Performance Analysis and Comparison of a Concentrated Photovoltaic System with Different Phase Change Materials

Jawad Sarwar,Muhammad Rizwan Shad,Farman Ali,Aritra Ghosh,Arshmah Hasnain,Konstantinos E Kakosimos

doi:10.3390/en14102911

Abstract

In this work, temperature regulation and electrical output of a concentrated photovoltaic system coupled with a phase change material (CPVPCM) system is investigated and compared with a single sun crystalline photovoltaic (PV) system. A fully coupled thermal-optical-electrical model has been developed in-house to conduct the simulation studies for actual weather conditions of Doha (Qatar) and selected phase change materials (PCMs). The selected PCMs are lauric acid, RT47, S-series salt, STL47, ClimSelTM C48, RT54, RT60, RT62, and RT64. An optical concentration ratio of 20× is considered on a 15 mm wide crystalline silicon cell. The temperature evolution, thermal energy storage and electrical output of the CPVPCM system are obtained for 48-hour simulations with representative weather conditions for each month of a typical meteorological year (TMY). Results and overall thermal and electrical efficiency are compared for each PCM. In brief, the CPVPCM system with S-series salt performs better than all other PCM with an overall efficiency of 54.4%. Furthermore, this system consistently produces more power than a PV system with an equal footprint (1 m2) for each month of the TMY.

Highlights

Concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems focus sunlight onto a photovoltaic (PV)cell where it is concomitantly converted into electricity and heat [1]
The results indicated a total energy efficiency of 60% with phase change materials (PCMs) in the CPV configuration and 30% for only CPV
The PV cell is assumed as a perfect absorber while the non-ideal reflector is assumed as a perfect mirror

Summary

Introduction

Cell where it is concomitantly converted into electricity and heat [1]. The concentration of the sunlight increases the temperature of the PV cell. Cooling of such a system is essential [2] as an elevated PV cell temperature leads to a decreased electrical energy output [3]. Many schemes exist for cooling, usually classified as passive or active cooling [4]. Application of a phase change material (PCM). PCMs can absorb a significant amount of energy, mainly as latent heat during the phase transformation, which provides an added advantage of allowing the storage and use of heat to be run asynchronously [6]

Methods

Results

Conclusion