Bi-fluid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar collector: Experimental validation of a 2-D theoretical model

Abstract

This paper discusses theoretical and indoor experimental studies of a bi-fluid type photovoltaic/thermal PV/T solar collector. 2D steady-state analysis was developed and computer simulation was performed using MATLAB. Experiments were conducted for steady-state analysis under the solar simulator at Solar Energy Research Lab UiTM Perlis, Malaysia. The test includes all three modes of fluid operation under the same PV/T system, namely: the air mode, the water mode, and the simultaneous mode of water and air. The simulation results were validated against the experimental results using three methods of error analysis: root mean square percentage deviation (RMSPD), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and coefficient of determination (R2). On average, the MAPE, RMSPD, and R2 computed for the fluid output temperature are approximately 0.92%, 1.19%, and 0.98, respectively. Thus, we concluded that the simulation and experimental results are in good agreement. The PV/T collector designed in this study has a variety of applications as it can be operated in three different modes of fluid operation, and the theoretical model is useful in modelling all three modes without further modification.