The CPV “toolbox”: New approaches to maximizing solar resource utilization with application-oriented concentrator photovoltaics

As the scaling of silicon PV cells and module manufacturing has driven solar energy penetration up and costs down, concentrator photovoltaic technologies, originally conceived as a cost-saving measure, have largely been left behind. The loss of market share by CPV is being locked in even as solar energy development encounters significant obstacles related to space constraints in many parts of the world. The inherently higher collection efficiency enabled by the use of concentrators could substantially alleviate these challenges, but the revival of CPV for this purpose requires substantial reinvention of the technology to actually capture the theoretically possible efficiency gains, and to do so at market-friendly costs. This article will discuss recent progress in key areas central to this reinvention, including miniaturization of cells and optics to produce compact, lightweight “micro-CPV” systems; hybridization of CPV with thermal, illumination and other applications to make use of unused energy streams such as diffuse light and waste heat; and the integration of sun-tracking into the CPV module architecture to enable greater light collection and more flexible deployment, including integration into built structures. Applications showing particular promise include thermal applications such as water heating, industrial processes and desalination; agricultural photovoltaics; building-integrated photovoltaics with dynamic daylighting capabilities; and chemical processes including photocatalysis and hydrogen production. By appropriately tailoring systems to the available solar resource and local energy demand, we demonstrate how CPV can finally achieve real-world efficiencies, or solar resource utilization factors, far higher than those of standard silicon-based PV systems. This makes the argument for sustained development of novel CPV designs that can be applied to the real-world settings where this efficiency boost will be most beneficial

Efficiency enhancement in two-cell CIGS photovoltaic system with low-cost optical spectral splitter.

Spectrum splitting represents a valid alternative to multi-junction solar cells for broadband light-to-electricity conversion. While this concept has existed for decades, its adoption at the industrial scale is still stifled by high manufacturing costs and inability to scale to large areas. Here we report the experimental validation of a novel design that could allow the widespread adoption of spectrum splitting as a low-cost approach to high efficiency photovoltaic conversion. Our system consists of a prismatic lens that can be manufactured using the same methods employed for conventional CPV optic production, and two inexpensive CuInGaSe(2) (CIGS) solar cells having different composition and, thus, band gaps. We demonstrate a large improvement in cell efficiency under the splitter and show how this can lead to substantial increases in system output at competitive cost using existing technologies

Progress in crystal extraction and collimation

Recent IHEP Protvino experiments show efficiencies of crystal-assisted slow extraction and collimation of 85.3+-2.8%, at the intensities of the channeled beam on the order of 10^12 proton per spill of 2 s duration. The obtained experimental data well follows the theory predictions. We compare the measurements against theory and outline the theoretical potential for further improvement in the efficiency of the technique. This success is important for the efficient use of IHEP accelerator and for implementation of crystal-assisted collimation at RHIC and slow extraction from AGS onto E952, now in preparation. Future applications, spanning in the energy from order of 1 GeV (scraping in SNS, slow extraction from COSY and medical accelerators) to order of 1 TeV and beyond (scraping in Tevatron, LHC, VLHC), can benefit from these studies.Comment: 7pp. Presented at HEACC 2001 (Tsukuba, March 25-30

Crystal experiments on efficient beam extraction

Silicon crystal was channeling and extracting 70-GeV protons from the U-70 accelerator with efficiency of 85.3+-2.8% as measured for a beam of 10^12 protons directed towards crystals of 2 mm length in spills of 1-2 s duration. The experimental data follow very well the prediction of Monte Carlo simulations. This success is important to devise a more efficient use of the U-70 accelerator in Protvino and provides a crucial support for implementation of crystal-assisted collimation of gold ion beam in RHIC and slow extraction from AGS onto E952, now in preparation at Brookhaven Nat'l Lab. Future applications, spanning in the energy from sub-GeV (medical) to order of 1 GeV (scraping in the SNS, extraction from COSY) to order of 1 TeV and beyond (scraping in the Tevatron, LHC, VLHC), can benefit from these studies.Comment: 12pp. Presented at 19-th Intern. Conference on Atomic Collisions in Solids (ICACS-19: Paris, July 29 - August 3, 2001

Highly efficient crystal deflector for channeling extraction of a proton beam from accelerators

The design and performance of a novel crystal deflector for proton beams are reported. A silicon crystal was used to channel and extract 70 GeV protons from the U-70 accelerator in Protvino with an efficiency of 85%, as measured for a beam of ~1e12 protons directed towards crystals of ~2 mm length in spills of ~2 s duration. Experimental data agree with the theoretically predicted Monte Carlo results for channeling. The technique allows one to manufacture a very short deflector along the beam direction (2 mm). Consequently, multiple encounters of circulating particles with the crystal are possible with little probability of multiple scattering and nuclear interactions per encounter. Thus, drastic increase in efficiency for particle extraction out of the accelerator was attained. We show the characteristics of the crystal- deflector and the technology behind it. Such an achievement is important in devising a more efficient use of the U-70 accelerator and provides crucial support for implementing crystal-assisted slow extraction and collimation in other machines, such as the Tevatron, RHIC, the AGS, the SNS, COSY, and the LHC.Comment: Presented at PAC 2003 (Portland, May 12-16

Crystal Deflector for Highly-efficient Channelling Extraction of a Proton Beam from Accelerators

The design and manufacturing details of a new crystal deflector for proton beams are reported. The technique allows one to manufacture a very short deflector along the beam direction (2 mm). Thanks to that, multiple encounters of circulating particles with the crystal are possible with a reduced probability of multiple scattering and nuclear interactions per encounter. Thus, drastic increase in efficiency for particle extraction out of the accelerator was attained (85%) on a 70-GeV proton beam. We show the characteristics of the crystal-deflector and the technology behind it

The Investigations Of Beam Extraction And Collimation At U-70 Proton Synchrotron Of IHEP By Using Short Silicon Crystals

The new results of using short (2-4mm) bent crystals for extraction and collimation of proton beam at IHEP 70 Gev proton synchrotron are reported. A broad range of energies from 6 to 65 GeV has been studied in the same crystal collimation set-up. The efficiency of extraction more than 85% and intensity more than 10E12 were obtained by using crystal with the length 2-mm and the angle 1 mrad. The new regime of extraction is applied now at the accelerator to deliver the beam for different experimental setups within the range of intensity 10E7-10E12ppp.Comment: Presented at EPAC 2002 (Paris, June 3-7), 3p

Crystal deflector for highly efficient channeling extraction of a proton beam from accelerators

The design and manufacturing details of a new crystal deflector for proton beams are reported. The technique allows one to manufacture a very short deflector along the beam direction (2 mm). Thanks to that, multiple encounters of circulating particles with the crystal are possible with a reduced probability of multiple scattering and nuclear interactions per encounter. Thus, drastic increase in efficiency for particle extraction out of the accelerator was attained (85%) on a 70 GeV proton beam. We show the characteristics of the crystal deflector and the technology behind it