Enhanced Efficiencies for High-Concentration, Multijunction PV Systems by Optimizing Grid Spacing under Nonuniform Illumination
The design of a triple junction solar cell’s front contact grid can significantly affect cell conversion efficiency under high concentration. We consider one aspect of grid design, choosing a linear grid within a distributed resistance cell model to optimize finger spacings at concentrations between...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2014-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Photoenergy |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/582083 |
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| _version_ | 1832558467748986880 |
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| author | Pratibha Sharma Alex W. Walker Jeffrey F. Wheeldon Karin Hinzer Henry Schriemer |
| author_facet | Pratibha Sharma Alex W. Walker Jeffrey F. Wheeldon Karin Hinzer Henry Schriemer |
| author_sort | Pratibha Sharma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The design of a triple junction solar cell’s front contact grid can significantly affect cell conversion efficiency under high concentration. We consider one aspect of grid design, choosing a linear grid within a distributed resistance cell model to optimize finger spacings at concentrations between 500 and 2500 suns under uniform and nonuniform illumination. Optimization for maximum efficiency under Gaussian irradiance profiles is done by SPICE analysis. Relative to the optimized uniform illumination designs, we find enhancements of 0.5% to 2% in absolute efficiencies for uniform spacing. Efficiency enhancement with nonuniform spacing under nonuniform illumination is also evaluated. Our model suggests that, at lower concentrations (<1000 suns), the penalty for using uniformly spaced fingers instead of nonuniformly spaced fingers is <0.1%. However, at a concentration of 2500 suns the penalty increases to 0.3%. Thus, relative to a uniform irradiance optimization, an absolute efficiency increase of 2.3% can be attained for an optimized nonuniform spacing given the Gaussian irradiance profile under consideration. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-92933796a83e4a5b98007c91aa76bc7f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1110-662X 1687-529X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Photoenergy |
| spelling | doaj-art-92933796a83e4a5b98007c91aa76bc7f2025-02-03T01:32:17ZengWileyInternational Journal of Photoenergy1110-662X1687-529X2014-01-01201410.1155/2014/582083582083Enhanced Efficiencies for High-Concentration, Multijunction PV Systems by Optimizing Grid Spacing under Nonuniform IlluminationPratibha Sharma0Alex W. Walker1Jeffrey F. Wheeldon2Karin Hinzer3Henry Schriemer4SUNLAB, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, CanadaSUNLAB, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, CanadaSUNLAB, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, CanadaSUNLAB, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, CanadaSUNLAB, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, CanadaThe design of a triple junction solar cell’s front contact grid can significantly affect cell conversion efficiency under high concentration. We consider one aspect of grid design, choosing a linear grid within a distributed resistance cell model to optimize finger spacings at concentrations between 500 and 2500 suns under uniform and nonuniform illumination. Optimization for maximum efficiency under Gaussian irradiance profiles is done by SPICE analysis. Relative to the optimized uniform illumination designs, we find enhancements of 0.5% to 2% in absolute efficiencies for uniform spacing. Efficiency enhancement with nonuniform spacing under nonuniform illumination is also evaluated. Our model suggests that, at lower concentrations (<1000 suns), the penalty for using uniformly spaced fingers instead of nonuniformly spaced fingers is <0.1%. However, at a concentration of 2500 suns the penalty increases to 0.3%. Thus, relative to a uniform irradiance optimization, an absolute efficiency increase of 2.3% can be attained for an optimized nonuniform spacing given the Gaussian irradiance profile under consideration.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/582083 |
| spellingShingle | Pratibha Sharma Alex W. Walker Jeffrey F. Wheeldon Karin Hinzer Henry Schriemer Enhanced Efficiencies for High-Concentration, Multijunction PV Systems by Optimizing Grid Spacing under Nonuniform Illumination International Journal of Photoenergy |
| title | Enhanced Efficiencies for High-Concentration, Multijunction PV Systems by Optimizing Grid Spacing under Nonuniform Illumination |
| title_full | Enhanced Efficiencies for High-Concentration, Multijunction PV Systems by Optimizing Grid Spacing under Nonuniform Illumination |
| title_fullStr | Enhanced Efficiencies for High-Concentration, Multijunction PV Systems by Optimizing Grid Spacing under Nonuniform Illumination |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhanced Efficiencies for High-Concentration, Multijunction PV Systems by Optimizing Grid Spacing under Nonuniform Illumination |
| title_short | Enhanced Efficiencies for High-Concentration, Multijunction PV Systems by Optimizing Grid Spacing under Nonuniform Illumination |
| title_sort | enhanced efficiencies for high concentration multijunction pv systems by optimizing grid spacing under nonuniform illumination |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/582083 |
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