Open AccessDesign of wide-angle solar-selective absorbers using aperiodic metal-dielectric stacks
Author(s) -
Nicholas P. Sergeant,
Olivier Pincon,
Mukul Agrawal,
Peter Peumans
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.17.022800
Subject(s) - thermophotovoltaic , emissivity , materials science , selective surface , optics , optoelectronics , dielectric , energy conversion efficiency , thermal , aperiodic graph , solar energy , solar thermal collector , common emitter , physics , ecology , meteorology , biology , mathematics , combinatorics
Spectral control of the emissivity of surfaces is essential in applications such as solar thermal and thermophotovoltaic energy conversion in order to achieve the highest conversion efficiencies possible. We investigated the spectral performance of planar aperiodic metal-dielectric multilayer coatings for these applications. The response of the coatings was optimized for a target operational temperature using needle-optimization based on a transfer matrix approach. Excellent spectral selectivity was achieved over a wide angular range. These aperiodic metal-dielectric stacks have the potential to significantly increase the efficiency of thermophotovoltaic and solar thermal conversion systems. Optimal coatings for concentrated solar thermal conversion were modeled to have a thermal emissivity <7% at 720K while absorbing >94% of the incident light. In addition, optimized coatings for solar thermophotovoltaic applications were modeled to have thermal emissivity <16% at 1750K while absorbing >85% of the concentrated solar radiation.