th

5 International Conference on Energy Sustainability

Grand Hyatt Washington, Washington DC, August7-10, 2011

ESFuelCell2011-54046

PHOTOVOLTAIC – THERMOELECTRICAL GENERATOR USING CONCENTRATED SOLAR- ENERGY

José G. Pérez

Sandra Jiménez, Salvador A. Iniesta, José L. Sosa-Sánchez, Javier Martínez

Centro de Investigaciones en Dispositivos Semiconductores – Instituto de Ciencias

Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Av. 14 sur y Av. San Claudio
Ciudad Universitaria, Col. San Manuel, Puebla, Pue., México, C.P. 72570.
Tel. /Fax: 52 (222) 2330284.
E-mail: jgperezluna@gmail.com, sanjim@hotmail.com, salvador@siu.buap.mx, tonatiuh303@hotmail.com

Abstract Design and construction of the photovoltaic-thermoelectric

Electrical energy can be generated by using solar energy
concentration. Normally, this type of systems requires a special
device to achieve optimal heat dissipation. A no cover power Bi-
Junction Transistor (BJT) has this advantage. An electrical
power generator may be obtained if concentrated solar radiation
is applied directly to the surface of a power transistor such as the
MJ15023. The waste heat of the BJT is removed by a power
thermoelectric module, and then a co-generation system may be
obtained. This paper shows how this system is implemented and
the results are evaluated to show the advantages of this type of
generator.
Keywords: Solar concentration, photovoltaic cell,
thermoelectric power module, power generation,
cogeneration.
Introduction
One way to attain more power generation per area on
photovoltaic solar systems is to use solar energy concentration.
This requires special technology for the photovoltaic device.
Another way to increase power generation in these systems is by
cogeneration. Some power transistors present the photovoltaic
effect when the device is directly exposed to light or solar
radiation and this has been shown in the case of the MJ15023
power transistor [1], which is a three-terminal electronic device,
constructed with doped semiconductor materials and may be
generally used in amplifying or switching applications. It is
possible to take advantage of this device because the ability it
has for the high power dissipation (250 W at 25°C).
Cogeneration can be implemented in this system by coupling it
with a thermoelectric power module to convert waste heat into
electricity.
cell
The basic idea for the design of a photovoltaic-thermoelectric
cell is to take advantage of a cogeneration system transistor-
power thermoelectric module when the concentrated solar
radiation is applied directly to the power transistor chip and the
waste heat is also converted into electricity by the power
thermoelectric module (see figure 1). This module consists of
several thermoelectric couples made of p-type and n-type
semiconductor material. These thermocouples are connected
electrically in series and thermally in parallel. If one of the
junctions is heated (or cooled) with respect to the other, then it
will cause a current due to the existing temperature gradient.
To prepare the power transistor for energy conversion the metal
cover is pulled up to expose the device chip to concentrated solar
radiation. The power thermoelectric module used is a TEP1-
1264-1.5 type with match load output power of 5.9W whose
dimensions are 40 mm x 40 mm. Both devices are placed as
shown in figure 2.
Figure 3 shows the dissipation elements used by the assembled
cell. They are a cylindrical aluminium coupling and an eight fins
dissipation system. A Duran glass bell is placed to attain vacuum
for the system to prevent oxidation at the surface of transistor
when it is exposed to solar concentration. Two temperature
sensors were added to the base of the cell to measure
temperature in the case of the transistor and the temperature at
the aluminium sink.
Solar concentration system
This system uses an Apollo #27570 Fresnel lens whose focusing
distance is 32 cm from the surface [2, 3]. The Fresnel lens is an 8
1/2" x 11" area. The lens is placed at the top of a mechanical
structure which is held by two parallel axes tied to the general

1
structure. Movement around the main axis is obtained by a direct
current 12 V wiper motor (see figure 4).

Figure 4. Solar concentration system

Experimental tests

In order to evaluate the Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric Generator

Figure 1. Elements of the photovoltaic-thermoelectric cell (PTG), it was necessary to design a measurement system; the
block diagram is shown in figure 5.

Figure 2. (a) Thermoelectric power module placed on the

aluminium base, (b) Assembled cell including the power transistor.
Figure 5. Data acquisition system block diagram

Figure 6 shows the PTG in operation. The data acquisition system

captured all variables and controls the sun tracking mechanical system.

Figure 3. (a) Elements used for cooling the aluminium base (sink),
(b) Finished photovoltaic-thermoelectric cell.

Figure 6. PTG in operation including data acquisition system.

2
 0.25
Global solar radiation was measured by using a Kipp & Zonen Thermoelectric Power
Photovoltaic Power
SP Lite pyranometer [4], while voltage generation was measured
0.20
with a SCB 68 National Instruments data acquisition card.
Sample data acquisition and processing information was carried

Power Generation (W)

out by using the LabView program. Data from photoelectric and 0.15

thermoelectric voltages were sampled on 1 Ω and 1.2 Ω resistors

load (RL) respectively. Sampling was every 5 minutes and 0.10
irradiance was monitored all the experiment. Results are shown
in figures 7, 8 and 9. Time observed in plots is applied to
0.05
daylight saving time in Mexico. Temperature measurements for
the cell were made by using two LM35 integrated circuit with a
scale factor of 10 mV/°C and range covering -55 to 150 °C. 0.00

Figure 10 shows temperature applied to both sides of the

13:00 13:10 13:20 13:30 13:40 13:50 14:00 14:10 14:20
thermoelectric cell while figure 11 shows the temperature
Time (hrs)
gradient. Figure 12 shows the total power generated by both
cells.
Figure 9. Plot of the power generated by the photovoltaic and
thermoelectric cell.
1200

1000
70
Th
65 T sink
800
Irradiance (W/m )
2

60

600 55

50
Temperature (°C)

400 45

40

200 35

30
13:00 13:10 13:20 13:30 13:40 13:50 14:00 14:10 14:20
Time (hrs) 25

20

Figure 7. Irradiance measured by the pyranometer. Low intensity 13:00 13:10 13:20 13:30 13:40 13:50 14:00 14:10 14:20
originates during cloudy conditions. Time (hrs)

Figure 10. Plot of the temperatures obtained between both sides of

V_Thermoelectric
0.6
V_Photovoltaic
the thermoelectric cell.
RL=1.2 ohms
0.5
40
Generated Voltage (volts)

0.4
30
0.3
Temperature gradient (°C)

20
0.2 RL=1 ohm

0.1 10

0.0
0
13:00 13:10 13:20 13:30 13:40 13:50 14:00 14:10 14:20
Time (hrs)
-10

Figure 8. Plot corresponding to the voltages generated by the 13:00 13:10 13:20 13:30 13:40 13:50 14:00 14:10 14:20
photovoltaic cell and the t hermoelectric cell. Time (hrs)

Figure 11. Plot corresponding to temperature gradient for the

thermoelectric cell

3
 4.- Muhlía A. V., 2004, “Notas del curso de solarimetría”, Memorias
de la XXVIII Semana Nacional de Energía Solar, Oaxaca, México.

0.25

0.20
Total Power (W)

0.15

0.10

0.05

0.00

13:00 13:10 13:20 13:30 13:40 13:50 14:00 14:10 14:20

Time (hrs)

Figure 12. Plot of the total power generated by the PTG.

Conclusion 1:
From the data obtained in the tests it is observed that the PTG is
generating a maximum power of 0.24 W and decays according to
the graph of irradiance with a certain delay. Notice that the
thermoelectric voltage is greater than the photovoltaic voltage;
this is probably because the transistor is not cooling properly.

Conclusion 2:
A photoelectric-thermoelectrical generator was designed and
fabricated with a power transistor and thermoelectric power
module. An equatorial mechanical system and a sun tracker were
developed for the experiment of the device. Solar energy
concentration was obtained by using a Fresnel lens.
Tests were made to the cell by using a data acquisition system.
Irradiance and power generation were obtained for a particular
case. Generation was obtained for a 1.2 and 1 Ω resistor load for
the thermoelectric and photovoltaic cells respectively.

Conclusion 3:
It was shown that power generation obtained in the cogeneration
condition was higher than the power obtained for every element
by itself.

Conclusion 4:
Efficiency attained in this system is 0.36 %, this is because the
power transistor is not a special device developed for solar
concentrated radiation.

References
1.- Serrano L. E., 2003, Estudio del efecto fotovoltaico en las uniones
de un transistor de potencia sometido a concentración, Tesis de
Licenciatura, pp. 41-44, 45-47, Puebla, Pue. México.

2.- Yllescas L., 2009, Evaluación del desempeño de un Generador

Termoeléctrico empleando concentración Solar, Tesis de licenciatura,
pp. 39-54. Puebla, Pue. México.

3.- Creus S. A, 1982, Instrumentación industrial, 4ª edición, pp. 245-

268. México. Ed. Alfaomega-marcombo.