Performance of Solar Air Collector-Thermoelectric Hybrid System

Solar collectors are technologies which using sunlight to collect heat energy. In this study, solar air collector-thermoelectric hybrid systemis designed and constructed. Performance testing is conducted in the lab. The size of this hybrid system is 97.5 × 59 × 12 cm. The manipulating factor is the mass flow rate which is fixed at 0.033, 0.0385, 0.044, 0.0495 and0.055 kg/s. The intensity of solar radiation is set at 700 W/m². Maximum temperature change (T_o -T_i) reaches 7.5 °C while maximum temperature change (T_back - T_hollow) reaches 16.7 °C. Maximum thermal efficiency of this hybrid system reaches 79.0% at the highest mass flow rate of 0.055 kg/s. The maximum electrical efficiency reaches 5.3% at the lowest mass flow rate of 0.033 kg/s. Maximum overall efficiency reaches 79% at the highest mass flow rate. The hybrid system has better thermal efficiency than a stand-alone solar air collector. Due to the increased overall efficiency, the proposed hybrid system is anticipated to promote wider application of thermoelectric hybrid system. (paper)