Title :
50 kW solar space power system
Author_Institution :
Hughes Aircraft Co., El Segundo, CA, USA
Abstract :
A photovoltaic space power system that provides improved overall operating efficiency is analyzed. The system incorporates high-efficiency, multijunction, multibandgap solar cells in conjunction with a concentrating solar array so that the cells operate at a concentration ratio of greater than 50:1 and exhibit an operating efficiency of 31% (beginning of life) at 91 degrees C. This results in an overall 50 kW system-specific power of 13 W/lb ( approximately 28 W/kg). The strawman design consists of two clam-shell-shaped wings, each 10.5 m by 10.8 m in size. Each wing has a series of small, flat mirrors mounted on a parabolic radiator structure, and the focal point is a linear solar cell cavity located along the two outer edges of the array. Solar cells of three different bandgap materials (AlGaAs, GaAs, and InGaAs) are utilized to convert sunlight to electric power efficiently, and the excess heat is collected in a heat pipe system to be redistributed to the radiator structure.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium arsenide; indium compounds; solar cell arrays; solar cells; solar energy concentrators; space vehicle power plants; 1 degC; 31 percent; 50 kW; InGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs; bandgap materials; concentrating solar array; efficiency; mirrors; solar cells; space power system; strawman design; Building integrated photovoltaics; Gallium arsenide; Mirrors; Photonic band gap; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Power system analysis computing; Power systems; Solar heating; Solar power generation;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1988., Conference Record of the Twentieth IEEE
Conference_Location :
Las Vegas, NV, USA
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.1988.105825
