Conversion efficiency improvement in GaAs solar cells
- Authors: Das, Narottam , Islam, Syed
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Large Scale Renewable Power Generation : Advances in Technologies for Generation, Transmission and Storage (part of the Green Energy and Technology book series) Chapter 3 p. 53-75
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The finite-difference time domain (FDTD) tool is used to simulate the reflection losses of subwavelength grating (SWG) structure in GaAs solar cells. The SWG structures act as an excellent alternative antireflective (AR) coating due to its capacity to reduce the reflection losses in GaAs solar cells. The SWG structures allow the gradual change in refractive index that confirms an excellent AR coating and light trapping properties, when compared with the planar thin film structures. The nanorod (nano-grating) structure acts as a single layer AR coating, whereas the triangular (conical or perfect cone) and parabolic (i.e., trapezoidal or truncated cone) shaped nano-grating structures act as a multilayer AR coating. The simulation results show that the reflection loss of triangular (conical or perfect cone) shaped nano-grating structure having a 300 nm grating height and an 830 nm period is ~2 %, which is about 28 % less than that of flat type substrates. The simulated results show that the light reflection of a rectangular shaped grating structure is ~30 %, however, the light reflection becomes ~2 % for a triangular (conical or perfect cone) shaped nano-grating structure, because the refractive index changes gradually in several steps and reduces the reflection losses. It is also noticed that the intermediate structures (trapezoidal and parabolic shaped), the light reflection loss is lower than the rectangular shaped nano-grating structure but higher than the triangular shaped nano-grating structure. The simulated results confirm that the reduction of light reflection losses in GaAs solar cell will increase the conversion efficiency. Therefore, this analysis confirmed that the triangular (i.e., perfect cone or conical) shaped nano-grating structures are an excellent alternative AR coating for the improvement of conversion efficiency in GaAs solar cells.
A preliminary study on conversion efficiency improvement of a multi-junction PV cell with MPPT
- Authors: Das, Narottam , Wongsodihardjo, Hendy , Islam, Syed
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Smart Power Systems and Renewable Energy System Integration (part of the Studies in Systems, Decision and Control book series) Chapter 4 p. 49-73
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: This chapter presents a preliminary study conducted to improve photovoltaic (PV) cell conversion efficiency using MATLAB/Simulink platform. The study uses multi-junction solar cell and investigates the maximum performance compared with a conventional silicon PV cell. Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) is applied to assess the conversion efficiency of the PV system. Study integrates thermoelectric generator (TEG) with PV modules because the PV cells work by converting high frequency irradiation where as a TEG has the ability to convert wasted low frequency heat to the electricity. The combination delivers more power and contributes to enhance the conversion efficiency of a PV system. The simulation results show that a tandem cell can provide a considerable higher power with a conventional PV cell operation.