Post on 10-Feb-2020
Reinventado a relação Sol/Edificio, PixelVoltaic
NZEB Lisboa, June 26th, 2012
Adélio Mendes
Departamento de Eng. Química
Sustainable architecture
Solar Power Radiation
173 000 TW
SUN – A nuclear fusion reactor located at a safe distance
Solar Power Radiation
How to take advantage of this huge energy source?
Dye sensitized Solar Cells
Dye Sensitized solar Cells
How they work?
Dye Sensitized solar Cells
How they work?
Dye Sensitized solar Cells
What are the advantages?
Made of cheap and abundant and non-toxic materials
Use more efficiently the diffuse light
Less sensitive to the temperature
Aesthetically very pleasant – build integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 164 (2004) 203–207
Dye Sensitized solar Cells
What are the challenges?
Sealing cells still a challenging issue – normally sealed with
polymeric materials such as Surlyn®.
Low energy efficiencies – submodule maximum efficiency ca. 9.9
% (Sony).
Dye Sensitized solar Cells
Advancements in DSC sealing
Would be it possible to glass seal the cells?
Would be it possible to make the subtracts orders of magnitude more
electrical conductive?
Dye Sensitized solar Cells
New approach:
Glass sealing assisted by laser
Dye Sensitized solar Cells
New approach:
Glass sealing assisted by laser
LaserBox
• 2D laser head
• Ytterbium laser
(λ = 1064 nm, Pmax= 200 W)
• Sealing temperature: ca. 250 °C
Dye Sensitized solar Cells
New approach:
Glass sealing assisted by laser
• Resistant to thermal shocks: 10x dived in glycol aqueous solution from -20 °C to 80 °C, steps of 20 °C.
• Resistant from -20 °C +80 °C.
• >30 kgf of shear strength.
• Glass – Glass substrates.
• Glass – Metal substrates.
Dye Sensitized solar Cells
New approach:
High conductive substrate
Metal engraved mesh coated with TCO:
Embedded Transparent Conducting Oxide technology
Dye Sensitized solar Cells
New approach:
High conductive substrate
Embedded Transparent Conducting Oxide technology:
• Cheaper production process.
• Larger active areas.
• More aesthetic.
Dye Sensitized solar Cells - Efacec
Expected performances:
Inserted in a double sheet glass of any dimension
Life-time: > 25 years
Efficiency: ca. 8 %
Amortization time: < 2.5 years selling electricity at
market price.
Dye Sensitized solar Cells - Sony
Questions are welcome