Field Installation of a Fully Instrumented Prototype Solar Concentrator System: Thermal and Photovoltaic Analysis

Abstract

Concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) is one of the most promising renewable technologies owing to its high efficiency, scalability, low operating expense, and small environmental impact. However, there is much research and advancements to be made before CPV is established as a cost competitive energy technology. To this end, Morgan Solar has developed the Sun Simba, an innovative light weight and low cost CPV module. Under the “Advancing Photonics for Economical Concentration Systems” (APECS) project, outdoor CPV test and measurement systems were designed and constructed at the University of Ottawa and at Little Rock, CA. The performance and reliability of development stage Sun Simba modules installed at the University of Ottawa is assessed. The Little Rock test system was constructed for purposes of future comparison and assessment. To properly assess the performance, instrumentation and data acquisition systems to measure meterological parameters and the associated electrical performance are described and the long-term performance of Sun Simba modules installed at the University of Ottawa is summarized. A finite element model of a cell-on-carrier assembly was constructed to explore the parameter space of the carrier and suggest improvements in carrier design. The effect of carrier geometry, material choices, and convective boundary conditions and their influence on the cell efficiency is determined. The modelling results connected to the measured data is used to estimate the heat sinking capability of the second generation Sun Simba modules.