A novel solar-fuel assisted thermophotovoltaic system and parametrical analysis

Abstract

In this study, a thermal-balance model is established for energy calculation of a new solar-fuel assisted thermophotovoltaic system, which could save fossil fuels and improve the grade of solar energy. The coupling effects of key parameters such as concentrate ratio, absorber area, emitter area, etc. on the system efficiency are determined. Besides, the effect of solar energy on the fuel saving is investigated. The results show that the solar-fuel assisted thermophotovoltaic system can not only increase the output power of photovoltaic cells by nearly 25 kW/m2compared to fuel-driven thermophotovoltaic but also increase the electrical efficiency by nearly 10 percentage points. Furthermore, it also saves fuel by up to 76%. It is pointed out that improving the absorptance of solar absorber is the key for system optimization. This study provides a reference for the design and application of solar thermophotovoltaic technology.