scholarly journals Thermocells for Hybrid Photovoltaic/Thermal Systems

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 1928
Author(s):  
Gilyong Shin ◽  
Jei Gyeong Jeon ◽  
Ju Hyeon Kim ◽  
Ju Hwan Lee ◽  
Hyeong Jun Kim ◽  
...  

The photovoltaic conversion efficiency of solar cells is highly temperature dependent and decreases with increasing temperature. Therefore, the thermal management of solar cells is crucial for the efficient utilization of solar energy. We fabricate a hybrid photovoltaic/thermocell (PV/T) module by integrating a thermocell directly into the back of a solar panel and explore the feasibility of the module for its practical implementation. The proposed PV/T hybrid not only performs the cooling of the solar cells but also produces an additional power output by converting the heat stored in the solar cell into useful electric energy through the thermocell. Under illumination with an air mass of 1.5 G, the conversion efficiency of the solar cell can improve from 13.2% to 15% by cooling the solar cell from 61 °C to 34 °C and simultaneously obtaining an additional power of 3.53 μW/cm2 from the thermocell. The advantages of the PV/T module presented in this work, such as the additional power generation from the thermocell as well as the simultaneous cooling of the solar cells and its convenient installation, can lead to the module’s importance in practical and large-scale deployment.

2013 ◽  
Vol 320 ◽  
pp. 693-697
Author(s):  
Wei Cui ◽  
Chong Wang ◽  
Yu Yang

The solar energy is the most promising energy to solve energy crisis and environmental problem. Quantum dot can be applied to solar cells in two structures of QDSC to improve the energy conversion efficiency. The two structures are p-i-n type QDSC and quantum dots sensitized solar cells. The energy conversion efficiency of p-i-n type QDSC may increase up to 45%. Both CdSe and CdS quantum dot can be used as the sensitizer of the QDSSC and each of them has its demerits and merits, but the conversion efficiency of QDSSC is low if they were used respectively. Thus, in order to overcome their demerits respectively, we could try to combine their merits. QDSC is the most promising technique to solve the problems of solar cell. But before large-scale application their efficiency and stability should be improved.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 5986
Author(s):  
Tao Chen ◽  
Hao Guo ◽  
Leiming Yu ◽  
Tao Sun ◽  
Anran Chen ◽  
...  

Si/PEDOT: PSS solar cell is an optional photovoltaic device owing to its promising high photovoltaic conversion efficiency (PCE) and economic manufacture process. In this work, dopamine@graphene was firstly introduced between the silicon substrate and PEDOT:PSS film for Si/PEDOT: PSS solar cell. The dopamine@graphene was proved to be effective in improving the PCE, and the influence of mechanical properties of dopamine@graphene on solar cell performance was revealed. When dopamine@graphene was incorporated into the cell preparation, the antireflection ability of the cell was enhanced within the wavelength range of 300~450 and 650~1100 nm. The enhanced antireflection ability would benefit amount of the photon-generated carriers. The electrochemical impedance spectra test revealed that the introduction of dopamine@graphene could facilitate the separation of carriers and improve the junction quality. Thus, the short-circuit current density and fill factor were both promoted, which led to the improved PCE. Meanwhile, the influence of graphene concentration on device performances was also investigated. The photovoltaic conversion efficiency would be promoted from 11.06% to 13.15% when dopamine@graphene solution with concentration 1.5 mg/mL was applied. The achievements of this study showed that the dopamine@graphene composites could be an useful materials for high-performance Si/PEDOT:PSS solar cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Wageh ◽  
Mahfoudh Raïssi ◽  
Thomas Berthelot ◽  
Matthieu Laurent ◽  
Didier Rousseau ◽  
...  

AbstractPoly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) mixed with single-wall nanotubes (SWNTs) (10:1) and doped with (0.1 M) perchloric acid (HClO4) in a solution-processed film, working as an excellent thin transparent conducting film (TCF) in organic solar cells, was investigated. This new electrode structure can be an outstanding substitute for conventional indium tin oxide (ITO) for applications in flexible solar cells due to the potential of attaining high transparency with enhanced conductivity, good flexibility, and good durability via a low-cost process over a large area. In addition, solution-processed vanadium oxide (VOx) doped with a small amount of PEDOT-PSS(PH1000) can be applied as a hole transport layer (HTL) for achieving high efficiency and stability. From these viewpoints, we investigate the benefit of using printed SWNTs-PEDOT-PSS doped with HClO4 as a transparent conducting electrode in a flexible organic solar cell. Additionally, we applied a VOx-PEDOT-PSS thin film as a hole transporting layer and a blend of PTB7 (polythieno[3,4-b] thiophene/benzodithiophene): PC71BM (phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester) as an active layer in devices. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were applied as an electron transport layer and Ag was used as the top electrode. The proposed solar cell structure showed an enhancement in short-circuit current, power conversion efficiency, and stability relative to a conventional cell based on ITO. This result suggests a great carrier injection throughout the interfacial layer, high conductivity and transparency, as well as firm adherence for the new electrode.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (01-03) ◽  
pp. 175-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganesh D. Sharma ◽  
Galateia E. Zervaki ◽  
Kalliopi Ladomenou ◽  
Emmanuel N. Koukaras ◽  
Panagiotis P. Angaridis ◽  
...  

Two porphyrin dyads with the donor-π-acceptor molecular architecture, namely ( ZnP )-[triazine-gly]-( H 2 PCOOH ) and ( ZnP )-[triazine-Npip]-( H 2 PCOOH ), which consist of a zinc-metalated porphyrin unit and a free-base porphyrin unit covalently linked at their peripheries to a central triazine group, substituted either by a glycine in the former or a N-piperidine group in the latter, have been synthesized via consecutive amination substitution reactions of cyanuric chloride. The UV-vis absorption spectra and cyclic-voltammetry measurements of the two dyads, as well as theoretical calculations based on Density Functional Theory, suggest that they have suitable frontier orbital energy levels for use as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells. Dye-sensitized solar cells based on ( ZnP )-[triazine-gly]-( H 2 PCOOH ) and ( ZnP )-[triazine-Npip]-( H 2 PCOOH ) have been fabricated, and they were found to exhibit power conversion efficiency values of 5.44 and 4.15%, respectively. Photovoltaic measurements (J–V curves) and incident photon to current conversion efficiency spectra of the two solar cells suggest that the higher power conversion efficiency value of the former solar cell is a result of its enhanced short circuit current, open circuit voltage, and fill factor values, as well as higher dye loading. This is ascribed to the existence of two carboxylic acid anchoring groups in ( ZnP )-[triazine-gly]-( H 2 PCOOH ), compared to one carboxylic acid group in ( ZnP )-[triazine-Npip]-( H 2 PCOOH ), which leads to a more effective binding onto the TiO 2 photoanode. Electrochemical impedance spectra show evidence that the ( ZnP )-[triazine-gly]-( H 2 PCOOH ) based solar cell exhibits a longer electron lifetime and more effective suppression of charge recombination reactions between the injected electrons and electrolyte.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Elahi ◽  
Ghulam Dastgeer ◽  
Abdul Subhan Siddiqui ◽  
Supriya A. Patil ◽  
Muhammad Waqas Iqbal ◽  
...  

With perovskite materials, rapid progress in power conversion efficiency (PCE) to reach 25% has gained a significant amount of attention from the solar cell industry.


RSC Advances ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (36) ◽  
pp. 20670-20676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ju Hwan Kang ◽  
Yu Jung Park ◽  
Myung Joo Cha ◽  
Yeonjin Yi ◽  
Aeran Song ◽  
...  

Non-conjugated polyelectrolytes are empolyed as interfacial layers at the electrodes of solar cells and transistor devices to improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and device performance.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiří Vanek ◽  
Jan Dolensky ◽  
Zdenek Chobola ◽  
Mirek Luňák ◽  
Aleš Poruba

This paper brings the comparison of solar cell conversion efficiency and results from a noise spectroscopy and microplasma presence to evaluate the solar cell technology. Three sets of monocrystalline silicon solar cells (c-Si) varying in front side phosphorus doped emitters were produced by standard screen-printing technique. From the measurements it follows that the noise spectral density related to defects is of 1/ftype and its magnitude. It has been established that samples showing low noise feature high-conversion efficiency. The best results were reached for a group solar cells with selective emitter structure prepared by double-phosphorus diffusion process.


2015 ◽  
Vol 730 ◽  
pp. 173-177
Author(s):  
Yu Wen Tang

Solar energy is an inexhaustible and renewable energy without environmental pollution. Solar energy can be used in three kinds of forms: solar thermal energy, photochemical conversion and photovoltaic power generation. Among these, the final form of photovoltaic power generation is electricity which can be transported, applied and stored conveniently. On the basis of photovoltaic effect, solar cell is developed as a new technology to convert light energy into electrical energy using semiconductor. Up to now the two key problems of the development of solar cells are how to improve the conversion efficiency and reduce cost. Therefore, the material and production technology used for solar cells are discussed based on improving conversion efficiency in this article.


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