skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Sandia's Baseline 3 photovoltaic concentrator module

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6753791

Sandia has recently designed a new photovoltaic concentrator module, the Sandia Baseline Module 3 (SBM3). The SBM3 is intended to be a high-efficiency-module (our goal is 20%) that can readily be adapted for commercial production. It consists of a 2 by 12 parquet of lenses arranged with 24 cells in an aluminum housing. The geometric concentration is 185. The cells were designed at the University of New South Wales and have a prism cover designed by ENTECH. The module features a new concept in cell assemblies in that the cells are soldered directly to a copper heat spreader, eliminating the expensive ceramic wafer that has been used in previous designs. The aluminum housings are anodized and electrophoretically coated with a high-temperature acrylic, creating a thin (50 ..mu..m) electrically isolating layer capable of withstanding 3000 volts. No additional electrical insulation between the electrically-live heat spreader and the housing is required, thereby enhancing heat transfer and, in combination with the copper heat spreader, eliminating the need for a separate (expensive) heat sink. 7 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
6753791
Report Number(s):
SAND-88-0552C; CONF-880965-15; ON: DE89001360
Resource Relation:
Conference: 20. IEEE photovoltaic specialists conference, Las Vegas, NV, USA, 26 Sep 1988; Other Information: Paper copy only, copy does not permit microfiche production
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English