Ultra-High-Concentration Photovoltaic-Thermal Systems Based on Microfluidic Chip-Coolers

Müller, M., Escher, W., Ghannam, R. , Goicochea, J., Michel, B., Ong, C. L. and Paredes, S. (2011) Ultra-High-Concentration Photovoltaic-Thermal Systems Based on Microfluidic Chip-Coolers. In: 7th International Conference on Concentrating Photovoltaic Systems: CPV-7, Las Vegas, NV, USA, 4-6 Apr 2011, pp. 231-234. ISBN 9780735409798 (doi: 10.1063/1.3658333)

Abstract

The electrical efficiency of a photovoltaic‐thermal system for coolant inlet temperatures ranging from 25 °C25 °C to 75 °C75 °C and concentrations from 500 to 1500 suns was investigated experimentally and theoretically. In this system absorbed radiation and thermal losses from the electric circuit are collected in a thermal circuit. This allows one to directly drive a thermal desalination process thereby contributing to an improved system efficiency. A triple‐junction solar cell was tested in two different configurations. At 1500 suns the electric efficiency of a silicon microchannel cooler package exceeded the efficiency of a reference package with a copper cooler by 2% and it remained fully functional up to concentrations of 4930 suns. We present a general model for concentrated photovoltaic‐thermal systems in which the standard efficiency modeling approaches for triple‐junction cells are extended by temperature and concentration dependencies. The currents were modeled both following the Shockley‐Queisser and a “real” cell model with temperature dependent material parameters, radiative recombination, and high injection conditions.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Ghannam, Professor Rami
• Authors: Müller, M., Escher, W., Ghannam, R., Goicochea, J., Michel, B., Ong, C. L., and Paredes, S.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering
• ISSN: 0094-243X
• ISBN: 9780735409798