Total solar spectrum energy converter with integrated photovoltaics, thermoelectrics, and thermal energy storage: System modeling and design

Abstract

A total-spectrum-utilizing integrated photovoltaic (PV), thermoelectric (TEG), and thermal energy storage fluid (TES) solar energy converter (PV-TEG-TES) with novel device architecture is proposed, and its performance is modeled to demonstrate its viability and optimize its system-level design. By incorporating a top-layer GaAs PV, ultraviolet and visible light is absorbed and converted directly to electricity, while infrared radiation passes through the PV. This infrared radiation is then captured by the TEG and TES layers to supply additional electricity or to be stored as thermal energy. In addition, the TEG converts to electricity otherwise wasted heat from thermalization of photons within the PV layer, and the TES effectively cools the PV, keeping it within adequate operating temperatures. According to analysis predicting upper bound performance, this PV-TEG-TES device can outperform the electrical conversion efficiency of a single GaAs solar cell module by 1.9 percentage points (from 24.1% for PV alone to 26.0% for the combined device, a relative 7.9% improvement), and can convert and store a total of 79.3% of incident solar energy under a concentration ratio of 673 suns per direct solar spectrum. An analytical framework using a successive overrelaxation technique for solutions to the nonlinearly coupled radiative, thermal, fluid, and electrical phenomena in such a PV-TEG-TES device is also discussed, offering a starting point for practical device parameters.

Blockchain-Based Peer-to-Peer Transactive Energy Management Scheme for Smart Grid System

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Design and Simulation of a Solar Tracking System for PV

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