Outdoor Characterization of a Plasmonic Luminescent Solar Concentrator

Abstract

Plasmonic Luminescent Solar Concentrators (PLSCs) have been shown to enhance the optical performance and power conversion efficiency of LSCs, due to added plasmonic gain in the medium. Despite the promising outlook of a PLSC through plasmonic coupling, device characterization and performance has not been verified in the real outdoor conditions, with varying direct and diffuse solar irradiation. In this work, characterization of a PLSC device of dimensions 4.5×4.5×0.3 cm 3 embedded with Lumogen Red305 dye and plasmonic gain medium of gold core silver shell nanocuboids was carried out in outdoor conditions of Dublin, Ireland. Optimized PLSC device power output at different solar insolation’s was compared to a reference photovoltaic (PV) cell and an optimized Luminescent Solar Concentrator (LSC) device. The effect of the solar discs position, solar insolation, PV cell surface temperature, diurnal, and seasonal variation on the performance of the PLSC device is studied. The key observation was that PLSC average power conversion efficiency was 1.4 times more than the PV cell in cloudy and diffuse solar conditions. The PLSC device performed 45% better than a PV cell in December than July, as December has higher diffuse solar irradiation. Even though the PLSC device absorbs only 31% and transmits 69% incident solar irradiation in the concerned visible range of 380-750 nm. The preliminary outdoor characterization on a small scale PLSC establishes its viability in a diffuse to direct solar radiation ratio throughout the year as well as establishing its benefits for integration in buildings.