Multiphysics modeling tool for photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid devices integrating a photothermal interface

Abstract

Photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid devices aim at harvesting the entire solar spectrum via both direct photovoltaic conversion and subsequent thermoelectric conversion of the heat generated in the solar cell. One emerging strategy to improve their efficiency is to implement a photothermal interface between the photovoltaic cell and the thermoelectric module. Modeling such a complex system (photovoltaic cell, photothermal interface and thermoelectric generator) to design an optimal architecture is a challenging task, as it requires to take into account a large number of parameters in a multi-layered system, as well as the coupling between optical, thermal and electrical effects. To do so, we present here a multiphysics tool to predict the temperature distribution and power output of hybrid devices integrating a photothermal interface. Our model shows a good quantitative agreement with previous theoretical and experimental works from the literature using limited material parameters. We discuss the need for additional parameters for accurate modeling of experimental devices. We envision that our multiphysics modeling tool will be key for the design of optimal photothermal interfaces for efficient photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid devices.