Abstract
Forced convective cooling effectiveness on photovoltaic thermal collector electrical and thermal performance was experimentally studied with phase change material (paraffin) + steel foam mixture and two different angular positioned finned heat sink attachments. Fins are positioned flat and inclined, and air was forced with fan to flow between them. Solar radiation, temperature, electrical and thermal power, energy, and exergy efficiencies were determined and compared with reference photovoltaic module data. The first photovoltaic thermal collector was constructed with phase change material (paraffin) + steel foam mixture application to the back surface and covering with an incline finned heat sink. The second one was assembled with phase change material (paraffin) + steel foam filling to back surface and covering with a flat finned heat sink. Incline and flat finned heat sink attached collectors were cooled 12.23% and 21.67% relatively more than photovoltaic module. Electrical efficiency improvement with incline finned and flat finned heat sink application acquired approximately 5.09% and 6.18% relative to the photovoltaic module, which has 4.38% electrical efficiency, thanks to the cooling provided. The overall efficiencies were 41.4% and 59.53%. Photovoltaic module exergy efficiency is 4.67%, it is increased to 5.59% and 6.87% by cooling with incline finned heat sink and flat finned heat sink applications. Utilizable energy enhancement is identified approximately 140.32 kWh/year and 207.42 kWh/year by assuming 2738 h annual sunshine time in Turkey. These potentials rely on increase in electrical efficiency and heat recovery during cooling of PV/T collectors with incline and flat finned heat sinks. The predicted energy profit can be estimated at $7.01/year and $10.37/year, and its equivalent in emission reduction can be 115.76 kg·CO2/year and 171.12 kg·CO2/year.
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