Numerical investigation and optimization of a multi-stage Tesla-valve channel based photovoltaic/thermal module

Abstract

As an essential form of solar energy utilization, photovoltaic/thermal modules (PV/T) have higher efficiency than solely photovoltaic or photothermal. With regard to the heat recovery issues of PV/T, a novel thermal management method by utilizing a Tesla-valve channel is proposed. Besides, the effect of channel number, Tesla-valve number, solar irradiation, water inlet velocity, as well as water inlet temperature are analyzed using a thermal-electrical-flow coupling CFD simulation. In comparison to the straight channel and zig-zag channel PV/T, reverse multi-stage Tesla-valve channel based PV/T (MSTV-PV/T) can further enhance the solar cell panel efficiency and reduce thermal stress with decreasing max and average temperature of solar cell panel by over 4.5% and 3%, respectively. Utilizing response surface methodology, the optimization of MSTV-PV/T performance is conducted with respect to both single and multi-objective criteria. Channel number 8 is the optimal design parameter for all optimization objectives, the maximum output thermal energy, output thermal exergy, and output electrical energy/exergy of the proposed MSTV-PV/T module can be achieved to 1376.34W, 76.74 W, and 432.86 W, respectively.