Simulating the Performance of Al0.3Ga0.7As/InP/Ge Multijunction Solar Cells under Variation of Spectral Irradiance and Temperature

Tony Sumaryada,Heriyanto Syafutra,Siti Rohaeni,Hendradi Hardhienata,Nurlia Eka Damayanti

doi:10.1155/2019/5090981

Tony Sumaryada, Heriyanto Syafutra + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/5090981

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Abstract

The effect of spectral irradiance and temperature variation on the performance of the mechanically stacked Al0.3Ga0.7As/InP/Ge multijunction solar cells was investigated using a simulation approach. The incoming and transmitted spectra of each subcell were simulated by using MATLAB codes, while PC1D software did the power-producing simulations. The incoming solar radiation on the first subcell was a multiplication of AM1.5d spectrum with the value of spectral irradiance multiplication factor (SIMF) 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 150, and 200 suns. Each set of simulation was done at 25°C, 50°C, 75°C, and 100°C. The simulation results have shown a linear behavior of the open-circuit voltage and the efficiency of the solar cells upon variation of temperature, while the nonlinear response of the solar cells performance was obtained due to the change of SIMF. The simulation results also suggest that the spectral irradiance exposure at 100 suns and the operating temperature of 25°C give the highest efficiency.

Highlights

Over the last couple of decades, the progress on the renewable energy research has significantly increased, especially in the field of solar photovoltaics
Ere have been some experimental [15,16,17,18] and simulation studies [19,20,21] on the performance of multijunction solar cells under the variation of temperature and concentrated radiation, but to the best of author’s knowledge, none of them discuss the Al0.3Ga0.7As/InP/Ge solar cell. is paper is aimed at studying the performance of Al0.3Ga0.7As/ InP/Ge MJSC under the variation of spectral irradiance and temperature through a simulation approach using the PC1D program [22]. e use of the PC1D program for simulating the effects mentioned above on MJSC, again to the best of author’s knowledge, has never been found in the literature before
For each set of simulation, we simulated the electrical performance of the MJSC in the form of the short circuit current (ISC), the open circuit voltage (VOC), the output power of each subcell (Pn), and the total efficiency (η). e total efficiency of the mechanically stacked multijunction solar cells is calculated using the following equation: η 􏼠P1 + P2 + P3􏼡

Summary

Introduction

Over the last couple of decades, the progress on the renewable energy research has significantly increased, especially in the field of solar photovoltaics. Is paper is aimed at studying the performance of Al0.3Ga0.7As/ InP/Ge MJSC under the variation of spectral irradiance (produced by concentrators) and temperature through a simulation approach using the PC1D program [22].

Results

Conclusion