Analytical Modeling of the Thermoelectric Effect in Photovoltaic Cells: Combined Solar Photovoltaic and Thermoelectric Generator System (PV+TEG) | Chapter 05 | Advances in Mathematics and Computer Science Vol. 2

Aims: Analytical modeling of the combined systems photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV + TEG). The advantage of these systems is double:

- On the one hand, they allow to cool the photovoltaic cells (PV), which avoids the loss of electrical efficiency observed in the devices,

- On the other hand, recover this lost energy in the form of heat, and transform it into electrical energy thanks to the thermoelectric modules operating in Seebeck mode.

Study Design: Laboratory of Radiation Physics LPR, FAST-UAC, 01 BP 526, Cotonou, Benin. Department of Physics (FAST) and Doctoral Formation Materials Science (FDSM), University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin.

Methodology: We considered the temperature distribution in the semiconductor plate of the Thermoelectric Generator System (TEG). We resolved the thermal conductivity equation described by:

Where a^2 is the thermal diffusivity, Q(x, y, z) is the heat flow going from the PV to the TEG module which is dissipated through the latter; using constants variation method. We assumed that the temperature along the y-axis is considered uniform.

Results: The results obtained show that, the temperature distribution in the form of a traveling wave is maintained by external heating. This depends on both the hot and cold side temperature and the temperature span.

Conclusion: The heat flux available at the hot side of the TEG is assumed to be what remains of the absorbed radiation of the PV power production.

Author(s) Details

Géraud F. Hounkpatin

Département de Physique (FAST) et Formation Doctorale Sciences des Matériaux (FDSM), Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin.