Document Type

Doctoral Thesis

Disciplines

3.3 HEALTH SCIENCES

Publication Details

Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to Technological University Dublin. 2025.

Abstract

The efficiency of photovoltaics (PVs) and photo-thermal (PT) systems is hindered by spectral mismatches and low thermal conductivity. A promising solution to address these issues can be the use of luminescent down-shifting (LDS) layers. This involves the incorporation of luminophores into solid or liquid layers that will act as spectral beam splitters (SBSs). In solid polymers, they form luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs), while in liquids, they act as working fluids and SBS for hybrid photovoltaic-photothermal (PVT) systems. This thesis will examine the energy conversion in both solid and liquid configurations through experimental, simulation, and economic analyses. An open-source model that simulates photon interactions with LSC and hybrid SBS materials was adapted and validated against experimental data for PVT systems. Categorizing photon processes such as luminescent downshifting, absorption, parasitic losses, and transmission allowed to assess and categorize the photons contributions towards electrical and/or thermal energy outputs. An experimental apparatus was developed to test hybrid PVT liquids, enabling validation of novel materials through simulations and benchtop trials. Further validation of the simulation-experiment approach for hybrid PVT involved dispersing new synthesised boron dipyrromethene dyes into liquid solutions that lead to higher energy outputs for both electrical and thermal components. Economic analysis was used to determine the suitability of the PVT systems for deployment in various European regions. Finally, in this thesis a new method for 3D printing luminescent solar concentrators was investigated. The surface, the refractive index and the optical properties of the 3D printed LSC were analysed along with the influences that the luminophore present have on the electrical outputs of a PV system. The method showed that 3D printing can lead to new LSCs configuration that could increase the solar energy conversion.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21427/kjnc-4x62

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

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