Solar energy conversions: solar-electric thermophotovoltaic systems and solar-powered gas lasers
This paper deals with conversions of solar energy efficiently into electricity and into gas laser radiation. In the first section, a review study of the possibility of a solar-electric thermophotovoltaic (TPV) device has been done. In a proposed extension of the TPV concept, a Cassagranian optical system concentrates solar radiation to heat a blackbody cavity to 2400/sup 0/K. A double-layer solar cell, GaAs and Si, forming the cylindrical surface concentric to the blackbody cavity, receives the blackbody radiation and converts it into electricity efficiently. A cell conversion efficiency of 50% or more would be possible with the TPV system. The second section explores the concept of blackbody radiation pumping of gas laser media as a step toward utilization of solar energy as a laser pumping source. To demonstrate this concept, an experiment was performed in which various gas mixtures of CO/sub 2/ and He were exposed to 1500/sup 0/K thermal radiation for brief periods of time. A gain coefficient of 2.8 x 10/sup -3/cm/sup -1/ has been measured at 10.6..mu.. and 1 Torr of pressure. At 2 Torr and 0.5 Torr, the measured optical gain is less than that at 1 Torr. A simple analytical model was used to describe the rate of change of energy distribution of the vibrational modes of CO/sub 2/ and to predict the gain. There is a good agreement between prediction and experiment.
- Research Organization:
- Boeing Commercial Airplane Company Seattle, Washington
- OSTI ID:
- 6888749
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-801210-
- Journal Information:
- Alternative Energy Sources; (United States), Vol. 3; Conference: 3. Miami international conference on alternative energy sources, Miami Beach, FL, USA, 15 Dec 1980
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
42 ENGINEERING
GAS LASERS
GAIN
OPTICAL PUMPING
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
LASER RADIATION
THERMOPHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERTERS
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
BLACKBODY RADIATION
CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
CASSEGRAINIAN CONCENTRATORS
CAVITY RECEIVERS
EFFICIENCY
HELIUM
LOW PRESSURE
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
AMPLIFICATION
CONVERSION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY CONVERSION
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
GASES
LASERS
NONMETALS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PUMPING
RADIATIONS
RARE GASES
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR RECEIVERS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
140909 - Solar Thermal Utilization- Miscellaneous Solar Applications- (1980-)
420300 - Engineering- Lasers- (-1989)