Time-Resolved Temperature Map Prediction of Concentration Photovoltaics Systems by Means of Coupled Ray Tracing Flux Analysis and Thermal Quadrupoles Modelling
Alejandro Mateos-Canseco,
Manuel I. Peña-Cruz,
Arturo Díaz-Ponce,
Jean-Luc Battaglia,
Christophe Pradère,
Luis David Patino-Lopez
Affiliations
Alejandro Mateos-Canseco
CONACYT—Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán—Renewable Energy Department, Parque Científico Tecnológico de Yucatán, Sierra Papacal, Mérida 97302, Yucatán, Mexico
Manuel I. Peña-Cruz
CONACYT—Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica, A.C. Unidad Aguascalientes—Prol. Constitución 607, Fracc. Reserva Loma Bonita, Aguascalientes 20200, Aguascalientes, Mexico
Arturo Díaz-Ponce
CONACYT—Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica, A.C. Unidad Aguascalientes—Prol. Constitución 607, Fracc. Reserva Loma Bonita, Aguascalientes 20200, Aguascalientes, Mexico
Jean-Luc Battaglia
I2M Laboratory, UMR CNRS 5295, University of Bordeaux, 351 Cours de la Libération, 33405 Talence CEDEX, France
Christophe Pradère
I2M Laboratory, UMR CNRS 5295, University of Bordeaux, 351 Cours de la Libération, 33405 Talence CEDEX, France
Luis David Patino-Lopez
CONACYT—Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán—Renewable Energy Department, Parque Científico Tecnológico de Yucatán, Sierra Papacal, Mérida 97302, Yucatán, Mexico
A transient 3D thermal model based on the thermal quadrupole method, coupled to ray tracing analysis, is presented. This methodology can predict transient temperature maps under any time-fluctuating irradiance flux—either synthetic or experimental—providing a useful tool for the design and parametric optimization of concentration photovoltaics systems. Analytic simulations of a concentration photovoltaics system thermal response and assessment of in-plane thermal gradients induced by fast tracking point perturbations, like those induced by wind, are provided and discussed for the first time. Computation times for time-resolved temperature maps can be as short as 9 s for a full month of system operation, with stimuli inspired by real data. Such information could pave the way for more accurate studies of cell reliability under any set of worldwide irradiance conditions.
