Expand this Topic clickable element to expand a topic
Skip to content
Optica Publishing Group

Compact, semi-passive beam steering prism array for solar concentrators

Not Accessible

Your library or personal account may give you access

Abstract

In order to maximize solar energy utilization in a limited space (e.g., rooftops), solar collectors should track the sun. As an alternative to rotational tracking systems, this paper presents a compact, semi-passive beam steering prism array which has been designed, analyzed, and tested for solar applications. The proposed prism array enables a linear concentrator system to remain stationary so that it can integrate with a variety of different solar concentrators, and which should be particularly useful for systems which require a low profile (namely rooftop-mounted systems). A case study of this prism array working within a specific rooftop solar collector demonstrates that it can boost the average daily optical efficiency of the collector by 32.7% and expand its effective working time from 6 h to 7.33 h. Overall, the proposed design provides an alternative way to “follow” the sun for a wide range of solar thermal and photovoltaic concentrator systems.

© 2017 Optical Society of America

Full Article  |  PDF Article
More Like This
Solar concentrator constructed with a circular prism array

Jia-hong Huang, Wun-Ciang Fei, Wei-Chi Hsu, and Jui-che Tsai
Appl. Opt. 49(23) 4472-4478 (2010)

Theory and design of line-to-point focus solar concentrators with tracking secondary optics

Thomas Cooper, Gianluca Ambrosetti, Andrea Pedretti, and Aldo Steinfeld
Appl. Opt. 52(35) 8586-8616 (2013)

Cited By

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Figures (14)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Tables (3)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article tables are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Equations (17)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Equations are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Select as filters


Select Topics Cancel
© Copyright 2024 | Optica Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved