Prospects for the Application of Solar Arrays with Concentrators in Near-Earth Orbits ANATOLY S. KOROTEEV/ ANATOLY M. KOSTYLEV," VLADIMIR S. TVERSCOYm SUMMARY The paper lists the results of research and development on solar arrays with solar radiation concentrators. It is shown that solar concentrators reduce the amount of semiconductor material photovoltaic converters must be made of, and substantially lower the space radiation effects on photovoltaic converters with resulting service life increases. It is known that solar arrays with silicon photovoltaic converters are widely used for low power supply (from hundreds to thousands of watts) on spacecraft with the active operation time from some months to 2-3 years. Solar arrays are inexpensive and have sufficient specific power (20-40 W/kg). The solar energy-to-clectricity conversion efficiency of silicon solar arrays is approximately 14%. Yet solar arrays are not free from limitations which impede their use in solving a number of space application problems. First is the deterioration of characteristics under the influence of the space environment. With multiple passages through the Earth’s radiation belts the rate of degradation can amount to 40% a year. The goal of achieving durable service life of solar arrays with the end-of-life specific power no less than 70 W/m, is primarily related to slowing-down photovoltaic converter performance deterioration. In order to address this problem, new radiation-resistant materials, possibly photovoltaic converters doped with lithium, or selective protective coatings, etc. are being developed. The present techniques for solar array protection permit only a slight reduction of degradation because they do not sufficiently protect the photovoltaic converters from the influence of the space environment factors and on-board atmosphere. Besides, the prospective radiation-resistant photovoltaic converters are much more expensive (tens times more costly) than those which are presently used. These problems can be solved by using solar arrays of radically new designs. Such arrays employ solar energy concentrators protecting photovoltaic converters from the effects of the space environment. * Professor, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences. The Scientific-Research Institute of Thermal Processes. 8, Onezhskaya, Moscow, 125438, Russian Republic. ++ Professor, Doctor of Science (Techn.) Head of Division. The Scientific-Research Institute of Thermal Processes. 8, Onezhskaya, Moscow, 125438, Russian Republic. m Cand. of Sc. (Tech.) Head of Department. The Scientific-Research Institute of Thermal Processes. 8, Onezhskaya, Moscow, 125438, Russian Republic.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTU5NjU0Mg==