Evaluation the Performance of CPV with Different Concentration Ratio

Abstract

The present work aims at decrease the cost of the photovoltaic (PV) solar system by decreasing the area of expensive solar cells by low cost optical concentrators that give the same output power. Output power of two types’ monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon solar cells has been measured with and without presence of linear focus Fresnel lenses (FL) with different concentration ratios. Cooling system has been used to decrease the effect of temperature on solar cell performance. The results indicated that the increase in the output power is about 5.3 times by using Fresnel lens concentrator without using cooling system in comparison with solar cell without concentrator, while it is about 14.6 times by using cooling system. The efficiency of monocrystalline solar cell without cooling system is about 11.2% for solar irradiance 0.698 kW/m², this value decrease to 3.3% for solar irradiance 12.4 kW/m² and concentration ratio 17.7 by using Fresnel lens concentrator, while when using cooling system the efficiency enhance to 12.9% and 8.8% for solar irradiance 0.698 and 12.4, respectively.