Abstract
Concentrating solar radiation on Photovoltaic (PV) has the potential to replace the expensive PV material with cheaper optical elements which also enhance the overall electrical output. The use of high solar concentration ratios with the triple junction III-V solar cells offers potential of high solar cell efficiency and power output. However, using high concentration ratios will increase the solar cell surface temperature which is inversely proportional to the PV electrical efficiency. This work investigates the effect of active cooling on the performance of triple junction PV cells with high solar concentration (up to 500X) in the harsh environment of Saudi Arabia where ambient temperatures can reach to 50o C in summer time, but with good clearance index of 0.6 and high yearly solar radiation of up to 2200 kWh/m2. Simulation results showed that as the concentration ratio increases, the effect of cooling on the PV efficiency increases.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2258-2261 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Energy Procedia |
Volume | 61 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2014 |
Event | 6th International Conference on Applied Energy, ICAE 2014 - Taipei, Taiwan, Province of China Duration: 30 May 2014 → 2 Jun 2014 |
Keywords
- Active cooling
- Conjugate heat transfer
- High concentration
- Passive cooling
- Thermal modelling
- Triple junction solar cell
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Energy(all)