Multirod approach to enhance solar-to-laser conversion efficiency in the Odeillo solar furnace

Abstract

.A multirod solar laser station for the megawatt solar furnace (MWSF) in Odeillo, France, was conceptualized and numerically studied to improve the solar-to-laser power conversion efficiency. 18 heliostats from the 63-heliostat field were selected, and 347 kW of solar power was obtained at its focus. From there, a two-dimensional compound parabolic concentrator further concentrated and redistributed the solar rays toward 11 core-doped Nd:YAG rods, each fixed inside a fused silica flow tube. 11.40 kW of total multimode laser power was calculated, corresponding to a 3.29% solar-to-laser power conversion efficiency. This efficiency value represents an enhancement of 1.70 and 1.26 times over that attained from single-rod solar laser systems in side-pumping configuration tested in Odeillo, France, in which Nd:YAG rods were codoped with Cr3 + and Ce3 + ions, respectively. It was also 1.44 times higher than that obtained by a previously proposed side-pumping scheme with a solar flux homogenizer and 12 Nd:YAG rods for the same MWSF.