The combination of solar energy and radiative cooling through thermoelectric generators (TEGs) offers a promising approach for sustainable power generation. However, current thermoelectric systems that integrate solar energy and radiative cooling still face the challenge of insufficient nighttime power generation capacity. This study proposes a thermoelectric power generation system featuring a heat storage structure inspired by bionic flowers, which utilizes residual heat stored during the daytime to supply heat to the hot end of TEGs at night, thereby increasing the temperature difference at night. A numerical model was developed, and the temperature field and phase change characteristics within the heat storage structure were investigated through finite element simulation. The thermoelectric system with a heat storage structure maintains a higher nighttime voltage than the one without it. After 12 AM, the system without a heat storage structure can only sustain an output voltage of approximately 18 mV. In contrast, the system with a heat storage structure can achieve a voltage output of 42.57 mV. Even four hours later, it retained a 6.64 mV advantage. The results demonstrate that the heat storage structure significantly enhances the power generation performance at night. This research provides a potential solution to effectively mitigate the issue of insufficient nighttime power generation capacity in thermoelectric power generation systems.
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