The Performance of a Combined Thermal and Electric System of Solar Energy Conversion with TEM

Abstract:

Combined solar thermal and electric system is a combination of solar thermal system and solar electric system, such that both electric power and hot water can be produced at the same time. The solar collecting system includes a concentrator, frames, and a solar tracking system. The hot water system includes a flat collector, flow channels, water tubes, a storage tank, and a water pump. The power generation system is composed of thermoelectric modules and the associated controller. A miniature system was established and its performance was tested in this study. It was found that at the solar radiation flux of 800 W/m2, a total efficiency of 50% could be achieved. However, most of the solar energy has been converted to thermal energy instead of electricity. Our thermal electric system’s total efficiency can reach 43% and power generation of thermoelectric modules is only 0.6%.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 512-515)
• Pages: 311-316
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.512-515.311
• Online since: May 2012
• Authors: Chun Po Liao, Jau Huai Lu
• Keywords: Combined Solar Thermal and Electric System, Solar Energy, Thermoelectric Module

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