Optimally designing a perovskite solar cell/thermoelectric generator coupling system toward efficient and stable operation

Abstract

Integrating perovskite solar cells with thermoelectric generators can effectively enhance photoelectric efficiency and consolidate working stability. However, no attempt has been made to optimally design this potential integration, particularly at the structural level. Herein, using simulation methods, a novel coupling system that sandwiches a solar selective absorber between perovskite solar cells and thermoelectric generators is designed, where the absorber functions both as a photothermal converter and a heat exchanger. The operational conditions that thermoelectric generators intervene in electricity generation are determined in detail. Under typical conditions, the system achieves a maximum energy efficiency of 20.89 %, and its performance can be further maximized by optimizing three structural parameters of thermoelectric generators (X₁, X₂, and X₃), along with the operating voltage, operating temperature, and absorption layer thickness of perovskite solar cells. Their optimum values are, respectively, determined as 361 m⁻², 0.151, 0.19, 0.895 V, 330 K, and 970 nm. Besides, system performance sensitivities on thermal conductivity of solar selective absorber and thermal contact resistances between subsystems are evaluated. The optimized system achieves 21.94 % peak energy efficiency, 11.54 % above unoptimized single perovskite solar cells and 5.03 % above the unoptimized system. Some valuable insights and suggestions for optimally designing such real systems are highlighted.