Outdoor testing of luminescent solar concentrators in a liquid polymer and bulk plate of PMMA

This paper describes the outdoor testing of a luminescent solar concentrator (LSC). The optical efficiency of the liquid concentrator has been studied. It is found that the liquid concentrators are as efficient as those with solid matrices and their efficiencies are enhanced under diffuse light illumination. A single dye luminescent solar concentrator has been prepared using BASF-241 and 402 dye dissolved in methylmethacrylate and thermally polymerized. The optical efficiencies were measured and calculated hourly for one season (summer 1996) considering day 22 as a reference day for each month. The performance of LSC has been tested at four different positions. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.