A. AGRAWAL, YONG K. KIM, P. CALVERT Bioengineering Department, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA, US
AM. LEE Konarka Technology Inc. Lowell, MA, USA
Recently there has been growing interest in developing smart photovoltaic fabric devices. These devices could be used as a sustainable and ubiquitous power source for wearable and other electronic devices.
Three woven photovoltaic fabric structures were constructed with fiber-shaped organic photovoltaic wire (OPW) from Konarka Technologies, Inc. (Lowell, MA, USA). The OPW is flexible, lightweight and wire shaped organic photovoltaic fiber based on bulk hetero-junction nanocomposites.
The power conversion characteristics of photovoltaic fabrics developed were thoroughly investigated. It was found that the power conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic fabric depends on the incident light quality; fabric cover factor, swatch size, and fabric weave structure.
This study also includes photovoltaic fabric model for understanding the effects of different fabric geometry on power conversion efficiency of photovoltaic fabrics.
The model predicts the performance of the photovoltaic fabrics with different shape, size and structures, and it provides design criteria for more efficient photovoltaic fabric device.
