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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,261 records · Page 70
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Power conditioning subsystems for photovoltaic central-station power plants - Technology and performance

Central-Station (CS) Photovoltaic (PV) systems have the potential of economically displacing significant amounts of centrally generated electricity. However, the technical viability and, to some extent, the economic viability of central-station PV generation technology will depend upon the availability of large power conditioners that are efficient, safe, reliable, and economical. This paper is an overview of the technical and cost requirements that must be met to develop economically viable power conditioning subsystems (PCS) for central-station power plants. The paper also examines various already commercially available PCS hardware that may be suitable for use in today's central PV power stations.

Krauthamer, S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Status of utility-interactive photovoltaic power conditioning technology

Design options for utility-interactive photovoltaic power conditioning technology for unit ratings from 2kW to 5 MW are compared. Line- and self-commutated inverter designs for both single and three-phase applications are described. Efficiency, weight, and cost projections are provided for comparing the design options. New circuit designs that take advantage of advances in power semiconductor devices are found to be the most promising. Hardware efficiencies from 95 percent for single phase to 98 percent for three-phase applications are found.

Key, T. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A photovoltaic-powered water electrolyzer - Its performance and economics

A prototype water electrolyzer designed to operate from a solar photovoltaic (PV) array without power conditioning was operated for three months at the Florida Solar Energy Center. A 1 kWpk PV array was used to operate the electrolyzer at internal gas pressure from 0 to 40 psig. Performance of the elecrolyzer/PV array was measured and characterized in terms of charge efficiency and power efficiency calculated from the operation data. The economics of residential production of hydrogen for energy purposes were calculated and summarized. While the near-term outlook for this energy storage technique was not found to be favorable, the long-term outlook was encouraging.

Hancock, O. G., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Assessment Of Advanced Concentrator Photovoltaic Modules

Computer program developed to estimate probabilistically total and component costs to end users of concentrating photovoltaic arrays in 1990's. Based on modified version of SIMRAND program, Simulation of Research and Development projects, -to estimate total cost of system for large number of module designs. Module design that yields minimum cost for total system then chosen as preferred design. To obtain distribution of expected module costs, simulation performed. Component estimates made by SIMRAND include efficiency of module and costs of cell, assembly of cells, lenses, and modules. Written in FORTRAN 77.

Borden, C. S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

User evaluation of photovoltaic-powered vaccine refrigerator/freezer systems

The NASA Lewis Research Center has concluded a project to develop and field test photovoltaic-powered refrigerator/freezers for vaccine storage in remote areas of developing countries. As a conclusion to this project, questionnaires were sent to the in-country administrators for each test site probing user acceptance of the systems and attitudes regarding procurement of additional systems. Responses indicate that the systems had a positive effect on the local communities, that they made a positive impression on the local health authorities, and that system cost and scarcity of funds are the major barriers to procurements of additional systems.

Ratajczak, Anthony F.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Flat-plate solar array project of the US Department of Energy's National Photovoltaics Program: Ten years of progress

The Flat-Plate Solar Array (FSA) Project, a Government-sponsored photovoltaics project, was initiated in January 1975 (previously named the Low-Cost Silicon Solar Array Project) to stimulate the development of PV systems for widespread use. Its goal then was to develop PV modules with 10% efficiency, a 20-year lifetime, and a selling price of $0.50 per peak watt of generating capacity (1975 dollars). It was recognized that cost reduction of PV solar-cell and module manufacturing was the key achievement needed if PV power systems were to be economically competitive for large-scale terrestrial use.

Christensen, Elmer↗
NASA NTRS1987

High temperature solid oxide regenerative fuel cell for solar photovoltaic energy storage

A hydrogen-oxygen regenerative fuel cell (RFC) energy storage system based on high temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology is described. The reactants are stored as gases in lightweight insulated pressure vessels. The product water is stored as a liquid in saturated equilibrium with the fuel gas. The system functions as a secondary battery and is applicable to darkside energy storage for solar photovoltaics.

Bents, David J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Design, development and deployment of public service photovoltaic power/load systems for the Gabonese Republic

Five different types of public service photovoltaic power/load systems installed in the Gabonese Republic are discussed. The village settings, the systems, performance results and some problems encountered are described. Most of the systems performed well, but some of the systems had problems due to failure of components or installation errors. The project was reasonably successful in collecting and reporting data for system performance evaluation that will be useful for guiding officials and system designers involved in village power applications in developing countries.

Kaszeta, William J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

An overview of photovoltaic applications in space

An overview is given of the uses of photovoltaic (PV) power in space. The contribution of PV systems on unmanned, low Earth orbit and inner planetary missions is noted. The development of PV technology along the two paths of high efficiency and high power is discussed. The importance of increasing the service life of PV systems is covered.

Wasel, Robert A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The Air Force concentrating photovoltaic array program

A summary is given of Air Force solar concentrator projects beginning with the Rockwell International study program in 1977. The Satellite Materials Hardening Programs (SMATH) explored and developed techniques for hardening planar solar cell array power systems to the combined nuclear and laser radiation threat environments. A portion of program dollars was devoted to developing a preliminary design for a hardened solar concentrator. The results of the Survivable Concentrating Photovoltaic Array (SCOPA) program, and the design, fabrication and flight qualification of a hardened concentrator panel are discussed.

Geis, Jack W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Photovoltaic conversion of laser power to electrical power

Photovoltaic laser to electric converters are attractive for use with a space-based laser power station. The results of modeling studies for a silicon vertical junction converter used with a Nd laser are given. A computer code was developed for the model and this code was used to conduct a parametric study for a Si vertical junction converter consisting of one p-n junction irradiated with a Nd laser. These calculations predict an efficiency over 50 percent for an optimized converter.

Walker, Gilbert H.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Advanced photovoltaic solar array design assessment

The Advanced Photovoltaic Solar Array (APSA) program seeks to bring to flight readiness a solar array that effectively doubles the specific power of the Solar Array Flight Experiment/Solar Electric Propulsion (SAFE/SEP) design that was successfully demonstrated during the Shuttle 41-D mission. APSA is a critical intermediate milestone in the effort to demonstrate solar array technologies capable of 300 W/kg and 300 W/square m at beginning of life (BOL). It is not unreasonable to anticipate the development of solar array designs capable of 300 W/kg at BOL for operational power levels approx. greater than 25 kW sub e. It is also quite reasonable to expect that high performance solar arrays capable of providing at least 200 W/kg at end of life for most orbits now being considered by mission planners will be realized in the next decade.

Stella, Paul↗
NASA NTRS1987

Modelling of multijunction cascade photovoltaics for space applications

An alternative class of photovoltaics was presented, which is designed to overcome two problem areas with conventional cascade designs: poor upper subcell performance and lossy intercell ohmic contact (IOC). It was shown that upper subcell quality can be improved by incorporating additional junctions into the upper subcell and that the problems with monolithic IOCs may be circumvented by using complementary pairs of three-terminal cells or a 1 x 2 voltage-matched configuration. Realistic simulations show that AlGaAs-GaAs and AlGaAs-InGaAs multijunction, multiband-gap solar cells (MJSC) may achieve benginning-of-life (BOL) one-sun, AMO efficiencies of 26 and 28 percent, respectively. Complementary cells made in the AlGaAs-InGaAs system can achieve BOL one-sun AMO efficiencies in excess of 27 percent. Seven-layer MJSCs are most advantageous for space applications due to their superior tolerance to radiation degradation.

Educato, James Louis↗
NASA NTRS1986

Advanced photovoltaic solar array program - A preliminary assessment

Two solar array designs developed for the Advanced Photovoltaic Solar Array program are described. The goal of the program is to develop solar arrays with higher mass specific power and power density and good robustness. The specific design requirements are: a beginning-of-life value of 130 W/kg, and end-of-life goals of 105 W/kg and 110 W/sq m. The two array-wing designs consisted of a single blanket. The differences in the blanket material (25 micron-thick Kapton versus 50 micron-thick carbon-loaded Kapton), solar cells (100 micron-thick wrap around versus 50 micron-thick 2 x 4 cm planar contact cells), and performance objectives (proposed industry requirements versus mission objectives) of the two designs are examined.

Scott-Monck, J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Proposal for superstructure based high efficiency photovoltaics

A novel class of cascade structures is proposed which features multijunction upper subcells, referred to as superstructure high-efficiency photovoltaics (SHEPs). The additional junctions enhance spectral response and improve radiation tolerance by reducing bulk recombination losses. This is important because ternary III-V alloys, which tend to have short minority-carrier diffusion lengths, are the only viable materials for the high-bandgap upper subcells required for cascade solar cells. Realistic simulations of AlGaAs SHEPs show that one-sun AM0 efficiencies in excess of 26 percent are possible.

Wagner, M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Single-cell concepts for obtaining photovoltaic conversion efficiency over 30 percent

Although solar photovoltaic conversion efficiencies over 30 percent (one sun, AM1) can be expected for multiple-cell configurations using spectral splitting techniques, the highest practical single-cell conversion efficiency that can be attained using present concepts is estimated to be about 27-28 percent. To achieve conversion efficiencies above 30 percent using single-cell configurations it will be necessary to employ different concepts, such as spectral compression and broad-band detection. The implementation of these concepts would require major breakthroughs that are not anticipated in the near future.

Fan, John C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The block program approach to photovoltaic module development

A series of photovoltaic module development activities, designated Blocks I through V, used increasingly refined requirements together with extensive testing and failure analysis to assist industry in developing the most advanced modules possible. The block program approach is described and the design details are given for all modules developed, highlighting the blockwise improvements. The success of this approach is demonstrated by the fact that most design details of the Block V modules have been adopted internationally. Instrumental to this success have been the steady improvements in design and test specifications that have guided module development. The experience gained since development of the Block-V specification is being incorporated into a Block VI Design and Test Specification, which includes upgraded and revised application-specific requirements. Highlights of this Block VI specification are also described.

Smokler, M. I.↗