Performance evaluation of a photovoltaic thermal-compound thermoelectric ventilator system

External fixed shading devices are generally used to adjust solar influx radiation and save energy in summer. However, they could block the beneficial solar radiation in winter. In this paper, a photovoltaic thermal-compound thermoelectric ventilator (PVT-TEV) system is proposed and investigated. The PVT-TEV system not only could prevent direct solar radiation from going into buildings in summer, but also could heat fresh air by the air-type PVT coupled with a thermoelectric ventilator system in winter. A PVT-TEV system was built in a room for testing the system. Results demonstrate that the performance of the PVT-TEV system is mainly affected by solar radiation when the system works in the sunny days of winter. The stronger the solar radiation is, the more the heat of PVT-TEV system gains and the higher the fresh air temperature is. The average electrical efficiency of PVT is 10%, the average thermal efficiency of PVT-TEV is 26.7% and the average COPh of PVT-TEV is 6.4. In the rainy day, the outdoor fresh air is heated when it flows through heat pipe exchangers of the thermoelectric ventilator. The higher the working voltage is, the more the heat TEV system gains and the lower the COPh of the TEV system is. The average COPh of PVT-TEV system is 1.73 when the operating voltage is 24 V. The PVT-TEV system provides an active and green method for building exterior shading device and supplying fresh air.