Performance analysis of the new design of photovoltaic/storage solar collector

Abstract

AbstractThis study intends to develop a low cost, dependable, and efficient storage solar collector for household uses. This design is based on integrating solar cell technology and the solar storage collector into one system to achieve three objectives: water storage, electricity generation, and water heating. In this design, a solar cell was fixed on the inclined metal surface of a rectangular storage collector and acted as a black absorber surface. Two experimental models were constructed to study the performance of the new design. In the first design, which referred to as photovoltaic (PV)/storage solar collector, the solar cell was fixed on the inclined metal surface and worked as a black absorber surface in the conventional collector. The second model was the rectangular storage collector, similar to the first model with most attributes. The results showed that the outlet water temperature reaches the maximum value of 42°C at 2 pm for the PV/storage collector at spring day, and the temperature differences between the outlet and inlet temperature are 14.6°C and 30°C at 2 pm for the PV/storage collector and the conventional storage collector, respectively. The overall efficiency increases as a result of removing hot water from the collector to cool the solar cell and increases the electrical energy produced. Generally, under load conditions, the overall efficiency of the PV/storage collector is higher than the second design. In the summer, the highest value for the overall efficiency of the PV/storage collector was 63.02% under load condition, whereas the higher value for the overall efficiency was 40.88% without load condition.