Design and performance evaluation of a novel photovoltaic and concentrated solar thermal system using parabolic trough-shaped spectrum filter
Gang Wang, Jialin Liu
Abstract
This study aims to increase the overall solar utilization efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) system. The main novelty of this paper is the design and performance analysis of a PV and concentration solar thermal (PVCST) system using parabolic trough-shaped beam splitter. A Ge/SiO2 film-based beam splitter is designed for the PVCST system by using Needle method, and its average reflectance and transmittance for full-wavelength range are 30.6% and 69.4%. When the total PV panel area is 9.5 m2 and beam splitting condition is adopted, the optical and operation performances of the PVCST system are evaluated using Monte Carlo ray tracing simulations and theoretical calculations. The results show that when the solar receiver tube height is in 1150.0 ~ 1250.0 mm, the receiver surface can have the maximum radiation energy flux (1106.5 W). When the north-south or east–west solar tracking error is less than 0.5°, the PVCST system can have an optical efficiency higher than 88.53%. With the operation temperature of solar receiver increased, the electric power of the PVCST system increases first and then decreases. When the tube temperature is about 200.0°C, the PVCST system has the maximum output power (1838.4 W), and the maximum overall energy efficiency is 21.3%.