Enhancing solar thermoelectric generator performance using metal oxide layer absorbers under concentrated solar radiation
Solar Thermoelectric Generators (STEGs) hold promise for sustainable energy, with ongoing efforts to enhance efficiency through advanced thermal absorbers. This study evaluates the performance of STEGs using graphite sheet (GS) and metal oxides layer (MOL) absorbers under solar concentrations of 20,...
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Case Studies in Thermal Engineering |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25000681 |
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| author | Abdelkader Rjafallah Daniel Tudor Cotfas Petru Adrian Cotfas |
| author_facet | Abdelkader Rjafallah Daniel Tudor Cotfas Petru Adrian Cotfas |
| author_sort | Abdelkader Rjafallah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Solar Thermoelectric Generators (STEGs) hold promise for sustainable energy, with ongoing efforts to enhance efficiency through advanced thermal absorbers. This study evaluates the performance of STEGs using graphite sheet (GS) and metal oxides layer (MOL) absorbers under solar concentrations of 20, 40, 60, and 80 suns. Performance metrics, including short-circuit current (Isc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), maximum power output (Pmax), and efficiency (η), were measured experimentally using the KIRAN-42 solar simulator and compared with COMSOL Multiphysics simulations. The MOL-based STEG outperformed the GS-based counterpart, achieving Pmax (η) values of 0.559 W (1.75 %), 1.818 W (2.84 %), 3.071 W (3.2 %), and 3.762 W (2.94 %) at 20, 40, 60, and 80 suns, respectively, compared to 0.308 W (0.96 %), 1.120 W (1.75 %), 1.984 W (2.1 %), and 2.670 W (2.1 %) for the GS-based STEG. Experimental and simulation discrepancies were minimal at lower concentrations (1.9 % and 6.4 % at 20 suns) but increased at 80 suns (32.4 % and 41.7 %). Both approaches showed strong linear correlations between Pmax and solar concentration (R2 > 0.98). Low RMSE values (0.45 for GS, 0.81 for MOL) further validated the models. This study underscores the superior performance of MOL absorbers and provides insights for optimizing STEG designs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-51efe2bfd5e74979959756e0b3d0a06e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2214-157X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Case Studies in Thermal Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-51efe2bfd5e74979959756e0b3d0a06e2025-01-31T05:11:18ZengElsevierCase Studies in Thermal Engineering2214-157X2025-03-0167105808Enhancing solar thermoelectric generator performance using metal oxide layer absorbers under concentrated solar radiationAbdelkader Rjafallah0Daniel Tudor Cotfas1Petru Adrian Cotfas2Corresponding author.; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500036, Brasov, RomaniaElectrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500036, Brasov, RomaniaElectrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500036, Brasov, RomaniaSolar Thermoelectric Generators (STEGs) hold promise for sustainable energy, with ongoing efforts to enhance efficiency through advanced thermal absorbers. This study evaluates the performance of STEGs using graphite sheet (GS) and metal oxides layer (MOL) absorbers under solar concentrations of 20, 40, 60, and 80 suns. Performance metrics, including short-circuit current (Isc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), maximum power output (Pmax), and efficiency (η), were measured experimentally using the KIRAN-42 solar simulator and compared with COMSOL Multiphysics simulations. The MOL-based STEG outperformed the GS-based counterpart, achieving Pmax (η) values of 0.559 W (1.75 %), 1.818 W (2.84 %), 3.071 W (3.2 %), and 3.762 W (2.94 %) at 20, 40, 60, and 80 suns, respectively, compared to 0.308 W (0.96 %), 1.120 W (1.75 %), 1.984 W (2.1 %), and 2.670 W (2.1 %) for the GS-based STEG. Experimental and simulation discrepancies were minimal at lower concentrations (1.9 % and 6.4 % at 20 suns) but increased at 80 suns (32.4 % and 41.7 %). Both approaches showed strong linear correlations between Pmax and solar concentration (R2 > 0.98). Low RMSE values (0.45 for GS, 0.81 for MOL) further validated the models. This study underscores the superior performance of MOL absorbers and provides insights for optimizing STEG designs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25000681Solar energy harvestingSolar thermoelectric generators (STEGs)Solar absorber (SA)Metal oxides layer (MOL)Graphite layer (GS)Numerical 3D simulation |
| spellingShingle | Abdelkader Rjafallah Daniel Tudor Cotfas Petru Adrian Cotfas Enhancing solar thermoelectric generator performance using metal oxide layer absorbers under concentrated solar radiation Case Studies in Thermal Engineering Solar energy harvesting Solar thermoelectric generators (STEGs) Solar absorber (SA) Metal oxides layer (MOL) Graphite layer (GS) Numerical 3D simulation |
| title | Enhancing solar thermoelectric generator performance using metal oxide layer absorbers under concentrated solar radiation |
| title_full | Enhancing solar thermoelectric generator performance using metal oxide layer absorbers under concentrated solar radiation |
| title_fullStr | Enhancing solar thermoelectric generator performance using metal oxide layer absorbers under concentrated solar radiation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhancing solar thermoelectric generator performance using metal oxide layer absorbers under concentrated solar radiation |
| title_short | Enhancing solar thermoelectric generator performance using metal oxide layer absorbers under concentrated solar radiation |
| title_sort | enhancing solar thermoelectric generator performance using metal oxide layer absorbers under concentrated solar radiation |
| topic | Solar energy harvesting Solar thermoelectric generators (STEGs) Solar absorber (SA) Metal oxides layer (MOL) Graphite layer (GS) Numerical 3D simulation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25000681 |
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