Optical Characteristics of Rectangular Cross-Section Torus Waveguide

Abstract

Abstract The rectangular cross-section waveguide made of PMMA is designed to efficiently transfer solar radiation from the source to the receiver, whether it be a (solar cell or a thermal reservoir) by the total internal reflection of the radiation within the waveguide. The waveguide is designed with a torus, like the letters U and S, which provides greater flexibility to reach previously inaccessible areas with traditional waveguide shapes. To design the waveguide, the simulation program (ANSYS Zemax OpticStudio 2022) uses the analysis tool in the program (detector viewer). The optical efficiency of the system was calculated by varying a set of optical parameters, such as the radius of curvature of the waveguide, the width of the entrance aperture, and the angle of rotation. The results showed that the designed (U) model offers more design flexibility than the (S) model, enabling greater geometric freedom in solar system design and providing greater diversity in design based on its intended purpose without significantly affecting the efficiency of the system.