Performance Analysis of Concentrated Solar Photovoltaic / Thermoelectric Hybrid Generator

Concentrated solar photovoltaic systems attracted the attention of many researchers since they provide high efficiency. In order to improve the efficiency of the photovoltaic system, the absorbed heat needs to be removed so that the temperature of the panels is kept low. Thermoelectric modules are used for utilizing the waste heat from the photovoltaic panels to improve the performance further. In the proposed project, the concentrated solar photovoltaic generator equipped with thermoelectric generators is considered. The thermoelectric generators utilize the waste heat rejected from the photovoltaic panels. This arrangement results in a combined system utilizing the solar energy source in a more efficient manner. The performance analysis include the first and second law of thermodynamics efficiencies of the combined hybrid system. Entropy generation minimization and economic feasibility are also to be studied. The project work includes the consideration of various system parameters and varying solar concentrations. Performance optimization of the hybrid system is desired.