TY - GEN
T1 - Efficiency of a laterally engineered architecture for photovoltaics
AU - Torrey, Ethan R.
AU - Krohn, Jennifer
AU - Ruden, P. Paul
AU - Cohen, P. I.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - An array of photovoltaic (PV) cells is proposed for use in conjunction with a diffractive optical element as an economical and efficient approach to terrestrial photovoltaics. In this work, the sensitivity of the array efficiency to the distribution of the incident spectrum over the cells is discussed. Optimal distributions are specified for 2-, 3-, and 4-segment partitions of the incident spectrum using a detailed balance analysis. Maximum efficiencies for lateral arrays of 2, 3 and 4 cells are found by the same means. At 1 sun, these are 42.7%, 48.4% and 52.0%, respectively. At 100 suns they increase to 48.6%, 54.8% and 59.1%. The sensitivity of the efficiency of an optimal array to spectral variation is discussed. Electrical isolation of cells using power electronics circuitry is found to yield an efficiency gain of at least 27.3% over the series connection of cells in the array.
AB - An array of photovoltaic (PV) cells is proposed for use in conjunction with a diffractive optical element as an economical and efficient approach to terrestrial photovoltaics. In this work, the sensitivity of the array efficiency to the distribution of the incident spectrum over the cells is discussed. Optimal distributions are specified for 2-, 3-, and 4-segment partitions of the incident spectrum using a detailed balance analysis. Maximum efficiencies for lateral arrays of 2, 3 and 4 cells are found by the same means. At 1 sun, these are 42.7%, 48.4% and 52.0%, respectively. At 100 suns they increase to 48.6%, 54.8% and 59.1%. The sensitivity of the efficiency of an optimal array to spectral variation is discussed. Electrical isolation of cells using power electronics circuitry is found to yield an efficiency gain of at least 27.3% over the series connection of cells in the array.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78650079150&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=78650079150&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/PVSC.2010.5614191
DO - 10.1109/PVSC.2010.5614191
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:78650079150
SN - 9781424458912
T3 - Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference
SP - 2978
EP - 2983
BT - Program - 35th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2010
T2 - 35th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2010
Y2 - 20 June 2010 through 25 June 2010
ER -
