A Review on Recent Development of Cooling Technologies for Concentrated Photovoltaics (CPV) Systems

Manxuan Xiao, Llewellyn Tang, Xingxing Zhang, Isaac Yu Fat Lun and Yanping Yuan
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Manxuan Xiao: Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham, Ningbo 315000, China
Llewellyn Tang: Department of Real Estate and Construction, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
Xingxing Zhang: Department of Energy, Forest and Built Environments, Dalarna University, 79188 Falun, Sweden
Isaac Yu Fat Lun: Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham, Ningbo 315000, China
Yanping Yuan: School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610000, China

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-39

Abstract: Concentrated Photovoltaics (CPV) technology, as an energy saving method which can directly generate electricity from the Sun, has attracted an ever-increasing attention with the deepening worldwide energy crisis. However, operating temperature is one of the main concerns that affect the CPV system. Excess cell temperature causes electrical conversion efficiency loss and cell lifespan decrease. Thus, reasonable cooling methods should decrease the operating temperature and balance the flare inhomogeneity. They also need to display high reliability, low power consumption, and convenient installation. This paper presented the architectural, commercial, and industrial usage of CPV system, reviewed the recent research developments of different cooling techniques of CPV systems during last few years, including the spectral beam splitting technology, cogeneration power technology, commonly used and promising cooling techniques, active and passive cooling methods. It also analysed the design considerations of the cooling methods in CPV systems, introduced the classification and basic working principles and provided a thorough compilation of different cooling techniques with their advantages, current research limitations, challenges, and possible further research directions. The aim of this work is to find the research gap and recommend feasible research direction of cooling technologies for CPV systems.

Keywords: concentrated photovoltaics system; cell temperature; efficiency; active cooling technologies; passive cooling technologies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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