Geometry optimization of solar thermoelectric generator under different operating conditions via Taguchi method

The commercial solar energy market is dominated by non-concentrating photovoltaics and concentrating solar thermal systems. With the development of high efficiency thermoelectric materials, the solar thermoelectric generator is becoming to be a competitive alternative solar energy technology in certain applications. This paper proposes a simulation model and a design methodology for solar thermoelectric generator. Geometry parameters, namely the height, the fill-ratio, the ratio of the cross-section area of n-type material over p-type material of thermoelectric module, solar concentration ratio, were analyzed under different operating conditions. In order to perform the analysis, an L₂₇ (3⁵) orthogonal array was employed to assess all of the design parameters returning the maximum output power. By the analysis of variance, the effect of each design parameter on the output power performance and the interaction between design parameters are identified. The optimal design parameter set is also obtained and it is found that the optimal design performs can potentially achieve 5.47 W output power compared with the output power of 1.95 W from the original design in most operating conditions.