Hybrid PV-PCM System to Increase Efficiency

Abstract

Abstract This paper studies a hybrid design for the photovoltaic industry made up of a conventional photovoltaic panel and a Phase Change Material (PCM) to increase the efficiency of the panel as well as to generate thermal energy. The system has been based on thermal transfer from the PV panel to the PCM through direct contact, thus reducing the operating temperature of the panel and improving its efficiency. The system operates at constant temperature once the melting point of the PCM has been reached and maintains the efficiency of the panel. Thermal energy stored in the PCM can be used for external heating applications using a heat exchanger. Real operation has been reproduced in lab tests under different solar radiation conditions, measuring the temperature drop in the panel when using the PCM unit and checking the increase of the photovoltaic panel efficiency. Experimental development have shown very promising results, with temperature drops up to a maximum of 36°C, with a maximum relative increase in the panel efficiency of 14% for high solar radiation. Keywords: Hybrid photovoltaic system. Efficiency increase. Electric and heat generation. Cite this Article Carlos Armenta-Deu. Hybrid PV-PCM System to Increase Efficiency. Journal of Alternate Energy Sources & Technologies. 2020; 11(2): 15–26p.