Synergizing perovskite solar cell and thermally regenerative thermocapacitive cycle toward full-spectrum solar energy conversion

Abstract

To overcome the heat generation issues in a perovskite solar cell (PSC) and enhance overall energy conversion efficiency, a pioneering full-spectrum solar power hybrid system seamlessly synergizing a PSC, a thermally regenerative thermocapacitive cycle (TRTC) and a solar selective absorber (SSA) is proposed. By developing a mathematical model grounded in charge carrier dynamics and thermodynamics, operational restraints and key performance indicators are derived. Through exhaustive parametric studies, the coefficient of thermal conductance between SSA and TRTC, proportional coefficient of regenerator, absorption layer thickness of PSC, absorption layer (AL)/hole transport layer interface defect density, and electron transport layer/AL interface defect density are identified optimizable factors. Meanwhile, elevating the coefficient of thermal conductance between TRTC and environment, charging endpoint voltage can effectively enhance performance. Besides, the operating temperature of PSC within different interval leads to different impacts on performance. Predictive optimization reveals remarkable maximum efficiencies of energy and exergy for the optimized hybrid system (i.e., 28.64 % and 30.80 %), surpassing unoptimized PSCs by 44.56 % and 45.56 %, respectively. These findings not only demonstrate the potential of the hybrid system but also provide valuable insights for enhancing solar energy conversion in real-world applications.