Enhancing PV receiver efficiency in laser wireless power transmission through square elliptic hyperboloid concentrator

Abstract

Laser wireless energy transmission is a widely utilized method, yet its efficiency is constrained by a variety of factors. In order to improve the conversion efficiency of the receivers of the laser wireless power transmission (LWPT) system, the square elliptic hyperboloid (SEH) concentrating module designed for LWPT system receivers is developed. By analysing the I–V characteristic curves from the results of the experiments and employing non-linear parameter regression, a corrected battery characteristic curve was derived within a specific laser irradiation range. On this basis, an optical–thermal–electric multi-field coupling characteristic model was developed. The finite element method is used to simulate the multi-field coupling characteristics and conversion efficiency of the receiving end under diverse working conditions (including different rotation angles and different divergence angles) of the concentrating photovoltaic module. Research shows: First, the larger the divergence half-angle β of the laser beam, the more obvious the improvement of the effective optical efficiency of the system by the SEH concentrator. Second, the short-circuit current and the maximum output power of the PV cell at the receiving end are significantly improved by the SEH concentrator, and the improvement effect is more obvious with the increase of the divergence angle and the rotation angle. Third, SEH concentrators did not significantly affect the fill factor of PV cells.