Optimization and maximum efficiency of concentrating photovoltaic cell-gas turbine system with spectrum splitting

The spectrum splitting system (SSS) is an efficient approach to relieve the energy losses in the solar cell and boost the efficiency of solar energy utilization. A model of the concentrated solar spectrum splitting photovoltaic (PV) cell-gas turbine (GT) hybrid system is established to evaluate the performance of the system and predict the maximum efficiency. The numerical calculations show that the area ratio of the solar collector to the PV cell significantly affects the maximum efficiency of the spectrum system, but most of the previous studies are not considered. The maximum efficiency of the system is 50.6% when the parameters including the cell voltage, collector temperature, and band gap energy of the PV cell are optimized at the same areas of the collector and PV cell. The proposed SSS can achieve the maximum efficiency of 52.3% when the area ratio of the collector to the PV cell is further optimized. The results obtained are compared with those of a single concentrating PV cell or solar-powered GT, and consequently, the advantages of a concentrating spectrum splitting PV cell-GT hybrid system are revealed.