Enhancing PV-TEG performance and water cooling on TEG with serial different configurations

Abstract

Palu, which is crossed by the equator, gets enough sunlight intensity to be used as a renewable energy source for generating electricity. This paper is an investigative study on the performance of a 50 Wp solar panel (PV) combined with a thermoelectric generator (TEG) module as a heat sink and electric energy generator. The SP1848-27145 SA TEG module is placed on the lower surface of the PV and covered with aluminium sheets between the PV and the TEG. The cold side of the TEG module is provided with circulating water cooling to maintain the temperature on the cold side of the TEG. There are 5 TEG modules arranged in series with 2 different configuration variations between the PV and the aluminium plate. One PV panel was left without a TEG module during testing to compare the results with adding a TEG module to 2 PV panels. In total, there were 3 PV panels and 10 TEG modules which were tested simultaneously for 3 days on the Tadulako University campus. All voltage, PV-TEG current parameters, and solar intensity are recorded using standard measuring instruments. As a result, the temperature of the upper surface of the PV is below a safe 60 °C, while the temperature on the lower surface of the PV which is also the temperature of the hot side of the TEG decreases significantly compared to that without using TEG. The TEG rectangle configuration generates 26% greater output power compared to the square one. An output voltage stabilizer is needed on the PV to get better power and modification of the TEG stack model in further studies.