Performance investigation of SUNTRAP module for different locations: An energy and exergy analysis

Abstract

Concentrating Photovoltaic/Thermal (CPV/T) systems can harness the freely available solar energy to simultaneously generate electricity and sensible heat. Using the principles of optical concentration, they can generate more electrical energy per unit area of solar cells and provide a better quality of thermal energy. In this work, we have developed an analytical model to simulate and predict the performance of a dense array hybrid CPV/T collector called “SUNTRAP.” The concentration of incident radiation is achieved using a reflective type three-dimensional cross-compound parabolic concentrator (3DCCPC) with a geometric concentration ratio of 3.6 × . The extraction of heat from the solar cells is achieved by allowing water to flow through the copper cooling duct on which the solar cells with CCPC are bonded. Using previously developed algorithms, the optical efficiency of the CCPC is calculated as a function of solar azimuth and altitude angle. The obtained optical efficiency is coupled to the thermal model to obtain the temperature distribution in the collector. The numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental measurements obtained at the outdoor solar laboratory at Penryn Campus, Cornwall. The average deviation in outlet water temperature between the numerical and experimental ones is 1.9%. The total electrical and thermal energy obtained from the CCPC-PV/T module on an experimental day is 1.21 kWh/m2 and 46.46 kWh/m2. A parametric study was done to obtain the effect of flow rate and external wind velocity on the performance of the collector. The solar cell temperature is found to decrease with an increasing flow rate. The performance prediction of the CCPC-PV/T module at Penryn shows that the module produced maximum energy in August, producing 7.51 kWh/m2 of useful energy. An economic analysis was performed to obtain the Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) that the CCPC-PV/T module can deliver, and the LCOE was found to be £1.08/kWh. The coupled model is also utilised to predict the performance of the system for five different geographical locations, including Chennai, Rome, Alice Springs, Montreal, and Barrow. The model considers optimum panel tilt and time-dependent optical efficiency of the concentrator while estimating the energy output. Based on the results, the overall performance of the collector was found to be good in Chennai, with an annual electrical energy gain of 51.95 kWh/m2 and an annual thermal energy gain of 1164 kWh/m2.