Challenges for thermal management and production technologies in concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) modules

In concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) solar radiation is concentrated up to 1000 times using inexpensive optics. This leads to high heat flux in the system of up to 100 W/cm2 and requires an efficient thermal design. There are actively and passively cooled systems. The thermal design of those systems is investigated with theoretical simulations. In this paper we present how to validate the simulations using indoor experiments. To manufacture CPV modules industrially, standard processes from the electronic industry like wire bonding or pick-and-place are used and adapted wherever possible. In this paper a process to mount solar cells with areas >1 cm2 using vacuum soldering is presented. For the integration of bypass diodes, the assembly adjacent or the use of special solar cell architectures like the MIMs are proposed.