Design and Performance Analysis of a V-Trough Photovoltaic Concentrator

Abstract

The idea of concentrating solar energy to increase the output power of photovoltaic (PV) collectors is an area that has received significant attention in recent years. In this study, a design model for a V-trough concentrating PV solar collector by using one and two plane reflectors is theoretically analyzed and validated with experimental measurements data. The angle between the PV collector and reflector and the tilt of PV collector are fixed at 120o and 60o, respectively. Variation of the total solar radiation received by the PV collector without reflector for horizontal surface, for normal incidence, with tilt angle 60o, with one reflector and with two reflectors for a selected day in 15-January during the time period from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM in Baghdad city for different view factor between the PV collector and reflector (Fr-c) is studied. The results indicated that the total solar radiation at solar noon for Fr-c=0.21 is 1265 W/m2 when using two reflectors, in other words 61% enhancement. On the other hand, there is 120% enhancement of two reflectors system in comparison with horizontal surface without reflector. The Isc at solar noon increase from 0.16 A for PV collector without reflector to 0.22 A with one reflector which represent 37.5% enhancement and to 0.3 A with two reflectors which represent 87.5% enhancement, while the open circuit voltage (VOC) increase from 8.35 volt for PV collector without reflector to 8.43 volt with one reflector and to 8.4 volt with two reflectors.