Simple methods to approximate CPC shape to preserve collection efficiency

Year: 2012

Authors: Jafrancesco D., Sani E., Fontani D., Mercatelli L., Sansoni P., Giannini A., Francini F.

Autors Affiliation: Italian National Institute of Optics, CNR-INO, Largo E. Fermi 6, 50125 Firenze, Italy

Abstract: The compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) is the most efficient reflective geometry to collect light to an exit port. Anyway, to allow its actual use in solar plants or photovoltaic concentration systems, a tradeoff between system efficiency and cost reduction, the two key issues for sunlight exploitation, must be found. In this work, we analyze various methods to model an approximated CPC aimed to be simpler and more cost-effective than the ideal one, as well as to preserve the systemefficiency. The manufacturing
easiness arises from the use of truncated conic surfaces only, which can be realized by cheap machining techniques.We compare different configurations on the basis of their collection efficiency, evaluated by means of nonsequential ray-tracing software. Moreover, due to the fact that some configurations are beam dependent and for a closer approximation of a real case, the input beam is simulated as nonsymmetric, with a nonconstant irradiance on the CPC internal surface.

Journal/Review: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHOTOENERGY

Volume: 2012      Pages from: 863654-1  to: 863654-7

KeyWords: Nonimaging Fresnel Lens; Solar collectors; Traking errors; Concentrators; Optimization; Performance; Radiation; Optical design
DOI: 10.1155/2012/863654

Citations: 10
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