Performance of solar cells using thermoelectric module in hot sites

M. Benghanem, A.A. Al-Mashraqi and K.O. Daffallah

Renewable Energy, 2016, vol. 89, issue C, 51-59

Abstract: The ambient temperature at Madinah site is between 40 °C and 50 °C during the summer months and sometimes is over 50 °C. The cell temperature reaches the value of 83 °C. This affects the behaviors of solar cells (SC) and decreases their efficiency. The performance of solar cells is presented in this work using thermoelectric module (TEM) as cooling system. In fact, we have found experimentally that the efficiency of solar cells decreases with increase in its temperature. The efficiency of solar cells drops by 0.5% per °C rise in temperature. So, it's necessary to operate them at lower temperature in order to increase their efficiency. Cooling the solar cells would enhance its performance. The hybrid PV/TEM system is proposed for PV applications in hot sites.

Keywords: Solar cells performance; Efficiency; Thermoelectric cooler; Hybrid PV/Thermoelectric system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:89:y:2016:i:c:p:51-59

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2015.12.011

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