Abstract
Photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) collectors developed over the years have achieved reduced photovoltaic (PV) panel temperature and improved electrical efficiency mostly based on single-tube spiral and serpentine configurations of the cooling pipes. However, the design and analysis of PVT collector configurations incorporating multiple serpentine tubes, capable of simultaneously reducing both the average PV panel temperature and temperature non-uniformity within the panel, are rare. The present work introduces two novel designs PVT collector systems by incorporating dual-tube arrangements, namely, the Dual-Tube Uni-Directional (DTUD) and the Dual-Tube Opposite-Directional (DTOD) systems. The new collectors' performance is numerically analysed through three-dimensional (3D) simulations. The highest net powers are obtained with 32 cooling loops in both the DTUD and DTOD designs for the given flow rate and panel area. The DTUD-based PVT system yields up to 10.39 % and 10.36 % gains in electrical efficiency and net power, respectively. On the contrary, the DTOD system also results in gains of these parameters, albeit marginally less than the DTUD arrangement. However, the DTOD arrangement results in reduced maximum PV panel temperature, which can positively impact the panel's life span.
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