Performance investigation of a concentrated photovoltaics-phase change material-thermoelectric generator system based on topology optimization

Incorporating high thermal conductivity fins into the phase change material domain of a Concentrated Photovoltaics-Phase Change Material-Thermoelectric Generator (CPV-PCM-TEG) system can significantly improve the performance of photovoltaic power generation and waste heat recovery. In this study, topology optimization of the fin structure within the PCM was performed, and three topological fin structures were derived using the Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization method. A numerical model of a CPV-PCM-TEG system was then constructed to investigate the impact of these topological fins on overall system performance. The results show that, compared to straight fins, topological fins can further reduce the thermal resistance of the PCM, leading to a 15.68 K reduction in CPV temperature and a 10.52 % enhancement in CPV output power, along with a 4.56 % increase in TEG output power. However, topological fins are less effective without solar radiation, as the TEG output power of the case with topological fins is lower than that of the case with straight fins. The total system output work with topological fins reaches 966.94 J over the entire duration, representing a 3.08 % improvement compared to straight fins. This indicates the superior performance of topological fins within the system. The findings presented in this paper offer valuable guidance for the development of high-performance CPV-PCM-TEG systems.