Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations of luminescent solar concentrators for building integrated photovoltaics

Shin Woei Leow; Carley Corrado; Melissa Osborn; Sue A. Carter

doi:10.1117/12.2024676

9 September 2013 Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations of luminescent solar concentrators for building integrated photovoltaics

Shin Woei Leow, Carley Corrado, Melissa Osborn, Sue A. Carter

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8821, High and Low Concentrator Systems for Solar Electric Applications VIII; 882103 (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2024676
Event: SPIE Solar Energy + Technology, 2013, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) have the ability to receive light from a wide range of angles, concentrating the captured light onto small photo active areas. This enables greater incorporation of LSCs into building designs as windows, skylights and wall claddings in addition to rooftop installations of current solar panels. Using relatively cheap luminescent dyes and acrylic waveguides to effect light concentration onto lesser photovoltaic (PV) cells, there is potential for this technology to approach grid price parity. We employ a panel design in which the front facing PV cells collect both direct and concentrated light ensuring a gain factor greater than one. This also allows for flexibility in determining the placement and percentage coverage of PV cells during the design process to balance reabsorption losses against the power output and level of light concentration desired. To aid in design optimization, a Monte-Carlo ray tracing program was developed to study the transport of photons and loss mechanisms in LSC panels. The program imports measured absorption/emission spectra and transmission coefficients as simulation parameters with interactions of photons in the panel determined by comparing calculated probabilities with random number generators. LSC panels with multiple dyes or layers can also be simulated. Analysis of the results reveals optimal panel dimensions and PV cell layouts for maximum power output for a given dye concentration, absorbtion/emission spectrum and quantum efficiency.

Citation Download Citation

Shin Woei Leow, Carley Corrado, Melissa Osborn, and Sue A. Carter "Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations of luminescent solar concentrators for building integrated photovoltaics", Proc. SPIE 8821, High and Low Concentrator Systems for Solar Electric Applications VIII, 882103 (9 September 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2024676

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available