Performance study of CPV/T systems with different tracking methods

Abstract

Abstract This article built the model of concentrated photovoltaic and thermal (CPV/T) systems under the double-axis tracking mode in the east, west, south, and north directions, as well as the single-axis tracking mode in the north and south directions. According to this model, the function of the CPV/T system could be researched. The article established 3D models of large-scale CPV/T systems in different tracking modes and used this model to study the occlusion problem of CPV/T systems. Taking into account cosine loss, edge loss, and occlusion, this paper established energy reception models for different trace modes of the CPV/T system. The energy reception model calculated that the annual energy reception rate of the CPV/T system in the single-axis tracking mode was not a patch on the double-axis tracking CPV/T system. Subsequently, a scaled CPV/T total energy mathematical model was established under these two tracking mods in the article. Combined with the non-steady energy model, the annual total photoelectricity and photothermal output of the CPV/T systems in the single-axis tracking mode and the double-axis tracking mode with an area of 1600 m2 in Xi’an were calculated. The photoelectricity and photothermal outputs of the double-axis tracking mode were 169216 kW·h and 856183 kW·h, respectively. The single-axis tracking node had an annual output of 126898 kW·h for photoelectricity and 637490 kW·h for photothermal.