Modeling and experimental research of hybrid PV-thermoelectric system for high concentrated solar energy conversion

An experimental research of a novel combination, within a photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV-TE) system, for high concentrated solar energy (x300-1000) conversion to electricity is presented. Our hybrid system contains, at its core; a triple junction solar cell (TJSC); a thermoelectric cooler (TEC); a thermoelectric generator (TEG), all settled thermally in series respectively. The thermoelectric cooler enhances the solar cell efficiency by pumping its excess heat through the Peltier effect; the thermoelectric generator plays the role of a heat sink for the TEC, converting some of this waste-heat into electricity by means of the Seebeck effect. The basic steady state finite element modeling demonstrates the contribution of the TEC-TEG Module, inflating the overall efficiency of the hybrid system for high solar concentrated irradiation; the experimental and simulation results are matched. All of which evokes a new system that takes into consideration the PV electric power generation, without compromising the cooling potential and the immediate electric production of the thermoelectric devices. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.