Seeking Fresnel Lens For Concentrated Photovoltaic Products

Kurzfassung

A Turkish SME has developed a novel concentrated photovoltaic/thermal hybrid generator system with enhanced efficiency. The product utilizes high optical concentration on a high efficiency photovoltaic cell that is cooled by water. The firm is looking for alternative material and products for the Fresnel lens that is used for the optical concentration. The company is open to commercial agreements with technical assistance related to this technology.

Details

The Turkish company provides products that use concentrated photovoltaic systems (CPV) to convert solar energy into electrical energy for home and commercial users. Concentrated photovoltaic technologies utilize sunlight concentrated onto the photovoltaic surface via optical means, and they are mounted on trackers in order to keep the sun focused on the cell as the sun moves. Much less area is needed compared to flat PV arrays but the solar cell needs to be cooled efficiently by suitable heat sinks. High concentration photovoltaic devices employ concentrating optics that are able to concentrate sunlight to 300 suns or higher. Cells require high capacity heat sinks or a very efficient design to prevent thermal destruction and management of temperature related efficiency losses. Concentrating optics consists of dish reflectors or fresnel lenses and the high efficiency multi-junction photovoltaic cells used in CPV were originally developed for the space programs. The concentrating optics of the system can be manufactured from various materials such as glass as or polymers.

The Turkish company is looking for alternative material and products for the Fresnel lens that is used for the optical concentration. It seeks commercial agreements with technical assistance in providing this lens to be used in concentrated photovoltaic products.

Technical Specifications / Specific technical requirements:
Some of the required characteristics are as follows:
- Fresnel lenses manufactured using PMMA (poly methyl methacrylate) or SOG ;silica on glass,
- Concentration ratio > 1000 -1600
- Temperature range: between 80-100 oC
- Size: 500x500 mm