A novel dual condensers heat pipe photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system under different climate conditions: Electrical and thermal assessment

Abstract

The PV/T hybrid system has irreplaceable advantages in the comprehensive utilization of energy because of its capability to simultaneously generate heat and power. A heat pipe PV/T system is often used in cold area duo to its high energy efficiency and anti-frost properties. While most of existing systems only focus on the hot water supply, rarely involving in the function of space heating. In this paper, a novel dual-condensers heat pipe system is proposed to extend its energy supply functions and application areas. This study aims to establish a mathematical model of the proposed system, and analyze the performance of the system in different climatic region cities. Three cities in different climate zones were selected as boundary conditions for the analysis. The numerical result shows that in the hot water mode the system's electrical efficiency is 13.6%, 13.3% and 13.5%, and the total efficiency is 56.1%, 59.7% and 60.6%, respectively. In space heating mode, the system's electrical efficiency is 14.7%, 14.8% and 14.8%, and the total efficiency is 55.4%, 55.4% and 51.1%, respectively. The results confirm that the performance of the novel PV/T is steady and suitable for the cities with different environmental conditions.