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Transmissive microfluidic active cooling for concentrator photovoltaics

Author

Listed:
  • Islam, Kazi
  • Riggs, Brian
  • Ji, Yaping
  • Robertson, John
  • Spitler, Christopher
  • Romanin, Vince
  • Codd, Daniel
  • Escarra, Matthew D.

Abstract

We present the design, fabrication, characterization, and field testing of transmissive active cooling for use in a point-focus spectrum-splitting hybrid concentrator photovoltaics/thermal (CPV/T) system. Seven parallel-path 100 μm thick microchannels are made using polydimethylsiloxane and attached to a CPV module containing a 6 × 6 array of 5.5 mm transmissive CPV cells on a sapphire substrate. Water is flowed through the microchannels to actively cool the CPV cells. The total transmittance of the CPV module reduces by 5.2% with the addition of the active cooling microchannels, relative to the module transmission with no microchannels. The peak cell temperature is measured as 69 °C with a thermal resistance of 9.35 K/W at 157 suns, well below the 110 °C maximum allowed temperature. A maximum flowrate of 16.7 g/s is achieved from a 13 psi pressure drop across the microchannels and manifold assembly. The flow characteristics within each microfluidic channel show maximum fluid velocity of 4.3 m/s (Re = 953) with a calculated convection coefficient of 1.7 × 104 W/m2 K (Nu = 5.36). The CPV/T module and cooling system performance was validated during week-long outdoor tests under varying solar conditions up to 250 suns using a 2.7 m2 parabolic dish collector mounted to a two-axis tracking system.

Suggested Citation

  • Islam, Kazi & Riggs, Brian & Ji, Yaping & Robertson, John & Spitler, Christopher & Romanin, Vince & Codd, Daniel & Escarra, Matthew D., 2019. "Transmissive microfluidic active cooling for concentrator photovoltaics," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 906-915.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:236:y:2019:i:c:p:906-915
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.12.027
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Robertson, John & Riggs, Brian & Islam, Kazi & Ji, Yaping Vera & Spitler, Christopher M. & Gupta, Naman & Krut, Dimitri & Ermer, Jim & Miller, Fletcher & Codd, Daniel & Escarra, Matthew, 2019. "Field testing of a spectrum-splitting transmissive concentrator photovoltaic module," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 806-814.
    2. Abo-Zahhad, Essam M. & Ookawara, Shinichi & Radwan, Ali & El-Shazly, A.H. & Elkady, M.F., 2019. "Numerical analyses of hybrid jet impingement/microchannel cooling device for thermal management of high concentrator triple-junction solar cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    3. Nižetić, Sandro & Jurčević, Mišo & Čoko, Duje & Arıcı, Müslüm, 2021. "A novel and effective passive cooling strategy for photovoltaic panel," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    4. Ji, Yaping & Artzt, Luke E. & Adams, Will & Spitler, Christopher & Islam, Kazi & Codd, Daniel & Escarra, Matthew D., 2021. "A transmissive concentrator photovoltaic module with cells directly cooled by silicone oil for solar cogeneration systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    5. Zhu, Yizhou & Ma, Benchi & He, Baichuan & Ma, Xinyu & Jing, Dengwei, 2023. "Liquid spherical lens as an effective auxiliary optical unit for CPV/T system with remarkable hydrogen production efficiency," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 334(C).
    6. Qu, Wanjun & Hong, Hui & Jin, Hongguang, 2019. "A spectral splitting solar concentrator for cascading solar energy utilization by integrating photovoltaics and solar thermal fuel," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C), pages 162-173.
    7. Radwan, Ali & Ookawara, Shinichi & Ahmed, Mahmoud, 2019. "Thermal management of concentrator photovoltaic systems using two-phase flow boiling in double-layer microchannel heat sinks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C), pages 404-419.

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