Solar thermophotovoltaics: reshaping the solar spectrum
Recently, there has been increasing interest in utilizing solar thermophotovoltaics (STPV) to convert sunlight into electricity, given their potential to exceed the Shockley-Queisser limit. Encouragingly, there have also been several recent demonstrations of improved system-level efficiency as high...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
De Gruyter
2016-06-01
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| Series: | Nanophotonics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2016-0011 |
| _version_ | 1818716561168400384 |
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| author | Zhou Zhiguang Sakr Enas Sun Yubo Bermel Peter |
| author_facet | Zhou Zhiguang Sakr Enas Sun Yubo Bermel Peter |
| author_sort | Zhou Zhiguang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recently, there has been increasing interest in utilizing solar thermophotovoltaics (STPV) to convert sunlight into electricity, given their potential to exceed the Shockley-Queisser limit. Encouragingly, there have also been several recent demonstrations of improved system-level efficiency as high as 6.2%. In this work, we review prior work in the field, with particular emphasis on the role of several key principles in their experimental operation, performance, and reliability. In particular, for the problem of designing selective solar absorbers, we consider the trade-off between solar absorption and thermal losses, particularly radiative and convective mechanisms. For the selective thermal emitters, we consider the tradeoff between emission at critical wavelengths and parasitic losses. Then for the thermophotovoltaic (TPV) diodes, we consider the trade-off between increasing the potential short-circuit current, and maintaining a reasonable opencircuit voltage. This treatment parallels the historic development of the field, but also connects early insights with recent developments in adjacent fields.With these various components connecting in multiple ways, a system-level end-to-end modeling approach is necessary for a comprehensive understanding and appropriate improvement of STPV systems. This approach will ultimately allow researchers to design STPV systems capable of exceeding recently demonstrated efficiency values. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T19:21:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cfbe9182d32e4f0fade97263305a9600 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2192-8606 2192-8614 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T19:21:13Z |
| publishDate | 2016-06-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanophotonics |
| spelling | doaj.art-cfbe9182d32e4f0fade97263305a96002022-12-21T21:35:33ZengDe GruyterNanophotonics2192-86062192-86142016-06-015112110.1515/nanoph-2016-0011nanoph-2016-0011Solar thermophotovoltaics: reshaping the solar spectrumZhou Zhiguang0Sakr Enas1Sun Yubo2Bermel Peter3Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, 1205 W. State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USABirck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, 1205 W. State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USABirck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, 1205 W. State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USABirck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, 1205 W. State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USARecently, there has been increasing interest in utilizing solar thermophotovoltaics (STPV) to convert sunlight into electricity, given their potential to exceed the Shockley-Queisser limit. Encouragingly, there have also been several recent demonstrations of improved system-level efficiency as high as 6.2%. In this work, we review prior work in the field, with particular emphasis on the role of several key principles in their experimental operation, performance, and reliability. In particular, for the problem of designing selective solar absorbers, we consider the trade-off between solar absorption and thermal losses, particularly radiative and convective mechanisms. For the selective thermal emitters, we consider the tradeoff between emission at critical wavelengths and parasitic losses. Then for the thermophotovoltaic (TPV) diodes, we consider the trade-off between increasing the potential short-circuit current, and maintaining a reasonable opencircuit voltage. This treatment parallels the historic development of the field, but also connects early insights with recent developments in adjacent fields.With these various components connecting in multiple ways, a system-level end-to-end modeling approach is necessary for a comprehensive understanding and appropriate improvement of STPV systems. This approach will ultimately allow researchers to design STPV systems capable of exceeding recently demonstrated efficiency values.https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2016-0011solar powerthermophotovoltaicsselective solar absorbersselective emittersselective filters |
| spellingShingle | Zhou Zhiguang Sakr Enas Sun Yubo Bermel Peter Solar thermophotovoltaics: reshaping the solar spectrum Nanophotonics solar power thermophotovoltaics selective solar absorbers selective emitters selective filters |
| title | Solar thermophotovoltaics: reshaping the solar spectrum |
| title_full | Solar thermophotovoltaics: reshaping the solar spectrum |
| title_fullStr | Solar thermophotovoltaics: reshaping the solar spectrum |
| title_full_unstemmed | Solar thermophotovoltaics: reshaping the solar spectrum |
| title_short | Solar thermophotovoltaics: reshaping the solar spectrum |
| title_sort | solar thermophotovoltaics reshaping the solar spectrum |
| topic | solar power thermophotovoltaics selective solar absorbers selective emitters selective filters |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2016-0011 |
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