Concentration of sunlight to solar-surface levels using non-imaging optics

Gleckman, Philip; O’Gallagher, J.; Winston, R.

doi:10.1038/339198a0

Cited by 57 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…In addition, the concentration factor of our biconvex lens is 8,600. If we consider that solar concentrators with concentration factors as high as 84,000 have been reported 36,37 , our ZrO 2 samples doped with narrowband lanthanide ions and broadband transition metal ions are also expected to glow under the filtered sunlight that is concentrated at higher factors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At lower excitation power densities, the NaYF 4 :Yb 3 þ ,Er 3 þ sample performs better. Therefore, we reckon the upconversion by thermal radiation to be more preferable for concentrated solar radiation 36,37 . The different power dependence behaviours between our sample and the NaYF 4 :Yb 3 þ ,Er 3 þ sample are attributed to their distinct upconversion mechanisms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Photon energy upconversion through thermal radiation with the power efficiency reaching 16%

et al. 2014

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The efficiency of many solar energy conversion technologies is limited by their poor response to low-energy solar photons. One way for overcoming this limitation is to develop materials and methods that can efficiently convert low-energy photons into high-energy ones. Here we show that thermal radiation is an attractive route for photon energy upconversion, with efficiencies higher than those of state-of-the-art energy transfer upconversion under continuous wave laser excitation. A maximal power upconversion efficiency of 16% is achieved on Yb 3 þ -doped ZrO 2 . By examining various oxide samples doped with lanthanide or transition metal ions, we draw guidelines that materials with high melting points, low thermal conductivities and strong absorption to infrared light deliver high upconversion efficiencies. The feasibility of our upconversion approach is further demonstrated under concentrated sunlight excitation and continuous wave 976-nm laser excitation, where the upconverted white light is absorbed by Si solar cells to generate electricity and drive optical and electrical devices.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Photon energy upconversion through thermal radiation with the power efficiency reaching 16%

et al. 2014

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“…The crude reflectors adversely affect the ability to focus such large reflectors on the relatively small active area of the detectors. This disadvantage may be mitigated by using non-imaging concentrators [23], provided that the total path difference after these additional optical elements is not more than the specified tolerance (1cm in our example). Beyond these, we can imagine three major types of realizations: arrays with a central tower, arrays without a central tower, and a cross between the two: 1) Central tower, as in STACEE (Solar Tower Atmospheric Čerenkov Effect Experiment [24]): a field of "dumb" mirrors will simply reflect light to a central tower where all light will be detected and processed [1].…”

Section: Realizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Offline, multidetector intensity interferometers - II. Implications and applications

Ribak¹

2006

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Intensity interferometry removes the stringent requirements on mechanical precision and atmospheric corrections that plague all amplitude interferometry techniques at the cost of severely limited sensitivity. A new idea we recently introduced, very high redundancy, alleviates this problem. It enables the relatively simple construction (~1cm mechanical precision) of a ground-based astronomical facility able to transform a two-dimensional field of point-like sources to a three-dimensional distribution of micro-arcsec resolved systems, each imaged in several optical bands. Each system will also have its high resolution residual timing, high quality (inside each band) spectra and light curve, emergent flux, effective temperature, polarization effects and perhaps some thermodynamic properties, all directly measured. All the above attributes can be measured in a single observation run of such a dedicated facility. We conclude that after three decades of abandonment optical intensity interferometry deserves another review, also as a ground-based alternative to the science goals of space interferometers.Subject Heading: instrumentation: interferometers -instrumentation: high angular resolution -techniques: interferometric 1. INTRODUCTION Amplitude interferometry is today's mainstream technique for high angular resolution astronomy, mainly in the infrared regime. In principle, amplitude interferometers combine the electromagnetic waves from two or more separate locations to produce a high-resolution brightness distribution, or image, of the source. Intensity interferometry, on the other hand, combines the intensities of the electromagnetic wave via the correlation of the electrical currents generated by the detectors of the already-detected intensities. For astronomical purposes, the main advantage of intensity interferometry is its mechanical robustness: the required mechanical accuracy depends on the electrical bandwidth of the detectors, and not on the wavelength of the light. This opto-mechanical robustness also means that the atmosphere does not influence the performance of the instrument. The main disadvantages of intensity interferometry are its very low intrinsic sensitivity and the fact that the classical, two-detector intensity interferometer cannot reconstruct the phase of the complex degree of coherence, and thus can't be used to produce true images [1].

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“…The effective temperature of the photosphere is estimated to be 5800 K giving 6.4 kW/cm 2 (Noyes 1976). Gleckman et al (1989) give the flux at the sun's surface as 6.3 kW/cm 2 , which corresponds to an effective black-body temperature of 5775 K.…”

Section: The Sun Itselfmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the full range of possibilities remains to be established, there is potential for significant impacts on several nationally important problems, such as hazardous waste management, synthesis and processing of high-technology materials, water decontamination, and development of new technologies for international export. Recent advances in solar concentrator technology at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, (NREL) formerly known as the Solar Energy Research Institute, (SERI) (Carasso and Lewandowski 1990), and at the University of Chicago (Gleckman et al 1989;Welford and Winston 1989;Winston 1991) have demonstrated the potential of very high flux density solar furnaces, capable of furnishing peak photon intensities of up to 50,000 times the natural solar insolation at the earth's surface.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-flux solar photon processes: Opportunities for applications

Steinfeld¹,

Coy²,

Herzog³

et al. 1992

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe overall goal of this study was to identify new high-flux solar photon (HFSP) processes which show promise of being feasible and in the national interest. Electric power generation and hazardous waste destruction were excluded from this study at sponsor request.Our specific objectives were: * to survey pertinent information bases; · to construct and assemble in prescribed electronic form a bibliography of relevant literature; * to prepare an initial list of potentially promising HFSP applications; to define a set of criteria for evaluating potential HFSP applications; * to carry out more detailed evaluations of some of the more promising applications; · to provide recommendations on HFSP process applications indicating special promise; * to discuss the status of current relevant research; and * to recommend research needed to advance basic understanding of HFSP applications and to further their potential for practicality.Our approach was to carry out the project with a core team of researchers providing expertise over a broad array of foundational topics, viz., chemical physics, optics, spectroscopy, photochemistry, high-temperature reactions, industrial chemistry, and chemical process engineering. Because of the wide range of scientific and engineering disciplines relevant to the study goals and the relatively short time available for the study, members of the core team carried out intense, round-table discussions with invited experts in a diverse sphere of pertinent disciplines, e.g., pure and applied optics, solar energy, furnace design, combustion, materials science and engineering, etc. Core team members conferred with experts at the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) (now known as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL) and the University of Chicago, and with participants in related studies being conducted by the National Academy of Sciences and SRI International, Inc. PC-compatible software was used to carry out an in-depth survey of post-1985 literature and to assemble in electronic form a bibliographic data base of important publications. Our approach emphasized the importance of delineating critical scientific and engineering foundations for identifying, evaluating, and discriminating among potentially promising options for HFSP applications. For example, limitations on solar photon intensity and wavelength and temporal variations in solar insolation impact process capacity, duty cycle, and controllability. Competition from alternative sources of intense photon fluxes was also considered in some detail. Formal economic and engineering cost estimates were outside our charter, but the study noted the importance of considering both conventional and externalized factors (e.g., environmental impacts, national security, global competitiveness, quality of fossil or other energy displaced) in determining overall costs of HFSP and competing options.Our overall conclusion is that there is promise for new applications of concentrated solar photons, especially in certain aspects of ...

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Concentration of sunlight to solar-surface levels using non-imaging optics

Cited by 57 publications

References 7 publications

Photon energy upconversion through thermal radiation with the power efficiency reaching 16%

Photon energy upconversion through thermal radiation with the power efficiency reaching 16%

Offline, multidetector intensity interferometers - II. Implications and applications

High-flux solar photon processes: Opportunities for applications

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