Open Access

ARTICLE

Scalable and Passive Concentrator Photovoltaics Using a Multi-Focal Pyramidal Array: A Multi-Physics Modeling Approach

Mussad Mohammed Al-Zahrani^*, Taher Maatallah
Mechanical and Energy Engineering Department, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, 31441, Saudi Arabia
* Corresponding Author: Mussad Mohammed Al-Zahrani. Email:
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advanced Thermal Management and Modeling in Concentrating Photovoltaic Systems)

Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer https://doi.org/10.32604/fhmt.2025.074656

Received 15 October 2025; Accepted 24 November 2025; Published online 23 December 2025

Abstract

Conventional concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) face a persistent trade-off between high efficiency and high cost, driven by expensive multi-junction solar cells and complex active cooling systems. This study presents a computational investigation of a novel Multi-Focal Pyramidal Array (MFPA)-based CPV system designed to overcome this limitation. The MFPA architecture employs a geometrically optimized pyramidal concentrator to distribute concentrated sunlight onto strategically placed, low-cost monocrystalline silicon cells, enabling high efficiency energy capture while passively managing thermal loads. Coupled optical thermal electrical simulations in COMSOL Multiphysics demonstrate a geometric concentration ratio of 120×, with system temperatures maintained below 110°C under standard 1000 W/m² Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI). Ray tracing confirms 95% optical efficiency and a concentrated light spot radius of 2.48 mm. Compared with conventional CPV designs, the MFPA improves power-per-cost by 25% and reduces tracking requirements by 50% owing to its wide ±15° acceptance angle. These results highlight the MFPA’s potential as a scalable, low-cost, and energy-efficient pathway for expanding solar power generation.

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Keywords

Concentrating photovoltaic (CPV); multi-focal pyramidal array (MFPA); multi-physics simulation; optical-thermal coupling; geometric concentration; solar energy conversion

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