Numerical Validation of a New Approach to Model Single Junction Low Concentration PV Cells under Non-Uniform Illumination

Hang Zhou, Yuehong Su, Michele Bottarelli, Marco Bortoloni and Shenyi Wu
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Hang Zhou: Institute of Sustainable Energy Technology, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham, University Park NG7 2RD, UK
Yuehong Su: Institute of Sustainable Energy Technology, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham, University Park NG7 2RD, UK
Michele Bottarelli: Department of Architecture, University of Ferrara, Via Quartieri 8, Ferrara 44121, Italy
Marco Bortoloni: Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, Ferrara 44122, Italy
Shenyi Wu: Institute of Sustainable Energy Technology, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham, University Park NG7 2RD, UK

Energies, 2015, vol. 8, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: This study presents a numerical validation of a new approach to model single junction PV cell under non-uniform illumination for low-concentration solar collectors such as compound parabolic concentrators (CPC). The simulation is achieved by finite element modelling (FEM). To characterize the results, the model is simulated with five different non-uniform illumination profiles. The results indicate that increasing the non-uniformity of concentrated light will introduce more resistive losses and lead to a significant attenuation in the PV cell short-circuit current. The FEM modelling results are then used to validate the array modelling approach, in which a single junction PV cell is considered equivalent to a parallel-connected array of several cell splits. A comparison between the FEM and array modelling approaches shows good agreement. Therefore, the array modelling approach is a fast way to investigate the PV cell performance under non-uniform illumination, while the FEM approach is useful in optimizing design of fingers and bus-bars on a PV.

Keywords: single junction PV cell; CPC; non-uniform illumination; finite element modelling (FEM); array modelling (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: 2015
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