Characterization of Double-Doped Polymer Optical Fibers as Luminescent Solar Concentrators

This work reports on a diameter dependence analysis of the performance as luminescent solar concentrators of three self-fabricated polymer optical fibers (POFs) doped with a hybrid combination of dopants. The works carried out include the design and self-fabrication of the different diameter fibers; an experimental analysis of the output power, of the output irradiance and of the fluorescent fiber solar concentrator efficiency; a comparison of the experimental results with a theoretical model; a study of the performance of all the fibers under different simulated lighting conditions; and a calculation of the active fiber length of each of the samples, all of them as a function of the fiber core diameter. To the best of our knowledge, this paper reports the first analysis of the influence of the POF diameter for luminescent solar concentration applications. The results obtained offer a general perspective on the optimal design of solar energy concentrating systems based on doped POFs and pave the way for the implementation of cost-effective solar energy concentrating devices.

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Effects of Fabrication Methods on the Performance of Luminescent Solar Concentrators Based on Doped Polymer Optical Fibers

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13030424 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 424

Author(s):

Eneko Arrospide ◽

María Asunción Illarramendi ◽

Igor Ayesta ◽

Nekane Guarrotxena ◽

Olga García ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optical Fibers ◽

Casting Process ◽

High Thermal Stability ◽

Solar Concentrators ◽

Luminescent Solar Concentrators ◽

Concentration Factors ◽

Polymer Optical Fibers ◽

Doped Polymer ◽

Fiber Preforms ◽

Thermal Stability Of

In this work, we detail two types of fabrication processes of four polymer optical fibers doped with lumogen dyes. The fiber preforms have been manufactured with two different methods: extrusion and casting. We have compared the performance of the two types of fibers as luminescent solar concentrators by calculating their optical efficiencies and concentration factors. The obtained results show better performance for those fibers manufactured by the casting process. We have also studied the photostability of the two types of fibers doped with the dye lumogen red under solar light radiation. A high thermal stability of the doped fibers has been observed.

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POF-Based Solar Concentrators Incorporating Dyes and Europium Chelates

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma14102667 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (10) ◽

pp. 2667

Author(s):

Ander Vieira ◽

Jon Arrue ◽

Begoña García-Ramiro ◽

Felipe Jiménez ◽

María Asunción Illarramendi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optical Fibers ◽

Organic Dyes ◽

Radiative Energy ◽

Quantum Yields ◽

Solar Concentrators ◽

Europium Ion ◽

Luminescent Solar Concentrators ◽

Simplifying Assumptions ◽

Europium Chelates ◽

Polymer Optical Fibers

In this paper, useful models that enable time-efficient computational analyses of the performance of luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are developed and thoroughly described. These LSCs are based on polymer optical fibers codoped with organic dyes and/or europium chelates. The interest in such dopants lies in the availability of new dyes with higher quantum yields and in the photostability and suitable absorption and emission bands of europium chelates. Time-efficiency without compromising accuracy is especially important for the simulation of europium chelates, in which non-radiative energy transfers from the absorbing ligands to the europium ion and vice versa are so fast that the discretization in time, in the absence of some simplifying assumptions, would have to be very fine. Some available experimental results are also included for the sake of comparison.

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High performance fluorescent fiber solar concentrators employing double‐doped polymer optical fibers

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells ◽

10.1016/j.solmat.2018.01.013 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 178 ◽

pp. 20-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Itxaso Parola ◽

Daniel Zaremba ◽

Robert Evert ◽

Jana Kielhorn ◽

Florian Jakobs ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optical Fibers ◽

High Performance ◽

Solar Concentrators ◽

Polymer Optical Fibers ◽

Doped Polymer

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Polymer optical fibers doped with organic materials as luminescent solar concentrators

10.1117/12.2252956 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Itxaso Parola ◽

María Asunción Illarramendi ◽

Joseba Zubia ◽

Eneko Arrospide ◽

Gaizka Durana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optical Fibers ◽

Organic Materials ◽

Solar Concentrators ◽

Luminescent Solar Concentrators ◽

Polymer Optical Fibers

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Luminescent solar concentrators based on melt-spun polymer optical fibers

Materials & Design ◽

10.1016/j.matdes.2020.108518 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 189 ◽

pp. 108518 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Konrad Jakubowski ◽

Chieh-Szu Huang ◽

Ali Gooneie ◽

Luciano F. Boesel ◽

Manfred Heuberger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optical Fibers ◽

Solar Concentrators ◽

Luminescent Solar Concentrators ◽

Melt Spun ◽

Polymer Optical Fibers

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Distributed Static and Dynamic Strain Measurements in Polymer Optical Fibers by Rayleigh Scattering

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21155049 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (15) ◽

pp. 5049

Author(s):

Agnese Coscetta ◽

Ester Catalano ◽

Enis Cerri ◽

Ricardo Oliveira ◽

Lucia Bilro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optical Fibers ◽

Time Domain ◽

Rayleigh Scattering ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Time Domain Reflectometry ◽

Dynamic Strain ◽

Strain Measurements ◽

Graded Index ◽

Optical Time ◽

Polymer Optical Fibers

We demonstrate the use of a graded-index perfluorinated optical fiber (GI-POF) for distributed static and dynamic strain measurements based on Rayleigh scattering. The system is based on an amplitude-based phase-sensitive Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry (ϕ-OTDR) configuration, operated at the unconventional wavelength of 850 nm. Static strain measurements have been carried out at a spatial resolution of 4 m and for a strain up to 3.5% by exploiting the increase of the backscatter Rayleigh coefficient consequent to the application of a tensile strain, while vibration/acoustic measurements have been demonstrated for a sampling frequency up to 833 Hz by exploiting the vibration-induced changes in the backscatter Rayleigh intensity time-domain traces arising from coherent interference within the pulse. The reported tests demonstrate that polymer optical fibers can be used for cost-effective multiparameter sensing.

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