Development of dendritic web continuous ribbon silicon cells for use in a linear Fresnel lens photovoltaic concentrator
The primary objective of this program was to design, develop, and test low-cost, continuous ribbon silicon cells suitable for use in ENTECH's linear Fresnel lens photovoltaic concenrator module. The cells were made by Westinghouse using a dendritic web continuous ribbon process. This program represented the first attempt to adapt dendritic web cell fabrication technology to concentrator applications. ENTECH generated an optimized cell design, which included variable metallization matched to the radiant flux profile of the linear Fresnel lens concentrator. Westinghouse fabricated cells in several sequential production runs. The cells were tested by ENTECH under actual lens illumination to determine their performance parameters. The best cells made under this program achieved peak cell efficiencies of about 14%, compared to about 16% for production cells made by Applied Solar Energy Corporation, using float-zone-refined single-crystal silicon. With additional development, significant performance improvements should be achievable in future dendritic web concentrator cells.
- Research Organization:
- Entech, Inc., Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, TX (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5695598
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-86-7032; ON: DE86011017
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Web-dendritic ribbon growth. Quarterly report, 1 Jan 1976--31 Mar 1976
Web-dendritic ribbon growth. Quarterly report, 1 January 1976--31 March 1976. USC solar report No. Q-2
Related Subjects
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
CONCENTRATOR SOLAR CELLS
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
CURRENT DENSITY
DENDRITIC WEB GROWTH METHOD
DESIGN
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EQUIPMENT
FRESNEL LENS
LENSES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TESTING