Parametric study of photovoltaic/thermal wickless heat pipe solar collector

Abstract

Wickless heat pipes are an effective passive heat transfer device that, due to their improved heat transfer capabilities, can enhance photovoltaic system efficiency. A new photovoltaic-thermal acetone wickless heat pipe solar panel (PVT/WHP) is described in this study. The main parameters affecting the thermal and electrical efficiency of the solar panel, such as wind velocity, incident radiation, water inlet temperature, heat pipe number, and collector surface area, as well as inner heat pipe behavior and operating limits, are studied using a mathematical model. According to the reduced temperature simulation results, the theoretical PVT/WHP module's average electrical, thermal, and overall efficiency were approximately 12.52%, 43.75%, and 56.27%, respectively. The study is being used to assess the thermal efficiency of PVT/WHP under Tunisian climatic conditions, and the simulation results show that PVT/WHP outperforms conventional PVT water-based systems with a maximum thermal and electrical efficiency gain of approximately 21.9% and 14.2% respectively. The current parametric study provided a framework for assessing such a system's behavior and providing useful flexibility to achieve the best possible system performance.