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24 August 2009 High performance concentrating photovoltaic module designs for utility scale power generation
Adam Plesniak, Russ Jones, Joel Schwartz, Guy Martins, John Hall, Authi Narayanan, David Whelan, Pablo Benítez, Juan C. Miñano, Aleksandra Cvetkovic, Maikel Hernandez, Oliver Dross, Roberto Alvarez
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Proceedings Volume 7407, High and Low Concentrator Systems for Solar Electric Applications IV; 740704 (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.827789
Event: SPIE Solar Energy + Technology, 2009, San Diego, California, United States
Abstract
The Boeing Company Phantom Works has developed three different prototype photovoltaic concentrator arrays since March 2007. Identified as Prototype A, B and C, the experimentally proven technical characteristics of each design are presented. The concentrator designs utilize a 1 cm2 multi-junction solar cell assembly in conjunction with SMS non-imaging optical designs [1, 2] manufactured with low-cost mass-producible technologies. Prototype A is an on-axis XR optical concentrator with a 733x geometrical concentration demonstrating a ± 1.73° acceptance angle and 23.7% conversion efficiency. Prototype B is an off-axis free-form XR optical concentrator with a 810x geometrical concentration demonstrating a ± 1.32° acceptance angle and 25.3% conversion efficiency. Prototype C is the most recent off-axis free-form XR optical concentrator with a 801x geometrical concentration and a theoretical ±1.80° acceptance angle demonstrating a conversion efficiency greater than 27.0%. Prototype C is also the basis for the Boeing Proof of Design (POD) module, demonstrating an acceptance angle of ±1.48° and a conversion efficiency of 29.4% (as of May 8, 2009). Manufacturability has been paramount during the design process, resulting in high performance concentrating photovoltaic modules using production quality components.
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Adam Plesniak, Russ Jones, Joel Schwartz, Guy Martins, John Hall, Authi Narayanan, David Whelan, Pablo Benítez, Juan C. Miñano, Aleksandra Cvetkovic, Maikel Hernandez, Oliver Dross, and Roberto Alvarez "High performance concentrating photovoltaic module designs for utility scale power generation", Proc. SPIE 7407, High and Low Concentrator Systems for Solar Electric Applications IV, 740704 (24 August 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.827789
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KEYWORDS
Prototyping
Optical design
Solar concentrators
Solar cells
Computer aided design
Mirrors
Optics manufacturing
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