Optical Fiber Daylighting System Featuring Alignment-Free

Abstract

We present a cost-effective optical fiber daylighting system composed of prism and compound parabolic concentrator (P-CPC). Our simulation results demonstrate an optical efficiency of up to 89% when the concentration ratio of the P-CPC is fixed at 100. We have also used a simulation to determine an optimal geometric structure of P-CPCs. Because of the simplicity of the P-CPC structure, a lower-cost mass production process is possible. Our quest for an optimal structure has also shown that P-CPC has high tolerance for input angle of sunlight. The high tolerance allows replacing a highly dual precise active sun-tracking system with a single sun-tracking system as a cost-effective solution. Therefore, our results provide an important breakthrough for the commercialization of optical fiber daylighting systems that are faced with challenges related to high cost.