Development and Characterization of a Light Diffuser for a Concentrating PV Collector

Abstract: Hybrid solar systems as well as concentrating solar collectors are promising solar technologies. To run them efficiently in northern countries is a task Solarus AB is working on.The objective of this MSc project is to investigate and experimentally evaluate the option of implementing a light diffusing sheet in acompound parabolic concentrator (CPC) solar collector, called the “Scania Model”. This component should improve the non-uniform illumination of the photovoltaic cells in concentrating solar collectors.Therefore, scientific publications on this kind of solar collectors were read up on, e.g.Adsten, M. Brogren, M., Roos, A., Karlsson, B. Nilsson, J. and Leutz, R.After researching and procuring possible diffuser materials, experimental tests were carried out and the different materials were reviewed. Implemented in a solar simulator the IV curves of the collector with the different diffusers were generated. Furthermore, the influence of the materials on light was reviewed using daylight, laser light and an artificial light source. In the following, the light intensity distribution on the absorber of the Scania Model was defined and evaluated.The results of this project show that the main problem regarding diffuser material is to provide sufficient diffusion without much transmission losses.