Design and Fabrication of Concentrated Photovoltaic (PV) Panel

Lau, Finnian Jun Xi (2024) Design and Fabrication of Concentrated Photovoltaic (PV) Panel. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

LCPV technology is known to be more cost-effective, and efficiency optimized than traditional PV arrays, and it has proven its superior performance in regions with inconsistent sunlight. However, LCPV technology also suffers from several challenges, such as low efficiency and lack of practicality. This research focuses on improving efficiency of commercial Photovoltaic (PV) module through designing a sophisticated solar concentrator. Mathematical Modelling was performed, formulating interrelation between the concentrators, PV panel and the Solar declination angle, m proposed as the results. Full-& Partial-Illumination Longitudinal, Transversal Solar Concentrators, and Longitudinal Tracking Solar Concentrators was designed based on the derived formula. SolTrace Simulation software was then utilised to study virtually the validity of the formula and the designed concentrators. Simulation was done based on Ideal, Solar and commercial mirrors to study the achievable concentration ratio dependence on concentrator’s optical efficiency. Effect and period of shading was also studied iteratively with varied m angle. Illumination uniformity was also studied by analysing the contour plot of ray hit distribution on the PV panel. Short Circuit Current ("(⇠) and Open Circuit Voltage (+$⇠) was measured for comparison between the Concentrator and Control set to study the output power and energy harvest improvement contributed by the designed Solar Concentrators. From the result analysed, Partial Illumination approach was proven to be comparatively cost-ineffective, despite a shorter period of shading was promoted. Besides that, optimized concentrator-to-receiver ratio, ! was identified between 0.67 to 1, where further increasing the ratio will result in exponentially degrading linearity between ! and ⇠6 and significant increase in reflector size. Through the experiment, Full Illumination Transversal Concentratorswas proven to improve the energy yield by 26.78% and 43.07% with ! ratio of 0.5 and 1.0, while promoting space saving and elimination of concentrator shading effect, and suitable to be implemented in PV array applications. Inter-array spacing formulation was also performed for Transversal CPV. On the other hand, Longitudinal Tracking Concentrators, where tracking mechanism was only applied to concentrator, was proven to promote maximum improvement in energy yield by 52.9% considering the parasitic load, hence proven its superiority in improving the efficiency of PV panel. Integrated Solar Concentrators with the recorded energy yield improvement of 19.52% and 30.83% under cloudy and sunny condition respectively was proven to be capable improve PV panel performance under low solar irradiance condition, however the effectiveness reduced as the illumination heterogeneity increased with increasing solar intensity.