Design and Optical Performance Analysis of a Quasi-stationary Compound Parabolic Concentrator for Photovoltaic Applications

This paper presents the design and optical performance analysis of a quasi-stationary low concentration compound parabolic concentrator for potential use in building-integrated and rooftop photovoltaic applications. The compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) belongs to the family of non-imaging concentrators which are used for the concentration of solar radiation over a photovoltaic and/or thermal absorber to obtain a better output with lesser absorber size. The optical performance of a CPC designed for a concentration ration of �2.5�� and a half acceptance angle of 23.6°, with a 50 truncation level, has been evaluated using Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations, for stationary installations in east-west and north-south directions using Tonatiuh software. The virtual model for the designed collector was developed using CAD modeling software and was later imported to the optical analysis software for performance evaluation. The material and surface properties were specified for different components of concentrating system. The sun shape, position, and height in the sky were defined with clear sky conditions and fixed irradiance. The ray-tracing simulations were performed for different incidence angles to calculate the amount of optical energy collected by the receiver surface. The angular acceptance range of CPC was evaluated. The solar flux distribution on the PV module surface was examined. It was concluded that CPC placed in east-west direction achieved the highest optical efficiency (85) within its acceptance angle range. The solar flux distribution was found to be uniform in the center of the receiver while flux peaks were observed near its edges for vertically incident solar rays. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.