Theoretical and Experimental Optical Evaluation and Comparison of Symmetric 2D CPC and V-Trough Collector for Photovoltaic Applications

Damasen Ikwaba Paul

doi:10.1155/2015/693463

Abstract

This paper presents theoretical and experimental optical evaluation and comparison of symmetric Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) and V-trough collector. For direct optical properties comparison, both concentrators were deliberately designed to have the same geometrical concentration ratio (1.96), aperture area, absorber area, and maximum concentrator length. The theoretical optical evaluation of the CPC and V-trough collector was carried out using a ray-trace technique while the experimental optical efficiency and solar energy flux distributions were analysed using an isolated cell PV module method. Results by simulation analysis showed that for the CPC, the highest optical efficiency was 95% achieved in the interval range of 0° to ±20° whereas the highest outdoor experimental optical efficiency was 94% in the interval range of 0° to ±20°. For the V-tough collector, the highest optical efficiency for simulation and outdoor experiments was about 96% and 93%, respectively, both in the interval range of 0° to ±5°. Simulation results also showed that the CPC and V-trough exhibit higher variation in non-illumination intensity distributions over the PV module surface for larger incidence angles than lower incidence angles. On the other hand, the maximum power output for the cells with concentrators varied depending on the location of the cell in the PV module.

Highlights

One of the greatest challenges facing the world today is breaking fossil fuel dependence and promoting the development of new and renewable sources of energy that can supplement and, where appropriate, replace the diminishing resources of fossil fuels
Solar electricity has not been utilised as much as it should have been due to low photovoltaic (PV) cell conversion efficiency [1], high cost of PV modules [1] and, until recently, the very low cost of oil and gas
This paper presents theoretical optical evaluation and comparison of the Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) and V-trough collector using a ray-trace technique while the experimental optical efficiency and solar energy flux distribution were analysed using an isolated cell PV module method

Summary

Introduction

One of the greatest challenges facing the world today is breaking fossil fuel dependence and promoting the development of new and renewable sources of energy that can supplement and, where appropriate, replace the diminishing resources of fossil fuels. The way in which solar radiation is incident on the surface of a PV module within a concentrator is vital to its performance because nonuniform solar energy flux distribution has a significant negative effect on the electrical performance [2]. Both parameters (optical efficiency and solar flux distribution) depend mainly on the total solar energy incident on the aperture of the collector and the total solar energy reaching the PV module. The paper compares the maximum power output generated by each PV cell within a CPC and V-trough collector for two incidence angles: 0∘ and 20∘

Materials and Methods

Experimental Optical Characterisation of a 2D CPC and V-Trough Collector

Results and Discussions

Optical Analysis for Solar Radiation Incident

Conclusions