Tests have performed to determine the terrestrial conversion efficiency and operating temperature in space of a modular photovoltaic concentrator being developed under Air Force contract. Nine test modules were fabricated, each having a set of three mirrors mounted in a graphite composite frame. Each mirror was mechanically formed of beryllium-copper sheet stock into an offset parabolic cylinder. An active photovoltaic receiver, comprising two strings of three parallel-connected gallium arsenide cells, was mounted on the central portion of the middle mirror in each module. Tests performed under terrestrial illumination (AM1.5) indicated mean mirror-cell conversion efficiency of 16.4 % for silvered mirrors, and 14 % for aluminized mirrors at a 50 Cel temperature. Tests performed within a liquid-nitrogen shrouded vacuum chamber indicated a cell operating temperature of 90 Cel, which corresponds well to results of independent thermal analysis. Using these data, performance of kilowatt-sized units in space using beryllium-copper mirrors is projected to be 35 W/kg. Through substitution of aluminium substrates for copper, a specific power of up to 55 W/kg is achievable in this configuration.
Initial performance tests of SLATS photovoltaic concentrator modules
Anfangsleistungstests von SLATS-Sonnenzellen-Konzentrator-Modulen
1987
3 Seiten, 7 Bilder, 1 Tabelle
Conference paper
English
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