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Solar cells and thermoelectric generators as finite-time chemical heat engines

2025-11-20 · arXiv: 2511.16388

One-line summary

A solar energy research paper on Solar cells and thermoelectric generators as finite-time chemical heat engines.

Engineering notes

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Chinese explanation / 中文解读

中文解读待补充:本站会优先为光伏效率、钙钛矿太阳能电池、储能技术、太阳能热利用、BIPV、并网技术等高价值论文补充中文说明。

Original abstract

This paper shows a fundamental thermodynamic similarity between thermoelectric and photovoltaic energy converters which, at open circuit, can be represented as isochoric engines generating a finite chemical potential which appears as voltage at the terminals of the device. We show that, allowing for the temperature variation of the Seebeck coefficient, the maximum energy efficiency is intrinsically lower than the Carnot efficiency, as assumed in most of the literature, although more sophisticated strategies may exist to recuperate this loss. At finite current, further losses can be modelled in terms of finite-time thermodynamics.

5.0Engineering value
7.0Research novelty
4.0Business relevance

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