics of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chin-Guo Kuo

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The self-aligned highly ordered TiO2 nanotube (TNT arrays were fabricated by potentiostatic anodization of Ti foil, and we found that the TNT-array length and diameter were dependent on the electrolyte (NH4F concentration in ethylene glycol and anodization time. The characteristics of the fabricated TNT arrays were characterized by XRD pattern, FESEM, and absorption spectrum. As the electrolyte NH4F concentration in the presence of H2O (2 vol% with anodization was changed from 0.25 to 0.75 wt% and the anodization period was increased from 1 to 5 h, the TNT-array length was changed from 9.55 to 30.2 μm and the TNT-array diameter also increased. As NH4F concentration was 0.5 wt%, the prepared TNT arrays were also used to fabricate the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs. We would show that the measured photovoltaic performance of the DSSCs was dependent on the TNT-array length.

  10. Photovoltaic venture analysis. Final report. Volume III. Appendices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Costello, D.; Posner, D.; Schiffel, D.; Doane, J.; Bishop, C.

    1978-07-01

    This appendix contains a brief summary of a detailed description of alternative future energy scenarios which provide an overall backdrop for the photovoltaic venture analysis. Also included is a summary of a photovoltaic market/demand workshop, a summary of a photovoltaic supply workshop which used cross-impact analysis, and a report on photovoltaic array and system prices in 1982 and 1986. The results of a sectorial demand analysis for photovoltaic power systems used in the residential sector (single family homes), the service, commercial, and institutional sector (schools), and in the central power sector are presented. An analysis of photovoltaics in the electric utility market is given, and a report on the industrialization of photovoltaic systems is included. A DOE information memorandum regarding ''A Strategy for a Multi-Year Procurement Initiative on Photovoltaics (ACTS No. ET-002)'' is also included. (WHK)

  11. 26+ Year Old Photovoltaic Power Plant: Degradation and Reliability Evaluation of Crystalline Silicon Modules -- South Array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olakonu, Kolapo

    As the use of photovoltaic (PV) modules in large power plants continues to increase globally, more studies on degradation, reliability, failure modes, and mechanisms of field aged modules are needed to predict module life expectancy based on accelerated lifetime testing of PV modules. In this work, a 26+ year old PV power plant in Phoenix, Arizona has been evaluated for performance, reliability, and durability. The PV power plant, called Solar One, is owned and operated by John F. Long's homeowners association. It is a 200 kW dc, standard test conditions (STC) rated power plant comprised of 4000 PV modules or frameless laminates, in 100 panel groups (rated at 175 kW ac). The power plant is made of two center-tapped bipolar arrays, the north array and the south array. Due to a limited time frame to execute this large project, this work was performed by two masters students (Jonathan Belmont and Kolapo Olakonu) and the test results are presented in two masters theses. This thesis presents the results obtained on the south array and the other thesis presents the results obtained on the north array. Each of these two arrays is made of four sub arrays, the east sub arrays (positive and negative polarities) and the west sub arrays (positive and negative polarities), making up eight sub arrays. The evaluation and analyses of the power plant included in this thesis consists of: visual inspection, electrical performance measurements, and infrared thermography. A possible presence of potential induced degradation (PID) due to potential difference between ground and strings was also investigated. Some installation practices were also studied and found to contribute to the power loss observed in this investigation. The power output measured in 2011 for all eight sub arrays at STC is approximately 76 kWdc and represents a power loss of 62% (from 200 kW to 76 kW) over 26+ years. The 2011 measured power output for the four south sub arrays at STC is 39 kWdc and represents a power

  12. A Concentrator Photovoltaic System Based on a Combination of Prism-Compound Parabolic Concentrators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ngoc Hai Vu

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available We present a cost-effective concentrating photovoltaic system composed of a prism and a compound parabolic concentrator (P-CPC. In this approach, the primary collector consists of a prism, a solid compound parabolic concentrator (CPC, and a slab waveguide. The prism, which is placed on the input aperture of CPC, directs the incoming sunlight beam to be parallel with the main axes of parabolic rims of CPC. Then, the sunlight is reflected at the parabolic rims and concentrated at the focal point of these parabolas. A slab waveguide is coupled at the output aperture of the CPC to collect focused sunlight beams and to guide them to the solar cell. The optical system was modeled and simulated with commercial ray tracing software (LightTools™. Simulation results show that the optical efficiency of a P-CPC can achieve up to 89%. when the concentration ratio of the P-CPC is fixed at 50. We also determine an optimal geometric structure of P-CPC based on simulation. Because of the simplicity of the P-CPC structure, a lower-cost mass production process is possible. A simulation based on optimal structure of P-CPC was performed and the results also shown that P-CPC has high angular tolerance for input sunlight. The high tolerance of the input angle of sunlight allows P-CPC solar concentrator utilize a single sun tracking system instead of a highly precise dual suntracking system as cost effective solution.

  13. The experimental study of a two-stage photovoltaic thermal system based on solar trough concentration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tan, Lijun; Ji, Xu; Li, Ming; Leng, Congbin; Luo, Xi; Li, Haili

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • A two-stage photovoltaic thermal system based on solar trough concentration. • Maximum cell efficiency of 5.21% with the mirror opening width of 57 cm. • With single cycle, maximum temperatures rise in the heating stage is 12.06 °C. • With 30 min multiple cycles, working medium temperature 62.8 °C, increased 28.7 °C. - Abstract: A two-stage photovoltaic thermal system based on solar trough concentration is proposed, in which the metal cavity heating stage is added on the basis of the PV/T stage, and thermal energy with higher temperature is output while electric energy is output. With the 1.8 m 2 mirror PV/T system, the characteristic parameters of the space solar cell under non-concentrating solar radiation and concentrating solar radiation are respectively tested experimentally, and the solar cell output characteristics at different opening widths of concentrating mirror of the PV/T stage under condensation are also tested experimentally. When the mirror opening width was 57 cm, the solar cell efficiency reached maximum value of 5.21%. The experimental platform of the two-stage photovoltaic thermal system was established, with a 1.8 m 2 mirror PV/T stage and a 15 m 2 mirror heating stage, or a 1.8 m 2 mirror PV/T stage and a 30 m 2 mirror heating stage. The results showed that with single cycle, the long metal cavity heating stage would bring lower thermal efficiency, but temperature rise of the working medium is higher, up to 12.06 °C with only single cycle. With 30 min closed multiple cycles, the temperature of the working medium in the water tank was 62.8 °C, with an increase of 28.7 °C, and thermal energy with higher temperature could be output

  14. Flat plate vs. concentrator solar photovoltaic cells - A manufacturing cost analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granon, L. A.; Coleman, M. G.

    1980-01-01

    The choice of which photovoltaic system (flat plate or concentrator) to use for utilizing solar cells to generate electricity depends mainly on the cost. A detailed, comparative manufacturing cost analysis of the two types of systems is presented. Several common assumptions, i.e., cell thickness, interest rate, power rate, factory production life, polysilicon cost, and direct labor rate are utilized in this analysis. Process sequences, cost variables, and sensitivity analyses have been studied, and results of the latter show that the most important parameters which determine manufacturing costs are concentration ratio, manufacturing volume, and cell efficiency. The total cost per watt of the flat plate solar cell is $1.45, and that of the concentrator solar cell is $1.85, the higher cost being due to the increased process complexity and material costs.

  15. Operation and maintenance cost data for residential photovoltaic modules/panels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oster, J. R., Jr.; Zaremski, D. R., Jr.; Albert, E. M.; Hawkins, S. L.

    1980-01-01

    Costs associated with the operation and maintenance of residential photovoltaic modules and arrays are studied. Six basic topics related to operation and maintenance to photovoltaic arrays are investigated: maintenance; cleaning; panel replacement; gasket repair/replacement; wiring repair/replacement; and termination repair/replacement. The effects of the mounting types (rack mount, stand off mount, direct mount and integral mount) and the installation/replacement type (sequential, partial interruption and independent) are identified and described. Methods of reducing maintenance costs are suggested.

  16. Particle Swarm Optimization Based of the Maximum Photovoltaic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Photovoltaic electricity is seen as an important source of renewable energy. The photovoltaic array is an unstable source of power since the peak power point depends on the temperature and the irradiation level. A maximum peak power point tracking is then necessary for maximum efficiency. In this work, a Particle Swarm ...

  17. Core-shell heterojunction of silicon nanowire arrays and carbon quantum dots for photovoltaic devices and self-driven photodetectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Chao; Nie, Biao; Zeng, Longhui; Liang, Feng-Xia; Wang, Ming-Zheng; Luo, Linbao; Feng, Mei; Yu, Yongqiang; Wu, Chun-Yan; Wu, Yucheng; Yu, Shu-Hong

    2014-04-22

    Silicon nanostructure-based solar cells have lately intrigued intensive interest because of their promising potential in next-generation solar energy conversion devices. Herein, we report a silicon nanowire (SiNW) array/carbon quantum dot (CQD) core-shell heterojunction photovoltaic device by directly coating Ag-assisted chemical-etched SiNW arrays with CQDs. The heterojunction with a barrier height of 0.75 eV exhibited excellent rectifying behavior with a rectification ratio of 10(3) at ±0.8 V in the dark and power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as 9.10% under AM 1.5G irradiation. It is believed that such a high PCE comes from the improved optical absorption as well as the optimized carrier transfer and collection capability. Furthermore, the heterojunction could function as a high-performance self-driven visible light photodetector operating in a wide switching wavelength with good stability, high sensitivity, and fast response speed. It is expected that the present SiNW array/CQD core-shell heterojunction device could find potential applications in future high-performance optoelectronic devices.

  18. Photovoltaic Properties of p-Doped GaAs Nanowire Arrays Grown on n-Type GaAs(111)B Substrate

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    We report on the molecular beam epitaxy growth of Au-assisted GaAs p-type-doped NW arrays on the n-type GaAs(111)B substrate and their photovoltaic properties. The samples are grown at different substrate temperature within the range from 520 to 580 °C. It is shown that the dependence of conversion efficiency on the substrate temperature has a maximum at the substrate temperature of 550 °C. For the best sample, the conversion efficiency of 1.65% and the fill factor of 25% are obtained. PMID:20672038

  19. Optimizing electrical load pattern in Kuwait using grid connected photovoltaic systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Hasan, A.Y.; Ghoneim, A.A.; Abdullah, A.H.

    2004-01-01

    Grid connected photovoltaic systems is one of the most promising applications of photovoltaic systems. These systems are employed in applications where utility service is already available. In this case, there is no need for battery storage because grid power may be used to supplement photovoltaic systems (PV) when the load exceeds available PV generation. The load receives electricity from both the photovoltaic array and the utility grid. In this system, the load is the total electrical energy consumption. The main objective of the present work is to optimize the electrical load pattern in Kuwait using grid connected PV systems. In this situation, the electric load demand can be satisfied from both the photovoltaic array and the utility grid. The performance of grid connected photovoltaic systems in the Kuwait climate has been evaluated. It was found that the peak load matches the maximum incident solar radiation in Kuwait, which would emphasize the role of using the PV station to minimize the electrical load demand. In addition, a significant reduction in peak load can be achieved with grid connected PV systems

  20. Development of a Photovoltaic Array Emulator System in Real Time Considering Climatic Conditions Variations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camilo E. Ardila-Franco

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the development of an emulator that has the ability to replicate, in real time, the behavior of photovoltaic panels (PV arrays considering different conditions of irradiation and temperature for each one. The emulator consists of a data acquisition card, a programmable source and a computer. It is based on the bypass diode model that provides a better approximation to real operating conditions. The solution is computed by a simplified equation that uses the Lambert W function, which reduces the computation time. After that, it generates a solution table of values of current as a function of voltage on terminals, temperature and irradiation. Real-time emulation is performed by means of a search algorithm in the solutions table of the closest value to the voltage imposed on the terminals.

  1. Adaptive smart simulator for characterization and MPPT construction of PV array

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ouada, Mehdi; Meridjet, Mohamed Salah; Dib, Djalel

    2016-01-01

    Partial shading conditions are among the most important problems in large photovoltaic array. Many works of literature are interested in modeling, control and optimization of photovoltaic conversion of solar energy under partial shading conditions, The aim of this study is to build a software simulator similar to hard simulator and to produce a shading pattern of the proposed photovoltaic array in order to use the delivered information to obtain an optimal configuration of the PV array and construct MPPT algorithm. Graphical user interfaces (Matlab GUI) are built using a developed script, this tool is easy to use, simple, and has a rapid of responsiveness, the simulator supports large array simulations that can be interfaced with MPPT and power electronic converters.

  2. Adaptive smart simulator for characterization and MPPT construction of PV array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouada, Mehdi; Meridjet, Mohamed Salah; Dib, Djalel

    2016-07-01

    Partial shading conditions are among the most important problems in large photovoltaic array. Many works of literature are interested in modeling, control and optimization of photovoltaic conversion of solar energy under partial shading conditions, The aim of this study is to build a software simulator similar to hard simulator and to produce a shading pattern of the proposed photovoltaic array in order to use the delivered information to obtain an optimal configuration of the PV array and construct MPPT algorithm. Graphical user interfaces (Matlab GUI) are built using a developed script, this tool is easy to use, simple, and has a rapid of responsiveness, the simulator supports large array simulations that can be interfaced with MPPT and power electronic converters.

  3. Adaptive smart simulator for characterization and MPPT construction of PV array

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ouada, Mehdi, E-mail: mehdi.ouada@univ-annaba.org; Meridjet, Mohamed Salah [Electromechanical engineering department, Electromechanical engineering laboratory, Badji Mokhtar University, B.P. 12, Annaba (Algeria); Dib, Djalel [Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Tebessa, Tebessa (Algeria)

    2016-07-25

    Partial shading conditions are among the most important problems in large photovoltaic array. Many works of literature are interested in modeling, control and optimization of photovoltaic conversion of solar energy under partial shading conditions, The aim of this study is to build a software simulator similar to hard simulator and to produce a shading pattern of the proposed photovoltaic array in order to use the delivered information to obtain an optimal configuration of the PV array and construct MPPT algorithm. Graphical user interfaces (Matlab GUI) are built using a developed script, this tool is easy to use, simple, and has a rapid of responsiveness, the simulator supports large array simulations that can be interfaced with MPPT and power electronic converters.

  4. NASA-OAST photovoltaic energy conversion program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mullin, J. P.; Loria, J. C.

    1984-01-01

    The NASA program in photovoltaic energy conversion research is discussed. Solar cells, solar arrays, gallium arsenides, space station and spacecraft power supplies, and state of the art devices are discussed.

  5. Silicon concentrator cells in a two-stage photovoltaic system with a concentration factor of 300x

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mohr, A.

    2005-06-15

    In this work a rear contacted silicon concentrator cell was developed for an application in a two stage concentrator photovoltaic system. This system was developed at Fraunhofer ISE some years ago. The innovation of this one-axis tracked system is that it enables a high geometrical concentration of 300x in combination with a high optical efficiency (around 78%) and a large acceptance angle of {+-}23.5 all year through. For this, the system uses a parabolic mirror (40.4x) and a three dimensional second stage consisting of compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs, 7.7x). For the concentrator concept and particularly for an easy cell integration, the rear line contacted concentrator (RLCC) cells with a maximum efficiency of 25% were developed and a hybrid mounting concept for the RLCC cells is presented. The optical performance of different CPC materials was tested and analysed in this work. Finally, small modules consisting of six series interconnected RLCC cells and six CPCs were integrated into the concentrator system and tested outdoor. A system efficiency of 16.2% was reached at around 800 W/m2 direct irradiance under realistic outdoor conditions. (orig.)

  6. Materials for Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems: Optical Properties and Solar Radiation Durability

    Science.gov (United States)

    French, R. H.; Rodríguez-Parada, J. M.; Yang, M. K.; Lemon, M. F.; Romano, E. C.; Boydell, P.

    2010-10-01

    Concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems are designed to operate over a wide range of solar concentrations, from low concentrations of ˜1 to 12 Suns to medium concentrations in the range from 12 to 200 Suns, to high concentration CPV systems going up to 2000 Suns. Many transparent optical materials are used for a wide variety of functions ranging from refractive and reflective optics to homogenizers, encapsulants and even thermal management. The classes of materials used also span a wide spectrum from hydrocarbon polymers (HCP) and fluoropolymers (FP) to silicon containing polymers and polyimides (PI). The optical properties of these materials are essential to the optical behavior of the system. At the same time radiation durability of these materials under the extremely wide range of solar concentrations is a critical performance requirement for the required lifetime of a CPV system. As part of our research on materials for CPV we are evaluating the optical properties and solar radiation durability of various polymeric materials to define the optimum material combinations for various CPV systems.

  7. Fuzzy Controller Design Using FPGA for Photovoltaic Maximum Power Point Tracking

    OpenAIRE

    Basil M Hamed; Mohammed S. El-Moghany

    2012-01-01

    The cell has optimum operating point to be able to get maximum power. To obtain Maximum Power from photovoltaic array, photovoltaic power system usually requires Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) controller. This paper provides a small power photovoltaic control system based on fuzzy control with FPGA technology design and implementation for MPPT. The system composed of photovoltaic module, buck converter and the fuzzy logic controller implemented on FPGA for controlling on/off time of MOSF...

  8. Design of a holographic micro-scale spectrum-splitting photovoltaic system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yuechen; Vorndran, Shelby; Ayala Pelaez, Silvana; Russo, Juan M.; Kostuk, Raymond K.

    2015-09-01

    Micro-scale PV technology combines the high conversion efficiency of concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) with the low costs and the simple form of flat panel PV. Some of the benefits of micro-scale PV include: reduced semiconductor material usage; improved heat rejection capacity; and more versatile PV cell interconnect configurations. Spectrumsplitting is also a beneficial technique to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of photovoltaic systems. It spatially separates the incident solar spectrum into spectral components and directs them to PV cells with matching bandgaps. This approach avoids the current and lattice matching problems that exist in tandem multi-junction systems. In this paper, we applied the ideas of spectrum-splitting in a micro-scale PV system, and demonstrated a holographic micro-scale spectrum-splitting photovoltaic system. This system consists of a volume transmission hologram in combination with a micro-lens array. An analysis methodology was developed to design the system and determine the performance of the resulting system. The spatial characteristics of the dispersed spectrum, the overall system conversion efficiency, and the improvement over best bandgap will be discussed.

  9. Photovoltaic restoration of sight with high visual acuity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorach, Henri; Goetz, Georges; Smith, Richard; Lei, Xin; Mandel, Yossi; Kamins, Theodore; Mathieson, Keith; Huie, Philip; Harris, James; Sher, Alexander; Palanker, Daniel

    2015-01-01

    Patients with retinal degeneration lose sight due to gradual demise of photoreceptors. Electrical stimulation of the surviving retinal neurons provides an alternative route for delivery of visual information. We demonstrate that subretinal arrays with 70 μm photovoltaic pixels provide highly localized stimulation, with electrical and visual receptive fields of comparable sizes in rat retinal ganglion cells. Similarly to normal vision, retinal response to prosthetic stimulation exhibits flicker fusion at high frequencies, adaptation to static images and non-linear spatial summation. In rats with retinal degeneration, these photovoltaic arrays provide spatial resolution of 64 ± 11 μm, corresponding to half of the normal visual acuity in pigmented rats. Ease of implantation of these wireless and modular arrays, combined with their high resolution opens the door to functional restoration of sight. PMID:25915832

  10. An inverter/controller subsystem optimized for photovoltaic applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pickrell, R. L.; Merrill, W. C.; Osullivan, G.

    1978-01-01

    Conversion of solar array dc power to ac power stimulated the specification, design, and simulation testing of an inverter/controller subsystem tailored to the photovoltaic power source characteristics. This paper discusses the optimization of the inverter/controller design as part of an overall Photovoltaic Power System (PPS) designed for maximum energy extraction from the solar array. The special design requirements for the inverter/controller include: (1) a power system controller (PSC) to control continuously the solar array operating point at the maximum power level based on variable solar insolation and cell temperatures; and (2) an inverter designed for high efficiency at rated load and low losses at light loadings to conserve energy. It must be capable of operating connected to the utility line at a level set by an external controller (PSC).

  11. Solar photovoltaic reflective trough collection structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Benjamin J.; Sweatt, William C.; Okandan, Murat; Nielson, Gregory N.

    2015-11-19

    A photovoltaic (PV) solar concentration structure having at least two troughs encapsulated in a rectangular parallelepiped optical plastic structure, with the troughs filled with an optical plastic material, the troughs each having a reflective internal surface and approximately parabolic geometry, and the troughs each including photovoltaic cells situated so that light impinging on the optical plastic material will be concentrated onto the photovoltaic cells. Multiple structures can be connected to provide a solar photovoltaic collection system that provides portable, efficient, low-cost electrical power.

  12. Microsystem enabled photovoltaic modules and systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nielson, Gregory N.; Sweatt, William C.; Okandan, Murat

    2017-09-12

    A photovoltaic (PV) module includes an absorber layer coupled to an optic layer. The absorber layer includes an array of PV elements. The optic layer includes a close-packed array of Keplerian telescope elements, each corresponding to one of an array of pupil elements. The Keplerian telescope substantially couple radiation that is incident on their objective surfaces into the corresponding pupil elements. Each pupil element relays radiation that is coupled into it from the corresponding Keplerian telescope element into the corresponding PV element.

  13. An initial analysis of options for a UK feed-in tariff for photovoltaic energy, from an array owner's viewpoint

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plater, Steve

    2009-01-01

    The UK government has announced the introduction from April 2010 of a feed-in tariff (FIT) for renewable energy, and initiated a consultation on its design. This paper compares three possible variants of a UK FIT for rooftop photovoltaic (PV) arrays, on the basis of calculated income and array cost payback time, and for three locations (north, central and southern England) and various levels of household electricity consumption. This modelling is based on an FIT rate equivalent to Germany's. It concludes that an FIT which paid only for PV electricity surplus to on-site needs, and exported to the grid, would mean a simple payback time too long to make array purchase appealing. Preferable would be either export to the grid of all PV electricity for FIT payment; or a lower FIT rate for electricity used on-site, plus full FIT for any surplus exported. The latter would involve significantly lower costs in feed-in tariff payments. Finally, the effect of the UK government's illustrative FIT rate for consultation is examined for the same locations and annual consumption levels.

  14. Low earth orbit environmental effects on the space station photovoltaic power generation systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nahra, H.K.

    1977-01-01

    A summary of the Low Earth Orbital Environment, its impact on the photovoltaic power systems of the space station and the solutions implemented to resolve the environmental concerns or issues are described. Low Earth Orbital Environment (LEO) presents several concerns to the photovoltaic power systems of the space station. These concerns include atomic oxygen interaction with the polymeric substrate of the solar arrays, ionized environment effects on the array operating voltage, the effects of the meteoroids and debris impacts and penetration through the different layers of the solar cells and their circuits, and the high energy particle and radiation effects on the overall solar array performance. Potential solutions to some of the degrading environmental interactions that will provide the photovoltaic power system of the space station with the desired life are also summarized

  15. A distributed monitoring system for photovoltaic arrays based on a two-level wireless sensor network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, F. P.; Chen, Z. C.; Zhou, H. F.; Wu, L. J.; Lin, P. J.; Cheng, S. Y.; Li, Y. F.

    2017-11-01

    In this paper, a distributed on-line monitoring system based on a two-level wireless sensor network (WSN) is proposed for real time status monitoring of photovoltaic (PV) arrays to support the fine management and maintenance of PV power plants. The system includes the sensing nodes installed on PV modules (PVM), sensing and routing nodes installed on combiner boxes of PV sub-arrays (PVA), a sink node and a data management centre (DMC) running on a host computer. The first level WSN is implemented by the low-cost wireless transceiver nRF24L01, and it is used to achieve single hop communication between the PVM nodes and their corresponding PVA nodes. The second level WSN is realized by the CC2530 based ZigBee network for multi-hop communication among PVA nodes and the sink node. The PVM nodes are used to monitor the PVM working voltage and backplane temperature, and they send the acquired data to their PVA node via the nRF24L01 based first level WSN. The PVA nodes are used to monitor the array voltage, PV string current and environment irradiance, and they send the acquired and received data to the DMC via the ZigBee based second level WSN. The DMC is designed using the MATLAB GUIDE and MySQL database. Laboratory experiment results show that the system can effectively acquire, display, store and manage the operating and environment parameters of PVA in real time.

  16. Natural conditions and administrative settings for concentrating photovoltaics in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Ling; Chen, Xiaoyuan; Leutz, Ralf

    2012-10-01

    It is an inevitable trend for China to develop green technologies to help the country to produce cleaner energy and to consume it more efficiently, under the pressure of energy security concern, the nation's emissions trajectory and sustainable economic development. The abundant solar resources in West China provide a big potential to utilize the solar energy. Under the promotion of key incentive policies including both feed-in-tariff (FIT) mechanisms and government rebate programs, China has become a major global solar force in photovoltaic (PV) industry both in manufacturing and in the installation of flat-plate products, with 16 GW production and 2.75 GW installation achieved in the year 2011. As a branch of PV technology, concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) technology with several years' development history in China is presently moving from pilot facilities to commercial-scale applications. Several MW-CPV power plants have been installed by both domestic and western companies in China, factories with several hundred-MW production capacity are being planned or built. Sustainable performance and reliability improvement of CPV modules, a vertical integration of supply chain in CPV industry aiming at a cost reduction, a sufficient grid infrastructure for facilitating the West-East and North-South electricity transmission will promote Chinese CPV market to actually initiate, develop and mature.

  17. Design and optical performance of a nonimaging Fresnel transmissive concentrator for building integration applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chemisana, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.chemisana@macs.udl.cat [Applied Physics Section of the Polytechnic School (EPS), University of Lleida, 25001 Lleida (Spain); Ignasi Rosell, Joan [Applied Physics Section of the Polytechnic School (EPS), University of Lleida, 25001 Lleida (Spain)

    2011-09-15

    Highlights: {yields} The designed concentrator has an important potential for building integration. {yields} The device concentrates radiation toward a static receiver. {yields} Tracking performed by a single driver, representing an important mechanical advantage. {yields} The system reaches a global optical efficiency value of 56.38%. - Abstract: A transmissive Fresnel reflector is designed to match the needs of building integration for concentrating photovoltaic (PV), thermal (T) or hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) generation. The device concentrates radiation toward a static receiver by means of an array of reflectors which rotate collectively. All rotation axes are coplanar and parallel. A deep analytical ray tracing study has been made of the design characteristics and concentrator performance, thus determining the configuration which optimises efficiency. Numerous ray tracing numerical simulations have been performed which contrast and support the analytical results.

  18. Design and optical performance of a nonimaging Fresnel transmissive concentrator for building integration applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chemisana, Daniel; Ignasi Rosell, Joan

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → The designed concentrator has an important potential for building integration. → The device concentrates radiation toward a static receiver. → Tracking performed by a single driver, representing an important mechanical advantage. → The system reaches a global optical efficiency value of 56.38%. - Abstract: A transmissive Fresnel reflector is designed to match the needs of building integration for concentrating photovoltaic (PV), thermal (T) or hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) generation. The device concentrates radiation toward a static receiver by means of an array of reflectors which rotate collectively. All rotation axes are coplanar and parallel. A deep analytical ray tracing study has been made of the design characteristics and concentrator performance, thus determining the configuration which optimises efficiency. Numerous ray tracing numerical simulations have been performed which contrast and support the analytical results.

  19. Wafer-scale high-throughput ordered arrays of Si and coaxial Si/Si(1-x)Ge(x) wires: fabrication, characterization, and photovoltaic application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Caofeng; Luo, Zhixiang; Xu, Chen; Luo, Jun; Liang, Renrong; Zhu, Guang; Wu, Wenzhuo; Guo, Wenxi; Yan, Xingxu; Xu, Jun; Wang, Zhong Lin; Zhu, Jing

    2011-08-23

    We have developed a method combining lithography and catalytic etching to fabricate large-area (uniform coverage over an entire 5-in. wafer) arrays of vertically aligned single-crystal Si nanowires with high throughput. Coaxial n-Si/p-SiGe wire arrays are also fabricated by further coating single-crystal epitaxial SiGe layers on the Si wires using ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition (UHVCVD). This method allows precise control over the diameter, length, density, spacing, orientation, shape, pattern and location of the Si and Si/SiGe nanowire arrays, making it possible to fabricate an array of devices based on rationally designed nanowire arrays. A proposed fabrication mechanism of the etching process is presented. Inspired by the excellent antireflection properties of the Si/SiGe wire arrays, we built solar cells based on the arrays of these wires containing radial junctions, an example of which exhibits an open circuit voltage (V(oc)) of 650 mV, a short-circuit current density (J(sc)) of 8.38 mA/cm(2), a fill factor of 0.60, and an energy conversion efficiency (η) of 3.26%. Such a p-n radial structure will have a great potential application for cost-efficient photovoltaic (PV) solar energy conversion. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  20. Reliability Evaluation of Concentrator Photovoltaic Modules per IEC Qualification Specifications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tamizhmani, Govindasamy

    2012-12-05

    This project is related to the qualification testing of new generation CPV (concentrator photovoltaics) modules at lower testing costs and lower turnaround time. In this project, the first testing program was completed for two CPV manufacturers, the second testing program was completed for two manufacturers at 65% of the actual testing cost and at less than 3 months of testing turnaround time and the third testing program was completed for two manufacturers at 65% of the actual testing cost and at less than 3 months of testing turnaround time. Due to their financial situation and restructuring, Amonix (one of the CPV manufacturers) intermittently terminated the test programs.

  1. Performance of photovoltaic arrays in-vivo and characteristics of prosthetic vision in animals with retinal degeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorach, Henri; Goetz, Georges; Mandel, Yossi; Lei, Xin; Kamins, Theodore I.; Mathieson, Keith; Huie, Philip; Dalal, Roopa; Harris, James S.; Palanker, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    Summary Loss of photoreceptors during retinal degeneration leads to blindness, but information can be reintroduced into the visual system using electrical stimulation of the remaining retinal neurons. Subretinal photovoltaic arrays convert pulsed illumination into pulsed electric current to stimulate the inner retinal neurons. Since required irradiance exceeds the natural luminance levels, an invisible near-infrared (915nm) light is used to avoid photophobic effects. We characterized the thresholds and dynamic range of cortical responses to prosthetic stimulation with arrays of various pixel sizes and with different number of photodiodes. Stimulation thresholds for devices with 140µm pixels were approximately half those of 70µm pixels, and with both pixel sizes, thresholds were lower with 2 diodes than with 3 diodes per pixel. In all cases these thresholds were more than two orders of magnitude below the ocular safety limit. At high stimulation frequencies (>20Hz), the cortical response exhibited flicker fusion. Over one order of magnitude of dynamic range could be achieved by varying either pulse duration or irradiance. However, contrast sensitivity was very limited. Cortical responses could be detected even with only a few illuminated pixels. Finally, we demonstrate that recording of the corneal electric potential in response to patterned illumination of the subretinal arrays allows monitoring the current produced by each pixel, and thereby assessing the changes in the implant performance over time. PMID:25255990

  2. SAM Photovoltaic Model Technical Reference 2016 Update

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gilman, Paul [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); DiOrio, Nicholas A [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Freeman, Janine M [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Janzou, Steven [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Dobos, Aron [No longer NREL employee; Ryberg, David [No longer NREL employee

    2018-03-19

    This manual describes the photovoltaic performance model in the System Advisor Model (SAM) software, Version 2016.3.14 Revision 4 (SSC Version 160). It is an update to the 2015 edition of the manual, which describes the photovoltaic model in SAM 2015.1.30 (SSC 41). This new edition includes corrections of errors in the 2015 edition and descriptions of new features introduced in SAM 2016.3.14, including: 3D shade calculator Battery storage model DC power optimizer loss inputs Snow loss model Plane-of-array irradiance input from weather file option Support for sub-hourly simulations Self-shading works with all four subarrays, and uses same algorithm for fixed arrays and one-axis tracking Linear self-shading algorithm for thin-film modules Loss percentages replace derate factors. The photovoltaic performance model is one of the modules in the SAM Simulation Core (SSC), which is part of both SAM and the SAM SDK. SAM is a user-friedly desktop application for analysis of renewable energy projects. The SAM SDK (Software Development Kit) is for developers writing their own renewable energy analysis software based on SSC. This manual is written for users of both SAM and the SAM SDK wanting to learn more about the details of SAM's photovoltaic model.

  3. Photovoltaic array performance simulation models

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Menicucci, D. F.

    1986-09-15

    The experience of the solar industry confirms that, despite recent cost reductions, the profitability of photovoltaic (PV) systems is often marginal and the configuration and sizing of a system is a critical problem for the design engineer. Construction and evaluation of experimental systems are expensive and seldom justifiable. A mathematical model or computer-simulation program is a desirable alternative, provided reliable results can be obtained. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque (SNLA), has been studying PV-system modeling techniques in an effort to develop an effective tool to be used by engineers and architects in the design of cost-effective PV systems. This paper reviews two of the sources of error found in previous PV modeling programs, presents the remedies developed to correct these errors, and describes a new program that incorporates these improvements.

  4. Concentrator photovoltaic module architectures with capabilities for capture and conversion of full global solar radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Kyu-Tae; Yao, Yuan; He, Junwen; Fisher, Brent; Sheng, Xing; Lumb, Matthew; Xu, Lu; Anderson, Mikayla A.; Scheiman, David; Han, Seungyong; Kang, Yongseon; Gumus, Abdurrahman; Bahabry, Rabab R.; Lee, Jung Woo; Paik, Ungyu; Bronstein, Noah D.; Alivisatos, A. Paul; Meitl, Matthew; Burroughs, Scott; Mustafa Hussain, Muhammad; Lee, Jeong Chul; Nuzzo, Ralph G.; Rogers, John A.

    2016-12-01

    Emerging classes of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules reach efficiencies that are far greater than those of even the highest performance flat-plate PV technologies, with architectures that have the potential to provide the lowest cost of energy in locations with high direct normal irradiance (DNI). A disadvantage is their inability to effectively use diffuse sunlight, thereby constraining widespread geographic deployment and limiting performance even under the most favorable DNI conditions. This study introduces a module design that integrates capabilities in flat-plate PV directly with the most sophisticated CPV technologies, for capture of both direct and diffuse sunlight, thereby achieving efficiency in PV conversion of the global solar radiation. Specific examples of this scheme exploit commodity silicon (Si) cells integrated with two different CPV module designs, where they capture light that is not efficiently directed by the concentrator optics onto large-scale arrays of miniature multijunction (MJ) solar cells that use advanced III-V semiconductor technologies. In this CPV+ scheme (“+” denotes the addition of diffuse collector), the Si and MJ cells operate independently on indirect and direct solar radiation, respectively. On-sun experimental studies of CPV+ modules at latitudes of 35.9886° N (Durham, NC), 40.1125° N (Bondville, IL), and 38.9072° N (Washington, DC) show improvements in absolute module efficiencies of between 1.02% and 8.45% over values obtained using otherwise similar CPV modules, depending on weather conditions. These concepts have the potential to expand the geographic reach and improve the cost-effectiveness of the highest efficiency forms of PV power generation.

  5. Photovoltaic demonstration projects 2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gillett, W B; Hacker, R J [Halcrow (William) and Partners, Swindon (UK); Kaut, W [eds.

    1989-01-01

    This book, the proceedings of the third Photovoltaic Contractors' Meeting organised by the Commission of the European Communities, Directorate-General for Energy provides an overview of the photovoltaic demonstration projects which have been supported by the Energy Directorate of the Commission of the European Communities since 1983. It includes reports by each of the contractors who submitted proposals in 1983, 1984 and 1985, describing progress with their projects. The different technologies which are being demonstrated concern the modules, the cabling of the array, structure design, storage strategy and power conditioning. The various applications include powering of houses, villages, recreation centres, water desalination, communications, dairy farms, water pumping and warning systems. (author).

  6. Terrestrial photovoltaic power systems with sunlight concentration. Annual progress report, January 1, 1975--December 31, 1975

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Backus, C.E.

    1976-01-31

    This annual report is for the second year of a program to investigate the characteristics of the components and the total system using sunlight concentrated onto solar cells. The second year was primarily to experimentally investigate the conclusions of the first year of analytical studies. Cells have been fabricated that are designed for different intensities. Typically the efficiency of a cell will increase from its 11 percent at AM1 peak to efficiency at the designed concentration level and return to its initial efficiency at about 3 times its designed concentration level. The developed cells have been tested under high intensity simulators and in concentrated sunlight and have shown to have the predicted response. The experimental testing of passive cooling limitations for cooling cells with just finned arrangements in the back of the cell has been completed in the controlled environment of a wind tunnel. These experiments have confirmed the heat transfer coefficients that had been used in the analytical studies. Testing was done to collect heat transfer coefficients for actual wind conditions and these data show good agreement with the controlled wind tunnel data. Four photovoltaic/concentrator system experiments have been started with CR of about 3, 10, 25, and 100. System analysis has indicated that photovoltaic concentration systems may be attractive in low solar irradiation areas such as Cleveland.

  7. A review of the promises and challenges of micro-concentrator photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domínguez, César; Jost, Norman; Askins, Steve; Victoria, Marta; Antón, Ignacio

    2017-09-01

    Micro concentrator photovoltaics (micro-CPV) is an unconventional approach for developing high-efficiency low-cost PV systems. The micrifying of cells and optics brings about an increase of efficiency with respect to classical CPV, at the expense of some fundamental challenges at mass production. The large costs linked to miniaturization under conventional serial-assembly processes raise the need for the development of parallel manufacturing technologies. In return, the tiny sizes involved allows exploring unconventional optical architectures or revisiting conventional concepts that were typically discarded because of large material consumption or high bulk absorption at classical CPV sizes.

  8. Synthesis of concentric circular antenna arrays using dragonfly algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babayigit, B.

    2018-05-01

    Due to the strong non-linear relationship between the array factor and the array elements, concentric circular antenna array (CCAA) synthesis problem is challenging. Nature-inspired optimisation techniques have been playing an important role in solving array synthesis problems. Dragonfly algorithm (DA) is a novel nature-inspired optimisation technique which is based on the static and dynamic swarming behaviours of dragonflies in nature. This paper presents the design of CCAAs to get low sidelobes using DA. The effectiveness of the proposed DA is investigated in two different (with and without centre element) cases of two three-ring (having 4-, 6-, 8-element or 8-, 10-, 12-element) CCAA design. The radiation pattern of each design cases is obtained by finding optimal excitation weights of the array elements using DA. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the other state-of-the-art techniques (symbiotic organisms search, biogeography-based optimisation, sequential quadratic programming, opposition-based gravitational search algorithm, cat swarm optimisation, firefly algorithm, evolutionary programming) for all design cases. DA can be a promising technique for electromagnetic problems.

  9. Photovoltaic technologies for commercial power generation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, D.E.

    1990-01-01

    Photovoltaic power generation is an attractive source of energy since it involves the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity with no moving parts and no pollution. Following the demonstration of the first solar cell 35 years ago at Bell Laboratories, a steady stream of scientific and commercial progress has led to a rapid increase in applications in recent years. The first commercial application of solar cells occurred more than 20 years ago when they were used to supply power for space satellites, and even today photovoltaic arrays are used to supply electricity for most satellites and space probes. This paper reviews the status of the various photovoltaic technologies as well as present applications. The prospects for both distributed and central station grid-connected systems are discussed. The paper concludes with a discussion of the institutional and political factors that will affect the introduction of grid-connected photovoltaic power systems

  10. Photovoltaic Test and Demonstration Project. [for solar cell power systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forestieri, A. F.; Brandhorst, H. W., Jr.; Deyo, J. N.

    1976-01-01

    The Photovoltaic Test and Demonstration Project was initiated by NASA in June, 1975, to develop economically feasible photovoltaic power systems suitable for a variety of terrestrial applications. Objectives include the determination of operating characteristic and lifetimes of a variety of solar cell systems and components and development of methodology and techniques for accurate measurements of solar cell and array performance and diagnostic measurements for solar power systems. Initial work will be concerned with residential applications, with testing of the first prototype system scheduled for June, 1976. An outdoor 10 kW array for testing solar power systems is under construction.

  11. Temperature-sensitive junction transformations for mid-wavelength HgCdTe photovoltaic infrared detector arrays by laser beam induced current microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qiu, Weicheng [College of Photoelectric Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410073 (China); National Laboratory for Infrared Physics, Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200083 (China); Hu, Weida, E-mail: wdhu@mail.sitp.ac.cn; Lin, Tie; Yin, Fei; Zhang, Bo; Chen, Xiaoshuang; Lu, Wei [National Laboratory for Infrared Physics, Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200083 (China); Cheng, Xiang' ai, E-mail: xiang-ai-cheng@126.com; Wang, Rui [College of Photoelectric Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410073 (China)

    2014-11-10

    In this paper, we report on the disappearance of the photosensitive area extension effect and the unusual temperature dependence of junction transformation for mid-wavelength, n-on-p HgCdTe photovoltaic infrared detector arrays. The n-type region is formed by B{sup +} ion implantation on Hg-vacancy-doped p-type HgCdTe. Junction transformations under different temperatures are visually captured by a laser beam induced current microscope. A physical model of temperature dependence on junction transformation is proposed and demonstrated by using numerical simulations. It is shown that Hg-interstitial diffusion and temperature activated defects jointly lead to the p-n junction transformation dependence on temperature, and the weaker mixed conduction compared with long-wavelength HgCdTe photodiode contributes to the disappearance of the photosensitive area extension effect in mid-wavelength HgCdTe infrared detector arrays.

  12. Flat-plate solar array project. Volume 1: Executive summary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Callaghan, W.; Mcdonald, R.

    1986-01-01

    In 1975, the U.S. Government contracted the Jet Propulsion Lab. to develop, by 1985, in conjunction with industry, the photovoltaics (PV) module and array technology required for widespread use of photovoltaics as a significant terrestrial energy source. As a result, a project that eventually became known as the Flat Plate Solar Array (FSA) Project was formed to manage an industry, university, and Government team to perform the necessary research and development. The original goals were to achieve widespread commercial use of PV modules and arrays through the development of technology that would allow them to be profitably sold for $1.07/peak watts (1985 dollars). A 10% module conversion efficiency and a 20 year lifetime were also goals. It is intended that the executive summary provide the means by which one can gain a perspective on 11 years of terrestrial photovoltaic research and development conducted by the FSA Project.

  13. Feasibility Study of Seawater Electrolysis for Photovoltaic/Fuel Cell Hybrid Power System for the Coastal Areas in Thailand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srisiriwat, A.; Pirom, W.

    2017-10-01

    Solar photovoltaic cell and fuel cell are the practicable options to realize as a possible hybrid power system because the power of the sun cannot be utilized at night or cloudy days but hydrogen has been found as an ideal energy carrier for being transportable, storable, and converting energy though fuel cell. Hydrogen storage is chosen for its ability to obtain a clean energy option. Electrolysis, which is the simplest process to produce hydrogen, can be powered by the dc voltage from the photovoltaic cell instead of using the battery as power supply. This paper concentrates on a feasibility study of seawater electrolysis using photovoltaic power integrated fuel cell system for the coastal cities in Thailand. The proposed system composed of photovoltaic arrays, seawater electrolyzer and fuel cell is presented when the 10-kW of fuel cell electrical power is considered. The feasibility study of hydrogen production and energy analysis of this proposed system is also evaluated.

  14. MOD silver metallization for photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vest, G. M.; Vest, R. W.

    1984-01-01

    The development of flat plate solar arrays is reported. Photovoltaic cells require back side metallization and a collector grid system on the front surface. Metallo-organic decomposition (MOD) silver films can eliminate most of the present problems with silver conductors. The objectives are to: (1) identify and characterize suitable MO compounds; (2) develop generic synthesis procedures for the MO compounds; (3) develop generic fabrication procedures to screen printable MOD silver inks; (4) optimize processing conditions to produce grid patterns and photovoltaic cells; and (5) develop a model which describes the adhesion between the fired silver film and the silicon surface.

  15. Output characteristics of 40 kW photovoltaic power generation system in ICT; Ibaraki kosen ni okeru 40 kW taiyoko hatsuden shisutemu no shutsuryoku tokusei

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sekiguchi, N. [Ibaraki National College of Tech., Ibaraki (Japan); Tani, T. [Science University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan)

    1999-11-25

    The photovoltaic power generation system consists of photovoltaic array and power conditioner of the utility connected system. The photovoltaic array parallelly constitutes 18 serial 30 of the modules of 540 sheets, and there is the generating capacity of largest 40 kW. The power conditioner uses 10 kW four units, and it is tracking with function of the maximum output point. This report examined the unconformable rate of photovoltaic array maximum output operating voltage, current and power in simulation and power conditioner input. (author)

  16. Arrays of ZnO/CuIn{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}Se{sub 2} nanocables with tunable shell composition for efficient photovoltaics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Akram, Muhammad Aftab; Javed, Sofia [Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films (COSDAF), Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (Hong Kong); City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057 (Hong Kong); School of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, Sector H-12, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Xu, Jun, E-mail: apjunxu@hfut.edu.cn [School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China); Mujahid, Mohammad, E-mail: principal@scme.nust.edu.pk [School of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, Sector H-12, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Lee, Chun-Sing, E-mail: c.s.lee@cityu.edu.hk [Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films (COSDAF), Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (Hong Kong); City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057 (Hong Kong)

    2015-05-28

    Arrays of one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure are receiving much attention for their optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications due to their advantages in light absorption, charge separation, and transportation. In this work, arrays of ZnO/CuIn{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}Se{sub 2} core/shell nanocables with tunable shell compositions over the full range of 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 have been controllably synthesized. Chemical conversions of ZnO nanorods to a series of ZnO-based nanocables, including ZnO/ZnSe, ZnO/CuSe, ZnO/CuSe/In{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}, ZnO/CuSe/(In{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}){sub 2}Se{sub 3}, and ZnO/CuIn{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}Se{sub 2}, are well designed and successfully achieved. Composition-dependent influences of the CuIn{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}Se{sub 2} shells on photovoltaic performance are investigated. It is found that the increase in indium content (x) leads to an increase in short-circuit current density (J{sub SC}) but a decrease in open-circuit voltage (V{sub OC}) for the ZnO/CuIn{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}Se{sub 2} nanocable solar cells. An array of ZnO/CuIn{sub 0.67}Ga{sub 0.33}Se{sub 2} nanocables with a length of ∼1 μm and a shell thickness of ∼10 nm exhibits a bandgap of 1.20 eV, and yields a maximum power conversion efficiency of 1.74% under AM 1.5 G illumination at an intensity of 100 mW/cm{sup 2}. It dramatically surpasses that (0.22%) of the ZnO/CuIn{sub 0.67}Ga{sub 0.33}Se{sub 2} planar thin-film device. Our work reveals that 1D nanoarray allows efficient photovoltaics without using toxic CdS buffer layer.

  17. Optimization of a Point Focus Concentration Photovoltaic System with Passive Cooling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chenlo, F.

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this work is modeling the temperature of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells operating in concentration systems with circular geometry and coupled to a heat sink plate for passive cooling. The proposed thermal behavior model analyses the temperature surface distribution of both PV solar cell and heat sink plate as function of light concentration. The model also allows analyzing the influence of other parameters such as uniform and non-uniform variation of the heat sink plate thickness or variation of the thermal transmission coefficient. The optimal range of the concentration factor is studied using simple models for the PV solar cell efficiency and Fresnel lens concentrator performance together with a function of costs applied to medium concentration silicon crystalline PV cells and high efficiency and high concentration multi-junction PV cells. Finally, experimental main parameters and its procedures measurement for concentration systems are presented. Modeling results show that the use of a high conductivity disk thermally coupled between the rear side of the cell and the cooling plate reduces the working cell temperature. Results also indicates that use of a light redirecting prism by total internal reflection of sunlight, reduces optical losses due to concentrator defects and chromatic aberration and increases the angle tracking error acceptance without having to increase the area of the PV solar cell

  18. Space Photovoltaic Research and Technology 1995

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landis, Geoffrey (Compiler)

    1995-01-01

    The Fourteenth Space Photovoltaic Research and Technology conference was held at the NASA Lewis Research Center from October 24-26, 1995. The abstracts presented in this volume report substantial progress in a variety of areas in space photovoltaics. Technical and review papers were presented in many areas, including high efficiency GaAs and InP solar cells, GaAs/Ge cells as commercial items, high efficiency multiple bandgap cells, solar cell and array technology, heteroepitaxial cells, thermophotovoltaic energy conversion, and space radiation effects. Space flight data on a variety of cells were also presented.

  19. Results of the PRDA 35 qualification tests of the Motorola concentrating photovoltaic module

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pritchard, D.A.

    1981-10-01

    A passively-cooled, Fresnel lens, concentrating photovoltaic module, designed and built by Motorola, Incorporated, was tested to the PRDA 35 specifications. The PRDA 35 module test program is described. Physical, electrical, and thermal characteristics of the module are presented. Module performance is shown using multiple linear regression techniques: some change was measured after environmental exposure. In addition, sample cell assemblies were evaluated for effects of severe environmental conditions. Results presented herein show the module has met the qualification goals.

  20. Improving the Output Power Stability of a High Concentration Photovoltaic System with Supercapacitors: A Preliminary Evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Pei Huang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The output power of a high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV system is very sensitive to fluctuating tracking errors and weather patterns. To help compensate this shortcoming, supercapacitors have been successfully incorporated into photovoltaic systems to improve their output power stability. This study examined the output power stability improvement of an HCPV module with a supercapacitor integrated into its circuit. Furthermore, the equivalent model of the experimental circuit is presented and analyzed. Experimental results suggest that integrating a supercapacitor into an HCPV module could improve its output power stability and further extend its acceptance angle. This paper provides preliminary data of the improvement and its evaluation method, which could be utilized for further improvements to an HCPV system.

  1. Photovoltaic technologies for commerical power generation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, D.E.

    1990-01-01

    The author reports photovoltaic power generation is an attractive source of energy since it involves the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity with no moving parts and no pollution. Following the demonstration of the first solar cell 35 years ago at Bell Laboratories, a steady stream of scientific and commercial progress has led to a rapid increase in applications in recent years. The first commercial application of solar cells occurred more than 20 years ago when they were used to supply power for space satellites, and even today photovoltaic arrays are used to supply electricity for most satellites and space probes. This paper reviews the status of the various photovoltaic technologies as well as present applications. The prospects for both distributed and central station grid-connected systems are discussed. The paper concludes with a discussion of the institutional and political factors that will affect the introduction of grid-connected photovoltaic power systems

  2. Porous Nanomaterials for Ultrabroadband Omnidirectional Anti-Reflection Surfaces with Applications in High Concentration Photovoltaics

    KAUST Repository

    Yao, Yuan

    2016-12-06

    Materials for nanoporous coatings that exploit optimized chemistries and self-assembly processes offer capabilities to reach ≈98% transmission efficiency and negligible scattering losses over the broad wavelength range of the solar spectrum from 350 nm to 1.5 μm, on both flat and curved glass substrates. These nanomaterial anti-reflection coatings also offer wide acceptance angles, up to ±40°, for both s- and p-polarization states of incident light. Carefully controlled bilayer films have allowed for the fabrication of dual-sided, gradient index profiles on plano-convex lens elements. In concentration photovoltaics platforms, the resultant enhancements in the photovoltaics efficiencies are ≈8%, as defined by experimental measurements on systems that use microscale triple-junction solar cells. These materials and their applications in technologies that require control over interface reflections have the potential for broad utility in imaging systems, photolithography, light-emitting diodes, and display technologies.

  3. Superhydrophobic analyte concentration utilizing colloid-pillar array SERS substrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, Ryan A; Charlton, Jennifer J; Kirchner, Teresa B; Lavrik, Nickolay V; Datskos, Panos G; Sepaniak, Michael J

    2014-12-02

    The ability to detect a few molecules present in a large sample is of great interest for the detection of trace components in both medicinal and environmental samples. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a technique that can be utilized to detect molecules at very low absolute numbers. However, detection at trace concentration levels in real samples requires properly designed delivery and detection systems. The following work involves superhydrophobic surfaces that have as a framework deterministic or stochastic silicon pillar arrays formed by lithographic or metal dewetting protocols, respectively. In order to generate the necessary plasmonic substrate for SERS detection, simple and flow stable Ag colloid was added to the functionalized pillar array system via soaking. Native pillars and pillars with hydrophobic modification are used. The pillars provide a means to concentrate analyte via superhydrophobic droplet evaporation effects. A ≥ 100-fold concentration of analyte was estimated, with a limit of detection of 2.9 × 10(-12) M for mitoxantrone dihydrochloride. Additionally, analytes were delivered to the surface via a multiplex approach in order to demonstrate an ability to control droplet size and placement for scaled-up uses in real world applications. Finally, a concentration process involving transport and sequestration based on surface treatment selective wicking is demonstrated.

  4. Design and Implementation of a Simulator for Photovoltaic Modules

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuang-Hui Tang

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Proposed in this paper is the development of a photovoltaic module simulator, one capable of running an output characteristic simulation under normal operation according to various electrical parameters specified and exhibiting multiple advantages of being low cost, small sized, and easy to implement. In comparison with commercial simulation tools, Pspice and Solar Pro, the simulator developed demonstrates a comparable I-V as well as a P-V output characteristic curve. In addition, a series-parallel configuration of individual modules constitutes a photovoltaic module array, which turns into a photovoltaic power generation system with an integrated power conditioner.

  5. Design and Flood Control Assessment of 5MWp Fishing and Photovoltaic Power Project in Xinghua City

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Liuchao; Hu, Xiaodong; Su, Yuyan; Wu, Peipei; Weng, Songgan

    2017-12-01

    In order to reduce coal consumption in Jiangsu Province and develop new energy sources, considering on the distribution of geology, solar energy resources, traffic and grid connection in Xinghua City, the aim is to determine the configuration of photovoltaic modules and photovoltaic array tracking mode, design photovoltaic array and layout scheme. But the project is a wading project, it is built in Dong Tan Lake polder I115, it needs scientific and reasonable evaluation to the effect of Dong Tan Lake’s flood storage and discharge. The results can provide guidance for similar engineering’s design.

  6. Energy performance of a concentrated photovoltaic energy system with static linear Fresnel lenses integrated in a greenhouse

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    B.A.J. van Tuijl; Piet Sonneveld; J. Campen; Gert-Jan Swinkels; H.J.J. Janssen; G.P.A Bot

    2011-01-01

    A new type of greenhouse with linear Fresnel lenses in the cover performing as a concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system is presented. The CPV system retains all direct solar radiation, while diffuse solar radiation passes through and enters into the greenhouse cultivation system. The removal of all

  7. Second update of the database of photovoltaic installations in the UK

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Taylor, D; Bruhns, H

    2001-07-01

    This update of the database of photovoltaic (PV) installations in the UK developed by Altechnica for the Department of Trade and Industry has double the number of records of the previous edition, and focuses on the use of photovoltaic (PV) installations for buildings, for example using some form of a PV array, building integrated PV module, and building attached PV array. The growth in building related PV installations is examined along with the use of PV in telecommunication equipment, navigation buoys and light vessels, buildings, pumps for solar water heating systems, schools, lighthouses, and petrol stations. Details are given of the electronic data entry form for the database and the increase in the number of fields to allow additional information such as tilt angle and orientation area of the array to be added.

  8. Photovoltaic sources modeling

    CERN Document Server

    Petrone, Giovanni; Spagnuolo, Giovanni

    2016-01-01

    This comprehensive guide surveys all available models for simulating a photovoltaic (PV) generator at different levels of granularity, from cell to system level, in uniform as well as in mismatched conditions. Providing a thorough comparison among the models, engineers have all the elements needed to choose the right PV array model for specific applications or environmental conditions matched with the model of the electronic circuit used to maximize the PV power production.

  9. Fuzzy logic control of stand-alone photovoltaic system with battery storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lalouni, S.; Rekioua, D.; Rekioua, T.; Matagne, E.

    Photovoltaic energy has nowadays an increased importance in electrical power applications, since it is considered as an essentially inexhaustible and broadly available energy resource. However, the output power provided via the photovoltaic conversion process depends on solar irradiation and temperature. Therefore, to maximize the efficiency of the photovoltaic energy system, it is necessary to track the maximum power point of the PV array. The present paper proposes a maximum power point tracker (MPPT) method, based on fuzzy logic controller (FLC), applied to a stand-alone photovoltaic system. It uses a sampling measure of the PV array power and voltage then determines an optimal increment required to have the optimal operating voltage which permits maximum power tracking. This method carries high accuracy around the optimum point when compared to the conventional one. The stand-alone photovoltaic system used in this paper includes two bi-directional DC/DC converters and a lead-acid battery bank to overcome the scare periods. One converter works as an MPP tracker, while the other regulates the batteries state of charge and compensates the power deficit to provide a continuous delivery of energy to the load. The Obtained simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed fuzzy logic controller.

  10. Implementation of the first student-designed PV array in Canada

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hadlock, C.; DeLoyde, J.; Dhir, T.

    2004-01-01

    This paper is a culmination of a 2-year project involving students, faculty, staff member, and private industry. Solar Technology Education Project (STEP) became the first student-led group to successfully install a 36-panel photovoltaic (PV) array on a Canadian University campus. The fundraising, design, and assembly of the PV array was entirely student driven. The project was completed in January 2004 with the installation of a 2 kW photovoltaic grid-tied array mounted to the roof of the University of Waterloo's Federation Hall, the largest student-run pub in North America. The photovoltaic array was a demonstration project to raise awareness about solar technology and the need for energy efficiency in buildings. It took two years to complete the project, which was implemented in three phases. The first phase was aimed at raising the required capital. The second phase included design and fabrication of the array. The third phase, still ongoing today, is the community outreach phase, which involves educating the surrounding communities about the project, solar technology, and the role of individuals in combating global warming. This paper examines the steps required for the implementation of a successful educational photovoltaic project, using the students' experience as a roadmap. A section highlighting what's next for STEP is also presented as the students attempt to build on the momentum from the project. The aim is to launch a solar thermal project on another University of Waterloo building to move one step closer to the ultimate goal of a sustainable campus

  11. Intelligent fault diagnosis of photovoltaic arrays based on optimized kernel extreme learning machine and I-V characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Zhicong; Wu, Lijun; Cheng, Shuying; Lin, Peijie; Wu, Yue; Lin, Wencheng

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: •An improved Simulink based modeling method is proposed for PV modules and arrays. •Key points of I-V curves and PV model parameters are used as the feature variables. •Kernel extreme learning machine (KELM) is explored for PV arrays fault diagnosis. •The parameters of KELM algorithm are optimized by the Nelder-Mead simplex method. •The optimized KELM fault diagnosis model achieves high accuracy and reliability. -- Abstract: Fault diagnosis of photovoltaic (PV) arrays is important for improving the reliability, efficiency and safety of PV power stations, because the PV arrays usually operate in harsh outdoor environment and tend to suffer various faults. Due to the nonlinear output characteristics and varying operating environment of PV arrays, many machine learning based fault diagnosis methods have been proposed. However, there still exist some issues: fault diagnosis performance is still limited due to insufficient monitored information; fault diagnosis models are not efficient to be trained and updated; labeled fault data samples are hard to obtain by field experiments. To address these issues, this paper makes contribution in the following three aspects: (1) based on the key points and model parameters extracted from monitored I-V characteristic curves and environment condition, an effective and efficient feature vector of seven dimensions is proposed as the input of the fault diagnosis model; (2) the emerging kernel based extreme learning machine (KELM), which features extremely fast learning speed and good generalization performance, is utilized to automatically establish the fault diagnosis model. Moreover, the Nelder-Mead Simplex (NMS) optimization method is employed to optimize the KELM parameters which affect the classification performance; (3) an improved accurate Simulink based PV modeling approach is proposed for a laboratory PV array to facilitate the fault simulation and data sample acquisition. Intensive fault experiments are

  12. Thermal characteristics of a medium-level concentration photovoltaic unit with evaporation cooling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kokotov, Yuri V.; Reyz, Michael A.; Fisher, Yossi

    2009-08-01

    The results of thermal analysis and experiments are presented for a 1-kW brand new medium-level (8X) concentration photovoltaic (CPV) unit that is cooled by evaporation and built as an elongated floating solar unit. The unit keeps the silicon PV elements at low and stable temperature around the clock, significantly outperforms competitors' systems in terms of the power output and the life span of identical PV elements. It is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally that the PV element temperature level exceeds the temperature level of water in the water basin (used as a heat sink) by just a few degrees.

  13. Cylindrically symmetric Fresnel lens for high concentration photovoltaic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, Yu-Ting; Su, Guo-Dung

    2009-08-01

    High concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) utilizes point-focus cost-effective plastic Fresnel lens. And a millimeter-sized Ill-V compound multi-junction solar cell is placed underneath focusing optics which can achieve cell efficiency potential of up to 40.7 %. The advantage of HCPV makes less solar cell area and higher efficiency; however, the acceptance angle of HCPV is about +/-1°, which is very small and the mechanical tracking of the sun is necessary. In order to reduce the power consumption and the angle tracking error of tracking systems, a light collector model with larger acceptance angle is designed with ZEMAX®. In this model, the original radially symmetric Fresnel lens of HCPV is replaced by cylindrically symmetric Fresnel lens and a parabolic reflective surface. Light is collected in two dimensions separately. And a couple of lenses and a light pipe are added before the solar cell chip in order to collect more light when sun light deviates from incident angle of 00. An acceptance angle of +/-10° is achieved with GCR 400.

  14. 600 Volt Stretched Lens Array for Solar Electric Propulsion, Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ENTECH, Auburn, NASA, and others have recently developed a new space photovoltaic array called the Stretched Lens Array (SLA), offering unprecedented performance...

  15. International Collaboration: the Virtuous Cycle of Low Carbon Innovation and Diffusion. An Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic, Concentrating Solar Power and Carbon Capture and Storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dominique, Katheen

    2010-01-01

    International collaboration can be leveraged to accelerate the innovation and diffusion of low carbon technologies required to realize the shift to a low carbon trajectory. A collaborative approach to innovation has the potential to capture several benefits, including: pooling risks and achieving scale; knowledge sharing that accommodates competition and cooperation; the creation of a global market; facilitation of policy learning and exchange; and the alignment of technology, finance and policy. International Collaboration: the Virtuous Cycle of Low Carbon Innovation and Diffusion An Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic, Concentrating Solar Power and Carbon Capture and Storage A range of obstacles to the diffusion of low carbon technologies provides ample opportunity for international collaboration in global market creation and capacity building, expanding beyond conventional modes of technology transfer. Current collaborative efforts for carbon capture and storage, solar photovoltaic and concentrating solar power technologies are active in all stages of innovation and diffusion and involve a wide range of actors. Yet, current efforts are not sufficient to achieve the necessary level of emission mitigation at the pace required to avoid catastrophic levels of atmospheric destabilization. This analysis sets forth recommendation to scale up current endeavors and create new ones. The analysis begins by describing the fundamental characteristics of innovation and diffusion processes that create opportunities for international collaboration. It then illustrates a broad array of on-going collaborative activities, depicting how these efforts contribute to innovation and diffusion. Finally, highlighting the gap between the current level of collaborative activities and technology targets deemed critical for emission mitigation, the report sets forth several recommendations to build on current efforts and construct new endeavors

  16. Development of a microprocessor controller for stand-alone photovoltaic power systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Millner, A. R.; Kaufman, D. L.

    1984-01-01

    A controller for stand-alone photovoltaic systems has been developed using a low power CMOS microprocessor. It performs battery state of charge estimation, array control, load management, instrumentation, automatic testing, and communications functions. Array control options are sequential subarray switching and maximum power control. A calculator keypad and LCD display provides manual control, fault diagnosis and digital multimeter functions. An RS-232 port provides data logging or remote control capability. A prototype 5 kW unit has been built and tested successfully. The controller is expected to be useful in village photovoltaic power systems, large solar water pumping installations, and other battery management applications.

  17. Luminescent solar concentrators for building-integrated photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meinardi, Francesco; Bruni, Francesco; Brovelli, Sergio

    2017-12-01

    The transition to fully energetically sustainable architecture through the realization of so-called net zero-energy buildings is currently in progress in areas with low population density. However, this is not yet true in cities, where the cost of land for the installation of ground photovoltaic (PV) is prohibitively high and the rooftop space is too scarce to accommodate the PV modules necessary for sustaining the electrical requirements of tall buildings. Thus, new technologies are being investigated to integrate solar-harvesting devices into building façades in the form of PV windows or envelope elements. Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are the most promising technology for semi-transparent, electrodeless PV glazing systems that can be integrated 'invisibly' into the built environment without detrimental effects to the aesthetics of the building or the quality of life of the inhabitants. After 40 years of research, recent breakthroughs in the realization of reabsorption-free emitters with broadband absorption have boosted the performance of LSCs to such a degree that they might be commercialized in the near future. In this Perspective, we explore the successful strategies that have allowed this change of pace, examining and comparing the different types of chromophores and waveguide materials, and discuss the issues that remain to be investigated for further progress.

  18. Preliminary Demonstration of Power Beaming With Non-Coherent Laser Diode Arrays

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Kare, Jordin

    1999-01-01

    A preliminary demonstration of free-space electric power transmission has been conducted using non-coherent laser diode arrays as the transmitter and standard silicon photovoltaic cell arrays as the receiver...

  19. Conceptual design and systems analysis of photovoltaic power systems. Volume III(1). Technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pittman, P.F.

    1977-05-01

    Conceptual designs were made and analyses were performed on three types of solar photovoltaic power systems. Included were Residential (1 to 10 kW), Intermediate (0.1 to 10 MW), and Central (50 to 1000 MW) Power Systems to be installed in the 1985 to 2000 time period. Subsystem technology presented here includes: insolation, concentration, silicon solar cell modules, CdS solar cell module, array structure, battery energy storage, power conditioning, residential power system architectural designs, intermediate power system structural design, and central power system facilities and site survey.

  20. Interference Lithography for Vertical Photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balls, Amy; Pei, Lei; Kvavle, Joshua; Sieler, Andrew; Schultz, Stephen; Linford, Matthew; Vanfleet, Richard; Davis, Robert

    2009-10-01

    We are exploring low cost approaches for fabricating three dimensional nanoscale structures. These vertical structures could significantly improve the efficiency of devices made from low cost photovoltaic materials. The nanoscale vertical structure provides a way to increase optical absorption in thin photovoltaic films without increasing the electronic carrier separation distance. The target structure is a high temperature transparent template with a dense array of holes on a 400 - 600 nm pitch fabricated by a combination of interference lithography and nanoembossing. First a master was fabricated using ultraviolet light interference lithography and the pattern was transferred into a silicon wafer master by silicon reactive ion etching. Embossing studies were performed with the master on several high temperature polymers.

  1. Photovoltaics at Point Pelee Park

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1996-12-01

    Case study of an Ontario Hydro-installed photovoltaic system at Point Pelee Park, a bird sanctuary located on Lake Erie, is described. The system consists of a 1080 W photovoltaic array used to supply electricity to one of the washrooms. The cost for installing the system was $30,000 which was considerably cheaper than the $100,000 estimate for an underground power line. The independent system is the only source of energy for the washroom, therefore it was necessary to reduce the total electrical demand required by the facility. Electricity was used for the water pump, chlorinator and lighting. Motion sensors were installed to further reduce electrical demand. Washroom heaters were converted to propane. 2 figs.

  2. Method of manufacturing a large-area segmented photovoltaic module

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lenox, Carl

    2013-11-05

    One embodiment of the invention relates to a segmented photovoltaic (PV) module which is manufactured from laminate segments. The segmented PV module includes rectangular-shaped laminate segments formed from rectangular-shaped PV laminates and further includes non-rectangular-shaped laminate segments formed from rectangular-shaped and approximately-triangular-shaped PV laminates. The laminate segments are mechanically joined and electrically interconnected to form the segmented module. Another embodiment relates to a method of manufacturing a large-area segmented photovoltaic module from laminate segments of various shapes. Other embodiments relate to processes for providing a photovoltaic array for installation at a site. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.

  3. Characteristic and comparison of different submounts on concentrating photovoltaic module

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yueh-Mu; Shih, Zun-Hao; Hong, Hwen-Fen; Shin, Hwa-Yuh; Kuo, Cherng-Tsong

    2014-09-01

    High concentration photovoltaics systems employ concentrating optics consisting of dish reflectors or fresnel lenses that concentrate sunlight to 500 suns or more. In general, under concentrating light operation condition, the device temperature rises quickly and the open-circuit voltage of solar cell will decrease with increasing temperature; therefore, the system output power or energy-conversion efficiency will decrease while temperature of solar cell increased. In this study, we analyze the ceramic thermal resistance and propose a direct temperature measurement method of the solar cell. The direct temperature measurement of the cell and the ceramic was achieved by utilizing buried thermocouples with a diameter of 50 μm between the cell/ceramic and aluminum plate. The different light flux densities ranging from 500 to 800 W/m2 at 100 W/m2 interval by solar simulator are provided to measure temperature, and the cell temperatures measured are 39.8 °C, 41 °C, 45 °C and 48 °C, respectively. The temperature differences between the cell and aluminum plate of the light flux densities from 500 W/m2 to 800 W/m2 are in the range of 4.2 °C to 8 °C. Accordingly we can obtain the temperature distribution of HCPV module at difference region. The results can help us to optimize module package technology and to choose better material applied to the module to improve conversion efficiency of the cell.

  4. Development of the SEA Corporation Powergrid{trademark} photovoltaic concentrator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaminar, N.; Curchod, D.; Daroczi, S.; Walpert, M.; Sahagian, J.; Pepper, J. [Photovoltaics International, LLC, Sunnyvale, CA (United States)

    1998-03-01

    This report covers the three phase effort to bring the SEA Corporation`s Powergrid{trademark} from the concept stage to pilot production. The three phases of this contract covered component development, prototype module development, and pilot line production. The Powergrid is a photovoltaic concentrator that generates direct current electricity directly from sunlight using a linear Fresnel lens. Analysis has shown that the Powergrid has the potential to be very low cost in volume production. Before the start of the project, only proof of concept demonstrations of the components had been completed. During the project, SEA Corporation developed a low cost extruded Fresnel lens, a low cost receiver assembly using one sun type cells, a low cost plastic module housing, a single axis tracking system and frame structure, and pilot production equipment and techniques. In addition, an 800 kW/yr pilot production rate was demonstrated and two 40 kW systems were manufactured and installed.

  5. 600 Volt Stretched Lens Array for Solar Electric Propulsion, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Over the past six years, ENTECH, Auburn, NASA, and other organizations have developed a new space photovoltaic array called the Stretched Lens Array (SLA), which...

  6. Update of the database of photovoltaic installations in the UK

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Taylor, D.; Bruhns, H.

    1999-07-01

    The article describes an updated database of photovoltaic (PV) installations in the UK. The database contains more than 300 records representing over 40,000 photovoltaic installations with more than 100 buildings that use photovoltaic arrays. Figures show: (i) a chart of cumulative PV applications to date; (ii) a chart of cumulative installations in the database; (iii) the growth of Building Integrated PV installed to date; (iv) the cumulative growth of peak power of PV for buildings installed every year since 1985; (v) the distribution by application of all PV installations in the database and (vi) the various applications of PV installations.

  7. 1990 DOE/SANDIA crystalline photovoltaic technology project review meeting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ruby, D.S. (ed.)

    1990-07-01

    This document serves as the proceedings for the annual project review meeting held by Sandia's Photovoltaic Cell Research Division and Photovoltaic Technology Division. It contains information supplied by each organization making a presentation at the meeting, which was held August 7 through 9, 1990 at the Sheraton Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sessions were held to discuss national photovoltaic programs, one-sun crystalline silicon cell research, concentrator silicon cell research, concentrator 3-5 cell research, and concentrating collector development.

  8. Quantitative kinetics of proteolytic enzymes determined by a surface concentration-based assay using peptide arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Se-Hui; Kong, Deok-Hoon; Park, Seoung-Woo; Kim, Young-Myeong; Ha, Kwon-Soo

    2012-08-21

    Peptide arrays have emerged as a key technology for drug discovery, diagnosis, and cell biology. Despite the promise of these arrays, applications of peptide arrays to quantitative analysis of enzyme kinetics have been limited due to the difficulty in obtaining quantitative information of enzymatic reaction products. In this study, we developed a new approach for the quantitative kinetics analysis of proteases using fluorescence-conjugated peptide arrays, a surface concentration-based assay with solid-phase peptide standards using dry-off measurements, and compared it with an applied concentration-based assay. For fabrication of the peptide arrays, substrate peptides of cMMP-3, caspase-3, caspase-9, and calpain-1 were functionalized with TAMRA and cysteine, and were immobilized onto amine-functionalized arrays using a heterobifunctional linker, N-[γ-maleimidobutyloxy]succinimide ester. The proteolytic activities of the four enzymes were quantitatively analyzed by calculating changes induced by enzymatic reactions in the concentrations of peptides bound to array surfaces. In addition, this assay was successfully applied for calculating the Michaelis constant (K(m,surf)) for the four enzymes. Thus, this new assay has a strong potential for use in the quantitative evaluation of proteases, and for drug discovery through kinetics studies including the determination of K(m) and V(max).

  9. Flight Test of a Technology Transparent Light Concentration Panel on SMEX/WIRE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stern, Theodore G.; Lyons, John

    2000-01-01

    A flight experiment has demonstrated a modular solar concentrator that can be used as a direct substitute replacement for planar photovoltaic panels in spacecraft solar arrays. The Light Concentrating Panel (LCP) uses an orthogrid arrangement of composite mirror strips to form an array of rectangular mirror troughs that reflect light onto standard, high-efficiency solar cells at a concentration ratio of approximately 3:1. The panel area, mass, thickness, and pointing tolerance has been shown to be similar to a planar array using the same cells. Concentration reduces the panel's cell area by 2/3, which significantly reduces the cost of the panel. An opportunity for a flight experiment module arose on NASA's Small Explorer / Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (SMEX/WIRE) spacecraft, which uses modular solar panel modules integrated into a solar panel frame structure. The design and analysis that supported implementation of the LCP as a flight experiment module is described. Easy integration into the existing SMEX-LITE wing demonstrated the benefits of technology transparency. Flight data shows the stability of the LCP module after nearly one year in Low Earth Orbit.

  10. Robust Centered Element Concentric Circular Antenna Array with Low Side Lobe Using Variable Loading and Tapering Windows in the Presence of Array Imperfections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. F. Reza

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents centered element concentric circular antenna array (CECCAA using variable diagonal loading (VDL technique and different filtering windows. The different filtering windows are modified to apply in the CECCAA system. The modified novel technique not only is able to reduce the side lobe level (SLL but also has the ability to detect and highly attenuate the directional interferences. However, the performance of CECCAA system is degraded in the presence of array imperfections. This performance degradation problem due to array imperfections can be improved by using robust techniques. The proposed technique is also robust against array imperfections and improves the performance. Moreover, the performance of the proposed structure is better than a concentric circular antenna array (CCAA. Several examples are presented to analyze the performance of proposed beamformer by using different tapering windows.

  11. Improving solar-pumped laser efficiency by a ring-array concentrator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tibúrcio, Bruno D.; Liang, Dawei; Almeida, Joana; Matos, Rodrigo; Vistas, Cláudia R.

    2018-01-01

    We report here a compact pumping scheme for achieving large improvement in collection and conversion efficiency of a Nd:YAG solar-pumped laser by an innovative ring-array solar concentrator. An aspheric fused silica lens was used to further concentrate the solar radiation from the focal region of the 1.5-m-diameter ring-array concentrator to a 5.0-mm-diameter, 20-mm-length Nd:YAG single-crystal rod within a conical-shaped pump cavity, enabling multipass pumping to the laser rod. 67.3-W continuous-wave solar laser power was numerically calculated, corresponding to 38.2-W / m2 solar laser collection efficiency, being 1.22 and 1.27 times more than the state-of-the-art records by both heliostat-parabolic mirror and Fresnel lens solar laser systems, respectively. 4.0% conversion efficiency and 0.021-W brightness figure of merit were also numerically obtained, corresponding to 1.25 and 1.62 times enhancement over the previous records, respectively. The influence of tracking error on solar laser output power was also analyzed.

  12. Space and industrial markets for photovoltaics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huggins, C.R.; Hardingham, C.M.

    2000-07-01

    This report presents a review of applications, technologies and markets for photovoltaic power (PV) supplies. A brief history of PV and PV principles is presented, and an overview of the satellite industry is given. Space arrays, space PV, terrestrial PV, and thermo photovoltaics are examined. Targets and constraints in space and terrestrial solar cells are compared, and details of commercial market sizes for given technologies in space and terrestrial PV in 1999, and technical barriers to be overcome towards development of existing products are tabulated. The scope for cross-culture interaction in all aspects of manufacturing, testing and evaluation in the PV devices are considered. (UK)

  13. Space and industrial markets for photovoltaics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huggins, C.R.; Hardingham, C.M.

    2000-01-01

    This report presents a review of applications, technologies and markets for photovoltaic power (PV) supplies. A brief history of PV and PV principles is presented, and an overview of the satellite industry is given. Space arrays, space PV, terrestrial PV, and thermo photovoltaics are examined. Targets and constraints in space and terrestrial solar cells are compared, and details of commercial market sizes for given technologies in space and terrestrial PV in 1999, and technical barriers to be overcome towards development of existing products are tabulated. The scope for cross-culture interaction in all aspects of manufacturing, testing and evaluation in the PV devices are considered. (UK)

  14. A Method of Maximum Power Control in Single-phase Utility Interactive Photovoltaic Generation System by using PWM Current Source Inverter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neba, Yasuhiko

    This paper deals with a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control of the photovoltaic generation with the single-phase utility interactive inverter. The photovoltaic arrays are connected by employing the PWM current source inverter to the utility. The use of the pulsating dc current and voltage allows the maximum power point to be searched. The inverter can regulate the array voltage and keep the arrays to the maximum power. This paper gives the control method and the experimental results.

  15. Fire-induced reradiation underneath photovoltaic arrays on flat roofs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Jens Steemann; Merci, Bart; Jomaas, Grunde

    2018-01-01

    The impact of the reflection of fire-induced heat from a gas burner was studied experimentally to gain knowledge on the interaction between photovoltaic (PV) panels and a fire on flat roofs. The heat flux was measured in a total of eight points at the same level as the top of the gas burner. The ...

  16. Detailed Performance Model for Photovoltaic Systems: Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tian, H.; Mancilla-David, F.; Ellis, K.; Muljadi, E.; Jenkins, P.

    2012-07-01

    This paper presents a modified current-voltage relationship for the single diode model. The single-diode model has been derived from the well-known equivalent circuit for a single photovoltaic cell. The modification presented in this paper accounts for both parallel and series connections in an array.

  17. Innovative Solar Tracking Concept by Rotating Prism Array

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Héctor García

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Solar energy has become one of the most promising renewable energies and is the most widely used nowadays. In order to achieve an optimum performance, both photovoltaic and solar thermal applications are required to track the position of the sun throughout the day and year in the most effective way possible to avoid a high negative impact on the system efficiency. The present paper attempts to describe a novel semipassive solar tracking concentrator (SPSTC in which, in order to track the sun, two independent arrays of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA prisms are implemented to refract sunlight by rotating said prisms, thus being able to redirect solar radiation as desired. The first set is responsible for eliminating one of the directional components of the solar radiation; the task is achieved by rotating the prisms within the array at a specific angle. The second set deals with another of the sunlight’s directional components, transforming its direction into a completely perpendicular pattern to the array. Having downward vertical radiation makes it possible to implement a stationary Fresnel lens to concentrate the solar radiation for any application desired. The system is designed and validated using simulation software to prove the feasibility of the concept.

  18. Enhancing performance of a linear dielectric based concentrating photovoltaic system using a reflective film along the edge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baig, Hasan; Sarmah, Nabin; Chemisana, Daniel; Rosell, Joan; Mallick, Tapas K.

    2014-01-01

    In the present study, we model and analyse the performance of a dielectric based linear concentrating photovoltaic system using ray tracing and finite element methods. The results obtained are compared with the experiments. The system under study is a linear asymmetric CPC (Compound Parabolic Concentrator) designed to operate under extreme incident angles of 0° and 55° and have a geometrical concentration ratio of 2.8×. Initial experiments showed a maximum PR (power ratio) of 2.2 compared to a non concentrating counterpart. An improvement to this has been proposed and verified by adding a reflective film along the edges of the concentrator to capture the escaping rays and minimise optical losses. The addition of the reflective film changes the incoming distribution on the solar cell. Results show an increase of 16% in the average power output while using this reflective film. On including the thermal effects it was found that the overall benefit changes to about 6% while using a reflective film. Additionally, the effects of the non-uniformity of the incoming radiation are also analysed and reported for both the cases. It is found that adding the reflective film drops the maximum power at the output by only 0.5% due to the effect of non-uniformity. - Highlights: • Optical, thermal and electrical analysis of a concentrating photovoltaic system. • Improvement in performance by use of reflective film along the edge. • Experimental validation of results. • Effects of non-uniform illumination on the performance of the CPV system. • Impact of temperature profile on the overall performance

  19. Assessment of quantum dots concentrators for photovoltaic electricity production; Evaluation du potentiel de concentrateurs a quantum dots pour la production d'electricite photovoltaique. Rapport final

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schueler, A; Kostro, A; Huriet, B

    2006-07-01

    One of the most promising application of semiconductor nanostructures in the field of photovoltaics might be planar photoluminescent concentrators. Even for diffuse solar radiation, considerable concentration factors might be achieved. Such devices have originally been designed on the basis of organic dyes and might benefit from a considerably improved lifetime when replacing the organic fluorescent substances by inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals, so-called quantum dots. Quantum dot containing nanocomposite thin films are synthesized at EPFL-LESO by a low cost sol-gel process. In order to study the potential of the use of quantum dot solar concentrators in photovoltaic solar energy conversion, reliable computer simulations are needed. A tool for ray tracing simulations of quantum dot solar concentrators has been developed at EPFL-LESO on the basis of Monte-Carlo methods that are applied to polarization-dependent reflection/transmission at interfaces, photon absorption by the semiconductor nanocrystals and photoluminescent re-emission. Together with the knowledge on the optoelectronical properties of suitable photovoltaic cells, such simulations allow to predict the total efficiency of the envisaged concentrating PV systems, and to optimize pane dimensions, photoluminescent emission frequencies, and choice of PV cell types. (author)

  20. Trans-Pecos Photovoltaic Concentration Experiment. Final report for Phase-I system design, 6 June 1978-28 February 1979

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marcy, W.M.; Dudek, R.A.

    1979-03-30

    The Trans-Pecos Photovoltaic Concentrating Experiment is the design of a 200 kWe peak photovoltaic concentrating system applied to deep well irrigation in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. The site selected is typical of deep well irrigation in arid regions of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The existing well utilizes a 200 horse power, three phase, 480 volt induction motor to lift water 540 feet to irrigate 380 acres. The Trans-Pecos Photovoltaic Concentration (PVC) system employs a two axis (azimuth-elevation) tracking parabolic concentrator module that focuses sunlight at 38X concentration on two strings of actively cooled silicon solar cells. The direct current from a field of 102 collector modules is converted by a maximum power point electric power conditioning system to three phase alternating current. The power from the power conditioning system is connected through appropriate switchgear in parallel with the utility grid to the well's induction motor. The operational philosophy of the experiment is to displace daytime utility power with solar generated electric power. The solar system is sized to provide approximately 50 percent of the 24 hour energy demand of the motor. This requires an energy exchange with the utility since peak solar power (200 kWe) generated exceeds the peak motor demand (149.2 kWe). The annual energy production is projected to be 511 Mwh using El Paso, Texas solar TMY data. System electrical power production efficiency is projected to be 7.4 percent at the design point, and 7.0 percent on an annual electrical energy production basis. The system is projected to provide 37.8 percent of the 24 hour energy demand of the motor at the design point of March 10, excluding energy delivered to the grid in excess of motor demand. The total energy produced is projected to be 39.0 percent of the 24 hour energy demand of the motor at the design point of March 10.

  1. Optimal design of aperiodic, vertical silicon nanowire structures for photovoltaics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chenxi; Povinelli, Michelle L

    2011-09-12

    We design a partially aperiodic, vertically-aligned silicon nanowire array that maximizes photovoltaic absorption. The optimal structure is obtained using a random walk algorithm with transfer matrix method based electromagnetic forward solver. The optimal, aperiodic structure exhibits a 2.35 times enhancement in ultimate efficiency compared to its periodic counterpart. The spectral behavior mimics that of a periodic array with larger lattice constant. For our system, we find that randomly-selected, aperiodic structures invariably outperform the periodic array.

  2. Photovoltaic power converter system with a controller configured to actively compensate load harmonics

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Rooij, Michael Andrew; Steigerwald, Robert Louis; Delgado, Eladio Clemente

    2008-12-16

    Photovoltaic power converter system including a controller configured to reduce load harmonics is provided. The system comprises a photovoltaic array and an inverter electrically coupled to the array to generate an output current for energizing a load connected to the inverter and to a mains grid supply voltage. The system further comprises a controller including a first circuit coupled to receive a load current to measure a harmonic current in the load current. The controller includes a second circuit to generate a fundamental reference drawn by the load. The controller further includes a third circuit for combining the measured harmonic current and the fundamental reference to generate a command output signal for generating the output current for energizing the load connected to the inverter. The photovoltaic system may be configured to compensate harmonic currents that may be drawn by the load.

  3. Study of the electrical and thermal performances of photovoltaic thermal collector-compound parabolic concentrated

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaaz, Ahed Hameed; Sopian, Kamaruzzaman; Gaaz, Tayser Sumer

    2018-06-01

    The importance of utilizing the solar energy as a very suitable source among multi-source approaches to replace the conventional energy is on the rise in the last four decades. The invention of the photovoltaic module (PV) could be the corner stone in this process. However, the limited amount of energy obtained from PV was and still the main challenge of full utilization of the solar energy. In this paper, the use of the compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) along with the thermal photovoltaic module (PVT) where the cooling process of the CPC is conducted using a novel technique of water jet impingement has applied experimentally and physically tested. The test includes the effect of water jet impingement on the total power, electrical efficiency, thermal efficiency, and total efficiency on CPC-PVT system. The cooling process at the maximum irradiation by water jet impingement resulted in improving the electrical efficiency by 7%, total output power by 31% and the thermal efficiency by 81%. These results outperform the recent highest results recorded by the most recent work.

  4. Evaluation of optimal dual axis concentrated photovoltaic thermal system with active ventilation using Frog Leap algorithm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gholami, H.; Sarwat, A.I.; Hosseinian, H.; Khalilnejad, A.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Electro-thermal performance of open-loop controlled dual axis CPVT is investigated. • For using the absorbed heat, active ventilation with a heat storage tank is used. • Economic optimization of the system is performed, using Frog Leap algorithm. • Detailed model of all sections is simulated with their characteristics evaluation. • Triple-junction photovoltaic cells, which are the most recent technology, are used. - Abstract: In this study, design and optimization of a concentrated photovoltaic thermal (CPVT) system considering electrical, mechanical, and economical aspects is investigated. For this purpose, each section of the system is simulated in MATLAB, in detail. Triple-junction photovoltaic cells, which are the most recent technology, are used in this study. They are more efficient in comparison to conventional photovoltaic cells. Unlike ordinary procedures, in this work active ventilation is used for absorbing the thermal power of radiation, using heat storage tanks, which not only results in increasing the electrical efficiency of the system through decreasing the temperature, but also leads to storing and managing produced thermal energy and increasing the total efficiency of the system up to 85 percent. The operation of the CPVT system is investigated for total hours of the year, considering the needed thermal load, meteorological conditions, and hourly radiation of Khuznin, a city in Qazvin province, Iran. Finally, the collector used for this system is optimized economically, using frog leap algorithm, which resulted in the cost of 13.4 $/m"2 for a collector with the optimal distance between tubes of 6.34 cm.

  5. Prediction of power fluctuation classes for photovoltaic installations and potential benefits of dynamic reserve allocation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nijhuis, M.; Rawn, B.G.; Gibescu, M.

    2014-01-01

    During partly cloudy conditions, the power delivered by a photovoltaic array can easily fluctuate by three quarters of its rated power in 10 s. Fluctuations from photovoltaics of this size and on this time scale may necessitate adding an additional component to power system secondary and primary

  6. 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

  7. Design of Arrangement of Solar Array and Energy Storage in Solar Photovoltaic Generation%光伏阵列及储能的布置设计

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    韩学栋; 王海华

    2015-01-01

    Facing energy and environmental pressure, solar which is a kind natural renewable clean energy has become the focus of world development and utilization. This paper describes the optimal choice of the best dip angle of the solar array, deducing the layout spacing theoretical formula when the battery array in the horizontal plane and on the roof with a slope. Also, the paper describes the formula of the calculating components in series and parallel arrays of photovoltaic cells and storage cells in series and parallel. This paper provides some theoretical support to the design of the photovoltaic power generation system.%在能源和环境的双重压力下,太阳能这一清洁可再生的自然能源成为世界各国开发利用的重点。本文介绍了太阳能电池阵列最佳倾角的优化选择,推导了电池阵列在水平面以及带有一定坡度的屋面上进行布置时前后间距的理论计算公式,介绍了光伏电池阵列中组件的串并联以及储能蓄电池的串并联计算公式。上述工作对太阳能光伏发电系统的设计提供了一定的理论支撑。

  8. Fixed Nadir Focus Concentrated Solar Power Applying Reflective Array Tracking Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setiawan, B.; DAMayanti, A. M.; Murdani, A.; Habibi, I. I. A.; Wakidah, R. N.

    2018-04-01

    The Sun is one of the most potential renewable energy develoPMent to be utilized, one of its utilization is for solar thermal concentrators, CSP (Concentrated Solar Power). In CSP energy conversion, the concentrator is as moving the object by tracking the sunlight to reach the focus point. This method need quite energy consumption, because the unit of the concentrators has considerable weight, and use large CSP, means the existence of the usage unit will appear to be wider and heavier. The addition of weight and width of the unit will increase the torque to drive the concentrator and hold the wind gusts. One method to reduce energy consumption is direct the sunlight by the reflective array to nadir through CSP with Reflective Fresnel Lens concentrator. The focus will be below the nadir direction, and the position of concentrator will be fixed position even the angle of the sun’s elevation changes from morning to afternoon. So, the energy concentrated maximally, because it has been protected from wind gusts. And then, the possibility of dAMage and changes in focus construction will not occur. The research study and simulation of the reflective array (mechanical method) will show the reflective angle movement. The distance between reflectors and their angle are controlled by mechatronics. From the simulation using fresnel 1m2, and efficiency of solar energy is 60.88%. In restriction, the intensity of sunlight at the tropical circles 1KW/peak, from 6 AM until 6 PM.

  9. Photovoltaics: systems considerations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haq, A M

    1982-08-01

    Photovoltaics applications to date and the potential uses and growth of this alternative energy source for the future are examined in the light of present world economic conditions. In addition, a more detailed description is given, illustrating the method by which system sizing and design are calculated and mentioning such factors as local solar radiation and insolation levels, humidity, wind loading and altitude, all of which affect the optimal system size. The role of computer programming in these calculations is also outlined, illustrating the way in which deterioration, battery losses, poor weather etc. can be accounted and compensated for in the systems design process. The elements of the actual systems are also described, including details of the solar cells and arrays, the electronic controls incorporated in the systems and the characteristics of the batteries used. A resume of projected costs and current technological advances in silicon processing techniques is given together with an analysis of present and future growth trends in the photovoltaics industry.

  10. Assessment of quantum dots concentrators for photovoltaic electricity production; Evaluation du potentiel de concentrateurs a quantum dots pour la production d'electricite photovoltaique. Rapport final

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schueler, A.; Kostro, A.; Huriet, B.

    2006-07-01

    One of the most promising application of semiconductor nanostructures in the field of photovoltaics might be planar photoluminescent concentrators. Even for diffuse solar radiation, considerable concentration factors might be achieved. Such devices have originally been designed on the basis of organic dyes and might benefit from a considerably improved lifetime when replacing the organic fluorescent substances by inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals, so-called quantum dots. Quantum dot containing nanocomposite thin films are synthesized at EPFL-LESO by a low cost sol-gel process. In order to study the potential of the use of quantum dot solar concentrators in photovoltaic solar energy conversion, reliable computer simulations are needed. A tool for ray tracing simulations of quantum dot solar concentrators has been developed at EPFL-LESO on the basis of Monte-Carlo methods that are applied to polarization-dependent reflection/transmission at interfaces, photon absorption by the semiconductor nanocrystals and photoluminescent re-emission. Together with the knowledge on the optoelectronical properties of suitable photovoltaic cells, such simulations allow to predict the total efficiency of the envisaged concentrating PV systems, and to optimize pane dimensions, photoluminescent emission frequencies, and choice of PV cell types. (author)

  11. Effect of wind speed on performance of a solar-pv array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thousands of solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays have been installed over the past few years, but the effect of wind speed on the predicted performance of PV arrays is not usually considered by installers. An increase in wind speed will cool the PV array, and the electrical power of the PV modules will ...

  12. Long-term performance potential of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems

    KAUST Repository

    Burhan, Muhammad

    2017-07-17

    Owing to the diverse photovoltaic (PV) systems’ design and technology, as well as the dynamic nature of insolation data received on the aperture surfaces, the instantaneous output from a PV system fluctuates greatly. For accurate performance estimation of a large PV field, the long term performance as electrical output is a more rational approach over the conventional testing methods, such as at Standard Testing Conditions (STC) and at the Nominal Operating Cell Temperature (NOCT) available hitherto. In this paper, the long-term performances of concentrated PVs (Cassegrain reflectors and Fresnel lens) with 2-axes tracking and a variety of PV systems, namely the stationary flat-plate PV (mono-crystalline, poly-crystalline and thin-films CIS types), is presented over a period of one year for the merit comparison of system design, under the tropical weather conditions of Singapore. From the measured field performances, the total energy output of 240.2 kW h/m/year is recorded for CPV operation in Singapore, which is nearly two folds higher than the stationary PV panels.

  13. Field test analysis of concentrator photovoltaic system focusing on average photon energy and temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Husna, Husyira Al; Ota, Yasuyuki; Minemoto, Takashi; Nishioka, Kensuke

    2015-08-01

    The concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) system is unique and different from the common flat-plate PV system. It uses a multi-junction solar cell and a Fresnel lens to concentrate direct solar radiation onto the cell while tracking the sun throughout the day. The cell efficiency could reach over 40% under high concentration ratio. In this study, we analyzed a one year set of environmental condition data of the University of Miyazaki, Japan, where the CPV system was installed. Performance ratio (PR) was discussed to describe the system’s performance. Meanwhile, the average photon energy (APE) was used to describe the spectrum distribution at the site where the CPV system was installed. A circuit simulator network was used to simulate the CPV system electrical characteristics under various environmental conditions. As for the result, we found that the PR of the CPV systems depends on the APE level rather than the cell temperature.

  14. Photovoltaic module mounting system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miros, Robert H. J. [Fairfax, CA; Mittan, Margaret Birmingham [Oakland, CA; Seery, Martin N [San Rafael, CA; Holland, Rodney H [Novato, CA

    2012-04-17

    A solar array mounting system having unique installation, load distribution, and grounding features, and which is adaptable for mounting solar panels having no external frame. The solar array mounting system includes flexible, pedestal-style feet and structural links connected in a grid formation on the mounting surface. The photovoltaic modules are secured in place via the use of attachment clamps that grip the edge of the typically glass substrate. The panel mounting clamps are then held in place by tilt brackets and/or mid-link brackets that provide fixation for the clamps and align the solar panels at a tilt to the horizontal mounting surface. The tilt brackets are held in place atop the flexible feet and connected link members thus creating a complete mounting structure.

  15. Photovoltaic Pixels for Neural Stimulation: Circuit Models and Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boinagrov, David; Lei, Xin; Goetz, Georges; Kamins, Theodore I; Mathieson, Keith; Galambos, Ludwig; Harris, James S; Palanker, Daniel

    2016-02-01

    Photovoltaic conversion of pulsed light into pulsed electric current enables optically-activated neural stimulation with miniature wireless implants. In photovoltaic retinal prostheses, patterns of near-infrared light projected from video goggles onto subretinal arrays of photovoltaic pixels are converted into patterns of current to stimulate the inner retinal neurons. We describe a model of these devices and evaluate the performance of photovoltaic circuits, including the electrode-electrolyte interface. Characteristics of the electrodes measured in saline with various voltages, pulse durations, and polarities were modeled as voltage-dependent capacitances and Faradaic resistances. The resulting mathematical model of the circuit yielded dynamics of the electric current generated by the photovoltaic pixels illuminated by pulsed light. Voltages measured in saline with a pipette electrode above the pixel closely matched results of the model. Using the circuit model, our pixel design was optimized for maximum charge injection under various lighting conditions and for different stimulation thresholds. To speed discharge of the electrodes between the pulses of light, a shunt resistor was introduced and optimized for high frequency stimulation.

  16. Microprocessor-controlled step-down maximum-power-point tracker for photovoltaic systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazmuder, R. K.; Haidar, S.

    1992-12-01

    An efficient maximum power point tracker (MPPT) has been developed and can be used with a photovoltaic (PV) array and a load which requires lower voltage than the PV array voltage to be operated. The MPPT makes the PV array to operate at maximum power point (MPP) under all insolation and temperature, which ensures the maximum amount of available PV power to be delivered to the load. The performance of the MPPT has been studied under different insolation levels.

  17. Microcomputer control of a residential photovoltaic power conditioning system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bose, B.K.; Steigerwald, R.L.; Szczesny, P.M.

    1984-01-01

    Microcomputer-based control of a residential photovoltaic power conditioning system is described. The microcomputer is responsible for array current feedback control, maximum power tracking control, array safe zone steering control, phase-locked reference wave synthesis, sequencing control, and some diagnostics. The control functions are implemented using Intel 8751 single-chip microcomputer-based hardware and software. The controller has been tested in the laboratory with the prototype power conditioner and shows excellent performance.

  18. Microcomputer control of a residential photovoltaic power conditioning system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bose, B.K.; Steigerwald, R.L.; Szczesny, P.M.

    1985-09-01

    Microcomputer-based control of a residential photovoltaic power conditioning system is described. The microcomputer is responsible for array current feedback control, maximum power tracking control, array safe zone steering control, phase-locked reference wave synthesis, sequencing control, and some diagnostics. The control functions are implemented using Intel 8751 single-chip microcomputer-based hardware and software. The controller has been tested in the laboratory with the prototype power conditioner and shows excellent performance.

  19. A New Approach for Optimal Sizing of Standalone Photovoltaic Systems

    OpenAIRE

    Khatib, Tamer; Mohamed, Azah; Sopian, K.; Mahmoud, M.

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents a new method for determining the optimal sizing of standalone photovoltaic (PV) system in terms of optimal sizing of PV array and battery storage. A standalone PV system energy flow is first analysed, and the MATLAB fitting tool is used to fit the resultant sizing curves in order to derive general formulas for optimal sizing of PV array and battery. In deriving the formulas for optimal sizing of PV array and battery, the data considered are based on five sites in Malaysia...

  20. Luminescent solar concentrators with a bottom-mounted photovoltaic cell: performance optimization and power gain analysis

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Ningning Zhang; Yi Zhang; Jun Bao; Feng Zhang; Sen Yan; Song Sun; Chen Gao

    2017-01-01

    Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) plate luminescent solar concentrators with a bottom-mounted (BM-LSCs) photovoltaic (PV) cell are fabricated by using a mixture of Lumogen Red 305 and Yellow 083 fluorescent dyes and a commercial monocrystalline silicon cell.The fabricated LSC with dye concentrations of 40 ppm has the highest power gain of 1.50,which is the highest value reported for the dye-doped PMMA plate LSCs.The power gain of the LSC comes from three parts:the waveguide light,the transmitted light,and the reflected light from a white reflector,and their contributions are analyzed quantitatively.The results suggest that the BM-LSCs have great potential for future low-cost PV devices in building integrated PV applications.

  1. High Voltage Solar Concentrator Experiment with Implications for Future Space Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehdi, Ishaque S.; George, Patrick J.; O'Neill, Mark; Matson, Robert; Brockschmidt, Arthur

    2004-01-01

    This paper describes the design, development, fabrication, and test of a high performance, high voltage solar concentrator array. This assembly is believed to be the first ever terrestrial triple-junction-cell solar array rated at over 1 kW. The concentrator provides over 200 W/square meter power output at a nominal 600 Vdc while operating under terrestrial sunlight. Space-quality materials and fabrication techniques were used for the array, and the 3005 meter elevation installation below the Tropic of Cancer allowed testing as close as possible to space deployment without an actual launch. The array includes two concentrator modules, each with a 3 square meter aperture area. Each concentrator module uses a linear Fresnel lens to focus sunlight onto a photovoltaic receiver that uses 240 series-connected triple-junction solar cells. Operation of the two receivers in series can provide 1200 Vdc which would be adequate for the 'direct drive' of some ion engines or microwave transmitters in space. Lens aperture width is 84 cm and the cell active width is 3.2 cm, corresponding to a geometric concentration ratio of 26X. The evaluation includes the concentrator modules, the solar cells, and the materials and techniques used to attach the solar cells to the receiver heat sink. For terrestrial applications, a finned aluminum extrusion was used for the heat sink for the solar cells, maintaining a low cell temperature so that solar cell efficiency remains high.

  2. Performance characteristics of solar-photovoltaic flywheel-storage systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarvinen, P. O.; Brench, B. L.; Rasmussen, N. E.

    A solar photovoltaic energy flywheel storage and conversion system for residential applications was tested. Performance and efficiency measurements were conducted on the system, which utilizes low loss magnetic bearings, maximum power point tracking of the photovoltaic array, integrated permanent magnet motor generator, and output power conditioning sections of either the stand alone cycloconverter or utility interactive inverter type. The overall in/out electrical storage efficiency of the flywheel system was measured along with the power transfer efficiencies of the individual components and the system spin down tare losses. The system compares favorably with systems which use batteries and inverters.

  3. Solar photovoltaic water pumping system using a new linear actuator

    OpenAIRE

    Andrada Gascón, Pedro; Castro, Javier

    2007-01-01

    In this paper a photovoltaic solar pumping system using a new linear actuator is presented. This linear actuator is a double-sided flat two-phase variable-reluctance linear stepper motor that moves a piston-type water pump with the help of a rope, a pulley and a counterweight. The entire actuator pump ensemble is controlled by a simple electronic unit that manages the electric power generated by a photovoltaic array. The proposed system is suitable for rural communities in developing...

  4. Outdoor performance analysis of a 1090× point-focus Fresnel high concentrator photovoltaic/thermal system with triple-junction solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Ning; Ji, Jie; Sun, Wei; Han, Lisheng; Chen, Haifei; Jin, Zhuling

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: A high concentrator photovoltaic/thermal (HCPV/T) system based on point-focus Fresnel lens has been set up in this work. The concentrator has a geometric concentration ratio of 1090× and uniform irradiation distribution can be obtained on solar cells. The system produces both electricity and heat. Performance of the system has been investigated based on the outdoor measurement in a clear day. The HCPV/T system presents an instantaneous electrical efficiency of 28% and a highest instantaneous thermal efficiency of 54%, respectively. Experimental results show that direct irradiation affects the electrical performance of the system dominantly. Fitting results of electrical performance offer simple and reliable methods to analyze the system performance. - Highlights: • A point-focus Fresnel lens photovoltaic/thermal system is proposed and studied. • The system presents an instantaneous electrical efficiency of 28%. • The system has a highest instantaneous thermal efficiency of 54%. • Direct irradiation has the dominant effect on the electrical performance. • Fitting results offer simple and reliable methods to analyze system performances. - Abstract: A high concentrator photovoltaic/thermal (HCPV/T) system based on point-focus Fresnel lens has been set up in this work. The concentrator has a geometric concentration ratio of 1090× and uniform irradiation distribution can be obtained on solar cells. The system produces both electricity and heat. Performance of the system has been investigated based on the outdoor measurement in a clear day. The HCPV/T system presents an instantaneous electrical efficiency of 28% and a highest instantaneous thermal efficiency of 54%, which means the overall efficiency of the system can be more than 80%. A mathematical model for calculating cell temperature is proposed to solve difficult measurement of cell temperature in a system. Moreover, characteristics of electrical performance under various direct

  5. Study of Power Options for Jupiter and Outer Planet Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landis, Geoffrey A.; Fincannon, James

    2015-01-01

    Power for missions to Jupiter and beyond presents a challenging goal for photovoltaic power systems, but NASA missions including Juno and the upcoming Europa Clipper mission have shown that it is possible to operate solar arrays at Jupiter. This work analyzes photovoltaic technologies for use in Jupiter and outer planet missions, including both conventional arrays, as well as analyzing the advantages of advanced solar cells, concentrator arrays, and thin film technologies. Index Terms - space exploration, spacecraft solar arrays, solar electric propulsion, photovoltaic cells, concentrator, Fresnel lens, Jupiter missions, outer planets.

  6. Modeling and Implementing a Digitally Embedded Maximum Power Point Tracking Algorithm and a Series-Loaded Resonant DC-DC Converter to Integrate a Photovoltaic Array with a Micro-Grid

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-09-01

    These renewable energy sources can include solar, wind, geothermal , biomass, hydroelectric, and nuclear. Of these sources, photovoltaic (PV) arrays...renewable energy source [1]. These renewable energy sources can include solar, wind, geothermal , biomass, hydroelectric, and nuclear. Of these sources...26, May 2011. [6] H. G. Xu, J. P. He, Y. Qin, and Y. H. Li, “Energy management and control strategy for DC micro-grid in data center,” China

  7. Performance enhancement of photovoltaic array through string and central based MPPT system under non-uniform irradiance conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Syafaruddin; Karatepe, Engin; Hiyama, Takashi

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► We propose MPPT method for tracking global MPP of PV arrays under non-uniform irradiance conditions. ► We compare the performance of string and central based MPPT. ► Intelligent control method is utilized to identify the global operating voltage in string and central based MPPT system. ► The performance of proposed method is tested on different size of PV. - Abstract: Mismatching losses reduction of photovoltaic (PV) array has been intensively discussed through the increasing penetration of residential and commercial PV systems. Many causes of mismatching losses have been identified and plenty of proposed methods to solve this problem have been recently proposed. This paper deals with reducing method of mismatching losses due to the non-uniform irradiance conditions. It is well-known that a certain number of multiple peaks occur on the power–voltage curve as the number of PV modules in one-string increases under non-uniform operating conditions. Since the conventional control method only drives the operating points of PV system to the local maxima close to open circuit voltage, only small portion of power can be extracted from the PV system. In this study, a radial basis function neural network (RBF-ANN) based intelligent control method is utilized to map the global operating voltage and non-irradiance operating condition in string and central based MPPT systems. The proposed method has been tested on 10 × 3 (2.2 kW), 15 × 3 (2.5 kW) and 20 × 3 (3.3 kW) of series–parallel PV array configuration under random-shaded and continuous-shaded patterns. The proposed method is compared with the ideal case and conventional method through a simple power–voltage curve of PV arrays. The simulation results show that there are significant increases of about 30–60% of the extracted power in one operating condition when the proposed method is able to shift the operating voltage of modules to their optimum voltages.

  8. Daytime Solar Heating of Photovoltaic Arrays in Low Density Plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galofaro, J.; Vayner, B.; Ferguson, D.

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of the current work is to determine the out-gassing rate of H2O molecules for a solar array placed under daytime solar heating (full sunlight) conditions typically encountered in a Low Earth Orbital (LEO) environment. Arc rates are established for individual arrays held at 14 C and are used as a baseline for future comparisons. Radiated thermal solar flux incident to the array is simulated by mounting a stainless steel panel equipped with resistive heating elements several centimeters behind the array. A thermal plot of the heater plate temperature and the array temperature as a function of heating time is then obtained. A mass spectrometer is used to record the levels of partial pressure of water vapor in the test chamber after each of the 5 heating/cooling cycles. Each of the heating cycles was set to time duration of 40 minutes to simulate the daytime solar heat flux to the array over a single orbit. Finally the array is cooled back to ambient temperature after 5 complete cycles and the arc rates of the solar arrays is retested. A comparison of the various data is presented with rather some unexpected results.

  9. Intermediate photovoltaic system application experiment operational performance. Executive summary. Volume 6 for Beverly High School, Beverly, MA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    1982-04-01

    Performance data are given for a 95 kW-peak grid connected flat panel photovoltaic power supply at a Massachusetts high school for the month of March 1982. Data presented include daily and monthly electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic system, daily and monthly solar energy incident in the plane of the array, efficiency of the solar cell array and of the power conditioner and of the system overall, the capacity factor, solar insolation, and the data acquisition mode and recording interval plot. (LEW)

  10. A new procedure for estimating the cell temperature of a high concentrator photovoltaic grid connected system based on atmospheric parameters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernández, Eduardo F.; Almonacid, Florencia

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Concentrating grid-connected systems are working at maximum power point. • The operating cell temperature is inherently lower than at open circuit. • Two novel methods for estimating the cell temperature are proposed. • Both predict the operating cell temperature from atmospheric parameters. • Experimental results show that both methods perform effectively. - Abstract: The working cell temperature of high concentrator photovoltaic systems is a crucial parameter when analysing their performance and reliability. At the same time, due to the special features of this technology, the direct measurement of the cell temperature is very complex and is usually obtained by using different indirect methods. High concentrator photovoltaic modules in a system are operating at maximum power since they are connected to an inverter. So that, their cell temperature is lower than the cell temperature of a module at open-circuit voltage since an important part of the light power density is converted into electricity. In this paper, a procedure for indirectly estimating the cell temperature of a high concentrator photovoltaic system from atmospheric parameters is addressed. Therefore, this new procedure has the advantage that is valid for estimating the cell temperature of a system at any location of interest if the atmospheric parameters are available. To achieve this goal, two different methods are proposed: one based on simple mathematical relationships and another based on artificial intelligent techniques. Results show that both methods predicts the cell temperature of a module connected to an inverter with a low margin of error with a normalised root mean square error lower or equal than 3.3%, an absolute root mean square error lower or equal than 2 °C, a mean absolute error lower or equal then 1.5 °C, and a mean bias error and a mean relative error almost equal to 0%

  11. Computer Drawing Method for Operating Characteristic Curve of PV Power Plant Array Unit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Jianbin

    2018-02-01

    According to the engineering design of large-scale grid-connected photovoltaic power stations and the research and development of many simulation and analysis systems, it is necessary to draw a good computer graphics of the operating characteristic curves of photovoltaic array elements and to propose a good segmentation non-linear interpolation algorithm. In the calculation method, Component performance parameters as the main design basis, the computer can get 5 PV module performances. At the same time, combined with the PV array series and parallel connection, the computer drawing of the performance curve of the PV array unit can be realized. At the same time, the specific data onto the module of PV development software can be calculated, and the good operation of PV array unit can be improved on practical application.

  12. 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.

  13. Candidate solar cell materials for photovoltaic conversion in a solar power satellite /SPS/

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glaser, P. E.; Almgren, D. W.

    1978-01-01

    In recognition of the obstacles to solar-generated baseload power on earth, proposals have been made to locate solar power satellites in geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO), where solar energy would be available 24 hours a day during most of the time of the year. In an SPS, the electricity produced by solar energy conversion will be fed to microwave generators forming part of a planar phase-array transmitting antenna. The antenna is designed to precisely direct a microwave beam of very low intensity to one or more receiving antennas at desired locations on earth. At the receiving antenna, the microwave energy will be safely and efficiently reconverted to electricity and then be transmitted to consumers. An SPS system will include a number of satellites in GEO. Attention is given to the photovoltaic option for solar energy conversion in GEO, solar cell requirements, the availability of materials, the implication of large production volumes, requirements for high-volume manufacture of solar cell arrays, and the effects of concentration ratio on solar cell array area.

  14. Optimal Design of MPPT Controllers for Grid Connected Photovoltaic Array System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebrahim, M. A.; AbdelHadi, H. A.; Mahmoud, H. M.; Saied, E. M.; Salama, M. M.

    2016-10-01

    Integrating photovoltaic (PV) plants into electric power system exhibits challenges to power system dynamic performance. These challenges stem primarily from the natural characteristics of PV plants, which differ in some respects from the conventional plants. The most significant challenge is how to extract and regulate the maximum power from the sun. This paper presents the optimal design for the most commonly used Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) techniques based on Proportional Integral tuned by Particle Swarm Optimization (PI-PSO). These suggested techniques are, (1) the incremental conductance, (2) perturb and observe, (3) fractional short circuit current and (4) fractional open circuit voltage techniques. This research work provides a comprehensive comparative study with the energy availability ratio from photovoltaic panels. The simulation results proved that the proposed controllers have an impressive tracking response. The system dynamic performance improved greatly using the proposed controllers.

  15. Development, analysis and assessment of a fuel cell and solar photovoltaic system powered vehicle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ezzat, M.F.; Dincer, I.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A new integrated fuel cell-photovoltaic system for vehicle application is proposed. • Comprehensive energy and exergy analyses are conducted. • Detailed parametric study is performed. • Overall energy and exergy efficiencies are determined. • Photovoltaic utilization can save 561 g of hydrogen during 3 h drive. - Abstract: This paper deals with a new hybridly powered photovoltaic-fuel cell - Li-ion battery integrated system and is compared to a base system, consisting of PEM fuel cell and Li-ion battery. It investigates the effects of adding photovoltaic arrays to the base system and further effects on the overall energy and exergy efficiencies and hence hydrogen consumption. These two systems are analyzed and assessed both energetically and exergetically. The study results show that the overall energy and exergy efficiencies become 39.46% and 56.3%, respectively at a current density of 1150 mA/cm"2 for system 1 (fuel cell-battery). Moreover, energy and exergy efficiencies are found to be 39.86% and 56.63% at current density of 1150 mA/cm"2 for system 2 (fuel cell-battery-photovoltaics). Utilizing photovoltaic arrays in system 2 would recover 561 g of hydrogen through 3 h of continuous driving at max power of 98.32 kW, which is approximately 11.2% of the hydrogen storage tank used in the proposed systems. The effects of changing various system parameters on energy and exergy efficiencies of the overall system are also examined.

  16. Energy requirement for the production of silicon solar arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindmayer, J.; Wihl, M.; Scheinine, A.; Rosenfield, T.; Wrigley, C. Y.; Morrison, A.; Anderson, J.; Clifford, A.; Lafky, W.

    1977-01-01

    The results of a study to investigate the feasibility of manufacturing photovoltaic solar array modules by the use of energy obtained from similar or identical photovoltaic sources are presented. The primary objective of this investigation was the characterization of the energy requirements of current and developing technologies which comprise the photovoltaic field. For cross-checking the energies of prevailing technologies data were also used and the wide-range assessment of alternative technologies included different refinement methods, various ways of producing light sheets, semicrystalline cells, etc. Energy data are utilized to model the behavior of a future solar breeder plant under various operational conditions.

  17. Comparative analysis of concentrating solar power and photovoltaic technologies: Technical and environmental evaluations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Desideri, U.; Zepparelli, F.; Morettini, V.; Garroni, E.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Life cycle was assessed for both concentrated solar power and photovoltaic systems. ► The PV plant has a higher environmental impact than the CSP plant. ► The Global Warming Potential is lower for the CSP than for the PV plant. ► The energy payback time is lower for the CSP than for the PV plant. -- Abstract: Solar energy is an important alternative energy source to fossil fuels and theoretically the most available energy source on the earth. Solar energy can be converted into electric energy by using two different processes: by means of thermodynamic cycles and the photovoltaic conversion. Solar thermal technologies, sometimes called thermodynamic solar technologies, operating at medium (about 500 °C) and high temperatures (about 1000 °C), have recently attracted a renewed interest and have become one of the most promising alternatives in the field of solar energy utilization. Photovoltaic conversion is very interesting, although still quite expensive, because of the absence of moving components and the reduced operating and management costs. The main objectives of the present work are: •to carry out comparative technical evaluations on the amount of electricity produced by two hypothetical plants, located on the same site, for which a preliminary design was made: a solar thermal power plant with parabolic trough collectors and a photovoltaic plant with a single-axis tracking system; •to carry out a comparative analysis of the environmental impact derived from the processes of electricity generation during the whole life cycle of the two hypothetical power plants. First a technical comparison between the two plants was made assuming that they have the same nominal electric power and then the same total covered surface. The methodology chosen to evaluate the environmental impact associated with the power plants is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). It allows to analyze all the phases of the life cycle of the plants, from the extraction of

  18. Economical photovoltaic power generation with heat recovery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ascher, G.

    1977-01-01

    Three designs for conversion of solar radiation to electricity and thermal energy are analyzed. The objective of these converters is to increase the electric and thermal output for each photovoltaic array so as to lower the cell cost relative to the amount of energy delivered. An analysis of the economical aspects of conversion by photovoltaic cells with heat recovery is carried out in terms of hypothetical examples. Thus, it is shown that the original cost of say $40,000 per generated kilowat can be reduced to $572.00 per kilowatt by increasing the original electric output of 1 kW to 10 kW in electricity and 60 kW in thermal energy. The newly derived specific cost is only 1.4 percent of the original one. It is expected that a cost reduction of roughly 2% of the present specific cost per kilowatt will greatly stimulate public acceptance of photovoltaic terrestrial conversion to electricity.

  19. Solar Cell and Array Technology Development for NASA Solar Electric Propulsion Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piszczor, Michael; McNatt, Jeremiah; Mercer, Carolyn; Kerslake, Tom; Pappa, Richard

    2012-01-01

    NASA is currently developing advanced solar cell and solar array technologies to support future exploration activities. These advanced photovoltaic technology development efforts are needed to enable very large (multi-hundred kilowatt) power systems that must be compatible with solar electric propulsion (SEP) missions. The technology being developed must address a wide variety of requirements and cover the necessary advances in solar cell, blanket integration, and large solar array structures that are needed for this class of missions. Th is paper will summarize NASA's plans for high power SEP missions, initi al mission studies and power system requirements, plans for advanced photovoltaic technology development, and the status of specific cell and array technology development and testing that have already been conducted.

  20. Particle swarm optimization based solar PV array reconfiguration of the maximum power extraction under partial shading conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Babu, Thanikanti Sudhakar; Ram, J. Prasanth; Dragicevic, Tomislav

    2018-01-01

    For large photovoltaic power generation plants, number of panels are interconnected in series and parallel to form a photovoltaic (PV) array. In this configuration, partial shade will result in decrease in power output and introduce multiple peaks in the P–V curve. As a consequence, the modules...... in the array will deliver different row currents. Therefore, to maximize the power extraction from PV array, the panels need to be reconfigured for row current difference minimization. Row current minimization via Su Do Ku game theory do physical relocation of panels may cause laborious work and lengthy...

  1. Crossed BiOI flake array solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Kewei; Jia, Falong; Zhang, Lizhi [Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan (China); Zheng, Zhi [Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, Xuchang University (China)

    2010-12-15

    We report a new kind of solar cell based on crossed flake-like BiOI arrays for the first time. The BiOI flake arrays were fabricated on an FTO glass with a TiO{sub 2} block layer at room temperature by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The resulting BiOI flake array solar cell exhibited enhanced photovoltaic performance under solar illumination. This work provides an attractive and new solar cell system and a facile route to fabricate low cost and non-toxic solar cell. (author)

  2. Design description of the Tangaye Village photovoltaic power system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martz, J. E.; Ratajczak, A. F.

    1982-01-01

    The engineering design of a stand alone photovoltaic (PV) powered grain mill and water pump for the village of Tangaye, Upper Volta is described. The socioeconomic effects of reducing the time required by women in rural areas for drawing water and grinding grain were studied. The suitability of photovoltaic technology for use in rural areas by people of limited technical training was demonstrated. The PV system consists of a 1.8-kW (peak) solar cell array, 540 ampere hours of battery storage, instrumentation, automatic controls, and a data collection and storage system. The PV system is situated near an improved village well and supplies d.c. power to a grain mill and a water pump. The array is located in a fenced area and the mill, battery, instruments, controls, and data system are in a mill building. A water storage tank is located near the well. The system employs automatic controls which provide battery charge regulation and system over and under voltage protection. This report includes descriptions of the engineering design of the system and of the load that it serves; a discussion of PV array and battery sizing methodology; descriptions of the mechanical and electrical designs including the array, battery, controls, and instrumentation; and a discussion of the safety features. The system became operational on March 1, 1979.

  3. Analysis and Prediction of Energy Production in Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV Installations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Allen Barnett

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available A method for the prediction of Energy Production (EP in Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV installations is examined in this study. It presents a new method that predicts EP by using Global Horizontal Irradiation (GHI and the Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (PVGIS database, instead of Direct Normal Irradiation (DNI data, which are rarely recorded at most locations. EP at four Spanish CPV installations is analyzed: two are based on silicon solar cells and the other two on multi-junction III-V solar cells. The real EP is compared with the predicted EP. Two methods for EP prediction are presented. In the first preliminary method, a monthly Performance Ratio (PR is used as an arbitrary constant value (75% and an estimation of the DNI. The DNI estimation is obtained from GHI measurements and the PVGIS database. In the second method, a lineal model is proposed for the first time in this paper to obtain the predicted EP from the estimated DNI. This lineal model is the regression line that correlates the real monthly EP and the estimated DNI in 2009. This new method implies that the monthly PR is variable. Using the new method, the difference between the predicted and the real EP values is less than 2% for the annual EP and is in the range of 5.6%–16.1% for the monthly EP. The method that uses the variable monthly PR allows the prediction of the EP with reasonable accuracy. It is therefore possible to predict the CPV EP for any location, using only widely available GHI data and the PVGIS database.

  4. Standard Test Method for Electrical Performance of Concentrator Terrestrial Photovoltaic Modules and Systems Under Natural Sunlight

    CERN Document Server

    American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

    2009-01-01

    1.1 This test method covers the determination of the electrical performance of photovoltaic concentrator modules and systems under natural sunlight using a normal incidence pyrheliometer. 1.2 The test method is limited to module assemblies and systems where the geometric concentration ratio specified by the manufacturer is greater than 5. 1.3 This test method applies to concentrators that use passive cooling where the cell temperature is related to the air temperature. 1.4 Measurements under a variety of conditions are allowed; results are reported under a select set of concentrator reporting conditions to facilitate comparison of results. 1.5 This test method applies only to concentrator terrestrial modules and systems. 1.6 This test method assumes that the module or system electrical performance characteristics do not change during the period of test. 1.7 The performance rating determined by this test method applies only at the period of the test, and implies no past or future performance level. 1.8...

  5. Performance comparison of four kinds of flat nonimaging Fresnel lenses made of polycarbonates and polymethyl methacrylate for concentrated photovoltaics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Languy, Fabian; Habraken, Serge

    2011-07-15

    Solar concentrators made of a single refractive primary optics are limited to a concentration ratio of about 1000× [Opt. Express 19, A280 (2011)], due only to longitudinal chromatic aberration, while mirrors are limited to ∼46,000× by the angular size of the Sun. To reduce the chromatic aberration while keeping cost-effective systems for concentrated photovoltaics, a study of four different kinds of flat Fresnel doublets made of polycarbonates and polymethyl methacrylate is presented. It reveals that Fresnel doublets may have fewer optical losses than non-Fresnel doublets, with a lower lateral chromatic split allowing for even higher concentration ratio. © 2011 Optical Society of America

  6. Cost Estimates Of Concentrated Photovoltaic Heat Sink Production

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-06-01

    PV), return on investment (ROI) 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 59 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF REPORT Unclassified 18. SECURITY...improvements increase overall system returns on investment and 11 provide pathways for further reduction in system costs (Phillips et al., 2015). Phillips...generation. As the CPV market has matured, production costs have come down to near flat-panel photovoltaic (PV) production costs. CPV units

  7. Analysis of the economics of photovoltaic-diesel-battery energy systems for remote applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brainard, W. A.

    1983-01-01

    Computer simulations were conducted to analyze the performance and operating cost of a photovoltaic energy source combined with a diesel generator system and battery storage. The simulations were based on the load demand profiles used for the design of an all photovoltaic energy system installed in the remote Papago Indian Village of Schuchuli, Arizona. Twenty year simulations were run using solar insolation data from Phoenix SOLMET tapes. Total energy produced, energy consumed, operation and maintenance costs were calculated. The life cycle and levelized energy costs were determined for a variety of system configurations (i.e., varying amounts of photovoltaic array and battery storage).

  8. Optimization of the concentration level in the peak-watt cost of photovoltaic concentrator systems; Optimizacion del nivel de concentracion desde el punto de vista economico en instalaciones fotovoltaicas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Illanes, R.; De la cueva, J. M.; De Francisco, A.; Prieto, E.; De Blas, M. A.

    2004-07-01

    In this paper, the effect of the geometric concentration level in the peak-watt cost of photovoltaic concentrator systems is analysed. The optimum levels to make minimum cost for every cell technology is determined for the assumption of some prices. It is concluded that low and middle level concentration are the most profitable systems when cells of monocrystalline Silicon are used, being high level concentration systems the most interesting with high efficiency technologies. A reduction in the peak-watt cost between 50% and 70% of the present price of PV flat panels may be possible, although it would be desirable more data available on the price of components. (Author)

  9. Overview of Photovoltaic Calibration and Measurement Standards at GRC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baraona, Cosmo; Snyder, David; Brinker, David; Bailey, Sheila; Curtis, Henry; Scheiman, David; Jenkins, Phillip

    2002-01-01

    Photovoltaic (PV) systems (cells and arrays) for spacecraft power have become an international market. This market demands accurate prediction of the solar array power output in space throughout the mission life of the spacecraft. Since the beginning of space flight, space-faring nations have independently developed methods to calibrate solar cells for power output in low Earth orbit (LEO). These methods rely on terrestrial, laboratory, or extraterrestrial light sources to simulate or approximate the air mass zero (AM0) solar intensity and spectrum.

  10. Mathematical model for the power generation from arbitrarily oriented photovoltaic panel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan Qusay

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a mathematical model for modelling the solar radiation components and photovoltaic arrays power outputs from arbitrarily oriented photovoltaic panel has been presented. Base on the model electrical power prediction of the photovoltaic system in realistic local condition has been presented and compared with experimental measurement. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed model, which provides tools to better understand the performance and reliability as well as decision-making tool in designing of a hybrid renewable energy base power generation system. It has been shown that base on the model prediction, the efficiency and possible failures of the system can be found which are important from the technical and economical point of view.

  11. Photovoltaic and thermal energy conversion for solar powered satellites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Von Tiesenhausen, G. F.

    1976-01-01

    A summary is provided concerning the most important aspects of present investigations related to a use of solar power satellites (SPS) as a future source of terrestrial energy. General SPS characteristics are briefly considered, early work is reviewed, and a description of current investigations is presented. System options presently under study include a photovoltaic array, a thermionic system, and a closed Brayton cycle. Attention is given to system reference options, basic building blocks, questions of system analysis and engineering, photovoltaic conversion, and the utility interface. It is concluded that an SPS may be cost effective compared to terrestrial systems by 1995.

  12. Photovoltaic array mounting apparatus, systems, and methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, John Raymond; Atchley, Brian; Hudson, Tyrus Hawkes; Johansen, Emil

    2014-12-02

    An apparatus for mounting a photovoltaic (PV) module on a surface, including a support with an upper surface, a lower surface, tabs, one or more openings, and a clip comprising an arm and a notch, where the apparatus resists wind forces and seismic forces and creates a grounding electrical bond between the PV module, support, and clip. The invention further includes a method for installing PV modules on a surface that includes arranging supports in rows along an X axis and in columns along a Y axis on a surface such that in each row the distance between two neighboring supports does not exceed the length of the longest side of a PV module and in each column the distance between two neighboring supports does not exceed the length of the shortest side of a PV module.

  13. HgCdTe photovoltaic detectors on Si substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zanio, K.R.; Bean, R.C.

    1988-01-01

    HgCdTe photovoltaic detectors have been fabricated on Si substrates through intermediate CdTe/GaAs layers. Encapsulation of the GaAs between the CdTe and Si prevents unintentional doping of the HgCdTe by Ga and As. Uniform epitaxial GaAs is grown on three inch diameter Si substrates. Detectors on such large area Si substrates will offer hybrid focal plane arrays whose dimensions are not limited by the difference between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the Si signal processor and the substrate for the HgCdTe detector array. The growth of HgCdTe detectors on the Si signal processors for monolithic focal plane arrays is also considered. 40 references

  14. PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION BASED OF THE MAXIMUM PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER TRACTIOQG UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Labbi

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Photovoltaic electricity is seen as an important source of renewable energy. The photovoltaic array is an unstable source of power since the peak power point depends on the temperature and the irradiation level. A maximum peak power point tracking is then necessary for maximum efficiency.In this work, a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO is proposed for maximum power point tracker for photovoltaic panel, are used to generate the optimal MPP, such that solar panel maximum power is generated under different operating conditions. A photovoltaic system including a solar panel and PSO MPP tracker is modelled and simulated, it has been has been carried out which has shown the effectiveness of PSO to draw much energy and fast response against change in working conditions.

  15. Study of Photovoltaic Energy Storage by Supercapacitors through Both Experimental and Modelling Approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pierre-Olivier Logerais

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The storage of photovoltaic energy by supercapacitors is studied by using two approaches. An overview on the integration of supercapacitors in solar energy conversion systems is previously provided. First, a realized experimental setup of charge/discharge of supercapacitors fed by a photovoltaic array has been operated with fine data acquisition. The second approach consists in simulating photovoltaic energy storage by supercapacitors with a faithful and accessible model composed of solar irradiance evaluation, equivalent electrical circuit for photovoltaic conversion, and a multibranch circuit for supercapacitor. Both the experimental and calculated results are confronted, and an error of 1% on the stored energy is found with a correction largely within ±10% of the transmission line capacitance according to temperature.

  16. ParaSol - A Novel Deployable Approach for Very Large Ultra-lightweight Solar Arrays, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — High power solar arrays with capabilities of >100kW are needed for projected NASA missions. Photovoltaic arrays using deployable membranes with thin cells have...

  17. Economic optimization of photovoltaic water pumping systems for irrigation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campana, P.E.; Li, H.; Zhang, J.; Zhang, R.; Liu, J.; Yan, J.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • A novel optimization procedure for photovoltaic water pumping systems for irrigation is proposed. • An hourly simulation model is the basis of the optimization procedure. • The effectiveness of the new optimization approach has been tested to an existing photovoltaic water pumping system. - Abstract: Photovoltaic water pumping technology is considered as a sustainable and economical solution to provide water for irrigation, which can halt grassland degradation and promote farmland conservation in China. The appropriate design and operation significantly depend on the available solar irradiation, crop water demand, water resources and the corresponding benefit from the crop sale. In this work, a novel optimization procedure is proposed, which takes into consideration not only the availability of groundwater resources and the effect of water supply on crop yield, but also the investment cost of photovoltaic water pumping system and the revenue from crop sale. A simulation model, which combines the dynamics of photovoltaic water pumping system, groundwater level, water supply, crop water demand and crop yield, is employed during the optimization. To prove the effectiveness of the new optimization approach, it has been applied to an existing photovoltaic water pumping system. Results show that the optimal configuration can guarantee continuous operations and lead to a substantial reduction of photovoltaic array size and consequently of the investment capital cost and the payback period. Sensitivity studies have been conducted to investigate the impacts of the prices of photovoltaic modules and forage on the optimization. Results show that the water resource is a determinant factor

  18. Magnetofluidic concentration and separation of non-magnetic particles using two magnet arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hejazian, Majid

    2016-01-01

    The present paper reports the use of diluted ferrofluid and two arrays of permanent magnets for the size-selective concentration of non-magnetic particles. The micro magnetofluidic device consists of a straight channels sandwiched between two arrays of permanent magnets. The permanent magnets create multiple capture zones with minimum magnetic field strength along the channel. The complex interaction between magnetic forces and hydrodynamic force allows the device to operate in different regimes suitable for concentration of non-magnetic particles with small difference in size. Our experimental results show that non-magnetic particles with diameters of 3.1 μm and 4.8 μm can be discriminated and separated with this method. The results from this study could be used as a guide for the design of size-sensitive separation devices for particle and cell based on negative magnetophoresis. PMID:27478527

  19. A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Evaluating the Photovoltaic Potential: Its Validation in Buenos Aires and Antarctica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo D. Cabezas

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The use of renewable energies requires a precise and detailed quantification of the resource available. Because of the cost of solar stations or limited availability of skilled human resources, in most emerging countries, this assessment is made only on a few points scattered over large areas. We report here a simple and inexpensive method to evaluate the photovoltaic (PV potential for a specific geographic region and a given PV capture technology. The system allows for a direct evaluation of the energy actually obtainable by scaling the measurement array of photovoltaic cells. The proposed measurement system can be installed as a stand-alone unit, or as part of a measurement network, connected to a more sophisticated central hub. The measurement station consists of said PV array (or similar PV array, a resistor, and a portable data logger. The system is calibrated with a device composed of a small array of PV cells, a resistor load bank, and two multimeters. Due to its low cost, this system can be replicated as many times as required with minimal investment. This would make it possible to evaluate the available photovoltaic potential of large regions with accurate and detailed data. Measurements carried out in Buenos Aires and in Antarctica confirm the consistency of the method.

  20. Assessment of the technology required to develop photovoltaic power system for large scale national energy applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lutwack, R.

    1974-01-01

    A technical assessment of a program to develop photovoltaic power system technology for large-scale national energy applications was made by analyzing and judging the alternative candidate photovoltaic systems and development tasks. A program plan was constructed based on achieving the 10 year objective of a program to establish the practicability of large-scale terrestrial power installations using photovoltaic conversion arrays costing less than $0.50/peak W. Guidelines for the tasks of a 5 year program were derived from a set of 5 year objectives deduced from the 10 year objective. This report indicates the need for an early emphasis on the development of the single-crystal Si photovoltaic system for commercial utilization; a production goal of 5 x 10 to the 8th power peak W/year of $0.50 cells was projected for the year 1985. The developments of other photovoltaic conversion systems were assigned to longer range development roles. The status of the technology developments and the applicability of solar arrays in particular power installations, ranging from houses to central power plants, was scheduled to be verified in a series of demonstration projects. The budget recommended for the first 5 year phase of the program is $268.5M.

  1. Low-cost solar array progress and plans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Callaghan, W. T.

    It is pointed out that significant redirection has occurred in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Photovoltaics Program, and thus in the Flat-Plate Solar Array Project (FSA), since the 3rd European Communities Conference. The Silicon Materials Task has now the objective to sponsor theoretical and experimental research on silicon material refinement technology suitable for photovoltaic flat-plate solar arrays. With respect to the hydrochlorination reaction, a process proof of concept was completed through definition of reaction kinetics, catalyst, and reaction characteristics. In connection with the dichlorosilane chemical vapor desposition process, a preliminary design was completed of an experimental process system development unit with a capacity of 100 to 200 MT/yr of Si.Attention is also given to the silicon-sheet formation research area, environmental isolation research, the cell and module formation task, the engineering sciences area, and the module performance and failure analysis area.

  2. Interim performance criteria for photovoltaic energy systems. [Glossary included

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DeBlasio, R.; Forman, S.; Hogan, S.; Nuss, G.; Post, H.; Ross, R.; Schafft, H.

    1980-12-01

    This document is a response to the Photovoltaic Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-590) which required the generation of performance criteria for photovoltaic energy systems. Since the document is evolutionary and will be updated, the term interim is used. More than 50 experts in the photovoltaic field have contributed in the writing and review of the 179 performance criteria listed in this document. The performance criteria address characteristics of present-day photovoltaic systems that are of interest to manufacturers, government agencies, purchasers, and all others interested in various aspects of photovoltaic system performance and safety. The performance criteria apply to the system as a whole and to its possible subsystems: array, power conditioning, monitor and control, storage, cabling, and power distribution. They are further categorized according to the following performance attributes: electrical, thermal, mechanical/structural, safety, durability/reliability, installation/operation/maintenance, and building/site. Each criterion contains a statement of expected performance (nonprescriptive), a method of evaluation, and a commentary with further information or justification. Over 50 references for background information are also given. A glossary with definitions relevant to photovoltaic systems and a section on test methods are presented in the appendices. Twenty test methods are included to measure performance characteristics of the subsystem elements. These test methods and other parts of the document will be expanded or revised as future experience and needs dictate.

  3. Outdoor Performance Analysis of a Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) Collector with Jet Impingement and Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC)

    OpenAIRE

    Ahed Hameed Jaaz; Husam Abdulrasool Hasan; Kamaruzzaman Sopian; Abdul Amir H. Kadhum; Tayser Sumer Gaaz; Ahmed A. Al-Amiery

    2017-01-01

    This paper discusses the effect of jet impingement of water on a photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collector and compound parabolic concentrators (CPC) on electrical efficiency, thermal efficiency and power production of a PVT system. A prototype of a PVT solar water collector installed with a jet impingement and CPC has been designed, fabricated and experimentally investigated. The efficiency of the system can be improved by using jet impingement of water to decrease the temperature of the solar ce...

  4. Operation strategy for a lab-scale grid-connected photovoltaic generation system integrated with battery energy storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jou, Hurng-Liahng; Chang, Yi-Hao; Wu, Jinn-Chang; Wu, Kuen-Der

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The operation strategy for grid-connected PV generation system integrated with battery energy storage is proposed. • The PV system is composed of an inverter and two DC-DC converter. • The negative impact of grid-connected PV generation systems on the grid can be alleviated by integrating a battery. • The operation of the developed system can be divided into nine modes. - Abstract: The operation strategy for a lab-scale grid-connected photovoltaic generation system integrated with battery energy storage is proposed in this paper. The photovoltaic generation system is composed of a full-bridge inverter, a DC–DC boost converter, an isolated bidirectional DC–DC converter, a solar cell array and a battery set. Since the battery set acts as an energy buffer to adjust the power generation of the solar cell array, the negative impact on power quality caused by the intermittent and unstable output power from a solar cell array is alleviated, so the penetration rate of the grid-connected photovoltaic generation system is increased. A lab-scale prototype is developed to verify the performance of the system. The experimental results show that it achieves the expected performance

  5. Emergence of highly transparent photovoltaics for distributed applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Traverse, Christopher J.; Pandey, Richa; Barr, Miles C.; Lunt, Richard R.

    2017-11-01

    Solar energy offers a viable solution to our growing energy need. While adoption of conventional photovoltaics on rooftops and in solar farms has grown rapidly in the last decade, there is still plenty of opportunity for expansion. See-through solar technologies with partial light transmission developed over the past 30 years have initiated methods of integration not possible with conventional modules. The large-scale deployment necessary to offset global energy consumption could be further accelerated by developing fully invisible solar cells that selectively absorb ultraviolet and near-infrared light, allowing many of the surfaces of our built environment to be turned into solar harvesting arrays without impacting the function or aesthetics. Here, we review recent advances in photovoltaics with varying degrees of visible light transparency. We discuss the figures of merit necessary to characterize transparent photovoltaics, and outline the requirements to enable their widespread adoption in buildings, windows, electronic device displays, and automobiles.

  6. Intermediate photovoltaic system application experiment operational performance report. Volume 7. Beverly High School, Beverly, MA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1982-04-01

    Performance data are given for a grid-connected photovoltaic power supply at a Massachusetts high school for the month of March, 1982. Data presented include: daily and monthly electrical energy produced; daily and monthly solar energy incident in the array plane; daily and monthly array efficiency; energy produced as a function of power level, voltage, cell temperature, and hour of the day; power conditioner input, output, and efficiency for two power conditioner units and for the overall power conditioning system; daily and monthly photovoltaic energy to load and the corresponding dollar value; grid to load energy from February 17 through April 5; photovoltaic system efficiency; capacity factor; daily system availability; daily and hourly insolation; heating and cooling degree days; hourly and monthly ambient temperature; hourly and monthly wind speed; wind direction distribution; number of freeze/thaw cycles; hourly cell temperature; and data acquisition mode and recording interval plot. Also included are seven summaries of site events. (LEW)

  7. The photovoltaic pilot projects of the European Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnell, W.

    The Commission of the European Communities has started in 1980 a programme for the design and construction of a series of photovoltaic pilot projects in the range of 30-300 kWp. Virtually all important industries and other development organisations in Europe working on photovoltaic cells and systems are involved in this programme. The different technologies which are being developed concern the modules, the cabling of the array, structure design, storage strategy and power conditioning. The various applications include powering of an island, villages, recreation centres, water desalination and disinfection, powering of radio transmitters, emergency power plants, dairy farm, training school, cooling, water pumping, powering of a solar heated swimming pool and last but not least, hydrogen production.

  8. Remote residential photovoltaic systems in British Columbia: A study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mathews, R B

    1989-01-01

    A survey of existing residential photovoltaic power systems in remote areas in British Columbia was conducted to collect data on system performance. The 80 respondents had systems with arrays ranging from 5 to 875 watts, costing from $200 to $14,000. An overwhelming majority of users expressed overall satisfaction with the contribution of photovoltaic technology to their life style. Specific advantages of photovoltaic systems over alternative energy sources included cost-effectiveness, low maintenance, lack of noise and pollution, and ease of operation. Problems with the systems included low winter power, unsatisfactory load matching, and improper operation of associated battery storage systems. It was noted that load profile estimation and system sizing calculations are difficult because control over user behavior with respect to the power system is nearly non-existent when compared to industrial installations. Low-level ampere-hour monitoring of 10 representative sites was carried out and results are presented, giving the power contributions of the photovoltaic system along with any backup system that may be present. Remote residential photovoltaic systems should continue to gain acceptance and more widespread use, especially as module costs drop and more efficient loads (especially appliances such as refrigerators) become practical. 10 figs., 2 tabs.

  9. Synthesis of Thinned Concentric Circular Antenna Arrays Using Modified TLBO Algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zailei Luo

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO algorithm is a new kind of stochastic metaheuristic algorithm which has been proven effective and powerful in many engineering optimization problems. This paper describes the application of a modified version of TLBO algorithm, MTLBO, for synthesis of thinned concentric circular antenna arrays (CCAAs. The MTLBO is adjusted for CCAA design according to the geometry arrangement of antenna elements. CCAAs with uniform interelement spacing fixed at half wavelength have been considered for thinning using MTLBO algorithm. For practical purpose, this paper demonstrated SLL reduction of thinned CCAAs in the whole regular and extended space other than the phi = 0° plane alone. The uniformly and nonuniformly excited CCAAs have been discussed, respectively, during the simulation process. The proposed MTLBO is very easy to be implemented and requires fewer algorithm specified parameters, which is suitable for concentric circular antenna array synthesis. Numerical results clearly show the superiority of MTLBO algorithm in finding optimum solutions compared to particle swarm optimization algorithm and firefly algorithm.

  10. Study on direct-contact phase-change liquid immersion cooling dense-array solar cells under high concentration ratios

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Xue; Wang, Yiping; Huang, Qunwu; Cui, Yong; Shi, Xusheng; Sun, Yong

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Direct-contact phase-change liquid immersion cooling for solar cells was proposed. • A self-regulating system investigated the feasibility in temperature control. • Temperature was well controlled between 87.3 °C and 88.5 °C. • Surface heat transfer coefficient was up to 23.49 kW/(m"2·K) under 398.4×. • A model illustrated the interface function was the main reason to affect light. - Abstract: A new cooling method by directly immersing the solar cells into phase-change liquid was put forward to cool dense-array solar cells in high concentrating photovoltaic system. A self-running system was built to study the feasibility of temperature control and the effect of bubbles generated by ethanol phase change under concentration ratio ranged between 219.8× and 398.4×. The results show that the cooling system is self-regulating without consuming extra energy and ethanol flow rate reaches up to 180.6 kg/(s·m"2) under 398.4×. The temperature of solar cells distributes in the range between 87.3 °C and 88.5 °C, the surface heat transfer coefficient of electric heating plate is up to 23.49 kW/(m"2·K) under 398.4×. The bubble effect on electrical performance of triple-junction solar cells is reported and the results show that I_s_c and P_m_a_x decline 10.2% and 7.3%, respectively. A model based on bubble images illustrates that light loss at the interface between ethanol and bubble is the main reason to cut down the electrical performance.

  11. Bacteria-foraging based-control of high-performance railway level-crossing safety drives fed from photovoltaic array

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Essamudin A. Ebrahim

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In the past ten years, railway level-crossing accidents have noticeably escalated in an indisputably preposterous manner, this devastating snag opened the floodgates for the frustrating death of a numerous number of the third world’s citizens, especially in Egypt. To tackle with this problem, a fully intelligent control system is required, which must be automated without human intervention. So, in this research, a new proposed level-crossing tracking system is designed and introduced. The system comprises a high-performance induction motor (IM fed from photovoltaic (PV array, the boom barrier (gate with its mechanism – as a load – buck–boost converter, inverter, and two smart PI-controllers. The first one is designed to regulate the duty cycle of the converter to its optimum value required to balance between maximum power point tracking (MPPT and keeping dc-link voltage of the inverter at a minimum level needed to maintain the motor internal torque at rated value. The second PI-controller is designed for speed control of indirect field-oriented vector-control (IFO-VC IM. The proposed design problems of MPPT, dc-link voltage and speed controllers are solved as optimization problems by bacteria-foraging optimization (BFO algorithm to search for the optimal PI-parameters. The simulation test results are acquired when using the battery-less PV-array with and without the proposed controllers. Also, results are obtained when applying several prescribed speed trajectories to test the robustness against PV-irradiance fluctuations and motor-dynamic disturbances. From these results, the proposed intelligent controllers are robust compared to classical Ziegler–Nichols (ZN PI-controllers and also when the motor is directly fed from PV generator without converter.

  12. Case study of a grid connected with a battery photovoltaic system: V-trough concentration vs. single-axis tracking

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tina, G.M.; Scandura, P.F.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► PV systems with sun tracking and concentrators (CPVS) can reduce the cost of energy per kWh produced. ► The V-trough low-concentration system solution is compatible with flat PV module technologies. ► Optical, thermal and electrical models are needed to forecast real power production. ► The description of a PV grid connected system with batteries, a one-axis tracker and CPV photovoltaic system is presented. ► Outdoor measurements of the generating system are provided and discussed. - Abstract: Photovoltaic systems (PVSs) combined with either some form of storage, such as a battery energy storage system (BESS), or direct load control, can play a crucial role in achieving a more economical operation of the electric utility system while enhancing its reliability with additional energy sources. At the same time, it is also important to use cost-effective PV solutions. In this context, a low-concentration PVS (CPVS) is analysed as a feasible alternative. This paper, present a case study of a complex PVS, composed of two PVSs, a storage system (BEES) and an inverter that allows the system to operate in both the island and grid-connected modes. The first PVS, is a 2.76-kWp single-axis tracking system (azimuth) with modules facing south and tilted 30°, while the second PVS is a dual-axis tracking system, rated 860 Wp, consisting of a concentrator at the flat mirrors (DoubleSun® Four). The system is installed on the roof of the main building of the “ITIS Marconi” school (Italy). A detailed description of the system is provided, and preliminary operating data are presented and discussed. The efficiencies of the PV systems are calculated and measured to evaluate the cost effectiveness of a low-concentration system.

  13. Photovoltaic power generation system with photovoltaic cells as bypass diodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lentine, Anthony L.; Nielson, Gregory N.; Tauke-Pedretti, Anna; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis; Okandan, Murat

    2017-11-28

    A photovoltaic power generation system that includes a solar panel is described herein. The solar panel includes a photovoltaic sub-module, which includes a group of microsystem enabled photovoltaic cells. The group includes a first string of photovoltaic cells, a second string of photovoltaic cells, and a differing photovoltaic cell. Photovoltaic cells in the first string are electrically connected in series, and photovoltaic cells in the second string are electrically connected in series. Further, the first string of photovoltaic cells, the second string of photovoltaic cells, and the differing photovoltaic cell are electrically connected in parallel. Moreover, the differing photovoltaic cell is used as a bypass diode for the first string of photovoltaic cells and the second string of photovoltaic cells.

  14. Solar Array Panels With Dust-Removal Capability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawson, Stephen; Mardesich, Nick; Spence, Brian; White, Steve

    2004-01-01

    It has been proposed to incorporate piezoelectric vibrational actuators into the structural supports of solar photovoltaic panels, for the purpose of occasionally inducing vibrations in the panels in order to loosen accumulated dust. Provided that the panels were tilted, the loosened dust would slide off under its own weight. Originally aimed at preventing obscuration of photovoltaic cells by dust accumulating in the Martian environment, the proposal may also offer an option for the design of solar photovoltaic panels for unattended operation at remote locations on Earth. The figure depicts a typical lightweight solar photovoltaic panel comprising a backside grid of structural spars that support a thin face sheet that, in turn, supports an array of photovoltaic cells on the front side. The backside structure includes node points where several spars intersect. According to the proposal, piezoelectric buzzers would be attached to the node points. The process of designing the panel would be an iterative one that would include computational simulation of the vibrations by use of finite- element analysis to guide the selection of the vibrational frequency of the actuators and the cross sections of the spars to maximize the agitation of dust.

  15. Comparative Performance and Model Agreement of Three Common Photovoltaic Array Configurations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyd, Matthew T

    2018-02-01

    Three grid-connected monocrystalline silicon arrays on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) campus in Gaithersburg, MD have been instrumented and monitored for 1 yr, with only minimal gaps in the data sets. These arrays range from 73 kW to 271 kW, and all use the same module, but have different tilts, orientations, and configurations. One array is installed facing east and west over a parking lot, one in an open field, and one on a flat roof. Various measured relationships and calculated standard metrics have been used to compare the relative performance of these arrays in their different configurations. Comprehensive performance models have also been created in the modeling software pvsyst for each array, and its predictions using measured on-site weather data are compared to the arrays' measured outputs. The comparisons show that all three arrays typically have monthly performance ratios (PRs) above 0.75, but differ significantly in their relative output, strongly correlating to their operating temperature and to a lesser extent their orientation. The model predictions are within 5% of the monthly delivered energy values except during the winter months, when there was intermittent snow on the arrays, and during maintenance and other outages.

  16. Ultralightweight PV Array Materials for Deep Space Mission Environments, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Photovoltaic arrays for future deep space NASA missions demand multiple functionalities. They must efficiently generate electrical power, have very large areas and...

  17. Thermal resistance analysis and optimization of photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yin, Ershuai; Li, Qiang; Xuan, Yimin

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A detailed thermal resistance analysis of the PV-TE hybrid system is proposed. • c-Si PV and p-Si PV cells are proved to be inapplicable for the PV-TE hybrid system. • Some criteria for selecting coupling devices and optimal design are obtained. • A detailed process of designing the practical PV-TE hybrid system is provided. - Abstract: The thermal resistance theory is introduced into the theoretical model of the photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV-TE) hybrid system. A detailed thermal resistance analysis is proposed to optimize the design of the coupled system in terms of optimal total conversion efficiency. Systems using four types of photovoltaic cells are investigated, including monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic cell, polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic cell, amorphous silicon photovoltaic cell and polymer photovoltaic cell. Three cooling methods, including natural cooling, forced air cooling and water cooling, are compared, which demonstrates a significant superiority of water cooling for the concentrating photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid system. Influences of the optical concentrating ratio and velocity of water are studied together and the optimal values are revealed. The impacts of the thermal resistances of the contact surface, TE generator and the upper heat loss thermal resistance on the property of the coupled system are investigated, respectively. The results indicate that amorphous silicon PV cell and polymer PV cell are more appropriate for the concentrating hybrid system. Enlarging the thermal resistance of the thermoelectric generator can significantly increase the performance of the coupled system using amorphous silicon PV cell or polymer PV cell.

  18. Stand-alone flat-plate photovoltaic power systems: System sizing and life-cycle costing methodology for Federal agencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borden, C. S.; Volkmer, K.; Cochrane, E. H.; Lawson, A. C.

    1984-01-01

    A simple methodology to estimate photovoltaic system size and life-cycle costs in stand-alone applications is presented. It is designed to assist engineers at Government agencies in determining the feasibility of using small stand-alone photovoltaic systems to supply ac or dc power to the load. Photovoltaic system design considerations are presented as well as the equations for sizing the flat-plate array and the battery storage to meet the required load. Cost effectiveness of a candidate photovoltaic system is based on comparison with the life-cycle cost of alternative systems. Examples of alternative systems addressed are batteries, diesel generators, the utility grid, and other renewable energy systems.

  19. Novel photon management for thin-film photovoltaics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Menon, Rajesh [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

    2016-11-11

    The objective of this project is to enable commercially viable thin-film photovoltaics whose efficiencies are increased by over 10% using a novel optical spectral-separation technique. A thin planar diffractive optic is proposed that efficiently separates the solar spectrum and assigns these bands to optimal thin-film sub-cells. An integrated device that is comprised of the optical element, an array of sub-cells and associated packaging is proposed.

  20. Online Variable Topology-Type Photovoltaic Grid-Connected Inverter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wu, Fengjiang; Sun, Bo; Duan, Jiandong

    2015-01-01

    In photovoltaic (PV) grid-connected generation system, the key focus is how to expand the generation range of the PV array and enhance the total efficiency of the system. This paper originally derived expressions of the total loss and grid current total harmonics distortions of cascaded inverter...... and H-bridge inverter under the conditions of variable output voltage and power of the PV array. It is proved that, compared with the H-bridge inverter, the operation range of the cascaded inverter is wider, whereas the total loss is larger. Furthermore, a novel online variable topology-type grid......-connected inverter is proposed. A bidirectional power switch is introduced into the conventional cascaded inverter to connect the negative terminals of the PV arrays. When the output voltages of the PV arrays are lower, the proposed inverter works under cascaded inverter mode to obtain wider generation range. When...

  1. Optical absorption enhancement in silicon nanowire arrays with a large lattice constant for photovoltaic applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chenxi; Povinelli, Michelle L

    2009-10-26

    In this paper, we use the transfer matrix method to calculate the optical absorptance of vertically-aligned silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays. For fixed filling ratio, significant optical absorption enhancement occurs when the lattice constant is increased from 100 nm to 600 nm. The enhancement arises from an increase in field concentration within the nanowire as well as excitation of guided resonance modes. We quantify the absorption enhancement in terms of ultimate efficiency. Results show that an optimized SiNW array with lattice constant of 600 nm and wire diameter of 540 nm has a 72.4% higher ultimate efficiency than a Si thin film of equal thickness. The enhancement effect can be maintained over a large range of incidence angles.

  2. A feasibility and load sensitivity analysis of photovoltaic water pumping system with battery and diesel generator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muhsen, Dhiaa Halboot; Khatib, Tamer; Haider, Haider Tarish

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Feasibility and load sensitivity analysis is conducted for PVPS. • Battery and diesel generator are considered as supporting units to the system. • The configuration of the PV array and the initial status of the tank are important. • The COU is more sensitive to the capital cost of PV array than other components. • Increasing the maximum capacity of water storage tank is better storage and DG. - Abstract: In this paper, a feasibility and load sensitivity analysis is conducted for photovoltaic water pumping systems with storage device (battery) or diesel generator so as to obtain an optimal configuration that achieves a reliable system. The analysis is conducted based on techno-economic aspects, where the loss of load probability and life cycle cost are represented as technical and economic criteria, respectively. Various photovoltaic water pumping systems scenarios with initially full storage tank; battery and hybrid DG-PV energy source are proposed to analyze the feasibility of system. The result shows that the configuration of the PV array and the initial status of the storage tank are important variables to be considered. Moreover, the sensitivity of cost of unit for various PVPS components is studied. It is found that the cost of unit is more sensitive to the initial capital cost of photovoltaic array than other components. In this paper a standalone PV based pumping system with a PV array capacity of 2.4 kWp and a storage tank with a capacity of 80 m 3 was proposed an a optimum system. The system with the aforementioned configuration pumps an average hourly water volume of approximately 3.297 m 3 over one year with a unit of 0.05158 USD/m 3 . Moreover, according to results, increasing the maximum capacity of water storage tank is technically and economically better than supporting a photovoltaic water pumping systems with another energy source or extra storage device.

  3. Game-Changing Photovoltaic Flexible Blanket Solar Array Technology with Spectrolab Flexsheets, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Deployable Space Systems, Inc. (DSS) in collaboration with Spectrolab, Inc. has developed a modular multi-junction photovoltaic flexible blanket technology that uses...

  4. Novel double-stage high-concentrated solar hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) collector with nonimaging optics and GaAs solar cells reflector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdelhamid, Mahmoud; Widyolar, Bennett K.; Jiang, Lun; Winston, Roland; Yablonovitch, Eli; Scranton, Gregg; Cygan, David; Abbasi, Hamid; Kozlov, Aleksandr

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A novel hybrid concentrating photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) collector is developed. • Thermal component achieves 60× concentration using nonimaging optics. • GaAs solar cells used as spectrally selective mirrors for low energy photons. • Thermal efficiencies of 37% at 365 °C and electrical efficiencies of 8% achieved. • Combined electric efficiency reaches 25% of DNI for system cost of $283.10/m"2". - Abstract: A novel double stage high-concentration hybrid solar photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) collector using nonimaging optics and world record thin film single-junction gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells has been developed. We present a detailed design and simulation of the system, experimental setup, prototype, system performance, and economic analysis. The system uses a parabolic trough (primary concentrator) to focus sunlight towards a secondary nonimaging compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) to simultaneously generate electricity from single junction GaAs solar cells, as well as high temperature dispatchable heat. This study is novel in that (a) the solar cells inside the vacuum tube act as spectrally selective mirrors for lower energy photons to maximize the system exergy, and (b) secondary concentrator allows the thermal component to reach a concentration ratio ∼60×, which is significantly higher than conventional PV/T concentration ratios. The maximum outlet temperature reached was 365 °C, and on average the thermal efficiency of the experiment was around 37%. The maximum electrical efficiency was around 8%. The total system electricity generation is around 25% of incoming DNI, by assuming the high temperature stream is used to power a steam turbine. The installed system cost per unit of parabolic trough aperture area is $283.10 per m"2.

  5. Solution processable organic/inorganic hybrid ultraviolet photovoltaic detector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaopeng Guo

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Ultraviolet (UV photodetector is a kind of important optoelectronic device which can be widely used in scientific and engineering fields including astronomical research, environmental monitoring, forest-fire prevention, medical analysis, and missile approach warning etc. The development of UV detector is hindered by the acquirement of stable p-type materials, which makes it difficult to realize large array, low-power consumption UV focal plane array (FPA detector. Here, we provide a novel structure (Al/Poly(9,9-di-n-octylfuorenyl-2,7-diyl(PFO/ZnO/ITO to demonstrate the UV photovoltaic (PV response. A rather smooth surface (RMS roughness: 0.28 nm may be reached by solution process, which sheds light on the development of large-array, light-weight and low-cost UV FPA detectors.

  6. Series Resistance Monitoring for Photovoltaic Modules in the Vicinity of MPP

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sera, Dezso

    2010-01-01

    Faults and performance deterioration issues related to increases of the series resistance in PV modules or arrays are one of the most common causes to decrease the energy yield of photovoltaic installations. Therefore, the early detection of such failure types is very important in order to minimize...

  7. Photovoltaic module and interlocked stack of photovoltaic modules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wares, Brian S.

    2014-09-02

    One embodiment relates to an arrangement of photovoltaic modules configured for transportation. The arrangement includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each photovoltaic module including a frame. A plurality of individual male alignment features and a plurality of individual female alignment features are included on each frame. Adjacent photovoltaic modules are interlocked by multiple individual male alignment features on a first module of the adjacent photovoltaic modules fitting into and being surrounded by corresponding individual female alignment features on a second module of the adjacent photovoltaic modules. Other embodiments, features and aspects are also disclosed.

  8. A 194 kilowatt solar photovoltaic flat panel power system for the combined Beverly High School/C. H. Patten Vocational High School, Beverly, Massachusetts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Addiss, R. R., Jr.; Lawson, P. A.

    1980-06-01

    The design and performance of a photovoltaic power system is discussed. The 194 kW system consists of the photovoltaic array, the inverter/control subsystem, the building and utility interface, and the monitoring subsystem. The photovoltaic array consists of 56 separate subarrays of 112 photovoltaic modules each, deployed in rows on the southerly facing slope north of the school building. The wiring scheme permits individual modules to be disconnected without a radical change in subarray output current. Power is transmitted at 4160 V from the inverters and a step up transformer to the main 4160 V utility feed line in the school. Separate metering measures power bought and sold. At the optimum tilt angle of 40 deg, the array provides 232 MWH of AC energy annually, or 17 percent of the school load. The immediate impact is an $8000 saving in the annual utility bill. Levelized busbar energy costs are reduced from $2/kWH to $1/kWH when site specific parameters are used in the analysis instead of the JPL specified nominal values. A fault detection and isolation scheme which can find a single modulus failure is incorporated into the monitoring subsystem.

  9. Enhanced photovoltaic performance of an inclined nanowire array solar cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yao; Yan, Xin; Zhang, Xia; Ren, Xiaomin

    2015-11-30

    An innovative solar cell based on inclined p-i-n nanowire array is designed and analyzed. The results show that the inclined geometry can sufficiently increase the conversion efficiency of solar cells by enhancing the absorption of light in the active region. By tuning the nanowire array density, nanowire diameter, nanowire length, as well as the proportion of intrinsic region of the inclined nanowire solar cell, a remarkable efficiency in excess of 16% can be obtained in GaAs. Similar results have been obtained in InP and Si nanowire solar cells, demonstrating the universality of the performance enhancement of inclined nanowire arrays.

  10. Life cycle assessment and economic analysis of a low concentrating photovoltaic system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Feo, G; Forni, M; Petito, F; Renno, C

    2016-10-01

    Many new photovoltaic (PV) applications, such as the concentrating PV (CPV) systems, are appearing on the market. The main characteristic of CPV systems is to concentrate sunlight on a receiver by means of optical devices and to decrease the solar cells area required. A low CPV (LCPV) system allows optimizing the PV effect with high increase of generated electric power as well as decrease of active surface area. In this paper, an economic analysis and a life cycle assessment (LCA) study of a particular LCPV scheme is presented and its environmental impacts are compared with those of a PV traditional system. The LCA study was performed with the software tool SimaPro 8.0.2, using the Econinvent 3.1 database. A functional unit of 1 kWh of electricity produced was chosen. Carbon Footprint, Ecological Footprint and ReCiPe 2008 were the methods used to assess the environmental impacts of the LCPV plant compared with a corresponding traditional system. All the methods demonstrated the environmental convenience of the LCPV system. The innovative system allowed saving 16.9% of CO2 equivalent in comparison with the traditional PV plant. The environmental impacts saving was 17% in terms of Ecological Footprint, and, finally, 15.8% with the ReCiPe method.

  11. Highly Sensitive Multi-Channel IDC Sensor Array for Low Concentration Taste Detection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md. Rajibur Rahaman Khan

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we designed and developed an interdigitated capacitor (IDC-based taste sensor array to detect different taste substances. The designed taste sensing array has four IDC sensing elements. The four IDC taste sensing elements of the array are fabricated by incorporating four different types of lipids into the polymer, dioctyl phenylphosphonate (DOPP and tetrahydrofuran (THF to make the respective dielectric materials that are individually placed onto an interdigitated electrode (IDE via spin coating. When the dielectric material of an IDC sensing element comes into contact with a taste substance, its dielectric properties change with the capacitance of the IDC sensing element; this, in turn, changes the voltage across the IDC, as well as the output voltage of each channel of the system. In order to assess the effectiveness of the sensing system, four taste substances, namely sourness (HCl, saltiness (NaCl, sweetness (glucose and bitterness (quinine-HCl, were tested. The IDC taste sensor array had rapid response and recovery times of about 12.9 s and 13.39 s, respectively, with highly stable response properties. The response property of the proposed IDC taste sensor array was linear, and its correlation coefficient R2 was about 0.9958 over the dynamic range of the taste sensor array as the taste substance concentration was varied from 1 μM to 1 M. The proposed IDC taste sensor array has several other advantages, such as real-time monitoring capabilities, high sensitivity 45.78 mV/decade, good reproducibility with a standard deviation of about 0.029 and compactness, and the circuitry is based on readily available and inexpensive electronic components. The proposed IDC taste sensor array was compared with the potentiometric taste sensor with respect to sensitivity, dynamic range width, linearity and response time. We found that the proposed IDC sensor array has better performance. Finally, principal component analysis (PCA was applied

  12. GaAs nanopillar-array solar cells employing in situ surface passivation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mariani, Giacomo; Scofield, Adam C.; Hung, Chung-Hong; Huffaker, Diana L.

    2013-01-01

    Arrays of III–V direct-bandgap semiconductor nanopillars represent promising photovoltaic candidates due to their inherent high optical absorption coefficients and minimized reflection arising from light trapping, efficient charge collection in the radial direction and the ability to synthesize them on low-cost platforms. However, the increased surface area results in surface states that hamper the power conversion efficiency. Here, we report the first demonstration of GaAs nanopillar-array photovoltaics employing epitaxial passivation with air mass 1.5 global power conversion efficiencies of 6.63%. High-bandgap epitaxial InGaP shells are grown in situ and cap the radial p–n junctions to alleviate surface-state effects. Under light, the photovoltaic devices exhibit open-circuit voltages of 0.44 V, short-circuit current densities of 24.3 mA cm−2 and fill factors of 62% with high external quantum efficiencies >70% across the spectral regime of interest. A novel titanium/indium tin oxide annealed alloy is exploited as transparent ohmic anode. PMID:23422665

  13. Low-cost photovoltaics: Luminescent solar concentrators and colloidal quantum dot solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leow, Shin Woei

    Solar energy has long been lauded as an inexhaustible fuel source with more energy reaching the earth's surface in one hour than the global consumption for a year. Although capable of satisfying the world's energy requirements, solar energy remains an expensive technology that has yet to attain grid parity. Another drawback is that existing solar farms require large quantities of land in order to generate power at useful rates. In this work, we look to luminescent solar concentrator systems and quantum dot technology as viable solutions to lowering the cost of solar electricity production with the flexibility to integrate such technologies into buildings to achieve dual land use. Luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) windows with front-facing photovoltaic (PV) cells were built and their gain and power efficiency were investigated. Conventional LSCs employ a photovoltaic (PV) cell that is placed on the edge of the LSC, facing inward. This work describes a new design with the PV cells on the front-face allowing them to receive both direct solar irradiation and wave-guided photons emitted from a dye embedded in an acrylic sheet, which is optically coupled to the PV cells. Parameters investigated include the thickness of the waveguide, edge treatment of the window, cell width, and cell placement. The data allowed us to make projections that aided in designing windows for maximized overall efficiency. A gain in power of 2.2x over the PV cells alone was obtained with PV cell coverage of 5%, and a power conversion efficiency as high as 6.8% was obtained with a PV cell coverage of 31%. Balancing the trade-offs between gain and efficiency, the design with the lowest cost per watt attained a power efficiency of 3.8% and a gain of 1.6x. With the viability of the LSC demonstrated, a weighted Monte-Carlo Ray Tracing program was developed to study the transport of photons and loss mechanisms in the LSC to aid in design optimization. The program imports measured absorption

  14. Reuse of the Reflective Light and the Recycle Heat Energy in Concentrated Photovoltaic System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsin-Chien Chen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available A complex solar unit with microcrystalline silicon solar cells placed around the centered GaAs triple junction solar cell has been proposed and carried out. With the same illumination area and intensity, the total resultant power shows that the excess microcrystalline silicon solar cells increase the total output power by 13.2% by absorbing the reflective light from the surface of optical collimators. Furthermore, reusing the residual heat energy generated from the above-mentioned mechanism helps to increase the output power by around 14.1%. This mechanism provides a simple method to enhance the utility rate of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV system. Such concept can be further applied to the aerospace industry and the development of more efficient CPV solar energy applications.

  15. Distributed photovoltaic systems - Addressing the utility interface issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Firstman, S. I.; Vachtsevanos, G. J.

    This paper reviews work conducted in the United States on the impact of dispersed photovoltaic sources upon utility operations. The photovoltaic (PV) arrays are roof-mounted on residential houses and connected, via appropriate power conditioning equipment, to the utility grid. The presence of such small (4-6 Kw) dispersed generators on the distribution network raises questions of a technical, economic and institutional nature. After a brief identification of utility interface issues, the paper addresses such technical concerns as protection of equipment and personnel safety, power quality and utility operational stability. A combination of experimental and analytical approaches has been adopted to arrive at solutions to these problems. Problem areas, under various PV system penetration scenarios, are identified and conceptual designs of protection and control equipment and operating policies are developed so that system reliability is maintained while minimizing capital costs. It is hoped that the resolution of balance-of-system and grid interface questions will ascertain the economic viability of photovoltaic systems and assist in their widespread utilization in the future.

  16. The 1991 DOE/Sandia Crystalline Photovoltaic Technology Project Review Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whipple, M. L.

    1991-07-01

    This document serves as the proceedings for the manual project review meeting held by Sandia's Photovoltaic Technology Research Division. It contains information supplied by each organization making a presentation at the meeting, which was held July 30 through 31, 1991 at the Sheraton Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sessions were held to discuss national photovoltaic programs, one-sun crystalline silicon cell research, concentrator silicon cell research, and concentrating collector development.

  17. The photovoltaic industry between growth and difficulties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-01-01

    This article proposes an overview of the situation and trends of the photovoltaic industry sector. If half of the market was shared among few German, Chinese and American companies in 2010, it appears that half of photovoltaic cells and arrays were designed and manufactured in China in 2013. The European Union and the USA therefore introduced taxes on these products. As this sector appears to be a strategic one, this resulted in a new support for this industry by the Chinese government. The article then comments the French market: slow development in terms of energy production as well as in terms of equipment manufacturing. Thus, measures taken by the French government resulted in a diversification of products, but cost of production of electricity remains high. Perspectives are finally evoked, notably in Japan after the Fukushima accident

  18. Hybrid photovoltaic-thermoelectric system for concentrated solar energy conversion: Experimental realization and modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beeri, Ofer; Rotem, Oded; Hazan, Eden; Katz, Eugene A.; Braun, Avi; Gelbstein, Yaniv

    2015-09-01

    An experimental demonstration of the combined photovoltaic (PV) and thermoelectric conversion of concentrated sunlight (with concentration factor, X, up to ˜300) into electricity is presented. The hybrid system is based on a multi-junction PV cell and a thermoelectric generator (TEG). The latter increases the electric power of the system and dissipates some of the excessive heat. For X ≤ 200, the system's maximal efficiency, ˜32%, was mostly due to the contribution from the PV cell. With increasing X and system temperature, the PV cell's efficiency decreased while that of the TEG increased. Accordingly, the direct electrical contribution of the TEG started to dominate in the total system power, reaching ˜20% at X ≈ 290. Using a simple steady state finite element modeling, the cooling effect of the TEG on the hybrid system's efficiency was proved to be even more significant than its direct electrical contribution for high solar concentrations. As a result, the total efficiency contribution of the TEG reached ˜40% at X ≈ 200. This suggests a new system optimization concept that takes into account the PV cell's temperature dependence and the trade-off between the direct electrical generation and cooling capabilities of the TEG. It is shown that the hybrid system has a real potential to exceed 50% total efficiency by using more advanced PV cells and TE materials.

  19. High-Performance GaAs Nanowire Solar Cells for Flexible and Transparent Photovoltaics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Ning; Yang, Zai-xing; Wang, Fengyun; Dong, Guofa; Yip, SenPo; Liang, Xiaoguang; Hung, Tak Fu; Chen, Yunfa; Ho, Johnny C

    2015-09-16

    Among many available photovoltaic technologies at present, gallium arsenide (GaAs) is one of the recognized leaders for performance and reliability; however, it is still a great challenge to achieve cost-effective GaAs solar cells for smart systems such as transparent and flexible photovoltaics. In this study, highly crystalline long GaAs nanowires (NWs) with minimal crystal defects are synthesized economically by chemical vapor deposition and configured into novel Schottky photovoltaic structures by simply using asymmetric Au-Al contacts. Without any doping profiles such as p-n junction and complicated coaxial junction structures, the single NW Schottky device shows a record high apparent energy conversion efficiency of 16% under air mass 1.5 global illumination by normalizing to the projection area of the NW. The corresponding photovoltaic output can be further enhanced by connecting individual cells in series and in parallel as well as by fabricating NW array solar cells via contact printing showing an overall efficiency of 1.6%. Importantly, these Schottky cells can be easily integrated on the glass and plastic substrates for transparent and flexible photovoltaics, which explicitly demonstrate the outstanding versatility and promising perspective of these GaAs NW Schottky photovoltaics for next-generation smart solar energy harvesting devices.

  20. A review of concentrated photovoltaic-thermal (CPVT) hybrid solar systems with waste heat recovery (WHR)

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Xing Ju; Chao Xu; Zhirong Liao; Xiaoze Du; Gaosheng Wei; Zhifeng Wang; Yongping Yang

    2017-01-01

    In conventional photovoltaic (PV) systems,a large portion of solar energy is dissipated as waste heat since the generating efficiency is usually less than 30%.As the dissipated heat can be recovered for various applications,the wasted heat recovery concentrator PV/thermal (WHR CPVT) hybrid systems have been developed.They can provide both electricity and usable heat by combining thermal systems with concentrator PV (CPV) module,which dramatically improves the overall conversion efficiency of solar energy.This paper systematically and comprehensively reviews the research and development ofWHR CPVT systems.WHR CPVT systems with innovative design configurations,different theoretical evaluation models and experimental test processes for several implementations are presented in an integrated manner.We aim to provide a global point of view on the research trends,market potential,technical obstacles,and the future work which is required in the development of WHR CPVT technology.Possibly,it will offer a generic guide to the investigators who are interested in the study of WHR CPVT systems.

  1. Thermal analysis of a multi-layer microchannel heat sink for cooling concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siyabi, Idris Al; Shanks, Katie; Mallick, Tapas; Sundaram, Senthilarasu

    2017-09-01

    Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) technology is increasingly being considered as an alternative option for solar electricity generation. However, increasing the light concentration ratio could decrease the system output power due to the increase in the temperature of the cells. The performance of a multi-layer microchannel heat sink configuration was evaluated using numerical analysis. In this analysis, three dimensional incompressible laminar steady flow model was solved numerically. An electrical and thermal solar cell model was coupled for solar cell temperature and efficiency calculations. Thermal resistance, solar cell temperature and pumping power were used for the system efficiency evaluation. An increase in the number of microchannel layers exhibited the best overall performance in terms of the thermal resistance, solar cell temperature uniformity and pressure drop. The channel height and width has no effect on the solar cell maximum temperature. However, increasing channel height leads to a reduction in the pressure drop and hence less fluid pumping power.

  2. Design of coated standing nanowire array solar cell performing beyond the planar efficiency limits

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zeng, Yang; Ye, Qinghao; Shen, Wenzhong, E-mail: wzshen@sjtu.edu.cn [Institute of Solar Energy, and Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), Department of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China)

    2016-05-28

    The single standing nanowire (SNW) solar cells have been proven to perform beyond the planar efficiency limits in both open-circuit voltage and internal quantum efficiency due to the built-in concentration and the shifting of the absorption front. However, the expandability of these nano-scale units to a macro-scale photovoltaic device remains unsolved. The main difficulty lies in the simultaneous preservation of an effective built-in concentration in each unit cell and a broadband high absorption capability of their array. Here, we have provided a detailed theoretical guideline for realizing a macro-scale solar cell that performs furthest beyond the planar limits. The key lies in a complementary design between the light-trapping of the single SNWs and that of the photonic crystal slab formed by the array. By tuning the hybrid HE modes of the SNWs through the thickness of a coaxial dielectric coating, the optimized coated SNW array can sustain an absorption rate over 97.5% for a period as large as 425 nm, which, together with the inherited carrier extraction advantage, leads to a cell efficiency increment of 30% over the planar limit. This work has demonstrated the viability of a large-size solar cell that performs beyond the planar limits.

  3. Geometrical optics, electrostatics, and nanophotonic resonances in absorbing nanowire arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anttu, Nicklas

    2013-03-01

    Semiconductor nanowire arrays have shown promise for next-generation photovoltaics and photodetection, but enhanced understanding of the light-nanowire interaction is still needed. Here, we study theoretically the absorption of light in an array of vertical InP nanowires by moving continuously, first from the electrostatic limit to the nanophotonic regime and then to the geometrical optics limit. We show how the absorption per volume of semiconductor material in the array can be varied by a factor of 200, ranging from 10 times weaker to 20 times stronger than in a bulk semiconductor sample.

  4. Field Guide for Testing Existing Photovoltaic Systems for Ground Faults and Installing Equipment to Mitigate Fire Hazards

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brooks, William [Brooks Engineering, Vacaville, CA (United States); Basso, Thomas [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Coddington, Michael [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2015-10-01

    Ground faults and arc faults are the two most common reasons for fires in photovoltaic (PV) arrays and methods exist that can mitigate the hazards. This report provides field procedures for testing PV arrays for ground faults, and for implementing high resolution ground fault and arc fault detectors in existing and new PV system designs.

  5. The concentration principle applied to spaceborne solar arrays. AGORA mission: Studies synthesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laget, R.

    1986-01-01

    Studies that led to selection of the distributed 25 kW SARA LOUVRE concept for the solar cell generator to be flown on the AGORA asteroid mission, and the major characteristics of such a spaceborne solar array are summarized. In the SARA LOUVRE concept, a parabolic cross section reflector concentrates incident light over the rear face of the identical, preceding reflector dish. The whole set of reflectors is pivotally commanded, thus compensating the effects of depointing. Geometric concentration factor is 10. End of life power level at 2.5 AU is 4.5 kW.

  6. Life cycle assessment and evaluation of energy payback time on high-concentration photovoltaic power generation system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishimura, A.; Hayashi, Y.; Tanaka, K.; Hirota, M.; Kato, S.; Ito, M.; Araki, K.; Hu, E.J.

    2010-01-01

    In this study, the environmental load of photovoltaic power generation system (PV) during its life cycle and energy payback time (EPT) are evaluated by LCA scheme. Two hypothetical case studies in Toyohashi, Japan and Gobi dessert in China have been carried out to investigate the influence of installation location and PV type on environmental load and EPT. The environmental load and EPT of a high-concentration photovoltaic power generation system (hcpV) and a multi-crystalline silicon photovoltaic power generation system (mc-Si PV) are studied. The study shows for a PV of 100 MW size, the total impacts of the hcpV installed in Toyohashi is larger than that of the hcpV installed in Gobi desert by 5% without consideration of recycling stage. The EPT of the hcpV assumed to be installed in Gobi desert is shorter than EPT of the hcpV assumed to be installed in Toyohashi by 0.64 year. From these results, the superiority to install PV in Gobi desert is certificated. Comparing with hcpV and mc-Si PV, the ratio of the total impacts of mc-Si PV to that of hcpV is 0.34 without consideration of recycling stage. The EPT of hcpV is longer than EPT of mc-Si PV by 0.27 year. The amount of global solar radiation contributing to the amount of power generation of mc-Si PV is larger than the amount of direct solar radiation contributing to the amount of power generation of hcpV by about 188 kW h/(m 2 year) in Gobi desert. Consequently, it appears that using mc-Si PV in Gobi desert is the best option.

  7. Photovoltaic module encapsulation design and materials selection, volume 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuddihy, E.; Carroll, W.; Coulbert, C.; Gupta, A.; Liang, R. H.

    1982-01-01

    Encapsulation material system requirements, material selection criteria, and the status and properties of encapsulation materials and processes available are presented. Technical and economic goals established for photovoltaic modules and encapsulation systems and their status are described. Available encapsulation technology and data are presented to facilitate design and material selection for silicon flat plate photovoltaic modules, using the best materials available and processes optimized for specific power applications and geographic sites. The operational and environmental loads that encapsulation system functional requirements and candidate design concepts and materials that are identified to have the best potential to meet the cost and performance goals for the flat plate solar array project are described. Available data on encapsulant material properties, fabrication processing, and module life and durability characteristics are presented.

  8. Modelling of storage of the photovoltaic energy by super-capacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Camara, Mohamed Ansoumane

    2011-01-01

    The storage by ultra-capacitors of photovoltaic energy is modeled in order to have an accurate and accessible model to integrate ultra-capacitors into solar energy conversion systems. Ultra-capacitors are modeled by a multi-branch circuit representation composed of resistors and capacitors with variable voltage whose values are determined by an accurate characterization experiment. Moreover, all the elements of a typical photovoltaic energy conversion system are modeled by using the Matlab/Simulink software (solar radiation, photovoltaic arrays, regulator, batteries and charges). The energy storage model by ultra-capacitors is then validated by the good agreement of measured values taken in real conditions with the results provided by simulations. Finally, two examples are proposed and discussed: the determination of the storage duration of ultra-capacitors versus solar irradiance and ambient temperature, and the integration of ultra-capacitors in the electrical feeding system of a DC motor to reduce the electrical current peak of the battery at the start of the motor. (author) [fr

  9. FPGA-based implementation of a fuzzy controller (MPPT) for photovoltaic module

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Messai, A.; Mellit, A.; Massi Pavan, A.; Guessoum, A.; Mekki, H.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → FL-MPPT controller is implemented on FPGA. → Results obtained with ModelSim show a satisfactory performance. → Results will be useful for future development in PV. -- Abstract: This paper describes the hardware implementation of a two-inputs one-output digital Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) on a Xilinx reconfigurable Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) using VHDL Hardware Description Language. The FLC is designed for seeking the maximum power point deliverable by a photovoltaic module using the measures of the photovoltaic current and voltage. The simulation results obtained with ModelSim Xilinx Edition-III show a satisfactory performance with a good agreement between the expected and the obtained values.

  10. FPGA-based implementation of a fuzzy controller (MPPT) for photovoltaic module

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Messai, A. [CRNB Ain Oussera, P.O. Box 180, 17200, Djelfa (Algeria); Department of Electronics, Faculty of Sciences Engineering, Blida University, Blida 90000 (Algeria); Mellit, A., E-mail: a.mellit@yahoo.co.u [Department of Electronics, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Jijel University, Ouled-aissa, P.O. Box 98, Jijel 18000 (Algeria); Department of Electronics, Faculty of Sciences Engineering, Blida University, Blida 90000 (Algeria); Massi Pavan, A. [Department of Materials and Natural Resources, University of Trieste, Via A. Valerio, 2 - 34127 Trieste (Italy); Guessoum, A. [Department of Electronics, Faculty of Sciences Engineering, Blida University, Blida 90000 (Algeria); Mekki, H. [CRNB Ain Oussera, P.O. Box 180, 17200, Djelfa (Algeria); Department of Electronics, Faculty of Sciences Engineering, Blida University, Blida 90000 (Algeria)

    2011-07-15

    Research highlights: {yields} FL-MPPT controller is implemented on FPGA. {yields} Results obtained with ModelSim show a satisfactory performance. {yields} Results will be useful for future development in PV. -- Abstract: This paper describes the hardware implementation of a two-inputs one-output digital Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) on a Xilinx reconfigurable Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) using VHDL Hardware Description Language. The FLC is designed for seeking the maximum power point deliverable by a photovoltaic module using the measures of the photovoltaic current and voltage. The simulation results obtained with ModelSim Xilinx Edition-III show a satisfactory performance with a good agreement between the expected and the obtained values.

  11. Design and performance of the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center photovoltaic system. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rohatgi, A.; Begovic, M.; Long, R.; Ropp, M.; Pregelj, A.

    1996-12-31

    A building-integrated DC PV array has been constructed on the Georgia Tech campus. The array is mounted on the roof of the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center (GTAC), site of the aquatic events during the 1996 Paralympic and Olympic Games in Atlanta. At the time of its construction, it was the world`s largest roof-mounted photovoltaic array, comprised of 2,856 modules and rates at 342 kW. This section describes the electrical and physical layout of the PV system, and the associated data acquisition system (DAS) which monitors the performance of the system and collects measurements of several important meteorological parameters.

  12. Preliminary Design of a Solar Photovoltaic Array for Net-Zero Energy Buildings at NASA Langley

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, Stuart K.; DeYoung, Russell J.

    2012-01-01

    An investigation was conducted to evaluate photovoltaic (solar electric systems) systems for a single building at NASA Langley as a representative case for alternative sustainable power generation. Building 1250 in the Science Directorate is comprised of office and laboratory space, and currently uses approximately 250,000 kW/month of electrical power with a projected use of 200,000 kW/month with additional conservation measures. The installation would be applied towards a goal for having Building 1250 classified as a net-zero energy building as it would produce as much energy as it uses over the course of a year. Based on the facility s electrical demand, a photovoltaic system and associated hardware were characterized to determine the optimal system, and understand the possible impacts from its deployment. The findings of this investigation reveal that the 1.9 MW photovoltaic electrical system provides favorable and robust results. The solar electric system should supply the needed sustainable power solution especially if operation and maintenance of the system will be considered a significant component of the system deployment.

  13. High density micro-pyramids with silicon nanowire array for photovoltaic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rahman, Tasmiat; Navarro-Cía, Miguel; Fobelets, Kristel

    2014-01-01

    We use a metal assisted chemical etch process to fabricate silicon nanowire arrays (SiNWAs) onto a dense periodic array of pyramids that are formed using an alkaline etch masked with an oxide layer. The hybrid micro-nano structure acts as an anti-reflective coating with experimental reflectivity below 1% over the visible and near-infrared spectral regions. This represents an improvement of up to 11 and 14 times compared to the pyramid array and SiNWAs on bulk, respectively. In addition to the experimental work, we optically simulate the hybrid structure using a commercial finite difference time domain package. The results of the optical simulations support our experimental work, illustrating a reduced reflectivity in the hybrid structure. The nanowire array increases the absorbed carrier density within the pyramid by providing a guided transition of the refractive index along the light path from air into the silicon. Furthermore, electrical simulations which take into account surface and Auger recombination show an efficiency increase for the hybrid structure of 56% over bulk, 11% over pyramid array and 8.5% over SiNWAs. (paper)

  14. A New Approach for Optimal Sizing of Standalone Photovoltaic Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tamer Khatib

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a new method for determining the optimal sizing of standalone photovoltaic (PV system in terms of optimal sizing of PV array and battery storage. A standalone PV system energy flow is first analysed, and the MATLAB fitting tool is used to fit the resultant sizing curves in order to derive general formulas for optimal sizing of PV array and battery. In deriving the formulas for optimal sizing of PV array and battery, the data considered are based on five sites in Malaysia, which are Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bharu, Ipoh, Kuching, and Alor Setar. Based on the results of the designed example for a PV system installed in Kuala Lumpur, the proposed method gives satisfactory optimal sizing results.

  15. Mechanical design of a low concentration ratio solar array for a space station application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biss, M. S.; Hsu, L.

    1983-01-01

    This paper describes a preliminary study and conceptual design of a low concentration ratio solar array for a space station application with approximately a 100 kW power requirement. The baseline design calls for a multiple series of inverted, truncated, pyramidal optical elements with a geometric concentration ratio (GCR) of 6. It also calls for low life cycle cost, simple on-orbit maintainability, 1984 technology readiness date, and gallium arsenide (GaAs) of silicon (Si) solar cell interchangeability. Due to the large area needed to produce the amount of power required for the baseline space station, a symmetrical wing design, making maximum use of the commonality of parts approach, was taken. This paper will describe the mechanical and structural design of a mass-producible solar array that is very easy to tailor to the needs of the individual user requirement.

  16. Reflective photovoltaics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lentine, Anthony L.; Nielson, Gregory N.; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis; Okandan, Murat; Goeke, Ronald S.

    2018-03-06

    A photovoltaic module includes colorized reflective photovoltaic cells that act as pixels. The colorized reflective photovoltaic cells are arranged so that reflections from the photovoltaic cells or pixels visually combine into an image on the photovoltaic module. The colorized photovoltaic cell or pixel is composed of a set of 100 to 256 base color sub-pixel reflective segments or sub-pixels. The color of each pixel is determined by the combination of base color sub-pixels forming the pixel. As a result, each pixel can have a wide variety of colors using a set of base colors, which are created, from sub-pixel reflective segments having standard film thicknesses.

  17. InGaN High-Temperature Photovoltaic Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Starikov, David

    2015-01-01

    This Phase II project developed Indium-Gallium-Nitride (InGaN) photovoltaic cells for high-temperature and high-radiation environments. The project included theoretical and experimental refinement of device structures produced in Phase I as well as modeling and optimization of solar cell device processing. The devices have been tested under concentrated air mass zero (AM0) sunlight, at temperatures from 100 degC to 250 degC, and after exposure to ionizing radiation. The results are expected to further verify that InGaN can be used for high-temperature and high-radiation solar cells. The large commercial solar cell market could benefit from the hybridization of InGaN materials to existing solar cell technology, which would significantly increase cell efficiency without relying on highly toxic compounds. In addition, further development of this technology to even lower bandgap materials for space applications would extend lifetimes of satellite solar cell arrays due to increased radiation hardness. This could be of importance to the Departmentof Defense (DoD) and commercial satellite manufacturers.

  18. Affordable Practical High-Efficiency Photovoltaic Concentrator Blanket Assembly for Ultra-Lightweight Solar Arrays, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Deployable Space Systems, Inc. (DSS) will focus the proposed NASA Phase 1 effort on the development of our innovative Functional Advanced Concentrator Technology...

  19. Photovoltaic systems: state of the art and short-medium term perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brofferio, Sergio C.; Rota, Alberto

    2006-01-01

    The paper presents and discusses, from a technology and economic point of view, the characteristics, performances, issues and perspectives of the thin films and the solar concentrating photovoltaic systems in the short and medium terms. Both have well based motivations to be an evolutionary step of current wafer based Silicon systems: the former as Building Integrated Photovoltaic and the latter as high density and high power photovoltaic systems [it

  20. Technical evaluation of Solar Cells, Inc., CdTe module and array at NREL

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kroposki, B.; Strand, T.; Hansen, R. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States); Powell, R.; Sasala, R. [Solar Cells, Inc., Toledo, OH (United States)

    1996-05-01

    The Engineering and Technology Validation Team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducts in-situ technical evaluations of polycrystalline thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules and arrays. This paper focuses on the technical evaluation of Solar Cells, Inc., (SCI) cadmium telluride (CdTe) module and array performance by attempting to correlate individual module and array performance. This is done by examining the performance and stability of the modules and array over a period of more than one year. Temperature coefficients for module and array parameters (P{sub max}, V{sub oc}, V{sub max}, I{sub sc}, I{sub max}) are also calculated.

  1. High-Efficient Low-Cost Photovoltaics Recent Developments

    CERN Document Server

    Petrova-Koch, Vesselinka; Goetzberger, Adolf

    2009-01-01

    A bird's-eye view of the development and problems of recent photovoltaic cells and systems and prospects for Si feedstock is presented. High-efficient low-cost PV modules, making use of novel efficient solar cells (based on c-Si or III-V materials), and low cost solar concentrators are in the focus of this book. Recent developments of organic photovoltaics, which is expected to overcome its difficulties and to enter the market soon, are also included.

  2. Spatiotemporal characteristics of retinal response to network-mediated photovoltaic stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Elton; Smith, Richard; Goetz, Georges; Lei, Xin; Galambos, Ludwig; Kamins, Theodore I; Harris, James; Mathieson, Keith; Palanker, Daniel; Sher, Alexander

    2018-02-01

    Subretinal prostheses aim at restoring sight to patients blinded by photoreceptor degeneration using electrical activation of the surviving inner retinal neurons. Today, such implants deliver visual information with low-frequency stimulation, resulting in discontinuous visual percepts. We measured retinal responses to complex visual stimuli delivered at video rate via a photovoltaic subretinal implant and by visible light. Using a multielectrode array to record from retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the healthy and degenerated rat retina ex vivo, we estimated their spatiotemporal properties from the spike-triggered average responses to photovoltaic binary white noise stimulus with 70-μm pixel size at 20-Hz frame rate. The average photovoltaic receptive field size was 194 ± 3 μm (mean ± SE), similar to that of visual responses (221 ± 4 μm), but response latency was significantly shorter with photovoltaic stimulation. Both visual and photovoltaic receptive fields had an opposing center-surround structure. In the healthy retina, ON RGCs had photovoltaic OFF responses, and vice versa. This reversal is consistent with depolarization of photoreceptors by electrical pulses, as opposed to their hyperpolarization under increasing light, although alternative mechanisms cannot be excluded. In degenerate retina, both ON and OFF photovoltaic responses were observed, but in the absence of visual responses, it is not clear what functional RGC types they correspond to. Degenerate retina maintained the antagonistic center-surround organization of receptive fields. These fast and spatially localized network-mediated ON and OFF responses to subretinal stimulation via photovoltaic pixels with local return electrodes raise confidence in the possibility of providing more functional prosthetic vision. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Retinal prostheses currently in clinical use have struggled to deliver visual information at naturalistic frequencies, resulting in discontinuous percepts. We

  3. Photovoltaic Array Condition Monitoring Based on Online Regression of Performance Model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spataru, Sergiu; Sera, Dezso; Kerekes, Tamas

    2013-01-01

    regression modeling, from PV array production, plane-of-array irradiance, and module temperature measurements, acquired during an initial learning phase of the system. After the model has been parameterized automatically, the condition monitoring system enters the normal operation phase, where...

  4. Durability of Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Lenses Used in Concentrating Photovoltaic Modules: Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miller, D. C.; Gedvilas, L. M.; To, B.; Kennedy, C. E.; Kurtz, S. R.

    2010-08-01

    Concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology has recently gained interest based on their expected low levelized cost of electricity, high efficiency, and scalability. Many CPV systems use Fresnel lenses made of poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) to obtain a high optical flux density. The optical and mechanical durability of such components, however, are not well established relative to the desired service life of 30 years. Specific reliability issues may include: reduced optical transmittance, discoloration, hazing, surface erosion, embrittlement, crack growth, physical aging, shape setting (warpage), and soiling. The initial results for contemporary lens- and material-specimens aged cumulatively to 6 months are presented. The study here uses an environmental chamber equipped with a xenon-arc lamp to age specimens at least 8x the nominal field rate. A broad range in the affected characteristics (including optical transmittance, yellowness index, mass loss, and contact angle) has been observed to date, depending on the formulation of PMMA used. The most affected specimens are further examined in terms of their visual appearance, surface roughness (examined via atomic force microscopy), and molecular structure (via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy).

  5. MATLAB Simulation of Photovoltaic and Photovoltaic/Thermal Systems Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasir, Farah H. M.; Husaini, Yusnira

    2018-03-01

    The efficiency of the photovoltaic reduces when the photovoltaic cell temperature increased due to solar irradiance. One solution is come up with the cooling system photovoltaic system. This combination is forming the photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) system. Not only will it generate electricity also heat at the same time. The aim of this research is to focus on the modeling and simulation of photovoltaic (PV) and photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) electrical performance by using single-diode equivalent circuit model. Both PV and PV/T models are developed in Matlab/Simulink. By providing the cooling system in PV/T, the efficiency of the system can be increased by decreasing the PV cell temperature. The maximum thermal, electrical and total efficiency values of PV/T in the present research are 35.18%, 15.56% and 50.74% at solar irradiance of 400 W/m2, mass flow rate of 0.05kgs-1 and inlet temperature of 25 °C respectively has been obtained. The photovoltaic-thermal shows that the higher efficiency performance compared to the photovoltaic system.

  6. Advanced Solar Cell and Array Technology for NASA Deep Space Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piszczor, Michael; Benson, Scott; Scheiman, David; Finacannon, Homer; Oleson, Steve; Landis, Geoffrey

    2008-01-01

    A recent study by the NASA Glenn Research Center assessed the feasibility of using photovoltaics (PV) to power spacecraft for outer planetary, deep space missions. While the majority of spacecraft have relied on photovoltaics for primary power, the drastic reduction in solar intensity as the spacecraft moves farther from the sun has either limited the power available (severely curtailing scientific operations) or necessitated the use of nuclear systems. A desire by NASA and the scientific community to explore various bodies in the outer solar system and conduct "long-term" operations using using smaller, "lower-cost" spacecraft has renewed interest in exploring the feasibility of using photovoltaics for to Jupiter, Saturn and beyond. With recent advances in solar cell performance and continuing development in lightweight, high power solar array technology, the study determined that photovoltaics is indeed a viable option for many of these missions.

  7. Intermediate photovoltaic system application experiment operational performance executive summary. Volume 4. For Beverly High School, Beverly, MA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1982-02-01

    Performance data are given for a 100 kW grid-connected flat panel photovoltaic power supply at a Massachusetts high school for the month of January, 1982. Data given include daily and monthly electrical energy produced, daily and monthly plane-of-array solar energy incident, array efficiency, power conditioner efficiency, system efficiency, capacity factor, and average plane-of-array insolation. Also included are the data acquisition mode and recording interval plot and two site event report summaries involving the data acquisition system. (LEW)

  8. Report of an exploratory study: Safety and liability considerations for photovoltaic modules/panels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinstein, A. S.; Meeker, D. G.

    1981-01-01

    An overview of legal issues as they apply to design, manufacture and use of photovoltaic module/array devices is provided and a methodology is suggested for use of the design stage of these products to minimize or eliminate perceived hazards. Questions are posed to stimulate consideration of this area.

  9. Stochastic control of smart home energy management with plug-in electric vehicle battery energy storage and photovoltaic array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Xiaohua; Hu, Xiaosong; Moura, Scott; Yin, Xiaofeng; Pickert, Volker

    2016-11-01

    Energy management strategies are instrumental in the performance and economy of smart homes integrating renewable energy and energy storage. This article focuses on stochastic energy management of a smart home with PEV (plug-in electric vehicle) energy storage and photovoltaic (PV) array. It is motivated by the challenges associated with sustainable energy supplies and the local energy storage opportunity provided by vehicle electrification. This paper seeks to minimize a consumer's energy charges under a time-of-use tariff, while satisfying home power demand and PEV charging requirements, and accommodating the variability of solar power. First, the random-variable models are developed, including Markov Chain model of PEV mobility, as well as predictive models of home power demand and PV power supply. Second, a stochastic optimal control problem is mathematically formulated for managing the power flow among energy sources in the smart home. Finally, based on time-varying electricity price, we systematically examine the performance of the proposed control strategy. As a result, the electric cost is 493.6% less for a Tesla Model S with optimal stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) control relative to the no optimal control case, and it is by 175.89% for a Nissan Leaf.

  10. DOE LeRC photovoltaic systems test facility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cull, R. C.; Forestieri, A. F.

    1978-01-01

    The facility was designed and built and is being operated as a national facility to serve the needs of the entire DOE National Photovoltaic Program. The object of the facility is to provide a place where photovoltaic systems may be assembled and electrically configured, without specific physical configuration, for operation and testing to evaluate their performance and characteristics. The facility as a breadboard system allows investigation of operational characteristics and checkout of components, subsystems and systems before they are mounted in field experiments or demonstrations. The facility as currently configured consist of 10 kW of solar arrays built from modules, two inverter test stations, a battery storage system, interface with local load and the utility grid, and instrumentation and control necessary to make a flexible operating facility. Expansion to 30 kW is planned for 1978. Test results and operating experience are summaried to show the variety of work that can be done with this facility.

  11. An active cooling system for photovoltaic modules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teo, H.G.; Lee, P.S.; Hawlader, M.N.A.

    2012-01-01

    The electrical efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) cell is adversely affected by the significant increase of cell operating temperature during absorption of solar radiation. A hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar system was designed, fabricated and experimentally investigated in this work. To actively cool the PV cells, a parallel array of ducts with inlet/outlet manifold designed for uniform airflow distribution was attached to the back of the PV panel. Experiments were performed with and without active cooling. A linear trend between the efficiency and temperature was found. Without active cooling, the temperature of the module was high and solar cells can only achieve an efficiency of 8–9%. However, when the module was operated under active cooling condition, the temperature dropped significantly leading to an increase in efficiency of solar cells to between 12% and 14%. A heat transfer simulation model was developed to compare to the actual temperature profile of PV module and good agreement between the simulation and experimental results is obtained.

  12. Thin Film Photovoltaic Partnership Project | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thin Film Photovoltaic Partnership Project Thin Film Photovoltaic Partnership Project NREL's Thin Film Photovoltaic (PV) Partnership Project led R&D on emerging thin-film solar technologies in the United States from 1994 to 2009. The project made many advances in thin-film PV technologies that allowed

  13. The photovoltaic industry is expanding under the sun; La filiere photovoltaique se dilate au soleil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Remoue, A

    2010-03-15

    From silicon to the manufacturing of solar cell arrays, professionals of the photovoltaic industry try to master the entire production line. A recent guidebook, published by the French syndicate of renewable energies lists 150 manufacturing and subcontracting companies in France. In 2009, the solar cell arrays installed in France represented 250 MWc of power, to be compared to 105 MWc in 2008. The production capacity should reach 331 MWc in 2010. (J.S.)

  14. Outdoor Performance Analysis of a Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) Collector with Jet Impingement and Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaaz, Ahed Hameed; Hasan, Husam Abdulrasool; Sopian, Kamaruzzaman; Kadhum, Abdul Amir H; Gaaz, Tayser Sumer; Al-Amiery, Ahmed A

    2017-08-01

    This paper discusses the effect of jet impingement of water on a photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collector and compound parabolic concentrators (CPC) on electrical efficiency, thermal efficiency and power production of a PVT system. A prototype of a PVT solar water collector installed with a jet impingement and CPC has been designed, fabricated and experimentally investigated. The efficiency of the system can be improved by using jet impingement of water to decrease the temperature of the solar cells. The electrical efficiency and power output are directly correlated with the mass flow rate. The results show that electrical efficiency was improved by 7% when using CPC and jet impingement cooling in a PVT solar collector at 1:00 p.m. (solar irradiance of 1050 W/m² and an ambient temperature of 33.5 °C). It can also be seen that the power output improved by 36% when using jet impingement cooling with CPC, and 20% without CPC in the photovoltaic (PV) module at 1:30 p.m. The short-circuit current I SC of the PV module experienced an improvement of ~28% when using jet impingement cooling with CPC, and 11.7% without CPC. The output of the PV module was enhanced by 31% when using jet impingement cooling with CPC, and 16% without CPC.

  15. Determination of hot-spot susceptibility of multistring photovoltaic modules in a central-station application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez, C. C.; Weaver, R. W.; Ross, R. G., Jr.; Spencer, R.; Arnett, J. C.

    1984-01-01

    Part of the effort of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Flat-Plate Solar Array Project (FSA) includes a program to improve module and array reliability. A collaborative activity with industry dealing with the problem of hot-spot heating due to the shadowing of photovoltaic cells in modules and arrays containing several paralleled cell strings is described. The use of multiparallel strings in large central-station arrays introduces the likelihood of unequal current sharing and increased heating levels. Test results that relate power dissipated, current imbalance, cross-strapping frequency, and shadow configuration to hot-spot heating levels are presented. Recommendations for circuit design configurations appropriate to central-station applications that reduce the risk of hot-spot problems are offered. Guidelines are provided for developing hot-spot tests for arrays when current imbalance is a threat.

  16. Analysis of batteries for use in photovoltaic systems. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Podder, A; Kapner, M

    1981-02-01

    An evaluation of 11 types of secondary batteries for energy storage in photovoltaic electric power systems is given. The evaluation was based on six specific application scenarios which were selected to represent the diverse requirements of various photovoltaic systems. Electrical load characteristics and solar insulation data were first obtained for each application scenario. A computer-based simulation program, SOLSIM, was then developed to determine optimal sizes for battery, solar array, and power conditioning systems. Projected service lives and battery costs were used to estimate life-cycle costs for each candidate battery type. The evaluation considered battery life-cycle cost, safety and health effects associated with battery operation, and reliability/maintainability. The 11 battery types were: lead-acid, nickel-zinc, nickel-iron, nickel-hydrogen, lithium-iron sulfide, calcium-iron sulfide, sodium-sulfur, zinc-chlorine, zinc-bromine, Redox, and zinc-ferricyanide. The six application scenarios were: (1) a single-family house in Denver, Colorado (photovoltaic system connected to the utility line); (2) a remote village in equatorial Africa (stand-alone power system); (3) a dairy farm in Howard County, Maryland (onsite generator for backup power); (4) a 50,000 square foot office building in Washington, DC (onsite generator backup); (5) a community in central Arizona with a population of 10,000 (battery to be used for dedicated energy storage for a utility grid-connected photovoltaic power plant); and (6) a military field telephone office with a constant 300 W load (trailer-mounted auxiliary generator backup). Recommendations for a research and development program on battery energy storage for photovoltaic applications are given, and a discussion of electrical interfacing problems for utility line-connected photovoltaic power systems is included. (WHK)

  17. Mission-Enabling Photovoltaic Flexible Blanket Solar Array with SNC/SJ Surface Mount Technology, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Deployable Space Systems, Inc. (DSS) in collaboration with Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has developed a modular multi-junction photovoltaic flexible blanket...

  18. Advanced photovoltaic-trough development

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spencer, R.; Yasuda, K.; Merson, B.

    1982-04-01

    The scope of the work on photvoltaic troughs includes analytical studies, hardware development, and component testing. Various aspects of the system have been optimized and improvements have been realized, particularly in the receiver and reflecting surface designs. An empirical system performance model has been developed that closely agrees with measured system performance. This in-depth study of single-axis reflecting linear focus photovoltaic concentrators will be very beneficial in the development of improved models for similar systems as well as other phtovoltaic concentrator designs.

  19. Solar energy – new photovoltaic technologies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sommer-Larsen, Peter

    2009-01-01

    Solar energy technologies directly convert sunlight into electricity and heat, or power chemical reactions that convert simple molecules into synthetic chemicals and fuels. The sun is by far the most abundant source of energy, and a sustainable society will need to rely on solar energy as one...... of its major energy sources. Solar energy is a focus point in many strategies for a sustainable energy supply. The European Commission’s Strategic Energy Plan (SET-plan) envisages a Solar Europe Initiative, where photovoltaics and concentrated solar power (CSP) supply as much power as wind mills...... in the future. Much focus is directed towards photovoltaics presently. Installation of solar cell occurs at an unprecedented pace and the expectations of the photovoltaics industry are high: a total PV capacity of 40 GW by 2012 as reported by a recent study. The talk progresses from general solar energy topics...

  20. Electrocoagulation of a synthetic textile effluent powered by photovoltaic energy without batteries: Direct connection behaviour

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valero, David; Ortiz, Juan M.; Exposito, Eduardo; Montiel, Vicente; Aldaz, Antonio [Grupo de Electroquimica Aplicada y Electrocatalisis, Departamento de Quimica Fisica, Instituto Universitario de Electroquimica, Universidad de Alicante, Ap 99, Alicante 03080 (Spain)

    2008-03-15

    The feasibility of the use of an electrocoagulation system (EC) directly powered by a photovoltaic (PV) array has been demonstrated. The model pollutant used was a reactive textile dye Remazol Red RB 133. It has been proved that PV array configuration is a factor of great influence on the use of the generated power. The optimum PV array configuration must be reshaped depending on the instantaneous solar irradiation. A useful and effective methodology to adjust the EC-PV system operation conditions depending on solar irradiation has been proposed. The current flow ratio, J{sub v}, is established as the control parameter. (author)

  1. A New Technique for Tracking the Global Maximum Power Point of PV Arrays Operating Under Partial-Shading Conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Koutroulis, Eftichios; Blaabjerg, Frede

    2012-01-01

    The power-voltage characteristic of photovoltaic (PV) arrays operating under partial-shading conditions exhibits multiple local maximum power points (MPPs). In this paper, a new method to track the global MPP is presented, which is based on controlling a dc/dc converter connected at the PV array...

  2. Modeling and Design of MPPT Controller Using Stepped P&O Algorithm in Solar Photovoltaic System

    OpenAIRE

    R. Prakash; B. Meenakshipriya; R. Kumaravelan

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents modeling and simulation of Grid Connected Photovoltaic (PV) system by using improved mathematical model. The model is used to study different parameter variations and effects on the PV array including operating temperature and solar irradiation level. In this paper stepped P&O algorithm is proposed for MPPT control. This algorithm will identify the suitable duty ratio in which the DC-DC converter should be operated to maximize the power output. Photo voltaic array with pro...

  3. Automatic outdoor monitoring system for photovoltaic panels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stefancich, Marco; Simpson, Lin; Chiesa, Matteo

    2016-05-01

    Long-term acquisition of solar panel performance parameters, for panels operated at maximum power point in their real environment, is of critical importance in the photovoltaic research sector. However, few options exist for the characterization of non-standard panels such as concentrated photovoltaic systems, heavily soiled or shaded panels or those operating under non-standard spectral illumination; certainly, it is difficult to find such a measurement system that is flexible and affordable enough to be adopted by the smaller research institutes or universities. We present here an instrument aiming to fill this gap, autonomously tracking and maintaining any solar panel at maximum power point while continuously monitoring its operational parameters and dissipating the produced energy without connection to the power grid. The instrument allows periodic acquisition of current-voltage curves to verify the employed maximum power point tracking approach. At the same time, with hardware schematics and software code being provided, it provides a flexible open development environment for the monitoring of non-standard generators like concentrator photovoltaic systems and to test novel power tracking approaches. The key issues, and the corresponding solutions, encountered in the design are analyzed in detail and the relevant schematics presented.

  4. Automatic outdoor monitoring system for photovoltaic panels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stefancich, Marco [Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerce, Istituto dei Materiali per l’Elettronica ed il Magnetismo (CNR-IMEM), Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy; Simpson, Lin [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA; Chiesa, Matteo [Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 54224, Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    2016-05-01

    Long-term acquisition of solar panel performance parameters, for panels operated at maximum power point in their real environment, is of critical importance in the photovoltaic research sector. However, few options exist for the characterization of non-standard panels such as concentrated photovoltaic systems, heavily soiled or shaded panels or those operating under non-standard spectral illumination; certainly, it is difficult to find such a measurement system that is flexible and affordable enough to be adopted by the smaller research institutes or universities. We present here an instrument aiming to fill this gap, autonomously tracking and maintaining any solar panel at maximum power point while continuously monitoring its operational parameters and dissipating the produced energy without connection to the power grid. The instrument allows periodic acquisition of current-voltage curves to verify the employed maximum power point tracking approach. At the same time, with hardware schematics and software code being provided, it provides a flexible open development environment for the monitoring of non-standard generators like concentrator photovoltaic systems and to test novel power tracking approaches. The key issues, and the corresponding solutions, encountered in the design are analyzed in detail and the relevant schematics presented.

  5. Numerical simulation of crosstalk in reduced pitch HgCdTe photon-trapping structure pixel arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuster, Jonathan; Bellotti, Enrico

    2013-06-17

    We have investigated crosstalk in HgCdTe photovoltaic pixel arrays employing a photon trapping (PT) structure realized with a periodic array of pillars intended to provide broadband operation. We have found that, compared to non-PT pixel arrays with similar geometry, the array employing the PT structure has a slightly higher optical crosstalk. However, when the total crosstalk is evaluated, the presence of the PT region drastically reduces the total crosstalk; making the use of the PT structure not only useful to obtain broadband operation, but also desirable for reducing crosstalk in small pitch detector arrays.

  6. Intermediate photovoltaic system application experiment operational performance report. Volume 6 for Beverly High School, Beverly, MA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1982-03-01

    Performance data are given for the month of February, 1982 for a photovoltaic power supply at a Massachusetts high school. Data given include: monthly and daily electrical energy yield; monthly and daily insolation; monthly and daily array efficiency; energy production as a function of power level, voltage, cell temperature, and hour of day; insolation as a function of hour of the day; input, output and efficiency for each of two power conditioning units and for the total power conditioning system; energy supplied to the load by the photovoltaic system and by the grid; photovoltaic system efficiency; dollar value of the energy supplied by the photovoltaic system; capacity factor; daily photovoltaic energy to load; daily system availability and hours of daylight; heating and cooling degree days; hourly cell temperature, ambient temperature, wind speed, and insolation; average monthly wind speed; wind direction distribution; and daily data acquisition mode and recording interval plot. Also included are four site event report summaries, one involving hardware/maintenance for a power conditioning inverter, and the other three involving operations. (LEW)

  7. Photovoltaic-Concentrator Based Power Beaming For Space Elevator Application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Becker, Daniel E.; Chiang, Richard; Keys, Catherine C.; Lyjak, Andrew W.; Starch, Michael D.; Nees, John A.

    2010-01-01

    The MClimber team, at the Student Space Systems Fabrication Laboratory of the University of Michigan, has developed a prototype robotic climber for competition in the NASA sponsored Power Beaming Challenge. This paper describes the development of the system that utilizes a simple telescope to deliver an 8 kW beam to a photovoltaic panel in order to power a one kilometer climb. Its unique approach utilizes a precision GPS signal to track the panel. Fundamental systems of the project were implemented using a design strategy focusing on robustness and modularity. Development of this design and its results are presented.

  8. Long term hydrogen production potential of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system in tropical weather of Singapore

    KAUST Repository

    Burhan, Muhammad

    2016-08-23

    Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system provides highest solar energy conversion efficiency among all the photovoltaic technologies and provides the most suitable option to convert solar energy into hydrogen, as future sustainable energy carrier. So far, only conventional flat plate PV systems are being used for almost all of the commercial applications. However, most of the studies have only shown the maximum efficiency of hydrogen production using CPV. In actual field conditions, the performance of CPV-Hydrogen system is affected by many parameter and it changes continuously during whole day operation. In this paper, the daily average and long term performances are proposed to analyze the real field potential of the CPV-Hydrogen system, which is of main interest for designers and consumers. An experimental setup is developed and a performance model is proposed to investigate the average and long term production potential of CPV-Hydrogen system. The study is carried out in tropical weather of Singapore. The maximum CPV efficiency of 27-28% and solar to hydrogen (STH) efficiency of 18%, were recorded. In addition, the CPV-Hydrogen system showed the long term average efficiency of 15.5%, for period of one year (12-months), with electrolyser rating of 47 kWh/kg and STH production potential of 218 kWh/kg. Based upon the DNI availability, the system showed hydrogen production potential of 0.153-0.553 kg/m/month, with average production of 0.43 kg/m/month. However, CPV-Hydrogen system has shown annual hydrogen production potential of 5.162 kg/m/year in tropical weather of Singapore.

  9. Standard Test Method for Calibration of Non-Concentrator Photovoltaic Secondary Reference Cells

    CERN Document Server

    American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

    2010-01-01

    1.1 This test method covers calibration and characterization of secondary terrestrial photovoltaic reference cells to a desired reference spectral irradiance distribution. The recommended physical requirements for these reference cells are described in Specification E1040. Reference cells are principally used in the determination of the electrical performance of a photovoltaic device. 1.2 Secondary reference cells are calibrated indoors using simulated sunlight or outdoors in natural sunlight by reference to a primary reference cell previously calibrated to the same desired reference spectral irradiance distribution. 1.3 Secondary reference cells calibrated according to this test method will have the same radiometric traceability as the of the primary reference cell used for the calibration. Therefore, if the primary reference cell is traceable to the World Radiometric Reference (WRR, see Test Method E816), the resulting secondary reference cell will also be traceable to the WRR. 1.4 This test method appli...

  10. Proceedings of the 12th Space Photovoltaic Research and Technology Conference (SPRAT 12)

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-01-01

    The Twelfth Space Photovoltaic Research and Technology conference was held at the NASA Lewis Research Center from 20 to 22 Oct. 1992. The papers and workshops presented in this volume report substantial progress in a variety of areas in space photovoltaics. Topics covered include: high efficiency GaAs and InP solar cells, GaAs/Ge cells as commercial items, flexible amorphous and thin film solar cells (in the early stages of pilot production), high efficiency multiple bandgap cells, laser power converters, solar cell and array technology, heteroepitaxial cells, betavoltaic energy conversion, and space radiation effects in InP cells. Space flight data on a variety of cells were also presented.

  11. Devices and optics for photovoltaic conversion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arujo, G.L.

    1991-01-01

    Photovoltaic energy is one of the most promising renewable energies. The contents of this article deals firstly with the physics of the devices and the optics employed to convert directly sunlight into electricity. Secondly the state of the art of the high efficiency solar cells and concentration systems will be addressed. Finally, there will be some concluding comments about the future prospects of the photovoltaic energy. PV energy conversion is at present a viable technology to produce electricity. But unfortunately its cost is still too high to be competitive with grid connected applications. Roughly speaking there are two main strategies for reducing costs in PV: One of them relies on thin-film, low cost solar cells and modules and the other relies on high efficiency solar cells and modules used, in many cases, in combination with optical concentration. This work will focus in high efficiency solar cells, what means that good quality crystalline semiconductor materials are involved, and in the optics used in concentration systems. 25 figs, 2 tabs

  12. Photovoltaic module and laminate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bunea, Gabriela E.; Kim, Sung Dug; Kavulak, David F.J.

    2018-04-10

    A photovoltaic module is disclosed. The photovoltaic module has a first side directed toward the sun during normal operation and a second, lower side. The photovoltaic module comprises a perimeter frame and a photovoltaic laminate at least partially enclosed by and supported by the perimeter frame. The photovoltaic laminate comprises a transparent cover layer positioned toward the first side of the photovoltaic module, an upper encapsulant layer beneath and adhering to the cover layer, a plurality of photovoltaic solar cells beneath the upper encapsulant layer, the photovoltaic solar cells electrically interconnected, a lower encapsulant layer beneath the plurality of photovoltaic solar cells, the upper and lower encapsulant layers enclosing the plurality of photovoltaic solar cells, and a homogenous rear environmental protection layer, the rear environmental protection layer adhering to the lower encapsulant layer, the rear environmental protection layer exposed to the ambient environment on the second side of the photovoltaic module.

  13. Analytical Modelling and Simulation of Photovoltaic Panels and Arrays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Bourdoucen

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, an analytical model for PV panels and arrays based on extracted physical parameters of solar cells is developed. The proposed model has the advantage of simplifying mathematical modelling for different configurations of cells and panels without losing efficiency of PV system operation. The effects of external parameters, mainly temperature and solar irradiance have been considered in the modelling. Due to their critical effects on the operation of the panel, effects of series and shunt resistances were also studied. The developed analytical model has been easily implemented, simulated and validated using both Spice and Matlab packages for different series and parallel configurations of cells and panels. The results obtained with these two programs are in total agreement, which make the proposed model very useful for researchers and designers for quick and accurate sizing of PV panels and arrays.

  14. Competition - In front of China, the photovoltaic sector organizes itself

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chandes, C.

    2012-01-01

    Urged by the French President, EDF has taken Photowatt over. Photowatt used to be a leader in the fabrication of photovoltaic arrays. In other countries like Germany or the United States, measures are also implemented to face the competition with China in this sector. In Germany, banks are investing to save companies like Q-Cell. In the United States, manufacturers are asking their government to build up trade barriers

  15. An analytical method to determine the optimal size of a photovoltaic plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barra, L; Catalanotti, S; Fontana, F; Lavorante, F

    1984-01-01

    In this paper, a simplified method for the optimal sizing of a photovoltaic system is presented. The results have been obtained for Italian meteorological data, but the methodology can be applied to any geographical area. The system studied is composed of a photovoltaic array, power tracker, battery storage, inverter and load. Computer simulation was used to obtain the performance of this system for many values of field area, battery storage value, solar flux and load by keeping constant the efficiencies. A simple fit was used to achieve a formula relating the system variables to the performance. Finally, the formulae for the optimal values of the field area and the battery storage value are shown.

  16. Intermediate photovoltaic system application experiment operational performance. Volume 5, for Beverly High School, Beverly, MA. Executive summary

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None,

    1982-03-01

    Performance data are given for a grid-connected, 100 kW, flat panel photovoltaic power system at a Massachusetts high school for the month of February 1982. Data include daily and monthly electrical energy produced, daily and monthly plane-of-array incident solar energy, array efficiency, power conditioner efficiency, system efficiency, capacity factor, and monthly average insolation. Also included is the data acquisition mode and recording interval plot. (LEW)

  17. Photovoltaic dependence of photorefractive grating on the externally applied dc electric field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maurya, M. K.; Yadav, R. A.

    2013-04-01

    Photovoltaic dependence of photorefractive grating (i.e., space-charge field and phase-shift of the index grating) on the externally applied dc electric field in photovoltaic-photorefractive materials has been investigated. The influence of photovoltaic field (EPhN), diffusion field and carrier concentration ratio r (donor/acceptor impurity concentration ratio) on the space-charge field (SCF) and phase-shift of the index grating in the presence and absence of the externally applied dc electric field have also been studied in details. Our results show that, for a given value of EPhN and r, the magnitude of the SCF and phase-shift of the index grating can be enhanced significantly by employing the lower dc electric field (EONphotovoltaic-photorefractive crystal and higher value of diffusion field (EDN>40). Such an enhancement in the magnitude of the SCF and phase-shift of the index grating are responsible for the strongest beam coupling in photovoltaic-photorefractive materials. This sufficiently strong beam coupling increases the two-beam coupling gain that may be exceed the absorption and reflection losses of the photovoltaic-photorefractive sample, and optical amplification can occur. The higher value of optical amplification in photovoltaic-photorefractive sample is required for the every applications of photorefractive effect so that technology based on the photorefractive effect such as holographic storage devices, optical information processing, acousto-optic tunable filters, gyro-sensors, optical modulators, optical switches, photorefractive-photovoltaic solitons, biomedical applications, and frequency converters could be improved.

  18. Photovoltaic solar cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielson, Gregory N.; Gupta, Vipin P.; Okandan, Murat; Watts, Michael R.

    2015-09-08

    A photovoltaic solar concentrator is disclosed with one or more transverse-junction solar cells (also termed point contact solar cells) and a lens located above each solar cell to concentrate sunlight onto the solar cell to generate electricity. Piezoelectric actuators tilt or translate each lens to track the sun using a feedback-control circuit which senses the electricity generated by one or more of the solar cells. The piezoelectric actuators can be coupled through a displacement-multiplier linkage to provide an increased range of movement of each lens. Each lens in the solar concentrator can be supported on a frame (also termed a tilt plate) having three legs, with the movement of the legs being controlled by the piezoelectric actuators.

  19. Retrieval of Mir Solar Array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rutledge, Sharon K.; deGroh, Kim K.

    1999-01-01

    A Russian solar array panel removed in November 1997 from the non-articulating photovoltaic array on the Mir core module was returned to Earth on STS-89 in January 1998. The panel had been exposed to low Earth orbit (LEO) for 10 years prior to retrieval. The retrieval provided a unique opportunity to study the effects of the LEO environment on a functional solar array. To take advantage of this opportunity, a team composed of members from RSC-Energia (Russia), the Boeing Company, and the following NASA Centers--Johnson Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, Langley Research Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, and Lewis Research Center--was put together to analyze the array. After post-retrieval inspections at the Spacehab Facility at Kennedy in Florida, the array was shipped to Lewis in Cleveland for electrical performance tests, closeup photodocumentation, and removal of selected solar cells and blanket material. With approval from RSC-Energia, five cell pairs and their accompanying blanket and mesh material, and samples of painted handrail materials were selected for removal on the basis of their ability to provide degradation information. Sites were selected that provided different sizes and shapes of micrometeoroid impacts and different levels of surface contamination. These materials were then distributed among the team for round robin testing.

  20. Physics of Quantum Structures in Photovoltaic Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raffaelle, Ryne P.; Andersen, John D.

    2005-01-01

    There has been considerable activity recently regarding the possibilities of using various nanostructures and nanomaterials to improve photovoltaic conversion of solar energy. Recent theoretical results indicate that dramatic improvements in device efficiency may be attainable through the use of three-dimensional arrays of zero-dimensional conductors (i.e., quantum dots) in an ordinary p-i-n solar cell structure. Quantum dots and other nanostructured materials may also prove to have some benefits in terms of temperature coefficients and radiation degradation associated with space solar cells. Two-dimensional semiconductor superlattices have already demonstrated some advantages in this regard. It has also recently been demonstrated that semiconducting quantum dots can also be used to improve conversion efficiencies in polymeric thin film solar cells. Improvement in thin film cells utilizing conjugated polymers has also be achieved through the use of one-dimensional quantum structures such as carbon nanotubes. It is believed that carbon nanotubes may contribute to both the disassociation as well as the carrier transport in the conjugated polymers used in certain thin film photovoltaic cells. In this paper we will review the underlying physics governing some of the new photovoltaic nanostructures being pursued, as well as the the current methods being employed to produce III-V, II-VI, and even chalcopyrite-based nanomaterials and nanostructures for solar cells.

  1. Optimum concentric circular array antenna with high gain and side lobe reduction at 5.8 GHz

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaid, Mohammed; Rafiqul Islam, Md; Habaebi, Mohamed H.; Zahirul Alam, AHM; Abdullah, Khaizuran

    2017-11-01

    The significance of high gain directional antennas stems from the need to cope up with the everyday progressing wireless communication systems. Due to low gain of the widely used microstrip antenna, combining multiple antennas in proper geometry increases the gain with good directive property. Over other array forms, this paper uses concentric circular array configuration for its compact structure and inherent symmetry in azimuth. This proposed array is composed of 9 elements on FR-4 substrate, which is designed for WLAN applications at 5.8GHz. Antenna Magus software is used for synthesis, while CST software is used for optimization. The proposed array is designed with optimum inter-element spacing and number of elements achieving a high directional gain of 15.7 dB compared to 14.2 dB of available literature, with a high reduction in side lobe level of -17.6 dB.

  2. Optimal sizing method for stand-alone photovoltaic power systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Groumpos, P P; Papageorgiou, G

    1987-01-01

    The total life-cycle cost of stand-alone photovoltaic (SAPV) power systems is mathematically formulated. A new optimal sizing algorithm for the solar array and battery capacity is developed. The optimum value of a balancing parameter, M, for the optimal sizing of SAPV system components is derived. The proposed optimal sizing algorithm is used in an illustrative example, where a more economical life-cycle cost has bene obtained. The question of cost versus reliability is briefly discussed.

  3. Photovoltaic subsystem optimization and design tradeoff study. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stolte, W.J.

    1982-03-01

    Tradeoffs and subsystem choices are examined in photovoltaic array subfield design, power-conditioning sizing and selection, roof- and ground-mounted structure installation, energy loss, operating voltage, power conditioning cost, and subfield size. Line- and self-commutated power conditioning options are analyzed to determine the most cost-effective technology in the megawatt power range. Methods for reducing field installation of flat panels and roof mounting of intermediate load centers are discussed, including the cost of retrofit installations.

  4. Photovoltaic module and interlocked stack of photovoltaic modules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wares, Brian S.

    2012-09-04

    One embodiment relates to an arrangement of photovoltaic modules configured for transportation. The arrangement includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each photovoltaic module including a frame having at least a top member and a bottom member. A plurality of alignment features are included on the top member of each frame, and a plurality of alignment features are included on the bottom member of each frame. Adjacent photovoltaic modules are interlocked by the alignment features on the top member of a lower module fitting together with the alignment features on the bottom member of an upper module. Other embodiments, features and aspects are also disclosed.

  5. Review of Consensus Standard Spectra for Flat Plate and Concentrating Photovoltaic Performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Myers, D.

    2011-09-01

    Consensus standard reference terrestrial solar spectra are used to establish nameplate ratings for photovoltaic device performance at standard reporting conditions. This report describes reference solar spectra developed in the United States and international consensus standards community which are widely accepted as of this writing (June 2011).

  6. Intermediate photovoltaic system application experiment operational performance report: Volume 5, for Beverly High School, Beverly, Mass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-02-01

    Performance data for the month of January, 1982 for a grid connected photovoltaic power supply in Massachusetts are presented. Data include: monthly and daily electrical energy produced; monthly and daily solar energy incident on the array; monthly and daily array efficiency; plots of energy produced as a function of power level, voltage, cell temperature and time of day; power conditioner input, output and efficiency for each of two individual units and for the total power conditioning system; photovoltaic system efficiency; capacity factor; PV system to load and grid to load energies and corresponding dollar values; daily energy supplies to the load by the PV system; daily PV system availability; monthly and hourly insolation; monthly and hourly temperature average; monthly and hourly wind speed; wind direction distribution; average heating and cooling degree days; number of freeze/thaw cycles; and the data acquisition mode and recording interval plot.

  7. FY 2000 report on the results of the development of technology for commercialization of the photovoltaic power system - R and D of evaluation technology of the photovoltaic power system. R and D of the system evaluation technology; 2000 nendo New sunshine keikaku seika hokokusho. Taiyoko hatsuden system jitsuyoka gijutsu kaihatsu - Taiyoko hatsuden system hyoka gijutsu no kenkyu kaihatsu - System hyoka gijutsu no kenkyu kaihatsu

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-03-01

    Based on the evaluation method for the performance prediction system of the standard photovoltaic power system, the R and D were conducted of the system generation output prediction technology which is general-purpose, simplified and applicable to various kinds of photovoltaic power system for residential use, and the FY 2000 results were summed up. In this fiscal year, the photovoltaic power system for residential use was increasingly installed at 15 places, and 100 sites in total were made database and analyzed. As to the development of simulation technology, technology of calculation was established such as the simulation of multi-plane array composition and correction of multi-plane array incidence. Further, technical information on system trouble and knowledge/information/proposal for reducing power generation loss were arranged by design parameter. Using the data on solar radiation/power loss at sites of residential use photovoltaic power systems installed in the Kanto area, value analysis of the capacity of wide area facilities of the photovoltaic power system was made by the statistical method. This study was compiled into the revised edition of design manual. (NEDO)

  8. Outdoor Performance Analysis of a Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT Collector with Jet Impingement and Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahed Hameed Jaaz

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses the effect of jet impingement of water on a photovoltaic thermal (PVT collector and compound parabolic concentrators (CPC on electrical efficiency, thermal efficiency and power production of a PVT system. A prototype of a PVT solar water collector installed with a jet impingement and CPC has been designed, fabricated and experimentally investigated. The efficiency of the system can be improved by using jet impingement of water to decrease the temperature of the solar cells. The electrical efficiency and power output are directly correlated with the mass flow rate. The results show that electrical efficiency was improved by 7% when using CPC and jet impingement cooling in a PVT solar collector at 1:00 p.m. (solar irradiance of 1050 W/m2 and an ambient temperature of 33.5 °C. It can also be seen that the power output improved by 36% when using jet impingement cooling with CPC, and 20% without CPC in the photovoltaic (PV module at 1:30 p.m. The short-circuit current ISC of the PV module experienced an improvement of ~28% when using jet impingement cooling with CPC, and 11.7% without CPC. The output of the PV module was enhanced by 31% when using jet impingement cooling with CPC, and 16% without CPC.

  9. Photovoltaic demonstration projects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gillett, W B; Hacker, R J; Kaut, W [eds.

    1991-01-01

    This book, the proceedings of the fourth PV-Contractors' Meeting organized by the Commission of the European Communities, Directorate-General for Energy, held at Brussels on 21 and 22 November 1989, provides an overview of the photovoltaic demonstration projects which have been supported in the framework of the Energy Demonstration Program since 1983. It includes reports by each of the contractors who submitted proposals in 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986, describing progress with their projects. Summaries of the discussions held at the meeting, which included contractors whose projects were submitted in 1987, are also presented. The different technologies which are being demonstrated concern the modules, the cabling of the array, structure design, storage strategy and power conditioning. The various applications include desalination, communications, dairy farms, water pumping, and warning systems. Papers have been processed separately for inclusion on the data base.

  10. Effects of low pressure plasma treatments on DSSCs based on rutile TiO2 array photoanodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Weiqi; Chen, Jiazang; Luo, Jianqiang; Zhang, Yuzhi; Gao, Lian; Liu, Yangqiao; Sun, Jing

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Plasma treatment effects on rutile nanorod arrays studied. • Dye adsorption amount increased by all plasma treatment. • Flat-band potential positively shifted after NP and OP treatments. • Cell performance improved by NP and OP treatments. - Abstract: In this paper, three types of low pressure plasma including hydrogen (HP), oxygen (OP) and nitrogen (NP) treatments have been utilized for the first time to improve DSSCs based on rutile TiO 2 array photoanodes. Their effects on the photoanodes and the cell performance have been systematically compared by characterizing the dye loading amount, flat-band potential, donor concentration, electron lifetime and the photovoltaic parameters. Experimental results show that all the three plasma treatments increase the dye loading owing to improved hydrophilicity or enhanced surface roughness. It is found that NP and OP treatments significantly increase the TiO 2 donor concentration and decrease trapping sites. By this way, the electron transport is enhanced and the electron recombination is effectively restrained. These comprehensive effects make NP and OP treatments beneficial for the overall performance, by which 13% and 5% increases in efficiency are achieved. However, HP treatment causes obvious reduction in the donor concentration and more severe electron recombination, which decreases the efficiency by about 15%

  11. Environmental testing of terrestrial flat plate photovoltaic modules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, A.; Griffith, J.

    1979-01-01

    The Low-Cost Solar Array (LSA) Project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has as one objective: the development and implementation of environmental tests for flat plate photovoltaic modules as part of the Department of Energy's terrestrial photovoltaic program. Modules procured under this program have been subjected to a variety of laboratory tests intended to simulate service environments, and the results of these tests have been compared to available data from actual field service. This comparison indicates that certain tests (notably temperature cycling, humidity cycling, and cyclic pressure loading) are effective indicators of some forms of field failures. Other tests have yielded results useful in formulating module design guidelines. Not all effects noted in field service have been successfully reproduced in the laboratory, however, and work is continuing in order to improve the value of the test program as a tool for evaluating module design and workmanship. This paper contains a review of these ongoing efforts and an assessment of significant test results to date.

  12. A photovoltaic module

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2013-01-01

    The present invention relates to a photovoltaic module comprising a carrier substrate, said carrier substrate carrying a purely printed structure comprising printed positive and negative module terminals, a plurality of printed photovoltaic cell units each comprising one or more printed...... photovoltaic cells, wherein the plurality of printed photovoltaic cell units are electrically connected in series between the positive and the negative module terminals such that any two neighbouring photovoltaic cell units are electrically connected by a printed interconnecting electrical conductor....... The carrier substrate comprises a foil and the total thickness of the photovoltaic module is below 500 [mu]m. Moreover, the nominal voltage level between the positive and the negative terminals is at least 5 kV DC....

  13. Experimental Studies on the Flammability and Fire Hazards of Photovoltaic Modules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Hong-Yun; Zhou, Xiao-Dong; Yang, Li-Zhong; Zhang, Tao-Lin

    2015-07-09

    Many of the photovoltaic (PV) systems on buildings are of sufficiently high voltages, with potential to cause or promote fires. However, research about photovoltaic fires is insufficient. This paper focuses on the flammability and fire hazards of photovoltaic modules. Bench-scale experiments based on polycrystalline silicon PV modules have been conducted using a cone calorimeter. Several parameters including ignition time ( t ig ), mass loss, heat release rate (HRR), carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration, were investigated. The fire behaviours, fire hazards and toxicity of gases released by PV modules are assessed based on experimental results. The results show that PV modules under tests are inflammable with the critical heat flux of 26 kW/m². This work will lead to better understanding on photovoltaic fires and how to help authorities determine the appropriate fire safety provisions for controlling photovoltaic fires.

  14. Photovoltaic device

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reese, Jason A; Keenihan, James R; Gaston, Ryan S; Kauffmann, Keith L; Langmaid, Joseph A; Lopez, Leonardo; Maak, Kevin D; Mills, Michael E; Ramesh, Narayan; Teli, Samar R

    2017-03-21

    The present invention is premised upon an improved photovoltaic device ("PV device"), more particularly to an improved photovoltaic device with a multilayered photovoltaic cell assembly and a body portion joined at an interface region and including an intermediate layer, at least one interconnecting structural member, relieving feature, unique component geometry, or any combination thereof.

  15. Photovoltaic device

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reese, Jason A.; Keenihan, James R.; Gaston, Ryan S.; Kauffmann, Keith L.; Langmaid, Joseph A.; Lopez, Leonardo C.; Maak, Kevin D.; Mills, Michael E.; Ramesh, Narayan; Teli, Samar R.

    2015-06-02

    The present invention is premised upon an improved photovoltaic device ("PV device"), more particularly to an improved photovoltaic device with a multilayered photovoltaic cell assembly and a body portion joined at an interface region and including an intermediate layer, at least one interconnecting structural member, relieving feature, unique component geometry, or any combination thereof.

  16. The market of solar and photovoltaic energies. Grid parity, new support mechanisms, and innovations in financing modes: perspectives by 2018 and overview of actors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2015-01-01

    This study first proposes an analysis and a discussion of perspectives for the sector of solar and photovoltaic energies. It identifies the main determining factors of the sector activity, proposes an overview of the sector activity between 2006 and 2015 (evolution of determining factors, installed power, production of photovoltaic electricity, installations on private dwellings, electricity price, foreign trade of photovoltaic arrays, turnover for the solar thermal and photovoltaic sector), discusses perspectives by 2018 in terms of installed power, of turnover, and of opportunities and threats. The second part proposes a description of the sector context: analysis of structural brakes and drivers, overview of the world market, installed power and photovoltaic electricity production in Europe, and overview of the French context of photovoltaic solar energy (energy policy, commitment of public authorities, electricity purchase tariff, and competitiveness of photovoltaic electricity). The third part evokes highlights of the sector and discusses the offer evolution: emergence of new financing modes, technological innovations, diversification of activity, international activity of French actors, and takeovers and optimisation of organisations. The fourth part reports an analysis of the competition context: competition pressure on array manufacturers, pressure on solar plant operators, and analysis of substitutes to solar energy. The fifth part proposes an overview of the economic structure and existing competing forces of the sector in France, and provides sheets of data for the main French actors. The last part proposes economic and financial indicators to assess and compare the performance of 200 enterprises belonging to this sector

  17. Fe/Co doped molybdenum diselenide: a promising two-dimensional intermediate-band photovoltaic material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Jiajia; He, Haiyan; Pan, Bicai

    2015-01-01

    An intermediate-band (IB) photovoltaic material is an important candidate in developing the new-generation solar cell. In this paper, we propose that the Fe-doped or the Co-doped MoSe 2 just meets the required features in IB photovoltaic materials. Our calculations demonstrate that when the concentration of the doped element reaches 11.11%, the doped MoSe 2 shows a high absorptivity for both infrared and visible light, where the photovoltaic efficiency of the doped MoSe 2 is as high as 56%, approaching the upper limit of photovoltaic efficiency of IB materials. So, the Fe- or Co-doped MoSe 2 is a promising two-dimensional photovoltaic material. (paper)

  18. Grid-connected photovoltaic systems. Projecting, construction, sales - hints for expert technicians. 3. new rev. ed.; Netzgekoppelte Photovoltaikanlangen. Planung, Errichtung und Verkauf fuer den Handwerksprofi

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sandner, Thomas

    2013-02-01

    Photovoltaic conversion is one of the most efficient and also one of the fastest-growing sustainable technologies. The book starts by presenting the fundamentals of photovoltaic conversion and solar radiation and then proceeds to describe the components of grid-connected PV systems. Other issues of this book consider: On-site visit and selection of a suitable generator array; The Renewable Energy Law and the development of photovoltaic conversion in Germany; Business topics such as costs and prices, marketing, quality assurance; Internal use of solar power.

  19. Design of a photovoltaic-hydrogen-fuel cell energy system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lehman, P A; Chamberlin, C E [Humboldt State Univ., Arcata, CA (US). Dept. of Environmental Resources Engineering

    1991-01-01

    The design of a stand-alone renewable energy system using hydrogen (H{sub 2}) as the energy storage medium and a fuel cell as the regeneration technology is reported. The system being installed at the Humboldt State University Telonicher Marine Laboratory consists of a 9.2 kW photovoltaic (PV) array coupled to a high pressure, bipolar alkaline electrolyser. The array powers the Laboratory's air compressor system whenever possible; excess power is shunted to the electrolyser for hydrogen and oxygen (O{sub 2}) production. When the array cannot provide sufficient power, stored hydrogen and oxygen are furnished to a proton exchange membrane fuel cell which, smoothly and without interruption, supplies the load. In reporting the design, details of component selection, sizing, and integration, control system logic and implementation, and safety considerations are discussed. Plans for a monitoring network to chronicle system performance are presented, questions that will be addressed through the monitoring program are included, and the present status of the project is reported. (Author).

  20. Design of photovoltaic array electrical system based on solar power generation%基于太阳能发电的光伏阵列电气系统设计

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    窦伟山; 王薇

    2017-01-01

    清洁能源的使用是未来社会发展的趋势.以光伏发电为研究模型,对实现太阳能的高效利用展开研究,提出了一种高效的光伏阵列,使太阳能发电系统的能源利用率得到了显著的提升.通过对太阳能发电的电气系统进行一次设计,提出了35 kV侧无功补偿装置,使得系统更加合理、有效.%The use of clean energy is the future trend of social development.Using the solar photovoltaic power generation as the research model,the efficient utilization of solar energy was researched.A kind of high efficient photovoltaic array was put forward,significantly improving the energy efficiency of solar power generation system.Through the design of solar power generation electrical system,the 35 kV side reactive power compensation device was put forward,making the system more reasonable and effective.