Photovoltaic cells for solar powered TPV systems

Author

Khvostikov, P. ; Rumyantsev, V.D. ; Khvostikova, O.A. ; Gazaryan, P.Y. ; Sorokina, S.V. ; Shvarts, M.Z. ; Vlasov, A.S. ; Andreev, V.M.

Author_Institution

A.F. Ioffe Phys. Tech. Inst., St. Petersburg, Russia

fYear

2005

fDate

3-7 Jan. 2005

Firstpage

655

Lastpage

658

Abstract

In present paper, different aspects of a solar powered TPV system are under theoretical and experimental study, such as heating the emitter of photons by focusing sunlight, returning the sub-bandgap photons by reflecting IR radiation from cell back surface, and estimating the cell conversion efficiency being guided by semiempirical approaches. Efficiency of 25% can be obtained in GaSb cells without photon recirculation illuminated by tungsten emitter heated up to 2200-2500 K. Efficiency exceeding 30% can be achieved in GaSb PV cells assuming 90% reflection of sub-bandgap photons back to the emitter. GaSb based TPV photoreceivers of cylindrical and flat geometry were developed and investigated outdoors. Photocurrent density as high as 4.5 A/cm² and PV cell efficiency of 14% have been obtained in the modules.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; current density; energy gap; gallium compounds; heat treatment; infrared spectra; photoconductivity; solar cells; 14 percent; 2200 to 2500 K; 25 percent; GaSb; GaSb based TPV photoreceivers; GaSb cells; IR radiation reflection; PV cell efficiency; cell back surface; cell conversion efficiency; photocurrent density; photon emitter heating; photon recirculation; photovoltaic cells; solar powered TPV systems; solar powered thermophotovoltaic systems; sub-bandgap photons; tungsten emitter; Estimation theory; Geometry; Heating; Optical reflection; Photoconductivity; Photonic band gap; Photovoltaic cells; Solar energy; Temperature; Tungsten;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2005. Conference Record of the Thirty-first IEEE

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

0-7803-8707-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.2005.1488216

Filename

1488216