The Feasibility of Luminescent Solar Concentrators Overlays for Conventional Lens

The vast majority of LSC devices studied to date have been flat. To enhance their integration potential in buildings and vehicles, this study assesses the performance of non-planar LSC PV devices with integrated lenses. Four different combinations of lenses and LSCs have been designed in Solidworks and simulated by means of ray tracing in LightTools software. These devices have a diameter (D) of 20mm and a focal length (f) of 25.3 mm. All parts are made of PMMA, with the LSC sections doped with Lumogen Red 305 dye at a concentration of 110 parts per million (ppm). A circular silicon solar cell (diameter 10 mm) has been placed 15 mm below the lens and a long silicon solar cell to the circular edge of the top LSC. The simulation results show that under diffuse irradiance conditions, a 1 mm LSC cover layer on the top of the lens results in a power conversion efficiency above 7%, compared with 6% for a bare lens. Additional advantages are a red shift of the incoming spectrum which improves the power conversion efficiency of silicon PV cells. Although LSCs in combination with lenses do not always result in better PCEs than devices without LSC parts, the better performance under diffuse irradiance conditions lets LSC technology has a good potential to be combined with lenses.