Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Conferences, Workshops, Symposiums, and Seminars
  4. Self-tracking phase change concentrator device demonstrator
 
conference paper

Self-tracking phase change concentrator device demonstrator

Zagolla, V.
•
Tremblay, E.
•
Moser, C.
Plesniak, Ap
•
Pfefferkorn, C
2014
High and Low Concentrator Systems for Solar Energy Applications IX
Conference on High and Low Concentrator Systems for Solar Energy Applications IX

Concentration photovoltaic systems uses free-space optics to concentrate sunlight onto photovoltaic cells, using mechanical trackers to accurately track the sun's position and keep the focal spot on the PV cell. We recently proposed and demonstrated a proof-of concept of a self-tracking mechanism using a phase-change material to greatly extend the acceptance angle of the concentration device. The light responsive mechanism allows for efficient waveguide coupling and light concentration independent of the angle of incidence inside its angular range of acceptance. The system uses a lens pair to achieve a flat Petzval field curvature over the acceptance angle range. A waveguide slab acts as the concentrating device. The use of a dichroic prism membrane separates the solar spectrum into two parts, lower wavelengths (<750nm) are coupled into the waveguide, while the energy of higher wavelengths (>750nm) is used to power the self-tracking mechanism. The energy in this part of the spectrum is absorbed by a carbon black paraffin wax mixture that undergoes a phase change and subsequently creates a coupling feature due to thermal expansion which allows the lower wavelength part to be coupled into the waveguide. We show the extension of our proof-of concept to a device-like demonstrator, featuring the extension to a lens array and much larger dimensions. All parts of the proof-of-concept device have been upscaled to meet the requirements of a larger scale demonstrator. The demonstrator has an acceptance angle of +/- 16 degrees and can achieve an effective concentration factor of 20x. We present experimental and simulation results of the demonstration device.

  • Details
  • Metrics
Type
conference paper
DOI
10.1117/12.2062028
Web of Science ID

WOS:000348842300008

Author(s)
Zagolla, V.
Tremblay, E.
Moser, C.
Editors
Plesniak, Ap
•
Pfefferkorn, C
Date Issued

2014

Publisher

Spie-Int Soc Optical Engineering

Publisher place

Bellingham

Published in
High and Low Concentrator Systems for Solar Energy Applications IX
ISBN of the book

978-1-62841-202-4

Total of pages

6

Series title/Series vol.

Proceedings of SPIE

Volume

9175

Subjects

solar concentration

•

self-tracking

•

phase-change material

•

waveguide

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
LAPD  
Event nameEvent placeEvent date
Conference on High and Low Concentrator Systems for Solar Energy Applications IX

San Diego, CA

AUG 19-20, 2014

Available on Infoscience
April 13, 2015
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/113073
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés