Optical Simulation of PV Solar Concentrators by two Inverse Characterization Methods

Abstract

The optical characterization of solar concentrators for photovoltaic applications is increasing its importance with the recent first commercialization of so me CPV technologies. In th is paper two effective characterization methodologies are presented, applied to a representative optics of concentration. Two "inverse" methods are compared: the firstly presented inverse illu mination method and another approach, derived by the inverse lu minescence method, operating with electrolu minescent light. Both use ideal lambertian sources for producing the inverse light path and can be applied to any type of solar concentrator (photovoltaic or thermodynamic). The optical simu lations show their equivalence to get the angular distribution of the transmission efficiency function, but the original inverse illu mination method demonstrates a simpler configuration and permits a significantly faster simulation process.