Construction and simulation of solar energy recovery system with thermoelectric technology

Subject Areas : Renewable energy

ISLAMIC AZAD UNIVERSITY saemian ^{1 *} , Nader Rahbar ²

1 - Researcher
2 - Department of Mechanical Engineering, Semnan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Semnan, Iran

Received: 2020-11-07 Accepted : 2021-02-13 Published : 2021-02-13

Keywords: Temperature Gradient, Thermoelectric generator, output voltage, solar energy recycling, convex lens, thermal heat sink,

Abstract :

This research presents a solar energy recovery system consisting of three main parts including a thermoelectric generator, a convex lens, and a thermal heatsink. The most important feature of the proposed recycling system is its simple structure and design, without complexity and reasonable price. In the design of the recycling system, one side of the thermoelectric is hotted by solar energy, and the other side of the thermoelectric is cooled by the heatsink which is exposed to river water. The temperature gradient is created on both sides of the thermoelectric, which recycles solar energy, resulting in voltage and electrical power. To evaluate the proposed system for solar energy recovery, after its construction, all data and effective parameters on both sides of the thermoelectric generator during the test are recorded every ten minutes, and then the recycling system and information recorded in the engineering equation solver software as codes. Based on the experimental tests, the maximum output voltage of the recycling circuit at a temperature difference of 25 ° C is reported to be 229 mV.