Efficiency enhancement of an updated solar-driven intermediate band thermoradiative device

Highlights: • A novel solar-driven intermediate band thermoradiative device is proposed. • Device performances are optimized and maximum efficiency is calculated. • Optimum selection criteria of main parameters are provided. • Optimal performances of four solar-driven thermoradiative devices are compared. • Advantages of the present model over other existing models are expounded. A novel model of the solar-driven intermediate band thermoradiative device consisting of a solar concentrator, an absorber, an intermediate band thermoradiative cell and an optical filter is proposed. The formulas of the power output density and efficiency are derived analytically. The device performances are optimized and the parametric selection criteria are provided. The maximum efficiency of the device operating in the optimal state reaches 23.1% and increases of 25.5% if compared with that of a thermoradiative solar cell without the intermediate band. It means that the intermediate band has a great effect on the systemic performance improvement. It is very significant to find that the proposed device can attain a large efficiency under a low concentration factor and the performance of the device is much better than that of the normal thermoradiative solar cell without the intermediate band and optical filter. Solar-driven intermediate band thermoradiative devices are worthy of research and development.