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Spectrally-engineered solar thermal photovoltaic devices

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1430508

A solar thermal photovoltaic device, and method of forming same, includes a solar absorber and a spectrally selective emitter formed on either side of a thermally conductive substrate. The solar absorber is configured to absorb incident solar radiation. The solar absorber and the spectrally selective emitter are configured with an optimized emitter-to-absorber area ratio. The solar thermal photovoltaic device also includes a photovoltaic cell in thermal communication with the spectrally selective emitter. The spectrally selective emitter is configured to permit high emittance for energies above a bandgap of the photovoltaic cell and configured to permit low emittance for energies below the bandgap.

Research Organization:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
SC0001299; SC0001299
Assignee:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
Patent Number(s):
9,929,690
Application Number:
14/529,578
OSTI ID:
1430508
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (1)

Global optimization of solar thermophotovoltaic systems: Global optimization of solar thermophotovoltaic systems journal April 2012