Micro Solar Thermal Power Harvesting using Thermoelectric Generator

ABSTRACT The use of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) in generating useful power from solar thermal energy is demonstrated. This device represents a portable and autonomous power generation system operating from solar power, capable of powering micro/nano systems. The TEG was integrated with a micro solar thermal collector plate to enhance the thermal radiation absorption capacity of the hot side of the TEG. Solar thermal collectors were fabricated on copper substrate. Electro-chemical deposition techniques were used to deposit the selective absorber coating consisting of a black nickel-tin bimetallic layer. The selective coating significantly improved the ability of the collector to transform incident solar radiation into thermal energy. This is demonstrated by the improved output power of 9.15 mW from the TEG with a selective absorber plate as compared to a baseline setup without a selective coating where only 2.01 mW was generated. The overall area of the collector was 16 cm.