Performance analysis of a novel rotationally asymmetrical compound parabolic concentrator

• Published in: Applied Energy
• Main Author: Abu-Bakar S.H.; Muhammad-Sukki F.; Freier D.; Ramirez-Iniguez R.; Mallick T.K.; Munir A.B.; Mohd Yasin S.H.; Abubakar Mas'ud A.; Md Yunus N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2015
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84929376786&doi=10.1016%2fj.apenergy.2015.04.122&partnerID=40&md5=ef6247d0dc28e051225da82d74a37b4b

The low-concentration photovoltaic (LCPV) system has been identified as one of the potential solutions in lowering the overall installation cost of a building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system. This paper evaluates the performance of a novel type of LCPV concentrator known as the rotationally asymmetrical compound parabolic concentrator (RACPC). A specific RACPC design with a geometrical concentration ratio of 3.6675× was fabricated and integrated with a 1. cm by 1. cm monocrystalline laser grooved buried contact silicon solar cell. This design was tested indoors to evaluate its current-voltage (. I-. V), angular response and thermal characteristics. Under standard test conditions, it was found that the RACPC increases the short circuit current by 3.01× and the maximum power by 3.33× when compared with a bare solar cell. The opto-electronic gain from the experiment showed good agreement when compared with the simulation results, with a deviation of 11%. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.