IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v325y2025ics0360544225017050.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Efficiency enhancement of an all-weather self-supplied energy system based on passive radiative cooling and phase change energy storage

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Ning
  • Zhou, Qingli
  • Zhang, Lei
  • Xu, Shuxi
  • Liu, Yuan
  • Jia, Hongzhi
  • Wang, Guanxue

Abstract

An all-weather self-supplied energy system with integrated radiative cooling/thermoelectric generators/phase change materials/photovoltaic (RC-TEG-PCM-PV) module is proposed in this paper. A sandwich structure is constructed to integrate the TEG within the gaps of passive RC and effective energy-storing PCM. The latent heat source for the lower PCM layer is supplied by sunlight focused onto the PV layer through folding solar reflectors. Through this setup, the RC-TEG-PCM-PV module establishes a dual mechanism of active heat storage and passive cooling for power generation. By employing the PV-RC system during the day and the PCM-RC system at night, cyclic switching for heat-to-power conversion is achieved. This process enables complementary dual-source energy harvesting for a consistent, all-weather power supply, effectively enhancing energy generation capacity. Results indicate that a maximum temperature difference of 5.4 K was reached across the TEG, with a peak output voltage of 480 mV observed during summer days. Additionally, an output voltage of 240 mV was attained during the nighttime phase transition, marking a 140 % increase compared to the RC-TEG system without PCM. Even in winter, the average output voltage of the proposed system remained above 120 mV during both day and night. A novel perspective for in-situ power generation scenarios is offered by the micro-energy harvesting technology proposed in this paper.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Ning & Zhou, Qingli & Zhang, Lei & Xu, Shuxi & Liu, Yuan & Jia, Hongzhi & Wang, Guanxue, 2025. "Efficiency enhancement of an all-weather self-supplied energy system based on passive radiative cooling and phase change energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 325(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:325:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225017050
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.136063
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544225017050
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2025.136063?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Liao, Tianjun & Xu, Qidong & Dai, Yawen & Cheng, Chun & He, Qijiao & Ni, Meng, 2022. "Radiative cooling-assisted thermoelectric refrigeration and power systems: Coupling properties and parametric optimization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    2. Shi, Zijie & Zhang, Kai & Jiang, Kaiyu & Li, Haoran & Ye, Peiliang & Yang, Haibin & Mahian, Omid, 2023. "Maximizing energy generation: A study of radiative cooling-based thermoelectric power devices," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    3. Aaswath P. Raman & Marc Abou Anoma & Linxiao Zhu & Eden Rephaeli & Shanhui Fan, 2014. "Passive radiative cooling below ambient air temperature under direct sunlight," Nature, Nature, vol. 515(7528), pages 540-544, November.
    4. Wang, Cun-Hai & Chen, Hao & Jiang, Ze-Yi & Zhang, Xin-Xin, 2023. "Design and experimental validation of an all-day passive thermoelectric system via radiative cooling and greenhouse effects," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    5. Ji, Yishuang & Lv, Song, 2023. "Experimental and numerical investigation on a radiative cooling driving thermoelectric generator system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    6. 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.
    7. Lv, Song & Zhang, Bolong & Ji, Yishuang & Ren, Juwen & Yang, Jiahao & Lai, Yin & Chang, Zhihao, 2023. "Comprehensive research on a high performance solar and radiative cooling driving thermoelectric generator system with concentration for passive power generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    8. Gong, Quan & Lu, Lin & Chen, Jianheng, 2024. "Progress in radiative cooling materials for urban skin: Achievements in scalability, durability, color modulation, and intelligent thermal regulation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(PB).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Yang, Zhenning & Wang, Fuqiang & Fu, Zhichang & Dong, Yan & Zou, Huichuan & Chen, Xudong & Yan, Yuying & Zhang, Shuai, 2024. "Thermoelectric system investigation with the combination of solar concentration, greenhouse and radiative cooling for all-day power generation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    2. Yan, Tian & Xu, Dawei & Meng, Jing & Xu, Xinhua & Yu, Zhongyi & Wu, Huijun, 2024. "A review of radiative sky cooling technology and its application in building systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    3. Dong, Yan & Zou, Yanan & Li, Xiang & Wang, Fuqiang & Cheng, Ziming & Meng, Weifeng & Chen, Lingling & Xiang, Yang & Wang, Tong & Yan, Yuying, 2023. "Introducing masking layer for daytime radiative cooling coating to realize high optical performance, thin thickness, and excellent durability in long-term outdoor application," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 344(C).
    4. Wang, Zijun & Cao, Shaowen & Cai, Qilin & Zhang, Yingshi & Zhao, Defan & Liu, Ruizhi & Ye, Qing & Wu, Xi, 2025. "Investigation on a novel integrated system of radiative cooling and solar photovoltaics," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 377(PD).
    5. Han, Tian & Zhou, Zhihua & Du, Yahui & Wang, Wufan & Wang, Cheng & Yang, Xueqing & Liu, Junwei & Yang, Haibin & Cui, Hongzhi & Yan, Jinyue, 2024. "Advances in radiative sky cooling based on the promising electrospinning," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    6. Wang, Wenjie & Cao, Jingyu & Zhao, Misheng & Zhong, Huian & Wang, Ran & Peng, Jinqing & Hu, Mingke & Wang, Qiliang & Ji, Jie & Pei, Gang, 2025. "Structural optimization of novel three-source air conditioning integrating radiative sky cooling and evaporative cooling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    7. Xuan, Qingdong & Yang, Ning & Kai, Mingfeng & Wang, Chuyao & Jiang, Bin & Liu, Xunfen & Li, Guiqiang & Pei, Gang & Zhao, Bin, 2024. "Combined daytime radiative cooling and solar photovoltaic/thermal hybrid system for year-round energy saving in buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    8. Zhang, Anxun & Yuan, Song & Du, Yike & Dou, Wenhao & Cai, Wenshan & Zhang, Fan & Zhu, Jiliang & Ye, Zhicheng, 2024. "A flat radiative cooling thermoelectric generator for high performance power generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    9. Ji, Yishuang & Lv, Song, 2023. "Experimental and numerical investigation on a radiative cooling driving thermoelectric generator system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    10. Xin, Yalu & Gao, Wei & Zhang, Chengbin & Chen, Yongping, 2024. "Scalable and sustainable radiative cooling enabled by renewable poplar catkin-derived films," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    11. Dong, Yan & Zhang, Xinping & Chen, Lingling & Meng, Weifeng & Wang, Cunhai & Cheng, Ziming & Liang, Huaxu & Wang, Fuqiang, 2023. "Progress in passive daytime radiative cooling: A review from optical mechanism, performance test, and application," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    12. Lv, Song & Zhang, Bolong & Ji, Yishuang & Ren, Juwen & Yang, Jiahao & Lai, Yin & Chang, Zhihao, 2023. "Comprehensive research on a high performance solar and radiative cooling driving thermoelectric generator system with concentration for passive power generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    13. Feng, Mengqi & Lv, Song & Deng, Jingcai & Guo, Ying & Wu, Yangyang & Shi, Guoqing & Zhang, Mingming, 2023. "An overview of environmental energy harvesting by thermoelectric generators," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    14. Marco Noro & Simone Mancin & Roger Riehl, 2021. "Energy and Economic Sustainability of a Trigeneration Solar System Using Radiative Cooling in Mediterranean Climate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-18, October.
    15. Tso, C.Y. & Chan, K.C. & Chao, Christopher Y.H., 2017. "A field investigation of passive radiative cooling under Hong Kong’s climate," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 52-61.
    16. Luo, Ding & Yan, Yuying & Li, Ying & Wang, Ruochen & Cheng, Shan & Yang, Xuelin & Ji, Dongxu, 2023. "A hybrid transient CFD-thermoelectric numerical model for automobile thermoelectric generator systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 332(C).
    17. Xu, Nuo & Wang, Jiacheng & Cui, Yubo & Ren, Shenghao & Deng, Jiangbin & Gou, Qianzhi & Chen, Zhaoyu & Wang, Kaixin & Geng, Yang & Cui, Jiaxi & Li, Meng, 2024. "Butterfly wing-inspired microstructured film with high reflectivity for efficient passive radiative cooling," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    18. Liu, Junwei & Zhang, Ji & Zhang, Debao & Jiao, Shifei & Xing, Jincheng & Tang, Huajie & Zhang, Ying & Li, Shuai & Zhou, Zhihua & Zuo, Jian, 2020. "Sub-ambient radiative cooling with wind cover," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    19. Xueke Wu & Jinlei Li & Fei Xie & Xun-En Wu & Siming Zhao & Qinyuan Jiang & Shiliang Zhang & Baoshun Wang & Yunrui Li & Di Gao & Run Li & Fei Wang & Ya Huang & Yanlong Zhao & Yingying Zhang & Wei Li & , 2024. "A dual-selective thermal emitter with enhanced subambient radiative cooling performance," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    20. Alessandro Cannavale & Marco Pugliese & Roberto Stasi & Stefania Liuzzi & Francesco Martellotta & Vincenzo Maiorano & Ubaldo Ayr, 2024. "Effectiveness of Daytime Radiative Sky Cooling in Constructions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-23, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:energy:v:325:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225017050. 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/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.