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Planar solar concentrator featuring alignment-free total-internal-reflection collectors and an innovative compound tracker

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Abstract

This study proposed a planar solar concentrator featuring alignment-free total-internal-reflection (TIR) collectors and an innovative compound tracker. The compound tracker, combining a mechanical single-axis tracker and scrollable prism sheets, can achieve a performance on a par with dual-axis tracking while reducing the cost of the tracking system and increasing its robustness. The alignment-free TIR collectors are assembled on the waveguide without requiring alignment, so the planar concentrator is relatively easily manufactured and markedly increases the feasibility for use in large concentrators. Further, the identical TIR collector is applicable to various-sized waveguide slab without requiring modification, which facilitates flexibility regarding the size of the waveguide slab. In the simulation model, the thickness of the slab was 2 mm, and its maximal length reached 6 m. With an average angular tolerance of ±0.6°, and after considering both the Fresnel loss and the angular spread of the sun, the simulation indicates that the waveguide concentrator of a 1000-mm length provides the optical efficiencies of 62–77% at the irradiance concentrations of 387–688, and the one of a 2000-mm length provides the optical efficiencies of 52–64.5% at the irradiance concentrations of 645–1148. Alternatively, if a 100-mm horizontally staggered waveguide slab is collocated with the alignment-free TIR collectors, the optical efficiency would be greatly improved up to 91.5% at an irradiance concentration of 1098 (Cgeo = 1200X).

© 2014 Optical Society of America

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Figures (13)

Fig. 1
Fig. 1 The parabolic curve with the bottom removed.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2 Modification procedure of the paraboloid TIR collector: (a) axially symmetric paraboloid; (b) half-cut paraboloid; (c) the perspective side view of two modified TIR collectors placed near each other; (d) the light incident on the outer margins of the modified TIR collector leaks out from the side wall of the waveguide slab; (e) final modified of the paraboloid TIR collector after both outer portions of the TIR collector are trimmed off.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3 Coupling inlet of the TIR collector.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4 3D view of the waveguide concentrator with a CPC attached to its end (not proportionally scaled).
Fig. 5
Fig. 5 Tracking mechanism of the compound tracker: (a) a single-axis tracker is employed to rotate both the waveguide concentrator and the scrollable microstructure sheets around the x-axis to trace the sun’s locus from east to west; (b) a microstructure sheet with prisms is employed to deflect the sunlight to enter the TIR collector along the y’-axis.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6 The position of the sun in the sky.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7 Tracking sequence of the compound tracker.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8 Annual variation of the angle γ .
Fig. 9
Fig. 9 Schematic illustration of the waveguide concentrator with scrollable prism sheets (not proportionally scaled).
Fig. 10
Fig. 10 Irradiance on the coupling inlet varies with incident angles of light.
Fig. 11
Fig. 11 Base angle of prism varies with incident angles of light.
Fig. 12
Fig. 12 Optical efficiency varies with geometric concentration.
Fig. 13
Fig. 13 TIR collectors collocating with a horizontally staggered waveguide slab.

Tables (1)

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Table 1 Efficiency Evaluation for Various Waveguide Slabs and Their Materials

Equations (20)

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y=a z 2 ,
dy dz =2az.
z z i or z z i ; z i = 1 2a .
shield ratio=c/p,
c= ( h+ 1 4a )/a z i .
( tanθ ) max = n+ n 2 1 n n 2 1 ,
h max = ( tanθ ) max 2a 1 4a .
shield ratio=( ( h+ 1 4a )/a 1 2a )×2a= 4ah+1 1.
C g eo = l / t ,
x=r×sin( 90 A e )sin( A z 90 ),
y=r×cos( 90 A e ),
z=r×sin( 90 A e )cos( A z 90 ).
x ' =x×cos γ 0 +y×sin γ 0  ,
y ' =x×sin γ 0 +y×cos γ 0 ,
z'=z.
x " = x ' .
y " = y ' ×cos α '  + z×sin α ' ,
z " = y ' ×sin α '  + z×cos α ' .
α = tan 1 ( z ' / y ' ).
γ = tan 1 ( x / y ).
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