ASYMMETRIC COMPOUND PARABOLIC PHOTOVOLTAIC CONCENTRATORS FOR BUILDING INTEGRATION IN THE UK: AN OPTICAL ANALYSIS

摘要

Non-imaging line-axis low concentration solar energy collectors are suitable for photovoltaic applications.The optical performance of air filled asymmetric compound parabolic photovoltaic concentrators(ACPPVC) suitable for south facing building fa?ades in the UK (52° N) have been analysed. Ray tracetechniques were used to predict the optical performance of systems with reflectors comprised of variousnumbers of planar elements to approximate the optimum parabolic reflector shape for both full andtruncated systems. From the simulations undertaken, the trade-off between angular acceptance and opticalefficiency for the truncated asymmetric compound parabolic photovoltaic concentrator is evident. Increasednumber of planar elements enables the parabolic reflector geometry to be closely approximated with aconsequent increase in the angular acceptance function.