Photovoltaic Modeling Handbook

292 Pages·2018·5.39 MB·English

by  Müller, Monika Freunek

Photovoltaic Modeling
Handbook
Scrivener Publishing
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Beverly, MA 01915-6106
Publishers at Scrivener
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Phillip Carmical ([email protected])
Photovoltaic Modeling
Handbook
Edited by
Monika Freunek Müller
This edition first published 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA
and Scrivener Publishing LLC, 100 Cummings Center, Suite 541J, Beverly, MA 01915, USA
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Freunek Muller, Monika, editor.
Title: Photovoltaic modeling handbook / edited by Monika Freunek M?uller.
Description: Hoboken, NJ : Wiley-Scrivener, [2018] | Includes bibliographical references and
index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2018028384 (print) | LCCN 2018028620 (ebook) | ISBN
9781119364207 (ePub) | ISBN 9781119364191 (Adobe PDF) | ISBN 9781119363521
(hardcover : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Photovoltaic power generation--Mathematical models.
Classification: LCC TK1087 (ebook) | LCC TK1087 .P4657 2018 (print) | DDC
621.31/244--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018028384
Cover images: Ian Thompson and ISFH
Cover design by Russell Richardson
Set in size of 11pt and Minion Pro by Exeter Premedia Services Private Ltd., Chennai, India
Printed in the USA
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Dedicated to
Jonathan

Contents
Preface xiii
1 Introduction 1
Monika Freunek Müller
2 Fundamental Limits of Solar Energy Conversion 7
Thorsten Trupke and Peter Würfel
2.1 Introduction 8
2.2 The Carnot Efficiency – A Realistic Limit
for PV Conversion? 8
2.3 Solar Cell Absorbers – Converting Heat into
Chemical Energy 10
2.4 No Junction Required – The IV Curve of a
Uniform Absorber 12
2.5 Limiting Efficiency Calculations 15
2.6 Real Solar Cell Structures 19
2.7 Beyond the Shockley Queisser Limit 20
2.8 Summary and Conclusions 22
Acknowledgement 23
References 24
3 Optical Modeling of Photovoltaic Modules
with Ray Tracing Simulations 27
Carsten Schinke, Malte R.Vogt and Karsten Bothe
3.1 Introduction 28
3.1.1 Terminology 30
3.2 Basics of Optical Ray Tracing Simulations 32
3.2.1 Ray Optics 32
3.2.1.1 Basic Assumptions 33
3.2.1.2 Absorption of Light 33
3.2.1.3 Refraction of Light at Interfaces 34
3.2.1.4 Modeling of Thin Films 35
vii
viii Contents
3.2.2 Ray Tracing 37
3.2.3 Monte-Carlo Particle Tracing 38
3.2.4 Statistical Uncertainty of Monte-Carlo Results 40
3.2.5 Generating Random Numbers with Non-Uniform
Distributions 42
3.3 Modeling Illumination 46
3.3.1 Basic Light Sources 46
3.3.2 Modeling Realistic Illumination Conditions 48
3.3.2.1 Preprocessing of Irradiance Data 49
3.3.2.2 Implementation for Ray Tracing 50
3.3.2.3 Application Example 52
3.4 Specific Issues for Ray Tracing of Photovoltaic Modules 53
3.4.1 Geometries and Symmetries in PV Devices 55
3.4.2 Multi-Domain Approach 57
3.4.2.1 Module domain 59
3.4.2.2 Front Finger Domain 60
3.4.2.3 Front Texture Domain 60
3.4.2.4 Rear Side Domains 61
3.4.3 Post processing of Simulation Results 61
3.4.4 Ray Tracing Application Examples 64
3.4.4.1 Validation of Simulation Results 64
3.4.4.2 Optical Loss Analysis:
From Cell to Module 66
3.4.4.3 Bifacial Solar Cells and Modules 68
3.5 From Optics to Power Output 69
3.5.1 Calculation Chain: From Ray Tracing to Module
Power Output 70
3.5.1.1 Inclusion of the Irradiation Spectrum 73
3.5.1.2 Calculation of Module Output Power 75
3.5.1.3 Outlook: Energy Yield Calculation 75
3.5.2 Application Examples 76
3.5.2.1 Calculation of Short Circuit Current
and Power Output 77
3.5.2.2 Current Loss Analysis: Standard Testing
Conditions vs. Field Conditions 79
3.6 Overview of Optical Simulation Tools for PV Devices 80
3.6.1 Analysis of Solar Cells 82
3.6.2 Analysis of PV Modules and Their Surrounding 82
3.6.3 Further Tools Which Are not Publicly Available 85
Acknowledgments 85
References 86
Contents ix
4 Optical Modelling and Simulations of Thin-Film
Silicon Solar Cells 93
Janez Krc, Martin Sever, Benjamin Lipovsek,
Andrej Campa and Marko Topic
4.1 Introduction 94
4.2 Approaches of Optical Modelling 95
4.2.1 One-Dimensional Optical Modelling 96
4.2.2 Two- and Three-Dimensional Rigorous Optical
Modelling 97
4.2.3 Challenges in Optical Modelling 97
4.3 Selected Methods and Approaches 98
4.3.1 Finite Element Method 98
4.3.2 Coupled Modelling Approach 100
4.4 Examples of Optical Modelling and Simulations 102
4.4.1 Texture Optimization Applying Spatial
Fourier Analysis 103
4.4.2 Model of Non-Conformal Layer Growth 110
4.4.3 Optical Simulations of Tandem Thin-Film
Silicon Solar Cell 118
4.5 The Role of Illumination Spectrum 129
4.6 Conclusion 133
Acknowledgement 134
References 135
5 Modelling of Organic Photovoltaics 141
Ian R. Thompson
5.1 Introduction to Organic Photovoltaics 141
5.2 Performance of Organic Photovoltaics 143
5.3 Charge Transport in Organic Semiconductors 145
5.4 Energetic Disorder in Organic Semiconductors 150
5.5 Morphology of Organic Materials 153
5.6 Considerations for Photovoltaics 155
5.6.1 Excitons in Organic Semiconductors 155
5.6.2 Optical Absorption in Organic Photovoltaics 160
5.6.3 Carrier Harvesting in Organic Photovoltaics 161
5.7 Simulation Methods of Organic Photovoltaics 163
5.7.1 Lattice Morphologies and Device Geometry 163
5.7.2 Gaussian Disorder Model 164
5.7.3 Kinetic Monte Carlo Methods 164
5.7.4 Electrostatic Interactions 168
5.7.5 Neighbour Lists 169