The regulating effect of nanoparticle concentration on the performance in HPV/D solar system with nanofluids spectral splitting technique

Abstract

In this paper, a transient mathematical model is established to predict the performance of a hybrid photovoltaic/distillation (HPV/D) system based on nanofluids splitting technique. The present model can not only analyze the energy exchange in the evaporator but also consider the conversion process of water to vapor. Fresh water production, photothermal efficiency, photovoltaic efficiency and overall system efficiency in a day can be obtained by inputting parameters such as nanofluid spectral properties and environmental conditions over time. Utilizing the present model, the primary performance of the system is analyzed under various working conditions, with a particular focus on the role of particle concentration in regulating the ratio of freshwater production and electricity generation in different regions. The simulation results show that in both Shanghai and Lanzhou, increasing the nanofluid concentration enhances freshwater production and thermal efficiency while reducing photovoltaic efficiency, resulting in higher heat-to-electricity ratio at high concentrations. Notably, in Lanzhou, the effect of concentration on freshwater production is more pronounced, leading to an increase of 458.99 mL/m2 compared to Shanghai. The variations in other performance metrics are quite similar between the two locations. When the nanofluid concentration reaches a certain threshold, the system efficiency stabilizes, suggesting that the influence of nanofluid concentration on the performance is limited. In addition, simulation results with 15 ppm in Shanghai and Lanzhou reveal that the HPV/D system performs better in the regions with abundant solar radiation, and the water production in Lanzhou is promoted by 19.71 % compared to that in Shanghai.