Curved modules

[Concentrated_PV]

Hey everyone

I'm trying to develop a module that has a large amount of inbuilt curve, about 20 degrees difference from top to bottom. It is only a one dimensional curve so it doesn't get to complex.

However I'm looking for an encapsulation material that acts as a refraction coating. Something that could cause the cells on one end of the module to receive light at the same angle as those at the other end.

Has anyone heard or used such a material? or even found a company that makes curved modules?

Thanks

[inetdog]

Hey everyone

I'm trying to develop a module that has a large amount of inbuilt curve, about 20 degrees difference from top to bottom. It is only a one dimensional curve so it doesn't get to complex.

However I'm looking for an encapsulation material that acts as a refraction coating. Something that could cause the cells on one end of the module to receive light at the same angle as those at the other end.

That sounds like a large waste of effort. If applied with the curve in place, I cannot see any way to shape the surface of the encapsulant so that it would properly act as a refractor. And in any case, you would still have exactly the same loss of insolation on the cell area, just not the additional losses through reflection at the interfaces. A 20 degree difference in the angle of incidence of the light on the cell itself will be negligible if one end of the curve (or better yet the middle) is pointed directly at the sun.

If you really are interested in the physics and optics just for the intellectual exercise, I would suggest that you use a mold to stamp a Fresnel lens into the top surface of the encapsulation.

The other possibility would be to use a really big focusing mirror to shine the sunlight onto the whole surface of the panel at the correct angle. Then you would not need the refractor.

[Concentrated_PV]

Thanks mate I appreciate that, thought about it a little bit more and saw why it wouldn't work, which is annoying as a lens really isn't an option. I guess removing any bad angle problems is just the job of the anti-reflection coating.

If that's the case, do you know of any cool tricks to remove mismatch for uneven insulation? or even better a way of increasing the thermal conductivity of an integrated module to reduce heat issues?

Thanks