{"title":"Applying solar-powered ejector subcooling to supermarket CO2 refrigeration system for improving the performance","authors":"Deyong Ran, Dewei Lv, Qichao Yang, Liansheng Li, Guangbin Liu, Yuanyang Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113914","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113914","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The problem of energy efficiency degradation of supermarket CO<sub>2</sub> refrigeration system when operating in high temperature region has been the key limitation of the application of the system. To address this problem, this article proposes a solar-powered ejector subcooling system integrated with supermarket CO<sub>2</sub> refrigeration system (ES-SCRS). The performance of the system is enhanced by utilizing solar energy. The mathematical model is established and the effects of key parameters such as solar radiation intensity and ambient temperature on the performance are investigated through parametric analysis. Guangzhou in China is selected as the research object, applying coefficient of performance (COP) and seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) as evaluation indicators to analyze the energy saving potential of ES-SCRS compared to the conventional supermarket CO<sub>2</sub> refrigeration system (SCRS). The results show that when ambient temperature is 40°C and radiation intensity is 300–1200 W/m<sup>2</sup>, the COP<sub>m</sub> enhancement is 6.52 %-24.21 %. On typical days, the COP<sub>m</sub> enhancement of ES-SCRS compared to SCRS in summer is most obvious, ranging from 4.56 % to 20.07 %. Meanwhile, COP<sub>m</sub> improvement during spring, autumn, and winter is 2.14 %-11.56 %, 1.51 %-13.57 %, and 3.35 %-11.49 %, respectively. The SEER of ES-SCRS is increased by 5.01 % over SCRS during the summer and the total power consumption is decreased by 4.33 % compared to SCRS. Therefore, the proposed system in article can enhance the performance of the CO<sub>2</sub> supermarket refrigeration system and provide a solution for the application in high temperature environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113914"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144904173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-08-27DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113920
Bohou Bi Boli Jean Hylaire , Abou Bakary Coulibaly , Kouakou Ahoutou Paul , Diasso Alain , Aka Boko
{"title":"Optimization of CsPb0.75Sn0.25IBr2-based perovskite solar cells using different hole transport materials by SCAPS-1D","authors":"Bohou Bi Boli Jean Hylaire , Abou Bakary Coulibaly , Kouakou Ahoutou Paul , Diasso Alain , Aka Boko","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113920","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113920","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the literature on all-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs), which are potential candidates for resolving the impasse linked to the high volatility of the organic part of hybrid perovskites. Among the light absorbers in CsPb<sub>1-x</sub>Sn<sub>x</sub>IBr<sub>2</sub> type, CsPb<sub>0.75</sub>Sn<sub>0.25</sub>IBr<sub>2</sub> exhibits better film quality, good phase stability under illumination and no phase segregation due to its low hysteresis. This makes the CsPb<sub>0.75</sub>Sn<sub>0.25</sub>IBr<sub>2</sub> light absorber is a viable alternative that combines efficiency and stability in photovoltaic solar cells. In this paper, we used the SCAPS-1D simulation software to model the FTO/TiO<sub>2</sub>/CsPb<sub>0.75</sub>Sn<sub>0.25</sub>IBr<sub>2</sub>/Spiro-OMeTAD/Au photovoltaic solar cell, with an initial power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.13 %. A study was carried out to optimize the performance of the cell by varying the parameters of several layers. We studied the effect of the absorber layer thickness, defect density, doping concentration and Auger recombination rate; the effect of the TiO<sub>2</sub> layer doping concentration and the TiO<sub>2</sub>/CsPb<sub>0.75</sub>Sn<sub>0.25</sub>IBr<sub>2</sub> interface defect density. We also considered the influence of changing the hole transport layer (HTL) and the back contact on the cell performance. Thus, we have modeled and optimized two solar cells, one using Spiro-OMeTAD, an organic HTL, and the other NiO, an inorganic HTL, with efficiencies of up to 17,41 %. These efficiencies are significantly higher than those obtained in a theoretical study (PCE = 13.82 %) and in an experimental study (PCE = 11.53 %). This study suggests a way forward for the development of all-inorganic PSCs, offering improved efficiency and phase stability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113920"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144904174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-08-27DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113931
Weiwei Li , Shumin Chen , Dingshan Zheng , Han Pan , Nian Cheng
{"title":"Simulation study of carbon electrode based CsPbBr3 homojunction solar cells for enhanced performance","authors":"Weiwei Li , Shumin Chen , Dingshan Zheng , Han Pan , Nian Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113931","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113931","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>All-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs), especially all bromide CsPbBr<sub>3</sub>, are attracting tremendous attention recently. However, currently there is a large efficiency gap between the experimentally reported power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) and theoretical PCE of CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> PSCs. To shed light on further optimizing the PCEs of CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> PSCs, device simulation using SCAPS-1D is carried out in this study. Hole transport layer free CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> PSCs with a single n-type or p-type CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> film are firstly studied and compared with those results from experiments. Then CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> homojunction solar cells using both n-type and p-type CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> films are further constructed. The influence of p-type CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> film thickness and doping concentration on the performances of the corresponding CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> PSCs are analyzed and discussed in detail. Finally, a champion PCE of 13.87 % could be obtained in FTO/TiO<sub>2</sub>/n-type CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> (700 nm)/p-type CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> (100 nm)/carbon device when the p-type CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> film is doped at a concentration of 1 × 10<sup>18</sup> cm<sup>−3</sup>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113931"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144909031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-08-27DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113919
Sajid Abbas , Atazaz Hassan , Jinzhi Zhou , Emmanuel Bisengimana , Saima Yousuf , Muhammad Hassan , Yanping Yuan
{"title":"Progress and challenges in the integration of solar heat pumps with thermal collectors and PCM-based thermal energy storage systems for heating applications","authors":"Sajid Abbas , Atazaz Hassan , Jinzhi Zhou , Emmanuel Bisengimana , Saima Yousuf , Muhammad Hassan , Yanping Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113919","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113919","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>One of the most popular and promising approaches to reaching carbon neutrality and global carbon peaking is the solar-assisted heat pump system (SAHP), which offers the benefits of low carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) emissions and great energy efficiency. The performance of an energy-efficient heat pump (HP) can be significantly enhanced by integrating it with a solar thermal collector (STC) and phase change material (PCM) that has substantial heat storage densities. Consequently, there has been a lot of interest in heat pump systems coupled with thermal collectors and PCM-based thermal energy storage (TES) systems. This research offers a comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of current developments in designing, advancing, and application of SAHPs in combination with solar thermal collectors (STCs) and phase change material (PCM) systems. This study also focuses on the solar thermal energy storage applications of PCM encapsulation for SAHP systems and highlights their ability to improve heat storage system efficiency and the process of defrosting. It is clear from a thorough review of advanced technologies in these fields that SAHP -TES- STC is a promising pathway to efficient and low-emission heating for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Moreover, the techno-economic evaluation of solar thermal collectors and PCM-based energy storage technology with HP systems is discussed and shows that they are efficient and sustainable, yet full adoption depends on further cost and performance improvement. The current study findings suggest a need for developing efficient thermal collectors, integrating AI-based smart control technologies, and high-performance advanced PCMs with better thermal conductivity and stability. Furthermore, maximizing system performance for different climates, especially in colder places, is critical to ensuring year-round operation. In the end, the problems together, their solutions, and potential future study areas are also addressed, which contributes to advancing sustainable heating technologies for residential<!--> <!-->and industrial applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113919"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144909079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-08-27DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113933
Hou-Chin Cha , Ssu-Yung Chung , Shih-Han Huang , Chia-Feng Li , Shun-Wei Liu , Yu-Ching Huang
{"title":"Mechanism-guided design and process optimization of a roll-to-sheet coating system for flexible perovskite solar cells","authors":"Hou-Chin Cha , Ssu-Yung Chung , Shih-Han Huang , Chia-Feng Li , Shun-Wei Liu , Yu-Ching Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113933","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113933","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We report a mechanism-informed roll-to-sheet (R2S) slot-die coating system engineered for high-uniformity deposition on large-area flexible substrates, advancing scalable fabrication of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Unlike conventional post-deposition thermal treatments, which induce secondary fluid flow and result in pinholes, thickness non-uniformity, and compromised interfacial contact, our R2S platform integrates an in-line heated roller that delivers precise thermal energy during coating. This real-time thermal input governs solvent evaporation kinetics and crystallization pathways, minimizing defect formation at the wet-to-dry transition stage. Guided by a detailed understanding of solvent drying dynamics and their influence on film morphology, we optimized critical parameters, including roller temperature, rotation speed, and solution flow rate, to achieve highly uniform and pinhole-free active layers. Devices fabricated with two R2S-coated functional layers exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.58 %, while triple-layer R2S devices reached 11.58 %, approaching the 13.24 % PCE benchmark of spin-coated controls. Notably, the integrated heated roller not only accelerates drying but also enhances film adhesion and crystallinity, enabling reproducible multi-layer stacking with superior mechanical integrity. This scalable R2S approach bridges the gap between lab-scale coating and industrial roll-to-roll production, laying essential groundwork for future high-throughput manufacturing of flexible PSCs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113933"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144904163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-08-27DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113913
L.A. Carpintero , C. Terrados , D. González-Francés , K.P. Sulca , V. Alonso , M.A. González , O. Martínez
{"title":"Electroluminescence inspections of PV modules and strings by a self-powering configuration in daylight mode","authors":"L.A. Carpintero , C. Terrados , D. González-Francés , K.P. Sulca , V. Alonso , M.A. González , O. Martínez","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113913","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113913","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electroluminescence (EL) imaging is a widely used tool for identifying defects in the solar cells of photovoltaic (PV) modules. Traditional EL inspections require dark conditions and module disassembly, making them costly and logistically challenging. Daylight Electroluminescence (dEL) has emerged as a cost-effective alternative, enabling on-site inspections under any irradiance conditions without module dismounting and thereby reducing costs. However, EL inspections require current injection, necessitating an external power source. Solutions like bidirectional inverters have been proposed to address this challenge. This study proposes a novel self-powered dEL methodology that uses other PV strings in the plant to supply the necessary current. The method employs a switching procedure to filter ambient light and allows entire string inspection without dismounting modules or using external power. Field tests across various irradiance conditions show that the resulting images are comparable to those obtained in controlled darkroom environments, validating the method’s effectiveness and operational advantages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113913"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144904175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-08-27DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113891
N. Belhaouas , H. Hafdaoui , J.M. Nunzi , S. Khatir , D. Ernst , F. Mehareb , N. Madjoudj , H. Assem , D. Saheb-Koussa
{"title":"Comprehensive analysis and insights into the relationship between temperature coefficients, PV failures, and investigating their correlation with other PV parameters","authors":"N. Belhaouas , H. Hafdaoui , J.M. Nunzi , S. Khatir , D. Ernst , F. Mehareb , N. Madjoudj , H. Assem , D. Saheb-Koussa","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113891","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113891","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ensuring long-term performance and reliability of photovoltaic (PV) modules is essential for minimizing maintenance costs and supporting large-scale solar deployment — particularly in regions like Algeria, where solar energy plays a key role in national energy transition strategies. Among the key performance indicators, temperature coefficients (TCs) offer valuable insights into how PV parameters respond to temperature changes. While TCs are routinely included in manufacturer datasheets, their potential use as diagnostic tools for identifying and understanding failure mechanisms remains insufficiently explored. This work presents a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between temperature coefficients and PV module degradation, with a focus on enhancing failure detection and performance evaluation. Five PV module types, exposed to real outdoor conditions under Mediterranean climatic conditions for periods ranging from 4 to 30 years, were investigated through a series of inspections conducted in accordance with IEC 61215 and related standards. These included visual and thermal inspections, (I–V) curve measurements, electrical parameter assessments, and internal resistance evaluations. Furthermore, new differential ratios are introduced to improve comparative analysis. The analysis emphasizes three key datasheet-provided TCs: maximum power (<span><math><mrow><mi>T</mi><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>P</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>m</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>x</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>), open-circuit voltage (<span><math><mrow><mi>T</mi><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>V</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>o</mi><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>), and short-circuit current (<span><math><mrow><mi>T</mi><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>I</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>s</mi><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>), while also drawing insights into derived coefficients such as maximum voltage (<span><math><mrow><mi>T</mi><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>V</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>m</mi><mi>p</mi><mi>p</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>), maximum current (<span><math><mrow><mi>T</mi><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>I</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>m</mi><mi>p</mi><mi>p</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>), and fill factor (<span><math><mrow><mi>T</mi><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>F</mi><mi>F</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>). Results reveal that both optical (e.g., discoloration, delamination) and non-optical (e.g., hot spots, corrosion) failures influence TC behavior. In particular, <span><math><mrow><mi>T</mi><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>P</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>m</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>x</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> shows strong sensitivity to failure occurrence and distribution, while <span><math><mrow><mi>T</mi><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi><","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113891"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144904165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-08-26DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113923
Zhu Zhiwei , Zhou Ruirui , Wang Zhiyun , Liu Yi , Li Ling
{"title":"Melting process of non-uniform molten salt slurry in direct absorption solar storage","authors":"Zhu Zhiwei , Zhou Ruirui , Wang Zhiyun , Liu Yi , Li Ling","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113923","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113923","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Concentrating Solar Power on Demand (CSPonD) system is a cost-effective approach for thermal energy utilization. The phase change of the molten salt particles complicates the calculation of incident radiation absorption by molten salt. In the present study, a radiation absorption model with a variable attenuation coefficient is established to describe the temporal and spatial non-uniformities in radiation absorption caused by phase changes. The model couples the phase change process of molten salt with the radiation absorption process, accounting for changes in the morphology and volume fraction of solid particles during melting. The findings reveal that the attenuation capacity of the phase-change molten salt slurry decreases with increasing temperature, exhibiting a sharp drop at 501.5 K, which is near the complete melting point of 503 K. The behavior leads to un-melted solid particles in the molten salt surface, hindering energy absorption and melting progress. The melting rate of molten salt increases with the feeding ratio and initial average particle size. In present work, the melting rate at the feeding ratio of 0.5 increased by 93.2 % compared to a ratio of 0.1. Additionally, the melting rate for 85 μm particles rose by 9.0 % relative to that for 10 μm particles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113923"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144902665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-08-26DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113909
Mansoor Shafiq Durrani, Syed Nadir Hussain, Hafiz Muhammad Anwar Asghar, Bilal Haider
{"title":"EVA reinforced with graphene nanoparticles, nano zinc oxide and bacterial cellulose for improved photovoltaic encapsulation","authors":"Mansoor Shafiq Durrani, Syed Nadir Hussain, Hafiz Muhammad Anwar Asghar, Bilal Haider","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113909","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113909","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores a new way to improve ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA), a widely used material in solar panel encapsulation, by reinforcing it with a combination of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP), nano-zinc oxide (n-ZnO), and bacterial cellulose (BC). While previous research has studied EVA with single or two-component fillers, this work is the first to use this specific three-part (ternary) nanofiller system to enhance the performance of EVA for photovoltaic (PV) applications. The developed composites (EVA1–EVA3) were tested using a range of techniques, including FTIR, TGA, DSC, SEM, UV–Vis, and mechanical testing. Among the samples, the EVA3 formulation showed the best overall performance. Its tensile strength improved by 32.6 %, rising from 18.7 ± 0.4 MPa to 24.8 ± 0.7 MPa, while the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) dropped by over 70 %, indicating much better moisture resistance. The thermal degradation temperature increased from 300.2 °C to 340.3 °C, and the glass transition temperature also improved, suggesting better stability under heat. Optical testing showed EVA3 maintained high visible light transmittance (82.5 % at 600 nm) and blocked UV radiation below 400 nm—both important features for solar energy use. Spectroscopic analysis confirmed strong interactions between EVA and the fillers, and statistical tests (ANOVA, F-test) verified that the improvements were scientifically meaningful (p < 0.01). Together, these results show that using a carefully balanced combination of GNP, n-ZnO, and BC can significantly improve the durability, stability, and efficiency of EVA films. This makes EVA3 a strong candidate for next-generation solar panel encapsulation materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113909"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144902669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Solar EnergyPub Date : 2025-08-26DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2025.113899
Pawan Chaugule, Bipul Barua, Mark C. Messner, Dileep Singh
{"title":"srlife: A software tool for estimating the life of high temperature concentrating solar receivers. Part II – Ceramic receivers","authors":"Pawan Chaugule, Bipul Barua, Mark C. Messner, Dileep Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113899","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.solener.2025.113899","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies aim for higher operating temperatures to enhance efficiency and meet industrial process heat demands, high-temperature metallic materials, including nickel-based superalloys, face challenges in maintaining structural integrity. Advanced ceramics offer a promising alternative due to their superior high-temperature strength. However, accurately assessing the performance of ceramic components requires a fundamentally different approach from that used for metallic components. This Part II of a two-part paper describes the integration of ceramic statistical failure models within <em>srlife</em> – an open-source tool for predicting the life of high-temperature CSP receivers. These models account for the inherent variability in ceramic strength, as well as the effects of subcritical crack growth (SCG) under high temperature cyclic loads. The paper includes an example problem that demonstrates the process of evaluating ceramic receivers using <em>srlife</em>. Part I details the life estimation process for metallic receivers (i.e. creep-fatigue life) along with input and output data structure, thermohydraulic analysis, and structural analysis. The complete tool is available as open-source software at <span><span>https://github.com/srlife-project/srlife</span><svg><path></path></svg></span> and can be installed via the PyPi package manager (<span><span>https://pypi.org</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>). By supporting both ceramic and metallic receiver analyses, <em>srlife</em> facilitates fair comparisons between competing metallic and ceramic designs, enabling accurate evaluations of plant efficiency and the economic benefits of ceramic solar receivers and other components.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":428,"journal":{"name":"Solar Energy","volume":"301 ","pages":"Article 113899"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144904164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}