An expert system approach to the optimal design of single-junction and multijunction tandem solar cells

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:7012975

Yeh, C S

The use of an expert system approach to the optimal design of single-junction and multijunction solar cells is a potential new design tool in photovoltaics. This study presents results of a comprehensive study of this new design method. To facilitate the realistic optimal design of the two-terminal monolithic single-junction and multijunction tandem solar cells, a rule-based system was established by adopting the experimental data and/or semi-empirical formulae used today for those design parameters. A numerical simulation based on the displacement damage theory was carried out to study the degradation of AlGaAs/GaAs solar cells after proton or electron irradiation. The damage constant of the minority-carrier diffusion length, an important design parameter of a solar cell for space application, was calculated. An efficient Box complex optimization technique with minor modifications is analyzed and applied to accelerate the convergence rate of the algorithm. Design rules were implemented in order to reduce the search space of the optimal design and to make a compromise in the tradeoff between the conflicting criteria for selection. Realistic optimal design of these solar cells were obtained and verified from the expert system and then compared with state-of-the-art technology.

• Research Organization: Florida Univ., Gainesville, FL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7012975
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990200 -- Mathematics & Computers
ALUMINIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EQUIPMENT
EXPERT SYSTEMS
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
MATHEMATICS
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
OPTIMIZATION
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT