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Theoretical comparison of cylindrical and square-planar luminescent solar concentrators

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Abstract

The optical concentration of a cylindrical luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) is compared to that of the more conventional square-planar LSC. It is found that when luminescence occurs close to the surface the optical concentration of a cylindrical LSC is 1.0–1.9 times higher than that of a square-planar LSC of equivalent collection area and volume, depending on the absorption coefficient of the host material. An additional increase in optical concentration of at least ∼4.5% can be attained by aligning cylinders side by side to take advantage of multiple reflections between neighbouring cylinders; it is shown that this multi-cylindrical LSC reflects less incident light than a planar LSC for any angle of incidence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia

    K.R. McIntosh

  2. Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka, Niigata, 940-2188, Japan

    N. Yamada

  3. School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK

    B.S. Richards

Authors
  1. K.R. McIntosh
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  2. N. Yamada
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  3. B.S. Richards
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Correspondence to K.R. McIntosh.

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PACS

42.79.Ek; 84.60.Jt

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McIntosh, K., Yamada, N. & Richards, B. Theoretical comparison of cylindrical and square-planar luminescent solar concentrators. Appl. Phys. B 88, 285–290 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-007-2705-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-007-2705-8

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