Estimating the temperature of the active layer of dye sensitised solar cells by using a “second-order lumped parameter mathematical model”

This study presents a method for estimating the temperature reached by the active layer of dye sensitised solar cells (DSSC) by applying a mathematical model based on a second-order lumped parameter model which takes into account the thermal resistance and heat storage capacities of the different layers of the DSSC. To obtain the input necessary for the application of the mathematical model, an instrumentation system was developed capable of continuously recording the temperature of the external surfaces of both the photoelectrode and the counter-electrode of the DSSC when the sample is irradiated by a light source at 1000 W/m2. The results obtained when the mathematical model is applied show that the lowest root-mean-square error value is obtained for a DSSC absorptivity of 90%. These conditions lead to overheating with regard to the room temperature of 36 K, results which are in agreement with others reported in the literature involving different methods to the one in this article. Also, the methodology proposed can be used for estimating the temperature reached for others photovoltaic devices based on semiconductor thin film.