Performance enhancement of single-channel glazed photovoltaic thermal module using Whale Optimisation Algorithm and its comparative study

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this communication, three different optimisation techniques, i.e. Whale Optimisation Algorithm (WOA), Gravitational Search Algorithm (GSA) and Genetic Algorithm (GA) have been implemented to optimise the parameters of single-channel glazed photovoltaic thermal module (SCGPVT) module by using exergy efficiency as an objective function. Four variable parameters viz. Channel length (LM ), channel depth (d), velocity of air streaming into the channel (VF ) and fluid temperature at the inlet of channel (Tin ) have been considered for optimisation. The present work concludes that the average exergy efficiency achieved from the SCGPVT module when optimised with WOA algorithm is 27.47% more than the system optimised with GA and 3.050% more than the system optimised with GSA. Hence it has been proven, that WOA is superior algorithm with respect to the other two algorithms viz. GSA and GA because of its faster convergence rate. Further the time taken by WOA technique in identification of the optimised values of the parameters is lesser in contrast to the other two optimisation techniques.