Geometry and stage number optimization of a concentrating solar multistage segmented thermoelectric generator by exploiting different optimization schemes

Abstract

Summary To further enhance the performance of the multi‐stage thermoelectric generator (TEG), this work conducts a comprehensive geometry and stage number optimization of a concentrating solar two‐stage TEG made of segmented pins in the second‐stage. The geometry optimization of the proposed device is comprehensive enough to include the individual and combined effects of the segmented pin's heights and cross‐sectional areas which were neglected in previous studies so as to select the best possible optimization parameter. Furthermore, the accuracy of the numerical results is ensured by accounting for temperature dependency in all thermoelectric materials while factoring radiative and convective losses associated with solar concentrating systems. Furthermore, a detailed stage number optimization of the proposed device is carried out by varying the number of stages from 1 to 4 to determine which stage number optimizes the device performance. Major results show that for three possible ways of optimizing the segment heights in the device, simultaneously increasing the n‐ and p‐high temperature material heights is the most effective, yielding a maximum efficiency of 9.28%. Furthermore, for 12 possible ways of optimizing the segment cross‐sectional areas, increasing the n‐ and p‐high temperature material areas is the most effective method, producing an efficiency of 13.82% at 3 mm2. Finally, increasing the number of stages is detrimental to the power output of the system while increasing its efficiency when only high temperature materials are used in the lower stages.

Machine Learning Performance Prediction of a Solar Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric System with Various Crystalline Silicon Cell Types

“…The thermoelectric module utilized in this work is a commercially available module produced by Melcor thermoelectric, HT 6-12-40, with geometry dimensions provided in our previous paper [43,44]. The thermoelectric legs are bismuth-telluride semiconductors [45], which convert the thermal energy sapped from the solar photovoltaic module back sheet to electrical power. This study considers the temperature dependency of the thermoelectric material properties, measured from experiments [46], to ensure that the numerical results are accurate and verified.…”