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 (×300–1000) 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.