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Title: Infrared transmissive concentrated photovoltaics for coupling solar electric energy conversion to solar thermal energy utilization

Abstract

The use of photovoltaic (PV) cells to convert solar energy to electricity is becoming increasingly prevalent; however, there are still significant limitations associated with the widespread adoption of PV cells for electricity needs. There is a clear need for a high efficiency solar power system that supplies electricity at a competitive cost and that provides for an on-demand supply of electricity as well as energy storage. By combining aspects of concentrated solar power and concentrated photovoltaics, the present invention provides a device that enables the conversion of sunlight to electricity at very high efficiencies and that enables the transmission of thermal energy to heat storage devices for later use. The disclosed device enables transmissive CPV through the use of a multijunction PV cell mounted on a transparent base. The use of a multijunction cell allows for highly efficient absorption of light above the bandgap of the lowest bandgap subcell. The transparent base permits transmission of a high percentage of the remaining light below the bandgap of the lowest bandgap subcell. The present invention also discloses a method of generating electricity through the use of a transmissive CPV device. Sunlight is concentrated onto one or more surfaces of the device. Highmore » energy light is absorbed by a multijunction PV cell and converted directly to electricity, while low energy light is transmitted through the device into a thermal storage device, which may then be coupled to a heat engine to generate dispatchable electricity.

Inventors:
; ; ; ;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1840449
Patent Number(s):
11121278
Application Number:
15/322,417
Assignee:
The Administrators of the tulane Educational Fund (New Orleans, LA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02S - GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRA-RED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
DOE Contract Number:  
AR0000473
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 06/29/2015
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Escarra, Matthew David, Lewson, Benjamin, Ji, Yaping, Xu, Qi, and Ollanik, Adam. Infrared transmissive concentrated photovoltaics for coupling solar electric energy conversion to solar thermal energy utilization. United States: N. p., 2021. Web.
Escarra, Matthew David, Lewson, Benjamin, Ji, Yaping, Xu, Qi, & Ollanik, Adam. Infrared transmissive concentrated photovoltaics for coupling solar electric energy conversion to solar thermal energy utilization. United States.
Escarra, Matthew David, Lewson, Benjamin, Ji, Yaping, Xu, Qi, and Ollanik, Adam. Tue . "Infrared transmissive concentrated photovoltaics for coupling solar electric energy conversion to solar thermal energy utilization". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1840449.
@article{osti_1840449,
title = {Infrared transmissive concentrated photovoltaics for coupling solar electric energy conversion to solar thermal energy utilization},
author = {Escarra, Matthew David and Lewson, Benjamin and Ji, Yaping and Xu, Qi and Ollanik, Adam},
abstractNote = {The use of photovoltaic (PV) cells to convert solar energy to electricity is becoming increasingly prevalent; however, there are still significant limitations associated with the widespread adoption of PV cells for electricity needs. There is a clear need for a high efficiency solar power system that supplies electricity at a competitive cost and that provides for an on-demand supply of electricity as well as energy storage. By combining aspects of concentrated solar power and concentrated photovoltaics, the present invention provides a device that enables the conversion of sunlight to electricity at very high efficiencies and that enables the transmission of thermal energy to heat storage devices for later use. The disclosed device enables transmissive CPV through the use of a multijunction PV cell mounted on a transparent base. The use of a multijunction cell allows for highly efficient absorption of light above the bandgap of the lowest bandgap subcell. The transparent base permits transmission of a high percentage of the remaining light below the bandgap of the lowest bandgap subcell. The present invention also discloses a method of generating electricity through the use of a transmissive CPV device. Sunlight is concentrated onto one or more surfaces of the device. High energy light is absorbed by a multijunction PV cell and converted directly to electricity, while low energy light is transmitted through the device into a thermal storage device, which may then be coupled to a heat engine to generate dispatchable electricity.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2021},
month = {9}
}

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