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Improving performances of Fresnel CPV systems: Fresnel-RXI Köhler concentrator

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Abstract

The optical design presented here has been done in order to achieve superior optical performance in comparison with the state-of-the-art Fresnel CPV systems. The design consists of a Photovoltaic Concentrator (CPV) comprising a Fresnel lens (F) as a Primary Optical Element (POE) and a dielectric solid RXI as a Secondary Optical Element (SOE), both with free-form surfaces (i.e. neither rotational nor linearly symmetric). It is the first time the RXI-type geometry has been applied to a CPV secondary. This concentrator has ultra-high CAP value ready to accommodate more efficient cells eventually to be developed and used commercially in future.

© 2014 Optical Society of America

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Figures (5)

Fig. 1
Fig. 1 3D Köhler freeform FRXI concentrator: (Left) Scheme of one Köhler integrator unit; (Right) Ray trace showing FRXI performance for a normal incidence: a plane wavefront emulating the sun has been traced in order to show how this beam is split and focused on the four SOE facets to be spread afterwards and produce uniform irradiance on the solar cell. This will be valid for every ray within the designed acceptance angle.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2 A 2D diagonal profile of the RXI lens (SOE) together with two pairs of the wavefronts WF1i and WF3i used for the “seed” curve design together with the “seed” curve.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3 Calculation of SMS chains (one unit, one quarter of SOE). Because of the symmetry, defining one unit we fully define optical elements of the FRXI system.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4 Irradiance profile on the solar cell (FRXI_m) when the sun is on-axis and the solar spectrum is restricted to: (Left) the top subcell range (360-690nm), (Middle) the middle subcell range (690-900nm), (Right) the bottom subcell range (900-1,800nm). Simulation parameters are described with detail in the beginning of Section 3. (a.u. = arbitrary units)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5 (Left) Cross section of the SOEs of the Fresnel-based concentrators to compare. Cross section of their corresponding cells which should be centered at the origin is shown displaced to make them visible; (Right) CAP values. Sample figure adapted from [14, 15].

Tables (3)

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Table 1 Geometrical concentration, monochromatic acceptance angle α, monochromatic CAP, effective acceptance angle α*, effective CAP* of three described concentrators.

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Table 2 Optical efficiency without the AR coating on POE and SOE front surfaces.

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Table 3 The f-number and geometrical concentration of the selected Fresnel-based concentrators under comparison. All have the same square POE entry aperture (625cm2) and acceptance angle (α = ± 1°).

Equations (1)

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CAP= C g sin( α )
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