Photovoltaic Concentrator with Plastic-Film Reflector. Final Report

摘要

A 4m diameter reflective film, parabolic dish concentrator proposed for use with a photovoltaic array has been designed, fabricated, and tested. The concentrator is made from aluminized film gores (wedge shaped pieces) that are taped together along their edges to form a dish. The shape of the dish is maintained by a pressure difference between the front and back. The deep dish was designed to illuminate a cylindrical receiver populated by solar cells with a geometric concentration ratio of 145. Three full scale dishes were made in sequence, each using improvements suggested by the previous design. They were tested with a laser to determine surface errors and flux uniformity on the target. (ERA citation 08:002020)