Enhancing photovoltaic performance through solar radiation splitting: A beam splitter-assisted hybrid approach with 2-D tracking and PCM integration

Abstract

Solar energy is an abundant and environmentally friendly power source; however, its conversion efficiency is limited by the mismatch between the response of photovoltaic (PV) and the solar spectrum. This paper proposes a novel hybrid system that splits solar radiation into visible and thermal components using a beam splitter. Through experimental and theoretical analyses, the study explores the integration of a phase change material (PCM) packed bed with a PV cell as a hybrid system to optimize energy conversion. The experiment is carried out using a 2D tracker. The concentration ratio, determined based on the maximum concentration ratio (MCR) supported by the PV cell, is established as the optimum point. For Silicon PV, the maximum concentration ratios are determined to be 8 and 16 sun for the cases of using and not using the beam splitter, respectively. The ratios of thermal and visible energy, measured at a wavelength of 700 nm, are observed to be 60.66 % and 39.33 % respectively. Under MCR conditions, in the PV system alone, the generated power reaches approximately 850 W/m2, while in the hybrid splitting configuration, it increases to around 1200 W/m2, resulting in a 43 % increase in the system's net power when employing the beam splitter. Furthermore, the study reveals that the utilization factor remains constant at 0.13 across all irradiation ranges for PV-alone systems. In contrast, for the PV/PCM hybrid splitting system, the utilization factor exhibits an increasing trend with higher solar irradiation intensities, reaching values of 0.31, 0.41, and 0.46 for irradiation ranges of 900, 950, and 1000 W/m2, respectively. The findings of this study suggest the potential of using a beam splitter in combination with a 2-D tracker and PCM-packed bed to increase PV efficiency. The proposed configuration demonstrates a substantial enhancement in total net power output, offering a promising avenue for advancing solar energy conversion technologies. Adding PCM to the system has proven to be beneficial, as it addresses the fluctuations in solar radiation and may enhance the total system efficiency.