IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v146y2020icp2488-2498.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Response of thermoelectric generators to Bi2Te3 and Zn4Sb3 energy harvester materials under variant solar radiation

Author

Listed:
  • Mahmoudinezhad, S.
  • Cotfas, P.A.
  • Cotfas, D.T.
  • Rosendahl, L.A.
  • Rezania, A.

Abstract

Some special features like having no moving parts and long lifetime and being highly reliable make thermoelectric generators (TEGs) a proper choice to convert solar energy into electricity. In this work, performance of Bi2Te3 and Zn4Sb3 solar thermoelectric generators (STEGs) are studied under transient condition using both experimental and numerical approaches. Variation of the temperatures of the hot and cold sides of the TEGs, open circuit voltage, short circuit current and maximum power generation to the fluctuation of the solar radiation, simulting semi-cloudy weather, are obtained and discussed. Effect of thermoelectric material properties and geometry of the thermoelectric elements on electrical response and performance of the STEGs is invetigated. Results of the developed numerical model using finite volume method are in good agreement with the experimental data. Performance of the TEG without graphite layer and with the same solar radiation condition is investigated and compared with the TEG with graphite layer. The results show that, applying the graphite layer significantly enhances performance of the STEGs. It is found that using graphite layer enhances the efficiency of the STEG system. Furthermore, for high solar concentrations, Zn4Sb3 based STEG module has better performance compare to the Bi2Te3 based module.

Suggested Citation

  • Mahmoudinezhad, S. & Cotfas, P.A. & Cotfas, D.T. & Rosendahl, L.A. & Rezania, A., 2020. "Response of thermoelectric generators to Bi2Te3 and Zn4Sb3 energy harvester materials under variant solar radiation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 2488-2498.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:146:y:2020:i:c:p:2488-2498
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2019.08.080
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148119312674
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2019.08.080?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chen, Leisheng & Lee, Jaeyoung, 2015. "Effect of pulsed heat power on the thermal and electrical performances of a thermoelectric generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 138-149.
    2. Mahmoudinezhad, S. & Rezania, A. & Cotfas, D.T. & Cotfas, P.A. & Rosendahl, L.A., 2018. "Experimental and numerical investigation of hybrid concentrated photovoltaic – Thermoelectric module under low solar concentration," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 1123-1131.
    3. Kossyvakis, D.N. & Vossou, C.G. & Provatidis, C.G. & Hristoforou, E.V., 2015. "Computational analysis and performance optimization of a solar thermoelectric generator," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 150-161.
    4. Chen, Wei-Hsin & Wang, Chien-Chang & Hung, Chen-I. & Yang, Chang-Chung & Juang, Rei-Cheng, 2014. "Modeling and simulation for the design of thermal-concentrated solar thermoelectric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 287-297.
    5. Pereira, A. & Caroff, T. & Lorin, G. & Baffie, T. & Romanjek, K. & Vesin, S. & Kusiaku, K. & Duchemin, H. & Salvador, V. & Miloud-Ali, N. & Aixala, L. & Simon, J., 2015. "High temperature solar thermoelectric generator – Indoor characterization method and modeling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 485-492.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sun, Zeyu & Luo, Ding & Wang, Ruochen & Li, Ying & Yan, Yuying & Cheng, Ziming & Chen, Jie, 2022. "Evaluation of energy recovery potential of solar thermoelectric generators using a three-dimensional transient numerical model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    2. Sajjad Mahmoudinezhad & Petru Adrian Cotfas & Daniel Tudor Cotfas & Enok Johannes Haahr Skjølstrup & Kjeld Pedersen & Lasse Rosendahl & Alireza Rezania, 2021. "An Experimental Study on Transient Response of a Hybrid Thermoelectric–Photovoltaic System with Beam Splitter," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Abdelkader Rjafallah & Daniel Tudor Cotfas & Petru Adrian Cotfas, 2022. "Legs Geometry Influence on the Performance of the Thermoelectric Module," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-22, November.
    4. Yousefi, Esmaeil & Nejad, Ali Abbas & Rezania, Alireza, 2022. "Higher power output in thermoelectric generator integrated with phase change material and metal foams under transient boundary condition," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    5. Mahmoudinezhad, S. & Cotfas, D.T. & Cotfas, P.A. & Skjølstrup, Enok J.H. & Pedersen, K. & Rosendahl, L. & Rezania, A., 2022. "Experimental investigation on spectrum beam splitting photovoltaic–thermoelectric generator under moderate solar concentrations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PC).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mahmoudinezhad, S. & Rezania, A. & Cotfas, P.A. & Cotfas, D.T. & Rosendahl, L.A., 2019. "Transient behavior of concentrated solar oxide thermoelectric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 823-832.
    2. Ding, L.C. & Akbarzadeh, A. & Tan, L., 2018. "A review of power generation with thermoelectric system and its alternative with solar ponds," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 799-812.
    3. Maduabuchi, Chika C. & Ejenakevwe, Kevwe A. & Mgbemene, Chigbo A., 2021. "Performance optimization and thermodynamic analysis of irreversibility in a contemporary solar thermoelectric generator," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 1189-1206.
    4. Shen, Zu-Guo & Wu, Shuang-Ying & Xiao, Lan & Chen, Zu-Xiang, 2017. "Proposal and assessment of a solar thermoelectric generation system characterized by Fresnel lens, cavity receiver and heat pipe," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 215-238.
    5. Rodrigo, P.M. & Valera, A. & Fernández, E.F. & Almonacid, F.M., 2019. "Performance and economic limits of passively cooled hybrid thermoelectric generator-concentrator photovoltaic modules," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 1150-1162.
    6. Rezania, A. & Rosendahl, L.A., 2017. "Feasibility and parametric evaluation of hybrid concentrated photovoltaic-thermoelectric system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 380-389.
    7. Shittu, Samson & Li, Guiqiang & Xuan, Qindong & Zhao, Xudong & Ma, Xiaoli & Cui, Yu, 2020. "Electrical and mechanical analysis of a segmented solar thermoelectric generator under non-uniform heat flux," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    8. Yin, Ershuai & Li, Qiang & Xuan, Yimin, 2019. "Feasibility analysis of a concentrating photovoltaic-thermoelectric-thermal cogeneration," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 560-573.
    9. Jo, Hyeonmin & Joo, Younghwan & Kim, Duckjong, 2023. "Thermal design of solar thermoelectric generator with phase change material for timely and efficient power generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    10. Zhu, Wei & Deng, Yuan & Wang, Yao & Shen, Shengfei & Gulfam, Raza, 2016. "High-performance photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid power generation system with optimized thermal management," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 91-101.
    11. Wu, Sijie & Zhang, Houcheng & Ni, Meng, 2016. "Performance assessment of a hybrid system integrating a molten carbonate fuel cell and a thermoelectric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 520-527.
    12. Shittu, Samson & Li, Guiqiang & Akhlaghi, Yousef Golizadeh & Ma, Xiaoli & Zhao, Xudong & Ayodele, Emmanuel, 2019. "Advancements in thermoelectric generators for enhanced hybrid photovoltaic system performance," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 24-54.
    13. Shen, Zu-Guo & Wu, Shuang-Ying & Xiao, Lan & Yin, Gang, 2016. "Theoretical modeling of thermoelectric generator with particular emphasis on the effect of side surface heat transfer," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 367-379.
    14. Kossyvakis, D.N. & Vossou, C.G. & Provatidis, C.G. & Hristoforou, E.V., 2015. "Computational and experimental analysis of a commercially available Seebeck module," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 1-10.
    15. Cui, Tengfei & Xuan, Yimin & Yin, Ershuai & Li, Qiang & Li, Dianhong, 2017. "Experimental investigation on potential of a concentrated photovoltaic-thermoelectric system with phase change materials," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 94-102.
    16. Meng, Fankai & Chen, Lingen & Feng, Yuanli & Xiong, Bing, 2017. "Thermoelectric generator for industrial gas phase waste heat recovery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 83-90.
    17. Badr, Farouk & Radwan, Ali & Ahmed, Mahmoud & Hamed, Ahmed M., 2022. "An experimental study of the concentrator photovoltaic/thermoelectric generator performance using different passive cooling methods," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 1078-1094.
    18. Jia, Xiao-Dong & Wang, Yuan-Jing & Gao, Yuan-Wen, 2017. "Numerical simulation of thermoelectric performance of linear-shaped thermoelectric generators under transient heat supply," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 276-285.
    19. Liu, Zhichun & Zhu, Shiping & Ge, Ya & Shan, Feng & Zeng, Lingping & Liu, Wei, 2017. "Geometry optimization of two-stage thermoelectric generators using simplified conjugate-gradient method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 540-552.
    20. Twaha, Ssennoga & Zhu, Jie & Yan, Yuying & Li, Bo, 2016. "A comprehensive review of thermoelectric technology: Materials, applications, modelling and performance improvement," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 698-726.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:146:y:2020:i:c:p:2488-2498. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.