Performance improvement of photovoltaic/Trombe wall by using phase change material: Experimental assessment

Abstract

Hybrid PV/thermal systems suffer from reduced electrical performance due to high temperatures. The present study uses a phase change material (PCM) to optimize the performance of a PV/TW system. In this research, an empirical system was designed and utilized to study the impact of PCM, DC fan, and heat exchange on a photovoltaic Trombe wall system. The outcomes showed that by introducing the phase change material, a DC fan and heat exchanger presented appropriate features of the system performance. It was confirmed that using these different configurations led to a lower solar cell temperature and improved room comfort. The presence of the PCM and the heat exchanger together caused the electrical and thermal efficiency values to rise by 3 % and 1.5 %, respectively. Moreover, the combined impact of the DC fan and the heat exchanger together increased electrical and thermal efficiencies values by 1 % and 26 %, respectively.