The Demo Site

Nonimaging optics is a subfield of optics whose development over the past 35-40 years was conducted by scientists at the University of Chicago and other individuals and cooperating institutions. The approach provides a formalism that allows the design of optical devices that approach the maximum physically achievable geometric concentration for a given set of optical tolerances. This means that it has the potential to revolutionize the design of solar concentrators. In this paper, the practical applications of the techniques of nonimaging optics for solar energy collection and concentration are developed and explained. The formalism for the design of a hub for a variety of types, such as the compound parabolic concentrator and its many additions and variations, is presented. Advantages and limitations of the approach are reviewed. Practice and Economics concentrator design for both thermal and photovoltaic applications and discussed. The hub of the whole range of applications from simple low nontracking designs ultra-concentration of different configurations are covered. Table of Contents: Introduction / CPC / CPC Practical Design of thermal collectors / Practical Design of CPC concentrators PV / Two-Stage Nonimaging solar thermal concentrators Applications / Two-Stage Nonimaging photovoltaic solar concentrators Applications / Selection Nonimaging Demos Concentrator Performance / The importance of economic factors in effective solar concentrator design / Concentration ultra / Bibliography.