Affiliation:
1. The Condensed Matter Physics and Renewable Energies Laboratory, FST, Hassan II Casablanca University, Mohammedia 20650, Morocco e-mail:
2. Engineering Sciences for Energy Laboratory, National School of Applied Sciences, Chouaib Doukkali University, El Jadida 24002, Morocco e-mail:
Abstract
The performance of the photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV-TE) hybrid system was examined using three types of PV cells and a thermoelectric generator (TEG) based on bismuth telluride. The investigated PV cells are amorphous silicon (a-Si), monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si), and cadmium telluride (CdTe). The results showed that the TEG contribution can overcome the degradation of the PV cell efficiency with increasing temperature at the minimal working condition. This condition corresponds to the critical temperature difference across the TEG that guarantees the same efficiency of the hybrid system as that of the PV cell alone at 298 K. The obtained results showed that the critical temperature difference is 13.3 K, 44.1 K, and 105 K for the a-Si, CdTe, and mono-Si PV cell, respectively. In addition, the general expression of the temperature difference across the TEG needed for an efficiency enhancement by a ratio of r compared with a PV cell alone at 298 K was given. For an efficiency enhancement by 5 % (r = 1.05), the temperature difference required is 30.2 K, 61.3 K, and 116.1 K for the a-Si, CdTe, and mono-Si PV cells, respectively. These values cannot be achieved practically only in the case of the a-Si PV cell. Moreover, a TE material with a high power factor can reduce this temperature difference and improve the performance of the hybrid system. This work provides a tool that may be useful during the selection of the PV cell and the TE material for the hybrid system.
Subject
Energy Engineering and Power Technology,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Cited by
3 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献