The effects of using twisted tape, ferrofluid, and external magnetic field on hydrothermal performance and entropy generation of the building integrated photovoltaic thermal collectors

Abstract

The numerical analysis of the present study was performed to evaluate the usefulness of twisted tape insert inside a building integrated photovoltaic thermal (BIPVT) system in the presence of an external Magnetic Field (MF) aimed to reducing the system size. The results demonstrated that the MF reduces PV plate temperature (TPV) by 1.13%-0.89%, 2.21%-1.96%, 1.61%-1.36%, and 1.38%-1.04% in the plain tube and twisted tubes with pitch distances (Pd) of 50 mm, 75 mm, and 150 mm, respectively, at Res of 400–600. In addition, the pressure drop (ΔP) escalates by 30.87%-27.36% in the presence of the MF for the plain tube. However, in the twisted tubes, ΔP under the MF effect has an increasing or decreasing trend. ΔP at Pds of 50 mm, 75 mm, and 150 mm, is 87% (or 83%), 82% (or 78%), and 76% (or 71%) higher than that in the plain tube, respectively, in the absence (or presence) of the MF effect. In addition, the increase in Re from 400 to 600 improves the electrical efficiency by 1.89–1.47% for the plain tube and 2.24–1.41% using three turbulators in the tube, respectively, for the without-with scenarios of MF effect. In addition, the increase in Re from 400 to 600 leads to escalating the frictional entropy generation rate by 52–62%.