Treffer: Performance evaluation of photovoltaic-thermal systems integrated with heat pipes and thermoelectric generators for enhanced thermal management and energy efficiency.

Photovoltaic efficiency is affected by the adverse effects caused by high temperatures and solar radiation. This study addresses this issue by proposing a photovoltaic thermal collector with heat pipes (PVT-HP) integrated with a thermoelectric generator to enhance energy utilization. The PVT-HP system uses heat pipes to optimize the temperature of the PVT to generate maximum electricity, overcoming the efficiency degradation associated with high temperatures. However, despite the optimal heat pipe configuration, some heat remains inside the PVT, resulting in energy loss and reduced electricity generation. To mitigate this, TEGs are integrated into the PVT-HP collector to harness the excess heat and convert it into additional electricity. For this purpose, a prototype was fabricated and validated with optimal overall efficiency. This study involves three phases: CFD modeling of a raw PV using ANSYS software; Fabrication of the PVT-HP and TEG prototype; and data analysis by comparing the CFD results with prototype performance. The PVT-HP and TEG system effectively reduced the PV module temperature by 20–30°C and achieved a 2–3% increase in PV efficiency compared with a reference module. The system also showed high thermal efficiency (41.19%–90.86%) and an overall efficiency exceeding the reference module (48.45%–97.27%), demonstrating its potential to harvest electrical and thermal energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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