Fresnel lens analysis for solar energy applications

Abstract

In this paper we analyze an arbitrarily shaped lineal Fresnel lens acting either as sole concentration stage or as the first stage of a two-stage concentration system in which the second stage considers the first as a Lambertian source. We determine the gain and position of the lens for all possible configurations, and we demonstrate that a curved lens with a refractive-index approaching infinity and with a given profile turns out to be an ideal concentrator.