Experimental investigation of novel integrated photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid devices with enhanced performance

Abstract

A combined photovoltaic (PV) cell and thermoelectric (TE) device can effectively expand the utilization of the solar spectrum, and it has been confirmed that effective heat transfer can improve the performance of PV-TE hybrid devices. In this study, a series of novel integrated PV-TE hybrid devices with enhanced heat transfer capabilities have been manufactured by removing the upper ceramic plate of conventional TE devices. An insulating layer was deposited on the back of the PV cell to avoid an electrical connection between the PV cell and the TE device. An exhaustive experimental study has been conducted on the integrated PV-TE hybrid device, using a system that includes a solar simulator and cooling equipment. Experimental results indicate that the integrated hybrid design can improve the electrical output of the PV cell. In addition, thermal greases with different thermal conductivities are used to decrease the thermal resistance between the PV cell and TE device. The use of the thermal lubricant significantly improves the performance of the integrated PV-TE hybrid device by enhancing the heat dissipation of the PV cell, and the heat absorption of the hot side of TE device. The thickness of the insulating layer may be controlled with the use of different application times, and this has been demonstrated. Experimental results show that a thinner insulating layer can increase heat transfer significantly and improve the performance of the integrated PV-TE hybrid device. Consequently, the design utilizes a more compatible and efficient integrated couple involving a PV cell and TE device.