Case Studies in Thermal Engineering (Nov 2023)
Analytical and experimental study of hybrid photovoltaic–thermal–thermoelectric systems in sustainable energy generation
Abstract
A new hybrid system, known as photovoltaic–thermal–thermoelectric (PVT-TE), has been proposed to enhance the conversion efficiency of PV cells by incorporating an intelligent thermal management system, which leverages the dual functions of thermoelectric (TE). This study aims to explore the potential for creating a hybrid system that is more efficient and offers improved performance than standalone photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems. The key parameters for the creation of a hybrid system were analysed, and the theoretical and experimental results were compared to validate the model. The performance of the PVT-TE collector was evaluated through a steady-state analysis using a one dimensional (1D) mathematical model. Energy balance equations were solved using Microsoft Excel and inverse matrix method. Experiments on PVT and PVT-TE collectors were examined at a solar radiation intensity of 593.16 W/m2. The air mass flow rate was set at 0.009, 0.021, 0.039, 0.069 and 0.095 kg/s for specific radiation intensity. The thermal and electrical performance of the hybrid system was higher than that of the conventional PVT system. The PVT-TE system combines photovoltaic and thermoelectric components, including a thermoelectric module and an air collector. The integration improves system efficiency and performance, surpassing previous research efforts. The PVT-TE system with an air collector has innovative features including efficient thermal-electric conversion, integrated component utilisation, and air collector integration. The overall efficiency of the hybrid system was 7.05%–31.13% higher than the theoretical values and 9.64%–34.83% higher than the experimental values. The increase in the output power of the hybrid system was also higher by 32.59%–55.93%. The findings indicate that the integration thermoelectric (TE) with PV cells has the potential to enhance solar thermal systems' performance. This study provides the basis for further analysis and optimisation of PVT-TE hybrid systems.
