Apr. 15, 2015 | By Alec
Physicists from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands have developed a very interesting 3D printing application that can revolutionize the availability of environmentally-friendly energy. They have designed and 3D printed a light concentrator that essentially functions as a trap for sunlight and will enable solar cells to use as much sunlight as possible and optimize its output. This, in turn, will decrease the cost of solar energy.
Of course we’ve already known that 3D printers are perfect for making custom vessels for solar panels. However this project, which has been spearheaded by PhD student Lourens van Dijk, can really make solar panels more efficient. As he writes in the abstract of his paper 3D-printed concentrator arrays for external light trapping on thin film solar cells, his 3D printed designs can be used for almost every solar cell that is being commercially used. ‘After our recent demonstration of a 3D-printed external light trap on a small solar cell, we now consider its potential for large solar panels,’ van Dijk writes.
The light trap itself is essentially a parabolic concentrator that redirects light back towards the solar cell, as a regular solar cell reflects (rather than absorbs) about 20 percent of all light. ‘These retro-reflections enable higher absorbance and improved power conversion efficiency. We fabricated 3D-printed external light traps with a square, hexagonal and circular compound parabolic concentrator to test their suitability for concentrator arrays. The 3D-printed traps were placed on top of an organic solar cell which resulted in a significant enhancement of the external quantum efficiency,’ he writes.
A 3D-printed 2×2 square array of concentrators that can be used as a top part of an external light trap.
This interesting build essentially enables van Dijk to capture all sunlight a cell is exposed to. The PhD student estimates that energy outputs increases by about 12 percent when using these 3D printed traps, though that depends on the type of solar cell used and the type of light. And equally beneficial is that this means solar cells can be made less expensive and less thick, while increasing their efficiency.
If you’re wondering why no one has thought of this concept before, well they actually have. But due to problems with the mirror design, realization of the concept was more difficult than it sounds. 3D printing fortunately proved to be a perfect solution – the plastic 3D printed traps are coated in a silver after printing to optimize their reflective properties. Van Dijk has extensively worked together with scientists from AMOLF and Solliance to achieve this effect.
3D printing technology also proved to be a perfect tool for prototyping various shapes and sizes of light traps, before settling on the final design. According to dr. Marcel Di Vece 3D printing technology is a key tool in the development of a new generation of solar cells. ‘Met ons onderzoek leggen we een fundament onder een goedkope en haalbare techniek om de efficiëntie van veel typen zonnecellente verbeteren,’ he says.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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Great! But.. Problem is High température in direct sunlight. It can just burn thé cell! Si, one must add under thé cell a cooling systèm and use thé heat for something else too...
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