IDEA #6C484X PROTECTIVE LAYER'S POLYACRYLIC FRESNEL CONCENTRATOR PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES

PROTECTIVE LAYER’’SS OONN POLYACRYLIC FRESNEL CONCENTRATOR PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES APPLIED RESEARCH • SOLARTECHNOLOGY AND PHOTOELECTRICS Description The direct conversion of solar energy into electric power, as can be realized by semiconductor(cid:2)based photovoltaic (PV) solar cells, has not been widely used at the present because of the relatively high costs when compared with traditional power generation methods. Amonix Inc. of USA has achieved an efficiency of 26,4% at 250x sun, the highest ever produced for silicon cells used in commercial concentrator PV modules. Cost(cid:2)wise, solar cells are the most expensive part in a PV mod(cid:2) ule. More power can be generated with the same amount of solar cells with the use of concentrators. Fresnel lenses (FL) made of polyacrylics have been used as concentrators with reasonable costs and are very suitable for large(cid:2)scale com(cid:2) mercial applications. However, polyacrylic FL is a mechanical(cid:2) ly somehow rigid polymeric material that may be subject to environmental and weathering – induced degradation. Protection of its long(cid:2)term performance against ultraviolet (UV) radiation, moisture ingress, mechanical impacts or abra(cid:2) sion, and chemical air pollutants is highly desirable. The com(cid:2) bination of a higher power output and longer service life can lead to a substantial reduction of the overall power generation costs when concentrator PV modules are used. To protect FL, a high(cid:2)performance AlN coating technology have been developed at the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology for reinforcement of the large(cid:2)area FL by condens(cid:2) ing an aluminum vacuum(cid:2)arc filtered plasma flow on the poly(cid:2) acrylic substrate in nitrogen ambience. Innovative Aspect and Main Advantages The AlN coating is deposited on a polymer substrate by con(cid:2) densing the aluminum plasma flow in nitrogen ambience. Unlike to known methods the plasma flow is generated by the DC vacuum(cid:2)arc plasma source with magnetic plasma filter. The latter will be used to clean the plasma flow from macroparticles (droplets) of the eroding cathode material (alu(cid:2) minum). Principle of magnetic filter action consist in spatial separation of the ion(cid:2)electron flow (useful component) and macroparticles trajectories (undesirable component). In par(cid:2) ticular, the principle of a small ratio of a plasma duct curvature by its inside width have been used. Geometry of the intercept(cid:2) ing baffles and screens system for interception and absorption of macroparticles has been calculated using the computer code developed by experts. Parameters of the filtered plasma flow generated by the source developed ensured deposition of the uniform protective coating onto the polymer plate of 210mm x 210mm in dimension Areas ooff Application Energy production for small to medium energy consumers Fig.1 Fragments of polyacrylic Fresnel concentrators with pro(cid:2) tective aluminum nitride coating for Photovoltaic Modules Fig.2 Updated vacuum chamber "Bulat(cid:2)6". Stage ooff Development The experimental equipment and several batches of samples are available Contact Details National Science Center "Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology", Kharkiv Contact person: Volodymyr Strelnytskiy Теl: (380) 57 3356607 Fax: (380) 57 3351688 E(cid:2)mail: strelnitskij@kipt.kharkov.ua INNOVATIVETECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE STCU 31