CPV: Concentrated Photovoltaic

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Roma, December 2018 - PTA 1

CPV: Concentrated Photovoltaic

Coordinator:

Prof. Sandro Centro, University of Padua Participants:

Dr. Nardello Marco, Centro Fermi, Research fellow, 09/06/2016-now

Place of Work & Collaborations:

Dept. of Physics and Astronomy “Galileo Galilei” University of Padua

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Project main goal

Producing an industrial CPV photovoltaic system

• 3J solar cells

• High efficiency (ƞ=44%)

• Small surface (5,5x5,5mm)

• Allow for light concentration

• Better behavior at high temperature

• Recyclable materials

• Avoids problems of Si decommissioning

• Concentration (700x)

• Al mirrors, PC substrate

• SiO2 prism as a secondary optic

• Low cost

• Better quality than lenses

• Low volumes

• Solar tracking

• Higher light collection

• Higher complexity and costs

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CPV: Concentrated Photovoltaic

Roma, December 2018 - PTA

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Results achieved in 2018

Milestones 2018

• Analysis and acquisition of data collected by pilot installation in Sicily. This activity will be active until the and of 2019 - 70%

• Study of a compatible seconadry optic allowing reduction of DBC dimensions: optical bench work and ray tracing simulations - 50%

• Simulations and thermal measurements on DBC with different dimensions and geometries - 30%

• Realization of an optical setup with LED illumination able to provide high luminous power and collimation to test primary optics reflectivity and receiver efficiency - 30 %

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Results achieved in 2018

Installation in Sicily

• 3,6kW

• 24 modules

• Proto serramenti, industry in Agrigento

Production of new modules

• Control of thermal stress on receiver support

• Heating at 150°C

• Deformation

• Use of new type of sealant for glass

• Adhesive presented VOC when heated

• Use of glue (adopted for naval applications)

• Use of new thermal glue

• Same thermal coefficient

• Better mechanical strength

• Better adaptability to thermal stresses

• New thermal shield

• Better coverage to protect off pointing

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Results achieved in 2018

Installation in Sicily

First installation at production site

• San Vendemiano (TV)

• Test purposes

• The aforementioned problems were solved with the adopted modifications

• Performances

• 2430W (700W/m² DNI) produced AC current

• 2910W production for 24 modules at CSOC (900W/m² DNI, ambient T 25°C)

• Nominal efficiency at CSOC 28%

• Nominal efficiency (at CSTC) 31% for modules DC production

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Results achieved in 2018

Installation in Sicily Transportation

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Results achieved in 2018

Installation in Sicily Transfer

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Results achieved in 2018

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Results achieved in 2018

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Results achieved in 2018

Installation in Sicily Installation

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Results achieved in 2018

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Results achieved in 2018

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Results achieved in 2018

Performances:

• 3100W (830W/m² DNI)

• 3361W – 28% (CSOC)

• 3735W – 31% (CSTC for modules DC production) Efficiencies confermed

More power produced throughout the year because of better

environmental conditions

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Results achieved in 2018

Further developement of the system

Modification of the receiver assembly

• Cost reduction (less material)

• Changing of custom layout

• Possiblity of using a complete receiver produced by AzurSpace (less suppliers in the chain)

• Need for a feasibility study and new handling techniques

• Need for a modification of the optics

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Results achieved in 2018

Use of AzurSpace receiver Cheap and efficient solution.

Feasibility?

Thermal studies:

No increase of temperature on the cell because of lower dissipation area (more efficient soldering technique compensates)

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Results achieved in 2018

Use of AzurSpace receiver Cheap and efficient solution.

Feasibility?

Optical studies:

Optical loss applying the new receiver on our system: 25%

Optical losses reduced to 8% positioning the receiver at an angle with its actual location on the aluminum wall (modification of the extruded bar necessary)

Improvement is not enough

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Results achieved in 2018

Testing equipment

Need to test electrical behaviour of cells and modules, also during on-field operation:

Portable instrumentation:

• Laptop

• Portable oscilloscope

• Small box for electronics

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Results achieved in 2018

Testing equipment

Need to reproduce the correct solar spectrum:

Adequate choice of different LEDs

Use of matlab code to select type and intensity of each LED

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Milestones 2019

• During 2019 data of efficiency, power production, reliability from first external installation of TwinFocus will be available. Data analysis and study of problems will take place throughout the year

• For future productions the process of alluminum covering will be improved, maintaining the good reflectivity of the mirror, but increasing its resistence to humidity

• We will proceed to realize an optical setup with LED lights to test the single receiver

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Plan of activities 2019 - 2021

Monitoring of pilot installation 2019 and 2020

To be checked:

• Energy production

• Efficiency

• Reliability

• Behaviour at different environmental conditions (hot summer)

• Intervention in case of problems

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Plan of activities 2019 - 2021

Receiver improvement

The tested device provided by AzurSpace is not compatible with our optical layout Solutions?

• Reshape the primary optic to use Azur receiver and maintain best efficiency, best cost, best thermal management

• Study improvements on the existing setup

• Smaller substrate

• More efficient cell glueing (soldering)

Decision to be made in accordance with involved companies

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Plan of activities 2019 - 2021

Deposition of aluminum layer

• Good reflective power

• Weakness of protective SiO2 layer (only 10nm)

• Permeation with water can ruin the mirror

Already done

• SIMS analysis shows modification of chemical structure and topography

• Thickness of SiO2 layer of 10nm (Collaboration with UniPD)

To be done

• Increasing SiO2 Thickness

• Change of deposition method

(Collaboration with SuNaGen)

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Conteggi (#)

Profondità (nm)

H C O Si AlO

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Plan of activities 2019 - 2021

Use of LED light for testing setup

• Need for a cheap, stable, wide light beam to light entire optical element or entire module

• Use of different type of LEDs can simulate solar spectrum

• Difficulty to obtain a collimated beam of adequate dimension and intensity

Already done

• Concept to use primary mirror as collimator for the source

• Portable setup for outdoor testing

• Choice of LEDs to be used (correct spectrum reconstruction)

To be done in 2019

• Realisation of single cell setup

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Papers and presentations

9° Young researcher Meeting

• Oral presentation

• Proceeding (accepted for publication) Pubblication on «Il Sole 24 ore»

Presence at CPV14 - Puertollano

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Expected funding in the 3-year period:

- Request of funding by Centro Fermi

Grant: 1 grant, for the 3-year period of the plan (75k€) Consumables/inventory per year (15k€)

• Travels: Sicily - to work on installed tracker, conferences, trip to productive area (8k€)

• Instrumentation (7k€)

- Potential external funding

Possible funding through special agreements with the industries involved in the project (e.g. specific modelling or analysis).

In 2016 42.7k€ collected through provided industrial consulting.

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