SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2022/2023
- Teacher
- DONATO VINCENZI
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Secondo Semestre
- SSD
- FIS/01
Training objectives
- The educational target of the “Solar Energy Systems” lectures is to provide the students with the fundamental knowledge on physical phenomena underlying the functioning of devices and systems for the conversion of solar energy. In particular, the lectures will deal with the operating principles of photovoltaic cells by analyzing all the loss mechanisms of this type of device: quantum conversion losses, optical losses, electrical losses, radiative and non-radiative recombination mechanisms and identification of the maximum power point. Tandem photovoltaic devices based on silicon and compound semiconductors will also be analyzed.
The course will guide the students in the use of PC1D simulation software, which allows to conduct one-dimensional analyzes of photovoltaic devices PN, PIN and heterojunctions.
Concentrated photovoltaic systems based on Fresnel lenses and mirrors, and luminescence solar concentrators will then be presented.
The main sequential and non-sequential Ray Tracing softwares will be presented. We will practice with the simulation of effects such as solar concentration, self shading of sun trackers and we will study the propagation of light within luminescent solar concentrators.
The final part of the course will review a series of systems for the direct conversion from solar energy to chemical energy (solar to fuel) such as photocatalytic systems and systems based on photosensitive microorganisms.
The course will end with an educational visit to the Ottana solar power plant.
The main knowledge acquired during the lectures will be:
- Physical phenomena underlying the operation of photovoltaic devices.
- Operative limits and maximum efficiency of the various types of photovoltaic cell.
- Loss mechanisms in photovoltaic devices.
- Components and features of solar concentrating systems based on Fresnel lenses, mirrors and on luminescence solar concentrators.
The main skills (i.e. the ability to apply the knowledge acquired) will be:
- Ability to analyze the electrical and optical characteristics of a photovoltaic device and to obtain the fundamental efficiency parameters, Voc, Isc and Fill Factor.
- Ability to simulate JV characteristics, charge density and electric field within a one-dimensional photovoltaic device.
- Ability to analyze the components of a concentrated solar system and identify the main efficiency loss mechanisms. Prerequisites
- Basic knowledge of electricity and magnetism, current and current density, potential difference, electrical resistance, charge density. Block wave function, formation of the energy gap in semiconductors, and Fermi level.
Course programme
- The solar source: characteristics of the solar radiation, frequency spectrum and angular distribution as a function of wavelength (spectral sunshape), apparent sun movement, methods and algorithms for the calculation of solar radiation on the ground.
- References to semiconductor physics: concept of prohibited energy band, mechanisms of generation and recombination of charge carriers.
- Photovoltaic cells: the photoelectric effect, radiation interaction with matter (case of conductors, semiconductors and insulators)
- Optical losses in photovoltaic devices and methods for minimizing reflectivity (anti-reflection coating and band-pass filters)
- Electrical losses (series and shunt resistances) and analysis of the main causes.
- Search for the maximum power point of a photovoltaic device and its variation with irradiation.
- Multi-junction photovoltaic cells (tandem cells)
- One-dimensional simulation of photovoltaic devices using PC1D software
- Solar concentrators: concentration limits, concept of angular acceptance and maximization of collection efficiency
- Luminescence solar concentrators: downshift and up-shift mechanisms, typology of chromophores used for luminescence concentrators, loss mechanisms, architectural integration of LSC devices.
- Direct conversion of solar energy into chemical energy: photocatalytic systems based on metal semiconductor oxides, efficiency limits and types of reactions that can be triggered, solar reforming, use of photosensitive microorganisms for fuel generation.
- Concentrated thermal solar systems (CSP): heliostat fields, generators based on thermodynamic cycles, theoretical limits and technological limits. Didactic methods
- Lectures on the blackboard with the aid of a video projector. Educational visit of a solar power plant including photovoltaic and CSP systems.
Learning assessment procedures
- Oral exam including 4 general questions (plus any questions for clarification). For each general question a maximum score of 8 points is awarded. The exam is considered passed if the student scores more than 18/30.
Reference texts
- “Physics of Semiconductor Devices”, S. M. Sze and Kwok K. Ng, Wiley-Interscience, ISBN-10: 0471143235, ISBN-13: 978-0471143239
“Solar Cells: Operating Principles, Technology, and System Applications”, Martin A. Green, Prentice Hall, ISBN-10: 0138222703, ISBN-13: 978-0138222703
“Nonimaging Optics”, Roland Winston, Juan C. Minano, Pablo G. Benitez, Academic Press, ISBN-10: 0127597514, ISBN-13: 978-0127597515
PV Education CD-ROM (https://www.pveducation.org/index.php)
Winston, R., and H. Hinterberger. "Principles of Cylindrical Concentrators for Solar Energy." Solar Energy 17 (1975): 255-258.
“The Performance of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Systems: Analysis, Measurement and Assessment”, Peter Heller, Woodhead Publishing, ISBN-10: 0081004478, ISBN-13: 978-0081004470
Materiale didattico fornito dal docente
