WO2021062139A1 - Dispositif hybride solaire/ thermoélectrique pour une récupération améliorée d'énergie renouvelable - Google Patents

Dispositif hybride solaire/ thermoélectrique pour une récupération améliorée d'énergie renouvelable Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2021062139A1
WO2021062139A1 PCT/US2020/052692 US2020052692W WO2021062139A1 WO 2021062139 A1 WO2021062139 A1 WO 2021062139A1 US 2020052692 W US2020052692 W US 2020052692W WO 2021062139 A1 WO2021062139 A1 WO 2021062139A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
solar cell
thermoelectric module
module unit
thermoelectric
photovoltaic solar
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2020/052692
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Sarath Witanachchi
Original Assignee
University Of South Florida
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by University Of South Florida filed Critical University Of South Florida
Publication of WO2021062139A1 publication Critical patent/WO2021062139A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
    • H02S40/00—Components or accessories in combination with PV modules, not provided for in groups H02S10/00 - H02S30/00
    • H02S40/40—Thermal components
    • H02S40/44—Means to utilise heat energy, e.g. hybrid systems producing warm water and electricity at the same time
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N10/00—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects
    • H10N10/10—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects operating with only the Peltier or Seebeck effects
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/60—Thermal-PV hybrids

Definitions

  • the present disclosure is generally related to solar photovoltaic technology.
  • Solar cells are comprised of semiconducting material structures that are optimized for maximum absorption of solar radiation.
  • a typical single solar cell can produce an output voltage of around 0.5 volts.
  • the amount of the current generated by a given solar cell structure depends, among other factors, on the area of the cell and intensity of the solar radiation on the cell.
  • many applications of electrical power require higher voltages than that which is generated by the solar cell.
  • multiple solar cells have to be combined in series combinations to generate the required high voltages. For example, construction of a 5V supply will require a series combination of 10 solar cells or more which requires a larger surface area than may be available.
  • thermoelectric module unit having a positive terminal and a negative terminal
  • thermoelectric module unit comprises at least one thermoelectric module.
  • a hybrid solar cell device has a hot side of the thermoelectric module oriented towards an external heat source; the positive terminal of the photovoltaic solar cell connected in series with the negative terminal of the thermoelectric module unit, and a load connected between the positive terminal of the thermoelectric module and the negative terminal of the photovoltaic solar cell.
  • Such a method comprises providing a hybrid configuration of a photovoltaic solar cell, wherein a positive terminal of the photovoltaic solar cell is connected in series with a negative terminal of a thermoelectric module unit, wherein a load is connected between a positive terminal of the thermoelectric module unit and a negative terminal of the photovoltaic solar cell, wherein the thermoelectric module unit comprises at least one thermoelectric module.
  • the method further includes orienting the photovoltaic solar cell towards a light source; orienting a hot side of the thermoelectric module unit towards an external heat source; and delivering a power output to the load, wherein the power output is more than an additive sum of a power output that is capable of being generating by an individual photovoltaic solar cell and a power output that is capable of being generated by an individual thermoelectric module unit.
  • the disclosure also features an additional method for enhancing power generation in a solar cell device that comprises combining a photovoltaic solar cell with thermoelectric materials in a hybrid configuration, wherein the photovoltaic solar cell is connected in series with a thermoelectric module unit, wherein a load is connected between a positive terminal of the thermoelectric module unit and a negative terminal of the photovoltaic solar cell, wherein the thermoelectric module unit comprises at least one thermoelectric module; trapping waste heat from a source external to the photovoltaic solar cell by the thermoelectric module unit; orienting the photovoltaic solar cell towards a light source; and producing, by the hybrid configuration, a combination of solar energy generated by the photovoltaic solar cell and thermoelectric energy generated by the thermoelectric module unit.
  • the photovoltaic solar cell can be connected with an additional photovoltaic solar cell in series or parallel.
  • the thermoelectric module unit can be a single thermoelectric module or a plurality of thermoelectric modules connected in series or parallel.
  • electronic interphase circuitry can be connected in series between the thermoelectric module unit and the photovoltaic solar cell.
  • a maximum power delivered by a combination of solar and thermoelectric energies of the hybrid solar cell device is more than 100% greater than the maximum power delivered to the load by the photovoltaic solar cell alone.
  • waste heat from a source external to the photovoltaic solar cell can be trapped by placing the thermoelectric module unit across a temperature gradient.
  • the temperature gradient is a result of hot and cold environments within a motorized vehicle, wherein the hot environment is generated by an engine of the motorized vehicle.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagram showing typical current-voltage characteristic curves (IV curves) for a solar cell.
  • FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a mechanism for the generation of current and voltage in a thermoelectric module.
  • FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a solar cell and a thermoelectric module connected in a circuit to enhance power generation in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a solar cell and a thermoelectric module unit (having two thermoelectric modules) connected in a circuit to enhance power generation in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 5A is a diagram showing voltage and current outputs for a solar (PV) cell connected to a load, a thermoelectric (TE) module connected to the load, and a hybrid configuration for a solar cell and a thermoelectric module in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • PV solar
  • TE thermoelectric
  • FIG. 5B is a diagram showing power outputs for a solar (PV) cell connected to a load, a thermoelectric (TE) module connected to the load, and a hybrid configuration for a solar cell and a thermoelectric module in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • PV solar
  • TE thermoelectric
  • FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the voltage and current outputs for a solar (PV) cell connected to a load and a hybrid configuration for a solar (PV) cell and a thermoelectric module unit (comprising two thermoelectric modules in series) in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 6B is a diagram showing the power outputs for a solar (PV) cell connected to a load and a hybrid configuration for a solar (PV) cell and a thermoelectric module unit (comprising two thermoelectric modules in series) in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • the present disclosure describes novel systems and methods for generating high currents and voltages utilizing solar cell(s) and thermoelectric module(s).
  • the ability to generate high currents in solar cells is combined with the ability to generate high voltages in thermoelectric (TE) modules to enhance power generation.
  • the enhancement is multiplicative rather than additive of the power generated by solar and TE modules separately.
  • Embodiments of the present disclosure significantly enhance the electrical power generated by a solar cell when an external heat source to the solar cell is present that dissipates heat to the environment, such as, combustion engine, solar heater, stove, etc. and is used as input heat for one or more TE modules.
  • one or more photovoltaic (PV) solar cells are oriented to face a light source, such as the sun or artificial light, and one side of one or more thermoelectric modules is oriented to be exposed to a hot environment, such as a hot surface, while the other side is exposed to a cold environment.
  • a hot environment such as a hot surface
  • the TE module is positioned across a temperature gradient and the voltages generated by the TE module are dependent on the temperature gradient between the hot and cold sides.
  • the hot environment is separate from or external to the heat generated by the solar cell.
  • an exemplary system can be integrated within a motorized vehicle, such as, but not limited to, an automobile, such that heat generated by the engine for the vehicle is captured and used as a heat input to one or more TE modules, where the TE module(s) are connected in a circuit with solar cell(s) to generate electrical power that can be applied to one or more batteries of the vehicle and can supplement the energy needs of the vehicle.
  • a motorized vehicle such as, but not limited to, an automobile
  • the TE module(s) are connected in a circuit with solar cell(s) to generate electrical power that can be applied to one or more batteries of the vehicle and can supplement the energy needs of the vehicle.
  • solar cells While solar cells have been a primary renewable energy source for decades, the maximum voltage a single solar cell can generate is limited to around 0.5V due to a multitude of intrinsic properties. Therefore, multiple solar cells often have to be combined in series in order to produce the high voltages required for most applications.
  • the electrical power generated by a solar or photovoltaic cell is the product of the current (I) and the voltage (V) generated by the cell by absorbing solar radiation (photons).
  • Solar cells are comprised of semiconducting material structures that are optimized for a maximum absorption of solar radiation. The most common material of solar cells is silicon.
  • thermoelectric modules can produce voltages around 2.5-5 volts, currents around 20- 30 mA, and a power output around 0.05W (across a 300°C temperature gradient in the lab).
  • embodiments of the present disclosure utilize a unique device configuration for such solar and thermoelectric modules that combines their respective outputs to generate over 0.55W of power, as a non-limiting example
  • the amount of the current for a given solar cell structure depends, among other factors, on the area of the cell and intensity of the solar radiation on the cell. Most applications for electrical power require higher voltages. Thus, multiple solar cells are often combined in series to generate the required high voltages. For example, construction of a 5V supply may require a series combination of 10 solar cells or more, in which a larger number of cells requires larger real estate or area.
  • the maximum current a solar cell can generate is the short circuit current (Isc) and the maximum voltage it generates when there is no load is the open circuit voltage (V oc ).
  • the power delivered to the load is maximum for a specific value of the current and the voltage for a given solar cell, and this point is known as the Maximum Power Point (MPP).
  • FIG. 1 shows typical IV curves (showing current vs. voltage behavior and the power delivered to a load) for a given solar cell.
  • thermoelectric (TE) modules are used to generate electrical power from waste heat.
  • TE thermoelectric
  • FIG. 2 demonstrates the generation of current and voltage in a TE module device, in which a typical TE module can generate high voltages (1-4V) based on the temperature gradient between the hot and the cold side, in which heat energy is moved by carriers through N-type and P-type thermoelectric materials between the hot and cold sides.
  • 1-4V high voltages
  • the current produced by a TE module is relatively low, rendering low power conversion efficiencies.
  • a solar cell and a TE module may be connected in a circuit to enhance power generation.
  • a solar cell having two terminals (a positive (+) and a negative (-)) is connected to a TE module having two terminals (a positive (+) and a negative (-)).
  • the TE module is placed on a hot surface to generate a temperature gradient between the hot and the cold side.
  • the positive terminal of the solar (PV) cell is connected to the negative terminal of the TE module directly or through an electronic interphase circuitry or components that may include, but is not limited to, resistors, capacitors, inductors, transistors, and diodes.
  • the load (RL) that uses the electrical power generated is connected between the positive terminal of the TE module and the negative terminal of the solar (PV) cell.
  • Another embodiment of the present disclosure may have multiple solar (PV) cells connected together in series or in a parallel configuration, and/or multiple TE modules connected in series or in a parallel configuration. Subsequently, the PV cell unit and the TE module unit are connected, as shown in FIG. 4. In the figure, a positive terminal of the solar (PV) cell unit is connected to the negative terminal of the TE module unit directly or through an electronic interphase circuitry or components that may include, but is not limited to, resistors, capacitors, inductors, transistors, and diodes. The load (RL) that uses the electrical power generated is connected between the positive terminal of the TE module unit and the negative terminal of the solar (PV) cell unit.
  • PV solar
  • thermoelectric modules were capable of generating a voltage of 1 .5 V and the solar cell was capable of generating a voltage of 0.5 volts.
  • the solar cell and the TE modules were connected together as shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4.
  • a voltage of 3V was generated by the TE module unit.
  • FIGS. 5A and 5B voltage, current, and power outputs are compared for a solar (PV) cell connected to a load, a TE module connected to the load, and a hybrid configuration for a solar (PV) cell and a TE module in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 5A shows the current- voltage (IV) characteristics
  • FIG. 5B shows the generated power to the load for a single solar cell, a single TE module, and the hybrid configuration with a single solar cell and a single TE module (FIG. 3).
  • FIG. 5A shows the current- voltage (IV) characteristics
  • FIG. 5B shows the generated power to the load for a single solar cell, a single TE module, and the hybrid configuration with a single solar cell and a single TE module (FIG. 3).
  • the generated power for the hybrid configuration is at least twice the generated power for the individual solar (PV) cell and is greater than the additive sum of the power outputs of the individual solar (PV) cell and TE module.
  • a TE module that produces a voltage of 1 5V on its own
  • MPP maximum power point delivered to the load
  • FIGS. 6A and 6B provide a comparison of the voltage, current, and power outputs for a solar (PV) cell connected to a load and a hybrid configuration for a solar (PV) cell and a TE module unit (comprising two TE modules in series) in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 6A shows the current-voltage (IV) characteristics
  • FIG. 6B shows the generated power to the load for a single solar cell and the hybrid configuration with a single solar cell and a TE module unit (of two TE modules in series) (FIG. 4).
  • the generated power for the hybrid configuration is at least twice the generated power for the individual solar (PV) cell.
  • two TE modules that produce a combined voltage of 3V by themselves
  • FIGS. 5A-5B and 6A-6B show that the Maximum Power Point (MPP) for a solar cell can be enhance by more than 100% in a hybrid configuration in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • MPP Maximum Power Point
  • This new concept of energy harvesting is applicable to a broad range of situations where there is a source of waste heat external to or not generated from the solar cell itself.
  • solar cells can be combined with thermoelectric materials that trap waste heat to enhance energy harvesting.
  • the energy output for embodiments of the present disclosure is multiplicative rather than additive of solar and thermoelectric energy.
  • systems and methods of the present disclosure integrate solar and thermoelectric devices to produce a multiplicative effect on the combination of solar and thermoelectric energy.

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un dispositif de cellule solaire hybride donné à titre d'exemple comprenant une cellule solaire photovoltaïque ayant une borne positive et une borne négative et une unité de module thermoélectrique ayant une borne positive et une borne négative, l'unité de module thermoélectrique comprenant au moins un module thermoélectrique. Un tel dispositif de cellule solaire hybride a un côté chaud du module thermoélectrique orienté vers une source de chaleur externe ; la borne positive de la cellule solaire photovoltaïque connectée en série avec la borne négative de l'unité de module thermoélectrique et une charge connectée entre la borne positive du module thermoélectrique et la borne négative de la cellule solaire photovoltaïque.
PCT/US2020/052692 2019-09-27 2020-09-25 Dispositif hybride solaire/ thermoélectrique pour une récupération améliorée d'énergie renouvelable WO2021062139A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201962906837P 2019-09-27 2019-09-27
US62/906,837 2019-09-27

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2021062139A1 true WO2021062139A1 (fr) 2021-04-01

Family

ID=75166437

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2020/052692 WO2021062139A1 (fr) 2019-09-27 2020-09-25 Dispositif hybride solaire/ thermoélectrique pour une récupération améliorée d'énergie renouvelable

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2021062139A1 (fr)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20110048489A1 (en) * 2009-09-01 2011-03-03 Gabriel Karim M Combined thermoelectric/photovoltaic device for high heat flux applications and method of making the same
US20110241153A1 (en) * 2009-10-05 2011-10-06 Board Of Regents Of The University Of Oklahoma Method for thin film thermoelectric module fabrication
US20110290294A1 (en) * 2010-05-25 2011-12-01 Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd; Device for converting energy and method for manufacturing the device, and electronic apparatus with the device
US20110290295A1 (en) * 2010-05-28 2011-12-01 Guardian Industries Corp. Thermoelectric/solar cell hybrid coupled via vacuum insulated glazing unit, and method of making the same
US20120227779A1 (en) * 2010-01-29 2012-09-13 Guangzhou Institute Of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy Of Science System for thermoelectric converting type solar thermal power generation
US20180342979A1 (en) * 2017-05-24 2018-11-29 Tiasha Joardar Method and apparatus for a solar panel

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20110048489A1 (en) * 2009-09-01 2011-03-03 Gabriel Karim M Combined thermoelectric/photovoltaic device for high heat flux applications and method of making the same
US20110241153A1 (en) * 2009-10-05 2011-10-06 Board Of Regents Of The University Of Oklahoma Method for thin film thermoelectric module fabrication
US20120227779A1 (en) * 2010-01-29 2012-09-13 Guangzhou Institute Of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy Of Science System for thermoelectric converting type solar thermal power generation
US20110290294A1 (en) * 2010-05-25 2011-12-01 Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd; Device for converting energy and method for manufacturing the device, and electronic apparatus with the device
US20110290295A1 (en) * 2010-05-28 2011-12-01 Guardian Industries Corp. Thermoelectric/solar cell hybrid coupled via vacuum insulated glazing unit, and method of making the same
US20180342979A1 (en) * 2017-05-24 2018-11-29 Tiasha Joardar Method and apparatus for a solar panel

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US8212138B2 (en) Reverse bias protected solar array with integrated bypass battery
Knier How do photovoltaics work
US20110017257A1 (en) Multi-junction solar module and method for current matching between a plurality of first photovoltaic devices and second photovoltaic devices
US9785172B2 (en) Switched capacitor DC-DC converter based distributed maximum power point tracking of partially shaded photovoltaic arrays
Masoum et al. Impact of partial shading on voltage-and current-based maximum power point tracking of solar modules
Patel et al. Mathematical modeling and performance analysis of MPPT based solar PV system
Das et al. Modeling and simulation of PV array with boost converter: an open loop study
Malik et al. A Review on Solar PV Cell'
Ankaiah et al. Enhancement of solar photovoltaic cell by using short-circuit current MPPT method
US9246330B2 (en) Photovoltaic device
US10205208B2 (en) Method of storing electron hole pairs
Parthsarathy et al. Modeling and simulation of PV module and zeta converter
Tomy et al. Load frequency control of a two area hybrid system consisting of a grid connected PV system and thermal generator
Rani et al. Effect of temperature and irradiance on solar module performance
Zahedi Development of an electrical model for a PV/battery system for performance prediction
WO2021062139A1 (fr) Dispositif hybride solaire/ thermoélectrique pour une récupération améliorée d'énergie renouvelable
Bioudun et al. Experimental evaluation of the effect of temperature on polycrystalline and monocrystalline photovoltaic modules
Pandey et al. Bypass diodes to improve solar panel efficiency for certain module
Murshed et al. Power Performance Analysis of PV Module with DC to DC Buck Converter
Khang et al. Development of Prototype Hybrid Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric (PV-TEG) System
Ali et al. Effect of partial shading on the PV system performances
Sharma et al. Development of 1000W, 230volt Solar Photovoltaic Power Electronic Conversion System
Talbi et al. The Use of Matlab/Simulink for Modeling of Photovoltaic Module
Thomsen et al. Flexible sliver modules
Kiran et al. Photovoltaic system for electric vehicle using interleaved boost converter

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 20867149

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 20867149

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1