Ellipsoidal Optical Cavities for Enhanced TPV (accepted article for TechRxiv).pdf (2.17 MB)
Ellipsoidal Optical Cavities for Enhanced Thermophotovoltaics
preprint
posted on 2021-11-12, 17:29 authored by Paul O'BrienPaul O'Brien, Nima Talebzadeh, Atousa PirvaramHerein we present an optical cavity in the form
of a prolate ellipsoid that can greatly enhance the performance of solar thermophotovoltaic (STPV) systems. The geometrical parameters of the cavity can
be designed to control the degree of photon recycling, the temperature of the
emitter within the STPV system, gap distance and effective view factor between
the PV cell and the emitter, and to minimize the emission losses. Numerical
analysis shows the ellipsoidal optical cavity can be designed to achieve an effective
view factor of 88.7% between the emitter and PV cell within a STPV system.
Results show an efficiency of 5.62% in a STPV system with a GaSb PV cell and a
black-body emitter under solar radiation at a concentration factor of 350X.
Further, assuming the surface of the ellipsoidal optical cavity is capable of
reflecting 99% of the radiation incident onto its surface, efficiencies of
15.54% can be attained when the solar concentration factor is 1400X. These
results are attained for STPV systems without using selective absorbers,
emitters or filters. The ellipsoidal optical cavity can be integrated into the
design of advanced TPV systems and bring them closer to the high theoretical
efficiencies TPV systems are capable of.
Funding
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
Find out more...History
Email Address of Submitting Author
paul.obrien@lassonde.yorku.caORCID of Submitting Author
0000-0001-6275-9213Submitting Author's Institution
York UniversitySubmitting Author's Country
- Canada