I Iberian Modelling Week, Coimbra, 2014
Problem proposed by Eneida WS
Mirror augmented photovoltaic panels: optimal configurations to increase
the global solar exposition over an entire day
The mirror augmentation of photovoltaic panels is a cost effective way of increasing the
electrical energy produced by such panels. The general idea is to increase the solar energy that
reaches the panel by adding a number of mirrors around it. A typical configuration is shown in
Figure 1. If the mirrors are correctly positioned, a bigger percentage of solar rays will reach the
panel, and therefore its effective area, i.e. its solar exposition area, will be increased.
Figure 1 - Typical configuration of a mirror augmented photovoltaic panel.
Some recent research works have studied this method and the gains that it can bring when
compared to the non-augmented situation (see references). These studies, besides the
optimization of the mirrors’ sizes and orientations, also analyse the performance of different
mirrors’ materials.
Given this brief exposition of the subject, and some of the references that should be taken into
account, the problem we present at the I Iberian Modelling Week is the following:
At Eneida we are interested in seeing this mirror augmentation method in a different way. We
want mainly to use it as a way of increasing the solar exposition of the photovoltaic panel over
an entire day, for all different sun positions, and not so much as way of increasing the solar
energy that reaches the panel for a fixed sun position (although the latter should appear as a
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consequence of the first). In other words, the parameter we want to optimize is the global solar
exposition of the photovoltaic panel over an entire day. Therefore, the problem we propose
consists in finding the mirror configuration that optimizes this parameter. We stress that the
panel must be static, i.e. it does not use any apparatus to constantly rotate it towards the sun
position. Moreover, the information about the best orientation for the panel must also be
included in the solution. This is therefore a problem which resolution must start by the
understanding of the position variation of the sun in the sky along an entire day.
Solving this problem would mean that our panels could be exposed for sun positions where now
they get almost no solar rays.
The mirror configurations can in general consist of a geometrical shape made of smaller mirrors
surrounding the solar panel. The geometrical shapes proposed must however be also restricted
by its construction cost, i.e. the variable “cost of the mirror structure” must be added to the
problem. However, as a secondary task, we will also appreciate the presentation of solutions
that optimize the global solar exposition, disregarding the construction cost parameter. At this
point, students can use their creativity without being restricted by the construction cost of the
structure.
Good luck!
References:
1) http://engineering.case.edu/centers/sdle/sites/engineering.case.edu.centers.sdle/fi
les/1212wei-chunmasterthesisfinalq.pdf
2) http://www.genuineholographics.com/PDF/MirrorAugmented%20Photovoltaic%20Designs.pdf
3) http://www.ies.upm.es/fileadmin/contenidos/programas/sistemas_integracion/El_
Escorial/Session_3A_2.pdf
4) http://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj31(1)14/17.pdf
5) http://www.researchgate.net/publication/260214877_Modeling_performance_anal
ysis_and_economic_feasibility_of_a_mirror-augmented_photovoltaic_system
6) http://prezi.com/ou7qy3srb4-k/mirror-augmented-photovoltaic-design/
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