Practical considerations for solar energy thermally enhanced photo-luminescence (TEPL) (Conference Presentation)

Nimrod Kruger; Assaf Manor; Matej Kurtulik; Tamilarasan Sabapathy; Carmel Rotschild

doi:10.1117/12.2249518

19 April 2017 Practical considerations for solar energy thermally enhanced photo-luminescence (TEPL) (Conference Presentation)

Nimrod Kruger, Assaf Manor, Matej Kurtulik, Tamilarasan Sabapathy, Carmel Rotschild

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 10099, Physics, Simulation, and Photonic Engineering of Photovoltaic Devices VI; 1009909 (2017) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2249518
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2017, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

While single-junction photovoltaics (PV's) are considered limited in conversion efficiency according to the Shockley-Queisser limit, concepts such as solar thermo-photovoltaics aim to harness lost heat and overcome this barrier. We claim the novel concept of Thermally Enhanced Photoluminescence (TEPL) as an easier route to achieve this goal. Here we present a practical TEPL device where a thermally insulated photo-luminescent (PL) absorber, acts as a mediator between a photovoltaic cell and the sun. This high temperature absorber emits blue-shifted PL at constant flux, then coupled to a high band gap PV cell. This scheme promotes PV conversion efficiencies, under ideal conditions, higher than 62% at temperatures lower than 1300K. Moreover, for a PV and absorber band-gaps of 1.45eV (GaAs PV's) and 1.1eV respectively, under practical conditions, solar concentration of 1000 suns, and moderate thermal insulation; the conversion efficiencies potentially exceed 46%. Some of these practical conditions belong to the realm of optical design; including high photon recycling (PR) and absorber external quantum efficiency (EQE). High EQE values, a product of the internal QE of the active PL materials and the extraction efficiency of each photon (determined by the absorber geometry and interfaces), have successfully been reached by experts in laser cooling technology. PR is the part of emitted low energy photons (in relation to the PV band-gap) that are reabsorbed and consequently reemitted with above band-gap energies. PV back-reflector reflectivity, also successfully achieved by those who design the cutting edge high efficiency PV cells, plays a major role here.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Nimrod Kruger, Assaf Manor, Matej Kurtulik, Tamilarasan Sabapathy, and Carmel Rotschild "Practical considerations for solar energy thermally enhanced photo-luminescence (TEPL) (Conference Presentation)", Proc. SPIE 10099, Physics, Simulation, and Photonic Engineering of Photovoltaic Devices VI, 1009909 (19 April 2017); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2249518

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available

Members: $17.00

Non-members: $21.00 ADD TO CART

PROCEEDINGS
PRESENTATION

WATCH
PRESENTATION SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

GET CITATION

KEYWORDS

Solar cells

Solar energy

External quantum efficiency

Photovoltaics

Laser applications

Sun

Luminescence

Show All Keywords

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years