KEYWORDS: Solar energy, Solar energy systems, Gallium antimonide, Multilayers, Solar radiation, Solar cells, Molybdenum, Photovoltaics, Absorption, Photons
In this paper, high-efficiency STPV systems are investigated using spectrally selective absorber/emitter consisted of metal-dielectric multilayer and a GaSb TPV cell. A solar-thermophotovoltaic (STPV) system is expected to as highefficiency solar energy conversion using single-junction photovoltaic (PV) cells. However, the reached experimental system efficiency has been still low because spectral control of emitter is not sufficient. Narrowband thermal radiation from the emitter is effective for obtaining high-efficiency STPV systems, exceeding the Shockley-Queisser limit. From theoretical analysis, the narrowband thermal emitter can leads to obtain PV conversion efficiency over 45% at Qvalue= 30 and 1300K. The spectrally selective absorber/emitter was also investigated to obtain high ηPV. The ηPV = 23.5% was estimated by the fabricated emitter spectrum, which exceeds the Shockley-Queisser limit of 19.6% for a GaSb bandgap of 0.67 eV. The entire STPV system and the power generation tests were conducted using the fabricated absorber/emitter. The total system efficiency 4.9% at 1505K was obtained under an irradiance of 109 Wcm-2.
KEYWORDS: Gallium antimonide, Solar energy, Absorbance, Solar cells, Optical properties, Photovoltaics, Temperature metrology, Tungsten, Coating, Solar radiation
We demonstrate a high-efficiency solar-thermophotovoltaic system (STPV) using a monolithic, planar, and spectrally selective absorber/emitter. A complete STPV system using gallium antimonide (GaSb) cells was designed and fabricated to conduct power generation tests. To produce a high-efficiency STPV, it is important to match the thermal radiation spectrum with the sensitive region of the GaSb cells. Therefore, to reach high temperatures with low incident power, a planar absorber/emitter is incorporated for controlling the thermal radiation spectrum. This multilayer coating consists of thin-film tungsten sandwiched by yttria-stabilized zirconia. The system efficiency is estimated to be 16% when accounting for the optical properties of the fabricated absorber/emitter. Power generation tests using a high-concentration solar simulator show that the absorber/emitter temperature peaks at 1640 K with an incident power density of 45 W/cm2, which can be easily obtained by low-cost optics such as Fresnel lenses. The conversion efficiency became 23%, exceeding the Shockley–Queisser limit for GaSb, with a bandgap of 0.67 eV. Furthermore, a total system efficiency of 8% was obtained with the view factor between the emitter and the cell assumed to be 1.
KEYWORDS: Solar energy, Solar cells, Gallium antimonide, Photovoltaics, Temperature metrology, Solar radiation, Energy efficiency, Absorbance, Control systems, Optical properties
In solar thermophotovoltaic (STPV) generation systems, the thermal radiation from emitters heated by the high temperature solar absorbers is converted into electricity at a photovoltaic (PV) cell. STPV systems have some advantages over PV generation systems. For instance, it is possible to control the thermal radiation spectrum of the emitter. Generally, the PV cell has an inherent sensitive region where an incident photon excites the electron. Enhancing the thermal radiation in this sensitive region of the PV cell, therefore, increases the generation efficiency. Theoretically, the efficiency of STPV systems can reach up to 85% when Carnot efficiency is considered and up to 45% when a monochromatic radiation releasing emitter is used. However, the experimental STPV system is less efficient than theoretical one as a consequence of the large amount of heat loss from the high-temperature absorber/emitter system. The purpose of this study is to achieve a high-efficiency STPV generation system using a monolithic planar spectrally selective absorber/emitter. The temperature superiority of the monolithic planar absorber/emitter is estimated by using spectral and thermal properties of STPV system components. Using the enitre configuration of the STPV system, a system efficiency of over 10% is estimated in this study.
The surface grating technologies enable to control the thermal radiation spectrum. We are applying this technique to
promote the chemical reaction to produce hydrogen in the methane steam reforming process by spectrally resonant
thermal radiation. The thermal radiation spectrum is adjusted to the vibrational absorption bands of methane and water
molecules near 3μm by making two-dimensional (2D) microcavities with the period Λ=2.6 μm on the radiative surface.
By tuning the peak of thermal radiation to the absorption bands of these gases, it is clearly observed that the methane
steam reforming is promoted by using spectrally selective emitter. Since the promotion of hydrogen production can be
observed under resonant excitation of gases, it is suggested that the optical excitation of vibrational levels is contributed
to this phenomenon. From the result, it is confirmed that the thermal radiation resonant with molecular absorption bands
is effective to the high production rate of hydrogen in methane steam reforming process. To study the detail process of
chemical reaction, under resonant excitation, the produced gas is analyzed by gas chromatograms.
The surface grating technologies enable to control the thermal radiation spectrum. We are applying this
technique to promote the chemical reaction to produce hydrogen in the methane steam reforming process by
spectrally resonant thermal radiation. The thermal radiation spectrum is adjusted to vibrational absorption
bands of methane and water molecules near 3 μm by making a two-dimensional surface grating of period
Λ=2.6 μm on the radiative surface. By matching the peak of thermal radiation to the absorption bands of
gases, it is clearly observed that the hydrogen production is promoted five times as much as the case without
spectrally resonant thermal radiation by the optical excitation of vibrational energy levels of molecules.
From a series of experiments and analysis, it is suggested that radiative gas effectively excited the molecules
up of high energy vibrational and rotational levels, and this lead to the high production rate of hydrogen in
methane steam reforming process.
We set up a high-temperature ellipsometry system for the measurement of optical constants n and k. The n and k values of refractory metals of W and Mo were measured from the visible (VIS) to near infrared (NIR) wavelength range at several temperatures by means of the system. The n drastically increases especially in the NIR region, while the k is almost invariant in all the range with increasing temperatures. Numerical simulation based on rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) with the values of n and k measured by high-temperature ellipsometry is qualitatively coincident with the measured spectral emissivity at high temperature. It has revealed that spectral emissivity has temperature dependence especially in the NIR region.
Spectral properties of two-dimensional (2D) metal surface gratings are investigated to develop high performance
solar selective absorbers and sky radiators. Numerical calculations based on rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA)
are performed and surface gratings are fabricated on silicon substrates by means of photolithography and etching
process. Reflectivity spectra of the samples are measured and they show good spectral selectivity for each application. In order to fabricate surface microstructures in large area with low cost, direct metal imprinting technology are
proposed. A microstructured nickel metal mold for the solar selective absorber surface is fabricated by means of
electroplating technique and imprint experiments are performed on copper metal surface using mechanical pressing
system. As a result, some parts of the surface structures are successfully transferred onto copper substrate.
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