Abstract
The performance of a split-spectrum photovoltaic device using a lateral array of single-junction photovoltaic cells and holographic films to carry out spectral splitting and concentration is analyzed. The performance of an idealized device is determined under time-varying spectral conditions. Detailed balance efficiency maxima are calculated at a concentration of 100 suns for 2-, 3-, and 4-cell arrays, optimized for the AM 1.5 direct-plus-circumsolar spectrum and operating under a range of clear-sky spectra generated using SMARTS 2.9.5 for a location near Flagstaff, Arizona. Operating efficiencies of these arrays are examined for two electrical configurations: one in which the cells are assumed to remain electrically isolated and a second in which the cells are placed in series. Gains in the operating efficiency are demonstrated for the isolated configuration with respect to the series configuration. These vary with cell count and over the course of the year, ranging from 7.3 in June to 10.3 in December for a 2-cell array, from 6.2% in June to 10.8 in December for a 3-cell array, and from 7.0 in June to 12.1 in December for a 4-cell array.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 074909 |
| Journal | Journal of Applied Physics |
| Volume | 109 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 1 2011 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was funded in part by the University of Minnesota Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment, project # RL-0019-09, and by a grant from the University of Minnesota Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.
