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Design and fabrication of concentrated photovoltaic optics with high numerical aperture using a curved catadioptric optical system

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Abstract

We developed an optical system for a concentrated photovoltaic system composed of primary and secondary optical elements designed to reduce the thickness of the module and minimize the optical loss. The Primary optical element (POE) was designed as a catadioptric Fresnel lens with an annular stepped structure to reduce the focal distance and optical loss. To introduce light rays focused by the POE at large exit angles to the surface of a solar cell with a homogeneous intensity distribution, the Secondary optical element (SOE) was designed with a total internal reflection surface. Each of the optical elements was fabricated and assembled, and the optical efficiency of the system and the photoelectric transformation efficiency were evaluated in indoor and outdoor tests, respectively. The optical efficiency of the module was ~80%, with an acceptance angle of ± 0.6°. A photoelectric transformation efficiency of 30.75%, based on the peak value, was measured through outdoor current-voltage measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anycasting, B-16F Woolim B/D, 240-21 Yeomchang-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, Korea

    Byungwook Kim, Jang-Kyun Kim, Chan-Kyu Park, Sang-Kyoung Oh & Sung-Bin Kim

  2. School of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 156-756, Korea

    Seok-min Kim

  3. School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 712-749, Korea

    Jiseok Lim

Authors
  1. Byungwook Kim
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  2. Jang-Kyun Kim
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  3. Chan-Kyu Park
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  4. Sang-Kyoung Oh
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  5. Sung-Bin Kim
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  6. Seok-min Kim
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  7. Jiseok Lim
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Seok-min Kim or Jiseok Lim.

Additional information

Byungwook Kim received his Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea in 2011. He is currently a principal research engineer in advanced development & photovoltaic team at Any- Casting Co., Ltd, Seoul. His current research interests include optical design and fabrication for LED general lighting, display back lighting, concentrator photovoltaic system and micro structures for bio applications.

Jang-Kyun Kim received his master degree in mechanical engineering from Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Korea in 2000. He is currently a director in photovoltaic team at AnyCasting Co., Ltd, Seoul. His current research interests include optical and mechanical design for concentrator photovoltaic modules, systems and related core components.

Sung-Bin Kim received his master and Ph.D. in department of metallurgical engineering of Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea during 1992- 1996. From 1997-1999, he was a senior researcher in R&D center of LG Cable and a director of technologies laboratory of Hwang- Kum Steel & Technology in 2000. He founded AnyCasting and has been CEO from 2001. His current research interests include numerical analysis of material processes and optic technology for LED lights, etc.

Seok-min Kim received his Ph.D. degree from the School of Mechanical Engineering at Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. He is currently an associate professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Chung- Ang University, Seoul. His current research interests include design and fabrication of micro/nanostructures for optical biosensors, micro fluidic chips, concentrator photovoltaic system, digital display, LED lighting, and enhanced boiling heat transfer surface.

Jiseok Lim is an Assistant Professor in the school of mechanical engineering at Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Korea. He received the master and Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from the Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea, in 2006 and 2011, respectively. From 2011 to 2015, he was a post-doctoral fellow at Max Planck Institute for Biophysical chemistry, Goettingen, Germany. His research interests include precision replication, micro/macro optics, and micro fluidics for bio applications.

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Kim, B., Kim, JK., Park, CK. et al. Design and fabrication of concentrated photovoltaic optics with high numerical aperture using a curved catadioptric optical system. J Mech Sci Technol 30, 1315–1322 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-016-0236-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-016-0236-0

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