An Experimental and Comparative Performance Evaluation of a Hybrid Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric System

Abstract

The majority of incident solar irradiance causes thermalization in photovoltaic (PV) cells, attenuating their efficiency. In order to use solar energy on a large scale and reduce carbon emissions, their efficiency must be enhanced. Effective thermal management can be utilized to generate additional electrical power while simultaneously improving photovoltaic efficiency. In this work, an experimental model of a hybrid photovoltaic-thermoelectric generation (PV-TEG) system is developed. Ten bismuth telluride-based thermoelectric modules are attached to the rear side of a 10 W polycrystalline silicon-based photovoltaic module in order to recover and transform waste thermal energy to usable electrical energy, ultimately cooling the PV cells. The experiment was then carried out for 10 days in Lahore, Pakistan, on both a simple PV module and a hybrid PV-TEG system. The findings revealed that a hybrid system has boosted PV module output power and conversion efficiency. The operating temperature of the PV module in the hybrid system is reduced by 5.5%, from 55°C to 52°C. Due to a drop in temperature and the addition of some recovered energy by thermoelectric modules, the total output power and conversion efficiency of the system increased. The hybrid system’s cumulative output power increased by 19% from 8.78 to 10.84 W, compared to the simple PV system. Also, the efficiency of the hybrid PV-TEG system increased from 11.6 to 14%, which is an increase of 17% overall. The results of this research could provide consideration for designing commercial hybrid PV-TEG systems.

Machine Learning Performance Prediction of a Solar Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric System with Various Crystalline Silicon Cell Types

“…Also, only one thermoelectric module was used, and the concentrated solar irradiance was not very high (less than 20 Suns). Nevertheless, Khan et al [18] reported that when ten thermoelectric modules were used under higher solar fluxes, the performance enhancement provided by the thermoelectric became more apparent. In all cases, the thermoelectric generator still contributed to the performance enhancement of the photovoltaic system.…”

“…Although the feasibility of the photovoltaic-thermoelectric system has been demonstrated using various theoretical and experimental methods [18,19], there is still room for further enhancements in system efficiency [20][21][22]. The system's performance can be further increased by optimizing the geometry of the thermoelectric generator.…”

“…A multiobjective optimization algorithm was employed in optimizing the hybrid system's performance and it was found that the thermoelectric figure of merit is only minimized by the solar concentration ratio under certain critical operating conditions. Khan et al, [18] experimentally assessed the performance of a hybrid photovoltaic-thermoelectric system cited in Lahore, Pakistan. Ten bismuth-telluride-based thermoelectric generators were lapped directly unto the rear contact of a 10 W crystalline Silicon-based module to harness the waste heat from the cell and convert it to electricity.…”

Maximizing Electric Power through Spectral‐Splitting Photovoltaic‐Thermoelectric Hybrid System Integrated with Radiative Cooling

“…Another commonly used method is to place TE modules directly underneath PV panels, with PV panels acting as the hot sides of TE modules. Khan et al [ 12 ] performed an experimental study of such configurations, and the results showed that the T PV could be decreased by 3 K, and consequently, the total output power was increased by 19% and the overall solar‐to‐electric efficiency was increased by 17% with respect to the bare PV panels. The TE modules that operated alone under solar irradiation conditions were also studied.…”

Multiobjective Optimization and Machine Learning Algorithms for Forecasting the 3E Performance of a Concentrated Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric System

“…Among these proposed techniques, the thermoelectric cooling method stands out due to the relative effectiveness, commercial availability, and affordability of the thermoelectric module (TEM) in cooling the concentrated solar photovoltaic (CPV) system [13][14][15]. Some researchers have experimentally demonstrated how the CPV-TE hybrid system was capable of generating a higher power and efficiency than the stand-alone CPV system by utilizing the entire broad solar spectrum [16][17][18][19]. Khan et al [16] recorded a 5.5% drop in the solar cell temperature and a subsequent 17% increase in the overall system's efficiency when TEMs were integrated with PVs.…”