Solar energy conversions: solar-electric thermophotovoltaic systems and solar-powered gas lasers
Abstract
This paper deals with conversions of solar energy efficiently into electricity and into gas laser radiation. In the first section, a review study of the possibility of a solar-electric thermophotovoltaic (TPV) device has been done. In a proposed extension of the TPV concept, a Cassagranian optical system concentrates solar radiation to heat a blackbody cavity to 2400/sup 0/K. A double-layer solar cell, GaAs and Si, forming the cylindrical surface concentric to the blackbody cavity, receives the blackbody radiation and converts it into electricity efficiently. A cell conversion efficiency of 50% or more would be possible with the TPV system. The second section explores the concept of blackbody radiation pumping of gas laser media as a step toward utilization of solar energy as a laser pumping source. To demonstrate this concept, an experiment was performed in which various gas mixtures of CO/sub 2/ and He were exposed to 1500/sup 0/K thermal radiation for brief periods of time. A gain coefficient of 2.8 x 10/sup -3/cm/sup -1/ has been measured at 10.6..mu.. and 1 Torr of pressure. At 2 Torr and 0.5 Torr, the measured optical gain is less than that at 1 Torr. A simple analytical model was used to describemore »
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Boeing Commercial Airplane Company Seattle, Washington
- OSTI Identifier:
- 6888749
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-801210-
Journal ID: CODEN: ALESD
- Resource Type:
- Conference
- Journal Name:
- Alternative Energy Sources; (United States)
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 3; Conference: 3. Miami international conference on alternative energy sources, Miami Beach, FL, USA, 15 Dec 1980
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 42 ENGINEERING; GAS LASERS; GAIN; OPTICAL PUMPING; SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION; LASER RADIATION; THERMOPHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERTERS; GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS; SILICON SOLAR CELLS; BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS; BLACKBODY RADIATION; CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS; CASSEGRAINIAN CONCENTRATORS; CAVITY RECEIVERS; EFFICIENCY; HELIUM; LOW PRESSURE; PRESSURE DEPENDENCE; VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE; AMPLIFICATION; CONVERSION; DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; ELEMENTS; ENERGY CONVERSION; EQUIPMENT; FLUIDS; GASES; LASERS; NONMETALS; PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS; PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS; PUMPING; RADIATIONS; RARE GASES; SOLAR CELLS; SOLAR CONCENTRATORS; SOLAR EQUIPMENT; SOLAR RECEIVERS; 140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion; 140909 - Solar Thermal Utilization- Miscellaneous Solar Applications- (1980-); 420300 - Engineering- Lasers- (-1989)
Citation Formats
Yesil, O. Solar energy conversions: solar-electric thermophotovoltaic systems and solar-powered gas lasers. United States: N. p., 1980.
Web.
Yesil, O. Solar energy conversions: solar-electric thermophotovoltaic systems and solar-powered gas lasers. United States.
Yesil, O. 1980.
"Solar energy conversions: solar-electric thermophotovoltaic systems and solar-powered gas lasers". United States.
@article{osti_6888749,
title = {Solar energy conversions: solar-electric thermophotovoltaic systems and solar-powered gas lasers},
author = {Yesil, O},
abstractNote = {This paper deals with conversions of solar energy efficiently into electricity and into gas laser radiation. In the first section, a review study of the possibility of a solar-electric thermophotovoltaic (TPV) device has been done. In a proposed extension of the TPV concept, a Cassagranian optical system concentrates solar radiation to heat a blackbody cavity to 2400/sup 0/K. A double-layer solar cell, GaAs and Si, forming the cylindrical surface concentric to the blackbody cavity, receives the blackbody radiation and converts it into electricity efficiently. A cell conversion efficiency of 50% or more would be possible with the TPV system. The second section explores the concept of blackbody radiation pumping of gas laser media as a step toward utilization of solar energy as a laser pumping source. To demonstrate this concept, an experiment was performed in which various gas mixtures of CO/sub 2/ and He were exposed to 1500/sup 0/K thermal radiation for brief periods of time. A gain coefficient of 2.8 x 10/sup -3/cm/sup -1/ has been measured at 10.6..mu.. and 1 Torr of pressure. At 2 Torr and 0.5 Torr, the measured optical gain is less than that at 1 Torr. A simple analytical model was used to describe the rate of change of energy distribution of the vibrational modes of CO/sub 2/ and to predict the gain. There is a good agreement between prediction and experiment.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6888749},
journal = {Alternative Energy Sources; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 3,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1980},
month = {Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1980}
}