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Gwyddoniaeth a Pheirianneg - Faculty of Science and Engineering
A Materials & Manufacturing RI (M2RI) Event
SpeakerDr Declan Hughes
Speaker's BiographyDr Declan Hughes is a Research and Design Engineer at MicroLink Devices UK Inc, who are the manufacturer of the world's highest specific power solar technology. His work includes the development of cells for Space Based Solar Power (SBSP) concepts.
Prior to this, he was a Post-Doctoral Research Assistant at Swansea University in the group of Dr. Wing Chung Tsoi, investigating the X-Ray stability of perovskite solar cells and the Lifecycle and cost analysis of perovskite cells for aerospace applications. This work also included fabricating flexible perovskite solar cells on space qualified glass. He also completed his PhD with Dr. Wing Chung Tsoi, looking at the feasibility of perovskite solar cells for space applications. This work included proton radiation stability, extreme temperature thermal cycling, and the application of lightweight thin film encapsulation.
From: 23 Oct 2024, 1 p.m.To: 23 Oct 2024, 3 p.m.
Location: Computational Foundry, Robert Recorde 102, Other
Talk title: Overcoming Challenges within Space Based Solar Power
Company/ Speaker : MicroLink Devices UK Ltd / Dr Declan Hughes
Abstract
Solar power is a key candidate for meeting the growing energy demands of the world while also maintaining the push towards net zero emissions. The push towards solar can take a variety of forms, including rooftop panels and solar farms. While in theory solar panels have huge potential, depending on the location in which they are installed, the benefits can be hindered. Locations with low yearly sunlight or those where the weather varies greatly resulting in cloudy days will be less likely to transition towards solar due to unreliable returns. A promising solution to this problem, which is gaining a lot of traction with governments and space administrations, is the concept of Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP).
SBSP is a concept that revolves around generating power using satellites orbiting the Earth. These satellites are covered in solar cells, which generate power which is transmitted back to earth through an energy beam. This beam is then absorbed by a terrestrial PV power station. By placing the satellites in orbit, not only is the atmosphere and any shadowing effects removed, but the increase in light intensity allows for greater energy generation. To further increase the amount of power the satellites can generate, some SBSP concepts are investigating the use of concentrators to increase the light concentration further. This would allow the satellite to generate power in the region of GWs
Our work focuses on adapting the MicroLink Devices Dual Junction (DJ) cells for concentrator applications as part of the CASSIOPeiA concentrated SBSP concept. These DJ cells are manufactured using MLDs proprietary epitaxial liftoff (ELO) technology, resulting in a specific power (kW/kg) of ~3.2. To assess the viability, cells have been tested at TS-Space Systems up to 138 suns. By optimizing the metal grid pattern, the resistive losses experienced at high suns can be mitigated, allowing for better device performance. We have also shown that the limitation of high concentration PV is the thermal management of the cells. Thermal simulations and experimental data show that at concentrations of 500X, the cells experience a temperature of ~500 °C. We have also performed thermal simulations on how to improve the temperature and considerations for the future of concentrated SBSP.
Contact: Dr. Wing Chung Tsoi (Email: W.C.Tsoi@Swansea.ac.uk)
Event created by: e.j.hoskins