Efficiency Improvement of Cross-Compound Parabolic Concentrator for Silicon and Dye-sensitised Solar Cells

The emergence of concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) offers a promising alternative to conventional photovoltaic (PV) systems due to their potential for enhanced efficiency. This thesis investigates the development and performance analysis of a novel concentrated device fabricated in the laboratory. A cross-compound parabolic concentrator (CCPC) with a 3.61× concentration ratio was integrated with third-generation dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSCs) by directly synthesising the solar cell onto the concentrator’s receiver. Initially, to assess the impact of CCPC integration, silicon solar cells were integrated with CCPCs using UV adhesive and evaluated under varying incident light angles and light exposure durations to study the electrical performance and thermal behaviour, respectively. A reflective film deposited by magnetron sputtering was applied to the escaping edges, which are positioned above the receiver edges by 2 mm to reduce optical losses. A series-connected configuration of nine CCPC-integrated silicon cells was tested for building-integrated applications. This configuration was then examined under light exposure to evaluate optical performance; the results indicate the potential functionality and applicability of such configurations for building integration. Initially, the reference DSSC was integrated using UV adhesive; then, for the final device, the fabrication began with magnetron sputtering of an Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) layer onto the CCPC’s receiver, followed by doctor blade deposition of successive layers. The active area was increased from 0.5 cm2 to 1 cm2, and performance tests were conducted for each active area measurement. A similar yet annealed silver coating approach was employed directly to the receiver edges on the ITO to combine two core optimisation concepts of reducing optical losses and enhancing electrode conductivity. Reference solar cells were fabricated to compare and indicate the improvements. Results demonstrated that the integrated devices achieved a performance enhancement exceeding 115% compared to non-concentrated solar cells. To validate the experimental findings, COMSOL simulations of the optical and thermal performance were conducted, producing responses consistent with the measured data. This research advances CPV technology by presenting a novel device where the concentrator and solar cell are integrated into a single unit through direct deposition.<p></p>

Author dc:creator

• Hessa Alabdan (21041513)

• Concentrated Photovoltaics
• Dye Sensitised Solar Cells
• Non-imaging Concentrators
• Silicon Solar Cells
• Solar Cells
• Indium Tin Oxide Thin Films
• COMSOL Multiphysics Simulation
• CPV Devices Fabrication

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved
• Open Access after 2027-11-10

Identifier

10779/exe.32229927.v1

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:figshare.com:article/32229927