LTspice model of a solar thermoelectric generation system

Transient heat transfer analysis by means of analytical methods is known to be cumbersome. This paper seeks to develop an LTspice model of a real-world solar thermoelectric generation system. The thermal parameters of the proposed model were extracted from a multitude of parts' geometries and properties. These parameters were then converted into their electrical equivalences through the “thermal-to-electrical analogy.” In addition, real site data were fed into the Spice model via the built-in piecewise linear command in order to implement the real system's thermal behavior. An interesting RC analogy was derived from this model in order to demonstrate how thermoelectric generation systems respond to square wave-like solar radiation. Although temperature variations on the cold side of this LTspice model are roughly 80% accurate, simulation results and the actual experiment remain in good agreement.