Modelling the performance of fluorescent solar collectors.
11 November 2011
Abstract
Fluorescent solar collector (FSC) (also known as fluorescent solar concentrator) bears the promise to reduce the size of solar cells in solar systems and thereby reduce the overall cost [1-3]. A typical FSC consists of a transparent sheet doped with fluorescent dyes. Save for one edge coupled with a solar cell, the remained edges and the bottom surface of this sheet are usually covered with mirrors. Photon flux (including both direct and diffuse radiation) incident onto the front surface of the FSC can be absorbed by the dyes inside the collector. The excited dyes will re-emit photons at higher wavelength with a lower energy. The photons trapped in the collector can be finally collected by the solar cell mounted at the edge by total internal reflection.
Although the theoretical energy conversion efficiency of a silicon solar cell with a FSC is believed to reach 90% of the maximum efficiency of an ideal silicon solar given by the Shockley-Queisser detailed balance limit [4], the practical efficiencies are significantly lower due to several loss mechanisms, and further study is needed to understand these losses in detail and build up a more realistic model. Following previous approaches [5-7], this work will present a modified model based on Weber and Lambe’s theory [1], which will take the non-ideal coupling between the collector and the solar cell mounted at the edge into consideration.
Citation
Fang, Liping, Parel, Thomas, Danos, Lefteris and Markvart, Tom (2011) Modelling the performance of fluorescent solar collectors At 7th Photovoltaic Science, Applications and Technology Conference C93 (PVSAT-7), United Kingdom. 06 - 08 Apr 2011. 4 pp, pp. 165-168.
Redirect to full article: Click Here
Category: Solar & Photovoltaics