10-kilowatt Photovoltaic Concentrator Array

Technical Report · Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6416953

Donovan, R L; Broadbent, S

Martin Marietta has designed a Photovoltaic Concentrator Array (PCA) for Sandia Laboratories, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. The PCA is based on the use of an acrylic Fresnel lens to concentrate sunlight on high intensity solar cells. The objective of the development was to obtain economical photovoltaic power generation by replacing relatively high priced solar cells with low cost lenses. Consequently, a major task of the program was to optimize the design for minimum cost per unit power output. Major design aspects considered for optimization were the concentration ratio, size and shape of the Fresnel lens, array size and shape, structure minimization, tracking and control and the practical aspects of operation and maintenance. In addition to design of the complete array, several porototype photovoltaic concentrator module subassemblies were fabricated and delivered to Sandia for evaluation. These prototypes exceed the 9.0% efficiency requirement established for this program.

• Research Organization: Martin Marietta Aerospace Corp., Denver, CO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-04-0789
• OSTI ID: 6416953
• Report Number(s): SAND-78-7024
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
BONDING
CASTING
CHROMATIC ABERRATIONS
COMPATIBILITY
CONCENTRATION RATIO
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
COST
DESIGN
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
ESTERS
FABRICATION
FRESNEL LENS
JOINING
LENSES
MOLDING
OPTICS
OPTIMIZATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANTS
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
POLYACRYLATES
POLYMERS
POLYVINYLS
POWER PLANTS
POWER RANGE 1-10 KW
POWER SUPPLIES
SIZE
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR TRACKING
SUBSTRATES
THERMAL ANALYSIS