Development and testing of a high-efficiency/high-concentration, photovoltaic module employing AlGaAs/GaAs solar cells

Technical Report · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5951633

Owen, R J; Kaminar, N; Borden, P G; Gregory, P E; Moore, O E

The objectives were to design, manufacture, and test an advanced photovoltaic module employing high-concentration (400 suns) Fresnel lenses, high efficiency AlGaAs/GaAs solar cells, and jet-impingement cell cooling. The prototype module produced approximately 100 W of dc power using 12 organometallic-vapor phase epitaxial (OM-VPE) cells (21 to 23% efficiency at 400 suns, 50/sup 0/C) and 12 acrylic lenses and was designed for thermal energy recovery. The maximum module efficiency measured in Palo Alto, CA, was 17.1%, compared to the 14% design goal. This performance was at a 50/sup 0/C coolant inlet temperature and reflected deduction of coolant pumping power. The module efficiency is 17.5% when corrected to NOCT conditions (20/sup 0/C coolant inlet temperature). Approximately 40 to 50% of the direct normal incident energy was determined to be available for recovery from the module coolant. The design and performance of a 3.2 kW/sub p/ photovoltaic array employing a further improved version of the module is also presented.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA); Varian Associates, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5951633
• Report Number(s): SAND-81-7018; ON: DE82002683
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
CONCENTRATOR SOLAR CELLS
DESIGN
PERFORMANCE TESTING
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
COOLING
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
FRESNEL LENS
MANUFACTURING
POWER RANGE 1-10 KW
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
THERMAL ANALYSIS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EQUIPMENT
LENSES
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TESTING
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion