A thermoelectric generator and water-cooling assisted high conversion efficiency polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic system

Zekun LIU, Shuang YUAN, Yi YUAN, Guojian LI, Qiang WANG

PDF(830 KB)
PDF(830 KB)
Front. Energy ›› 2021, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (2) : 358-366. DOI: 10.1007/s11708-020-0712-1
RESEARCH ARTICLE

A thermoelectric generator and water-cooling assisted high conversion efficiency polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic system

Author information +
History +

Abstract

Solar energy has been increasing its share in the global energy structure. However, the thermal radiation brought by sunlight will attenuate the efficiency of solar cells. To reduce the temperature of the photovoltaic (PV) cell and improve the utilization efficiency of solar energy, a hybrid system composed of the PV cell, a thermoelectric generator (TEG), and a water-cooled plate (WCP) was manufactured. The WCP cannot only cool the PV cell, but also effectively generate additional electric energy with the TEG using the waste heat of the PV cell. The changes in the efficiency and power density of the hybrid system were obtained by real time monitoring. The thermal and electrical tests were performed at different irradiations and the same experiment temperature of 22°C. At a light intensity of 1000 W/m2, the steady-state temperature of the PV cell decreases from 86.8°C to 54.1°C, and the overall efficiency increases from 15.6% to 21.1%. At a light intensity of 800 W/m2, the steady-state temperature of the PV cell decreases from 70°C to 45.8°C, and the overall efficiency increases from 9.28% to 12.59%. At a light intensity of 400 W/m2, the steady-state temperature of the PV cell decreases from 38.5°C to 31.5°C, and the overall efficiency is approximately 3.8%, basically remain unchanged.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

photovoltaic (PV) / thermoelectric generator / conversion efficiency / hybrid energy systems / water-cooled plate (WCP)

Cite this article

Download citation ▾
Zekun LIU, Shuang YUAN, Yi YUAN, Guojian LI, Qiang WANG. A thermoelectric generator and water-cooling assisted high conversion efficiency polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic system. Front. Energy, 2021, 15(2): 358‒366 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-020-0712-1

References

[1]
Dresselhaus M S, Chen G, Tang M Y, New directions for low-dimensional thermoelectric materials. Advanced Materials, 2007, 19(8): 1043–1053
CrossRef Google scholar
[2]
Roeb M, Müller-Steinhagen H. Concentrating on solar electricity and fuels. Science, 2010, 329(5993): 773–774
CrossRef Google scholar
[3]
Kraemer D, Poudel B, Feng H P, High-performance flat-panel solar thermoelectric generators with high thermal concentration. Nature Materials, 2011, 10(7): 532–538
CrossRef Google scholar
[4]
Ren21. Renewables 2019 Global Status Report. 2019
[5]
Wild M, Gilgen H, Roesch A, From dimming to brightening: decadal changes in solar radiation at earth’s surface. Science, 2005, 308(5723): 847–850
CrossRef Google scholar
[6]
Wilhelm K, Curdt W, Marsch E, Sumer solar ultraviolet measurements of emitted radiation. Solar Physics, 1995, 162(1/2): 189–231
CrossRef Google scholar
[7]
Makki A, Omer S, Sabir H. Advancements in hybrid photovoltaic systems for enhanced solar cells performance. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2015, 41: 658–684
CrossRef Google scholar
[8]
Yoon S, Garboushian V. Reduced temperature dependence of high-concentration photovoltaic solar cell open-circuit voltage (Voc) at high concentration levels. In: IEEE 1st World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion-WCPEC (A Joint Conference of PVSC, PVSEC and PSEC), Hawaii, USA, 1994
[9]
Pässler R. Parameter sets due to fittings of the temperature dependencies of fundamental bandgaps in semiconductors. Physica Status Solidi, 1999, 216(2): 975–1007
CrossRef Google scholar
[10]
Raga S R, Fabregat-Santiago F. Temperature effects in dye-sensitized solar cells. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2013, 15(7): 2328–2336
CrossRef Google scholar
[11]
Ju X, Wang Z, Flamant G, Numerical analysis and optimization of a spectrum splitting concentration photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid system. Solar Energy, 2012, 86(6): 1941–1954
CrossRef Google scholar
[12]
Deng Y, Luo B, Wang Y, Photoelectrode with light and heat synergy utilization based on CdTe/Bi2Te3 nanorod arrays/nanolayer film. Functional Materials Letters (Singapore), 2013, 6(5): 1340004
CrossRef Google scholar
[13]
Li D, Xuan Y, Yin E, et al. Conversion efficiency gain for concentrated triple-junction solar cell system through thermal management. Renewable Energy, 2018, 126: 960–968
CrossRef Google scholar
[14]
Kil T H, Kim S, Jeong D H, A highly-efficient, concentrating-photovoltaic/ thermoelectric hybrid generator. Nano Energy, 2017, 37: 242–247
CrossRef Google scholar
[15]
Wu Y Y, Wu S Y, Xiao L. Performance analysis of photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid system with and without glass cover. Energy Conversion and Management, 2015, 93: 151–159
CrossRef Google scholar
[16]
Karami Lakeh H, Kaatuzian H, Hosseini R. A parametrical study on photo-electro-thermal performance of an integrated thermoelectric-photovoltaic cell. Renewable Energy, 2019, 138: 542–550
CrossRef Google scholar
[17]
Mahmoudinezhad S, Qing S, Rezaniakolaei A, Transient model of hybrid concentrated photovoltaic with thermoelectric generator. Energy Procedia, 2017, 142: 564–569
CrossRef Google scholar
[18]
Mahmoudinezhad S, Ahmadi Atouei S, Cotfas P A, Experimental and numerical study on the transient behavior of multijunction solar cell-thermoelectric generator hybrid system. Energy Conversion and Management, 2019, 184: 448–455
CrossRef Google scholar
[19]
Yin E, Li Q, Xuan Y. Optimal design method for concentrating photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid system. Applied Energy, 2018, 226: 320–329
CrossRef Google scholar
[20]
Singh P, Ravindra N M. Temperature dependence of solar cell performance—an analysis. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2012, 101: 36–45
CrossRef Google scholar
[21]
Rowe D M, Min G. Evaluation of thermoelectric modules for power generation. Journal of Power Sources, 1998, 73(2): 193–198
CrossRef Google scholar
[22]
Andreas A, Stoffel T. NREL Solar Radiation Research Laboratory (SRRL): Baseline Measurement System (BMS); Golden, Colorado (Data). National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Report No. DA-5500–56488
CrossRef Google scholar
[23]
Yang D, Yin H. Energy conversion efficiency of a novel hybrid solar system for photovoltaic, thermoelectric, and heat utilization. IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, 2011, 26(2): 662–670
CrossRef Google scholar
[24]
Nizetic S, Papadopoulos A. The role of exergy in energy and the environment. Springer International Publishing, 2018, 525–543
[25]
Sopori B, Chen W, Madjdpour J, Calculation of emissivity of Si wafers. Journal of Electronic Materials, 1999, 28(12): 1385–1389
CrossRef Google scholar
[26]
Xu L, Xiong Y, Mei A, Efficient perovskite photovoltaic thermoelectric hybrid device. Advanced Energy Materials, 2018, 8(13): 1702937
CrossRef Google scholar
[27]
Motiei P, Yaghoubi M, Goshtashbirad E, Two-dimensional unsteady state performance analysis of a hybrid photovoltaic-thermoelectric generator. Renewable Energy, 2018, 119: 551–565
CrossRef Google scholar
[28]
Wu S, Zhang Y, Xiao L, Performance comparison investigation on solar photovoltaic-thermoelectric generation and solar photovoltaic-thermoelectric cooling hybrid systems under different conditions. International Journal of Sustainable Energy, 2018, 37(6): 533–548
CrossRef Google scholar
[29]
Zhang J, Xuan Y, Yang L. Performance estimation of photovoltaic–thermoelectric hybrid systems. Energy, 2014, 78: 895–903
CrossRef Google scholar

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51690161 and 21701022), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant Nos. N182505037 and N2025035), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (Grant No. 2018QNRC001), and the Liaoning Revitalization Talents Program (Grant No. XLYC1807214).Electronic Supplementary MaterialƒSupplementary material is available in the online version of this article at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-020-0712-1 and is accessible for authorized users.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2020 Higher Education Press
AI Summary AI Mindmap
PDF(830 KB)

Accesses

Citations

Detail

Sections
Recommended

/