太阳能光伏/光热化学利用系统

本文研究了一种基于光谱分频的太阳能光伏/光热化学耦合利用系统。在该系统中,全光谱的太阳能按照波长不同被区分利用。适合光伏电池利用的太阳能被分配给光伏电池进行光伏转换,其它波段的太阳能则转化为热能驱动甲醇裂解反应产生合成气。实验结果表明在太阳辐照强度为712.8 W/㎡,甲醇流量为2.7 kg/h时,系统效率达到31.18%。系统实现了低品位的太阳能向高品位的电能和化学能的转换,为研究太阳能的全光谱高效利用提供了新的思路。     

Design,manufacture and testing of a closed cycle thermosyphon rankine engine

The Thermosyphon Rankine Engine (TSR) is a recent concept for power generation using solar or other available low grade heat sources. The basis of the engine is the modification of a heat pipe, with its excellent heat and mass transfer characteristics, to incorporate a turbine, thereby making the system into a Rankine Cycle Engine.The TSR is directed towards power production from solar ponds, geothermal energy and heat produced by solar collectors, as well as for waste heat utilisation for electrical power generation.A theoretical formulation and results from experiments on prototype units are presented. Based on the results, it is concluded that the TSR engine may play an important role for conversion into electrical energy of thermal energy produced by conventional solar collectors, geothermal sources and waste heat.     

Third generation photovoltaics

We review recent progress towards increasing solar cell efficiencies beyond the Shockley‐Queisser efficiency limit. Four main approaches are highlighted: multi‐junction cells, intermediate‐band cells, hot carrier cells and spectrum conversion. Multi‐junction cells use multiple solar cells that selectively absorb different regions of the solar spectrum. Intermediate‐band cells use one junction with multiple bandgaps to increase efficiencies. Hot‐carrier cells convert the excess energy of above‐bandgap photons into electrical energy. Spectrum conversion solar cells convert the incoming polychromatic sunlight into a narrower distribution of photons suited to the bandgap of the solar cell.     

纳米材料和技术在可再生能源方面的应用

纳米光子学,产生于纳米技术和光子学的交界处,处理光和物质在纳米尺度的相互作用,可以被用来产生新的效果和发展纳米尺度的器件。世界在迎接未来能源需求方面正面临巨大挑战。纳米光子学为太阳能转换提供了新的进展。在太阳能转换领域,我们正加速开展新的基于纳米光子学让太阳光子在整个光谱范围从紫外到红外有效率地被吸收和转换,并且有效率地转换为电能方面的研究（比如直接或者电化学的转换）。纳米技术也为热电和能量储存方面的研究提供了新的途径,我们正追求把它们和太阳能获取整合在一起从而提供广泛的能源解决方案。     

Amorphous High-Entropy Hydroxides of Tunable Wide Solar Absorption for Solar Water Evaporation

The high-entropy materials have raised much attention in recent years due to their extraordinary performances in mechanical, catalysis, energy storage fields. Herein, a new type of high-entropy hydroxides (e.g., NiFeCoMnAl(OH)_x) that are amorphous and capable of broad solar absorption is reported. A facile one-pot co-precipitation method is employed to synthesize these amorphous high-entropy hydroxides (a-HEHOs) under ambient conditions. The a-HEHOs thus obtained display widely tunable bandgap (e.g., from 2.6 to 1.1 eV) due to their high-entropy and amorphous characteristics, enabling efficient light absorbance and photothermal conversion in the solar regime. Further solar water evaporation measurements show that the a-HEHOs delivered a considerable energy conversion efficiency of 55%, comparable to black titanium oxides that are synthesized using more complex and expensive methods.     

Passivation of defect states in surface and edge regions on pn-junction Si solar cells by use of hydrogen cyanide solutions

The local photovoltage of the pn-junction single-crystalline silicon solar cells observed by spot light scanning gradually decreases in the vicinity of edges. The energy conversion efficiency is increased by shadowing the edge regions where the local photovoltage is lower, showing that the defect density is high in the edge regions. From the analysis of the local photovoltage, the spacial distribution of defect states is obtained. The cyanide method, i. e., immersion of solar cells in HCN solutions at room temperature, increases the local photovoltage and increases the energy conversion efficiency.      

The role of interplay between the potential and the ambient energies on the vibration energy harvesting

In this paper we have demonstrated how the conversion of the ambient energy into the electrical energy depends on the properties of the ambient energy and the mechanical oscillator. We have observed that the conversion of the vibration energy into the electrical energy may be good if the voltage can follow closely the evolution of of the amplitude of the oscillator. Thus if the voltage and the position fluctuate in a correlated manner then the conversion of the ambient energy into the electrical energy is good. Our another observation is that for a given capacitance, the power transferred (PT) from the oscillator to the transducer may be maximum in the variation of PT with increase in resistance, R. In other words, the power transferred changes with a maximum as the capacitance, C grows for a fixed value of the resistance. Along with these we have investigated how the other relevant quantities such as the efficiency of the energy transferred process depends on the characteristics of the oscillating systems, the environment and the piezoelectric dynamics.     

位移损伤剂量法评估空间GaAs/Ge太阳电池辐照损伤过程

本文针对GaAs/Ge太阳电池,利用位移损伤剂量法研究了其在轨服役条件下的性能退化行为.首先在地面模拟辐照环境中,试验获得了在不同能量的电子和质子辐照下的电池性能随辐照注量的退化行为.基于上述实验结果以及计算获得的带电粒子在电池中的非电离能量损失(NIEL)获得了不同能量电子辐照位移损伤的等效指数n为1.7,电子损伤剂量转化为质子损伤剂量等效系数为5.2,并进一步建立了电池性能随位移损伤剂量的退化方程.利用该方法对国产GaAs/Ge太阳电池在500,22000和36000 km轨道带电粒子辐 关键词： GaAs/Ge太阳电池 辐照损伤 带电粒子 位移损伤剂量     

In-situ electrical characterisation of a photodiode during nano-structuring with a focussed ion beam

We study the fabrication and power conversion efficiency of GaAs photodiodes, which have been nano-structured and covered with colloidal quantum dots. A focussed ion beam is used to etch vertical channels into the photodiodes and the detrimental effects of this treatment are characterised in-situ during the fabrication process. A novel experimental configuration allows the electrical characterization of the photodiodes under laser illumination during the nano-fabrication process and reveals the gradual decrease of the photodiodes’ shunt resistance with increasing laterally revealed surface along the etched channels. This is interpreted as evidence for leakage currents through redeposited material and surface states on the lateral channel surface. After the fabrication step the channels are filled with colloidal quantum dots, which upon absorption of light transfer electronic excitations to the photodiode via resonance energy transfer. It is found that after the addition of quantum dots the nano-structured photodiodes show larger enhancements of the energy conversion efficiency under simulated solar irradiance than the pristine photodiodes. Nevertheless, the device degradation induced by the ion beam treatment itself cannot be compensated for.     

A new proposal for Si tandem solar cell: Significant efficiency enhancement in 3C–SiC/Si

In order to considerable enhancement of the efficiency of silicon solar cells, in this paper, for the first time, we present a new proposal for silicon based tandem solar cells. For investigation of this idea, we have evaluated the characteristics of 3C–SiC/Si crystalline tandem solar cells connected series by a tunneling junction, under air mass 1.5 global irradiance spectrums. A 2D simulation including the effects of surface passivation, back surface field (BSF), and carrier tunneling have been performed to obtain the optical and electrical characteristics of single junction silicon, 3C–SiC, and finally the tandem cells. The obtained data illustrate that the best design parameters considering the experimental limitations can be obtained. High energy conversion efficiency for the proposed structure of 26.09% has been achieved for 3C–SiC/Si tandem structure driven by 20.49% and 17.86% conversion efficiencies of single junction Si and 3C–SiC solar cells, respectively. Our results justifies that the higher conversion efficiency of the Si-based tandem structure compared with 3C–SiC and Si cells stems from enhancement of open circuit voltage and fill factor parameter at the hands of decrease in short circuit current limited by the top 3C–SiC cell.     

Novel trends in improvement of solar cell characteristics

Faced with an alarming increase of energy consumption on one side, and very limiting amounts of available conventional energy sources on the other, scientists have turned to the most promising renewable energy sources. Possibilities for the application of solar systems based on photovoltaic (PV) conversion of solar energy are widespread, primarily because of their relatively low cost and the very important fact that solar energy is the most acceptable source of electrical energy from an environmental point of view. Recently, increased investments in the development of PV technology have been observed worldwide. However, as with every other energy source, PV technology also has some limitations and disadvantages, primarily connected to its low efficiency. There are several trends in the development of solar cells, but the two main directions are the improvement of the conventional solar cell characteristics based on semiconductor materials, and exploring the possibilities of using new materials. The aim of this paper is to present some different approaches for the improvement of solar cells.     

平板集热太阳热电器件建模及结构优化

太阳能热电转换是光伏效应外另一种直接将太阳辐射转变为电能的途径, 近年来已经成为太阳能利用的热点之一. 本文以Bi₂Te₃材料为基础构建平板集热太阳热电器件模型, 采用有限元法分析AM1.5辐射条件下器件温度分布情况, 并结合基于温度的物性参数计算集热比、热臂截面积与长度变化等因素对器件的开路电压、 最大输出功率及转化效率的影响. 研究发现: 集热比与热臂长度的变化对器件性能有显著影响, 热臂截面积的变化对器件转化效率影响相对较弱; 在这一模型中, 平板集热太阳热电器件的转化效率达到1.56%.     

GaInP/GaAs/Ge三结太阳电池不同能量质子辐照损伤模拟

以GaInP/GaAs/Ge三结太阳电池为研究对象,开展了能量为0.7, 1, 3, 5, 10 MeV的质子辐照损伤模拟研究,建立了三结太阳电池结构模型和不同能量质子辐照模型,获得了不同质子辐照条件下的I-V曲线,光谱响应曲线,结合已有实验结果验证了本文模拟结果,分析了三结太阳电池短路电流、开路电压、最大功率、光谱响应随质子能量的变化规律,利用不同辐照条件下三结太阳电池最大输出功率退化结果,拟合得到了三结太阳电池最大输出功率随位移损伤剂量的退化曲线.研究结果表明,质子辐照会在三结太阳电池中引入位移损伤缺陷,使得少数载流子扩散长度退化幅度随质子能量的减小而增大,从而导致三结太阳电池相关电学参数的退化随质子能量的减小而增大.相同辐照条件下,中电池光谱响应退化幅度远大于顶电池光谱响应退化幅度,中电池抗辐照性能较差,同时中电池长波范围内光谱响应的退化幅度比短波范围更大,表明中电池相关电学参数的退化主要来源于基区损伤.     

Parker’s Solar Wind Model for a Polytropic Gas

Parker’s hydrodynamic isothermal solar wind model is extended to apply for a more realistic polytropic gas flow that can be caused by a variable extended heating of the corona. A compatible theoretical formulation is given and detailed numerical and systematic asymptotic theoretical considerations are presented. The polytropic conditions favor an enhanced conversion of thermal energy in the solar wind into kinetic energy of the outward flow and are hence shown to enhance the acceleration of the solar wind, thus indicating a quicker loss of the solar angular momentum.     

Displacement damage analysis and modified electrical equivalent circuit for electron and photon-irradiated silicon solar cells

Solar modules and arrays are the conventional energy resources of space satellites. Outside the earth's atmosphere, solar panels experience abnormal radiation environments and because of incident particles, photovoltaic (PV) parameters degrade. This article tries to analyze the electrical performance of electron and photon-irradiated mono-crystalline silicon (mono-Si) solar cells. PV cells are irradiated by mono-energetic electrons and poly-energetic photons and immediately characterized after the irradiation. The mean degradation of the maximum power (P_max) of silicon solar cells is presented and correlated using the displacement damage dose (D_d) methodology. This method simplifies evaluation of cell performance in space radiation environments and produces a single characteristic curve for P_max degradation. Furthermore, complete analysis of the results revealed that the open-circuit voltage (V_oc) and the filling factor of mono-Si cells did not significantly change during the irradiation and were independent of the radiation type and fluence. Moreover, a new technique is developed that adapts the irradiation-induced effects in a single-cell equivalent electrical circuit and adjusts its elements. The “modified circuit” is capable of modeling the “radiation damage” in the electrical behavior of mono-Si solar cells and simplifies the designing of the compensation circuits.     

Structural and electrical studies on PVDF:PANI composite thin films and their application as buffer layer on hybrid solar cells

Hybrid (organic–inorganic) solar cells were fabricated and tested using buffer layer of polyaniline (PANI)–poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) composites. The effect of PANI:PVDF composite on the performance of the solar cells was explored and the cells were characterized by current voltage (I?V) measurements under a solar simulator generating AM1.5 light (1000?W/m²) irradiance. It was found that solar cells containing ITO/PANI:PVDF photo-anode are likely to improve photocurrent and power conversion efficiency in a way superior to that containing only ITO as photo-anode. Furthermore, PANI:PVDF composite enhanced the hole extraction at photo-anode/photo-active layer interface via the high electrical conductivity of PANI and the ferroelectricity of PVDF.     

Semiconductor nanowires for photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical energy conversion

Semiconductor nanowires （NW） possess several beneficial properties for efficient conversion of solar energy into electricity and chemical energy. Due to their efficient absorption of light, short distances for minority carriers to travel, high surface-to-volume ratios, and the availability of scalable synthesis methods, they provide a pathway to address the low cost-to-power requirements for widescale adaptation of solar energy conversion technologies. Here we highlight recent progress in our group towards implementation of NW components as photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical energy conversion devices. An emphasis is placed on the unique properties of these one-dimensional （1D） structures, which enable the use of abundant, low-cost materials and improved energy conversion efficiency compared to bulk devices.     

Solar-assisted liquid metal MHD power generation: A state of the art study

The research and development of LMMHD energy conversion (EC) systems which started in the 1960s has already come a long way and is heading towards commercialization. Design and development of such systems has to deal with a number of questions relating to single- and two-phase flows of molten metals, including different patterns of two-phase flow, interphase, phenomena, heat transfer, performance of LMMHD components and compatibility of liquid metals with other fluids and with confinement materials. Liquid metal MHD (LMMHD) power conversion systems proposed many years ago are gaining increasing attention in their various proposed modes, consisting of single-phase or two-phase fluid flow for a wide range of heat sources, e.g. solar energy, waste heat, nuclear energy, etc.Liquid metal MHD (LMMHD) power systems have been recently proposed for direct electrical energy conversion of low grade thermal sources of energy, like solar energy. Solar-powered LMMHD power generation systems are very attractive regarding efficiency and cost per unit of installed power. Theoretical and experimental investigations carried out in the various aspects of these systems are presented. A state of the art review of activities in the solar-powered LMMHD power systems field which have taken place so far is described here.     

Oxide semiconductors for solar to chemical energy conversion: nanotechnology approach

The present work considers the application of oxide semiconductors in the conversion of solar energy into the chemical energy required for water purification (removal of microbial cells and toxic organic compounds from water) and the generation of solar hydrogen fuel by photoelectrochemical water splitting. The first part of this work considers the concept of solar energy conversion by oxide semiconductors and the key performance-related properties, including electronic structure, charge transport, flat band potential and surface properties, which are responsible to the reactivity and photoreactivity of oxides with water. The performance of oxide systems for solar energy conversion is briefly considered in terms of an electronic factor. The progress of research in the formation of systems with high performance is considered in terms of specific aspects of nanotechnology, leading to the formation of systems with high performance. The nanotechnology approach in the development of high-performance photocatalysts is considered in terms of the effect of surface energy associated with the formation of nanostructured system on the formation of surface structures that exhibit outstanding properties. The unresolved problems that should be tackled in better understanding of the effect of nanostructures on properties and performance of oxide semiconductors in solar energy conversion are discussed. This part is summarised by a list of unresolved problems of crucial importance in the formation of systems with enhanced performance. This work also formulates the questions that must be addressed in order to overcome the hurdles in the formation of oxide semiconductors with high performance in water purification and the generation of solar fuel. The research strategy in the development of oxide systems with high performance, including photocatalysts for solar water purification and photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting, is considered. The considerations are focused on the systems based on titanium dioxide of different defect disorder as well as its solid solutions and composites.     

Generation of High-Energy Electrons in a Metal under the Impact of Thermal Hydrogen Atoms and Plasma Deuterium

The nature of high-energy electrons generated in thin metallic films under the impact of hydrogen and plasma deuterium is investigated. A way of converting chemical energy into electrical energy in hydrogen power structures based on Schottky diodes is proposed, and the efficiency of conversion is calculated. The efficiency of the technique for converting chemical energy into electrical energy using Schottky diodes is found to reach tens of percent, making the investigated structures promising for use in devices that convert chemical energy into electrical energy.