Theoretical Analysis to Determine the Solar Concentration Limit with Passive Cooling of Solar Cells

Abstract

This re search was conducte d to de te rmine the limiting values of the ge ome tric concentration whe n use d with solar thermal system (the rmoe lectric ge nerator) (TEG) to maintain desir ed hot and cold side te mpe ratures for powe r ge neration. An optimum heat sink fin gap is conside re d to achieve maximum heat transfer rate using passive cooling. A theore tical mode l is de ve lope d for de termining the optimum solar concentration using a the rmoe lectric ge nerator sandwiche d be twee n the targe t p late and passive cooling heat sink. The rmal resistance and Seebeck coefficie nt of a thermoe lectric ge nerator unde r conside ration is ex pe rimentally de te rmine d. Heat flow path for this syste m is de fine d and e nergy balance e quations are establishe d. A computer mode l is de ve lope d to solve the en ergy balance equations and find the optimum value s for geome tric conce ntration and hot & cold side tempe rature of thermoe lectric ge nerator. It was obse rve d that for the specific configuration of heat sink and thermoe le ctric ge ne rator in a sy stem, the tre nd of te mperature differe nce be twee n the hot and cold sides re main the same at diffe rent heat input conditions. The optimum ge ome tric conce ntration for solar radiation inte nsity of 800 W/m2 and heat sink fin le ngth of 0.15m is pre dicte d to be 13. The the ore tical mode l is capable of optimizing the values of geome tric conce ntration for desire d hot side or cold side tempe rature .