The concept of “small-size” concentrator modules was developed back in the late 1980s. Currently using and developing this concept on the basis of semiconductor high-efficiency nanoelectronic heterostructured gallium -arsenide solar cells, the world is actively working on the practical implementation of commercially acceptable various modifications of concentrator solar installations, namely, using point concentrator modules on Fresnel lenses, based on refractive optics, and modules based on reflective optics with sun-tracking devices.
DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF CONCENTRATOR SOLAR RECEIVERS
Specialists who currently represent the company LLC “Research and production enterprise “LTU”, within the framework of the APOLLON project (FP-7 – Seventh Research Framework Program of the EU) have conducted work on development of number of designs of concentrated radiation receivers for high concentrated photovoltaic (HCPV) solar modules on Fresnel lenses based on triple junction gallium-arsenide solar cells with an efficiency of 36-38% manufactured by ENE (Belgium) and Azur Space (Germany) and the innovative aluminum-polyimide Chip-On-Flex (COF) assembly technology. Also, work on the analysis and selection of materials, design and calculation studies for development of secondary optical elements (SOE) designs were carried out.
In order to work out technology of receivers manufacturing, test quality structures and different types of samples of concentrated radiation receivers were developed and manufactured. Accelerated thermocyclic tests of receiver samples were also carried out to assess their reliability and service life in accordance with the international standard IEC 62108 “Concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules and assemblies – Design qualification and type approval”. This standard specifies the electrical, mechanical, and temperature performance requirements for concentrator photovoltaic receivers and their assemblies that are acceptable for long-term operation under normal climatic conditions.
MAIN RESULTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT
Results of accelerated thermal cycling tests of receiver samples allow us to conclude that selected design and technological solutions for concentrator receivers based on triple-junction GaInP/GaAs/Ge-SC and innovative COF assembly technology meet requirements of the IEC 62108 standard.
The expected operating life of concentrator receivers with SOE was at least 20 years.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPABILITIES (AVAILABLE SERVICES)
Receivers of concentrated solar radiation based on triple-junction gallium-arsenide solar cells with integrated secondary optics of truncated cone and truncated pyramid types.
Quality test structures based on gallium arsenide solar cells without SOE and with integrated SOE.
Based on comprehensive analysis of state and current technical level of development of concentrator solar technologies in the world, RPE LTU proposed new commercially acceptable design and technological solutions for solar radiation receivers for HCPV focus-point modules based on aluminum-polyimide (Chip -On-Flex, COF) assembly technology and gallium arsenide solar cells with an efficiency of 46-48% and on achromatic Fresnel lenses as the simplest (not requiring the use of SOE) and cheap way to quickly implement concentrator modules with an efficiency of more than 40% at a degree concentrations over 500 times.
This approach potentially makes it possible to achieve values of competitive cost of electricity generated by serial solar concentrator modules based on innovative designs of solar receivers at the level of 0.2-0.5 Euro per W, which corresponds to existing modern world requirements.
PUBLICATIONS
| Article title | |
| 2015 | |
| 1 | The ALICE Collaboration Technical Design Report for the Upgrade of the ALICE Inner Tracking System / B. Abelev, V.N. Borshchov, O.M. Listratenko, M.A. Protsenko, I.T. Tymchuk and the ALICE Collaboration // (CERN-LHCC-2013-024/ALICE-TDR-017) – Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics, Volume 41, Number 8, August 2014, Р. 70 – 71. |
| 2018 | |
| 2 | Innovative microelectronic technologies for high-energy physics experiments / V. M. Borshchov, O. M. Listratenko, M. A. Protsenko et al. // Functional materials. — 2017. — Vol. 24, № 1. — Р. 143-153. |
| 2019 | |
| 3 | New approaches to the creation of high-performance radiation detectors for concentrator solar modules /V.N. Borshchev, O.М. Listratenko, М.А. Protsenko, I.Т. Tymchuk, O.V. Kravchenko, M.I. Slipchenko // Radiotekhnika : All-Ukr. Sci. Interdep. Mag. 2019. №197. P. 123-136. |