| Work Detail |
A European research team has sought to combine for the first time perovskite solar cell technology with textile ceramic in a novel building-integrated photovoltaic device. The result is a solar brick with potential for future commercialiation, according to its creators.
A European research group has developed a solar brick based on textile ceramic technology (TCT) and perovskite photovoltaic cells.
The new device is intended for applications in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). “We are planning to bring this technology to market,” the researchs corresponding author, Pedro Casariego, told pv magazine. “This was the main goal of this research and a few parallel projects we are working on.”
TCT was patented in 2011 and consists of a system made of ceramic units installed in a grid of steel wires. It was conceived to be used on cover roofs, grounds, and principally façade claddings, as well as a curtain wall that should make ventilation inexpensive.
“Most commonly, TCT is used as a dry construction system consisting of long shells with widths between 0.6- and 2-meters,” the scientists explained. “One of the advantages of the system is the reduced time construction, since traditional ceramic cladding systems require a manual procedure on site where the bricks are placed one by one joined by mortar. Moreover, the large length dimension of the shells makes it possible to cover ground, façade and roof with the same element.”
The research group describes the 300 mm x 117 mm solar brick as a system integrating a 99 mm × 99?mm perovskite solar module (PSM) compatible with TCT mesh. It used welding to make the electrical connections for the module, which was embedded in a groove with an inclined geometry.
It also utilized stainless steel plates with the shape of a double L to achieve a dry joint between PSM and the ceramic pieces. “It must be pointed out that the groove is not always done in the center of the ceramic piece and can be made further to the right or left to allow different possibilities and play a bit with composition,” the academics explained.
“The solar brick was designed from scratch and has reached a technology readiness level (TRL) of 5,” Casariego stated. “The perovskite module was individually tested in real environments, and the solar brick has undergone impact, vibration, and thermal shock tests.”
The tests showed that the PSM is barely affected by a hard body impact, although the groove made to the ceramic piece to set the PSM reduces the strength of the bricks.
“In the case of hail impact, a reduction in efficiency is observed, although the cell continues to operate,” the scientists noted. “In vibration test is observed some fragility of the electrical welding. One of the failures was produced at 10?Hz testing.”
Through voltage measurements, the scientists also found that the PSM is not affected by the vibrations. “In general terms, the SB was not affected by the imposed vibration loadings during the tests,” they added. “The designed dry joint between the ceramic piece and the PSM works adequately.”
Overall, the solar brick was found to perform well “in general terms” with market viability possibilities, with the main challenge being identified in the brittle rupture of the ceramic pieces. “A revision of the solar brick design must be carried out in future research,” the academics concluded.
The novel technology was presented in the study “Design of perovskite solar brick for textile ceramic technology,” which was recently published in Construction and Building Materials. The research team included scientists from SpainUIC, which worked in partnership with Flexbrick SL, as well as the CHOSE research institute at the University of Rome Tor Vergata in Italy and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).
“Academics from UIC in cooperation with Flexbrick have focused on BIPV integrating perovskite technology at the architectural level, both as an independent brick unit and as part of a modular façade composition for future buildings and BIPV systems,” Casariego said. “Meanwhile, CHOSE and CEA have concentrated on developing the perovskite module itself. Overall, this has been a collaborative, cross-disciplinary project, working at scales from nanometers up to the building level, with the shared goal of creating a sustainable product for the construction market.”
The project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the research project Apolo. |
