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A Novel Hybrid Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric Power Generation System Employing a Flat-plate Micro-channel Heat Pipe

About

About

 

This is a two-year funded joint research project between two partners (The University of Hull and Hisense Europe). At the end of this project, a laboratory-based PV-TE-MCHP prototype would have been developed and this could then be progressed into a commercially viable technology. 

 

 

Project duration: 

01/10/2017 - 30/09/2019

 

Technology
Technology

System Diagram

System Description

The four main components of the novel system are; Photovoltaic (PV) module, Thermoelectric (TE) module, Flat-plate Micro-channel Heat Pipe (MCHP) and Heat sink. These components are shown in the system diagram above. 

 

The PV modules are attached to the upper surface of the evaporator of the evaporator of the MCHP while the TE modules are attached to the lower surface of the condenser. During operation, solar energy is imposed on the PV modules then the thermal energy is conveyed to the MCHP's condenser, by means of evaporation of the working fluid within the MCHP. In the condenser, the heat is released via condensation of the MCHP working fluid and is then transferred to the attached TE modules. This creates a temperature gradient across the TE module, thus resulting in a thermal to electrical conversion by means of the 'Seebeck effect'.

Project Team Members

Name: Professor Xudong Zhao 
Position: Project Coordinator 
Organization: University of Hull
System Cost and Power Comparison
Upcoming Events
  • July 2019 | EU-China Symposiums on Renewable/Sustainable Energy and Energy Storage Technologies, Hull, United Kingdom

  • August 2018 | 17th International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies, Wuhan, China

  • August 2019 | 11th International Conference on Applied Energy, Västerås, Sweden

Efficiency comparison of PV, novel PV-TE and conventional PV-TE
Modelling Results

Upcoming Secondments: 

No. of Secondees: 1

Upcoming Workshop: 

No. of Participants: 100

 

Deliverable Submitted:

No. of Deliverable: 2

Milestone Reached:

No. of Milestone: 4

Project  Meetings Completed:

No. of Meetings: 8

Publications (So far): 

Journal Papers: 17

Conference Papers: 7

Book Chapter: 1

Patents: 

No. of Patents: 0

Project Progress
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