An Open-Source Monte Carlo Ray-Tracing Simulation Tool for Luminescent Solar Concentrators with Validation Studies Employing Scattering Phosphor Films

Duncan E. Smith, Michael D. Hughes, Bhakti Patel and Diana-Andra Borca-Tasciuc
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Duncan E. Smith: Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
Michael D. Hughes: Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
Bhakti Patel: Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
Diana-Andra Borca-Tasciuc: Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 2, 1-28

Abstract: Luminescent solar concentrators enhance the power output of solar cells through wave-guided luminescent emission and have great potential as building-integrated photovoltaics. Luminescent solar concentrators with a variety of geometries and absorbing–emitting materials have been reported in the literature. As the breadth of available experimental configurations continues to grow, there is an increasing need for versatile Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulation tools to analyze the performance of these devices for specific applications. This paper presents the framework for a Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulation tool that can be used to analyze a host of three-dimensional geometries. It incorporates custom radiative transport models to consider the effects of scattering from luminescent media, while simultaneously modeling absorption and luminescent emission. The model is validated using experimental results for three-dimensional planar and wedge-shaped luminescent solar concentrators employing scattering phosphor films. Performance was studied as a function of length, wavelength, and the angle of incidence of incoming light. The data for the validation studies and the code (written using the Python programming language) associated with the described model are publically available.

Keywords: luminescent solar concentrator; monte carlo; ray-tracing; flux gain; geometric gain; effects of shape; incidence angle; rotation matrices; spectral response; experimental validation (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: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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