Concentrated Photovoltaic Thermal Research Articles

Predication of entropy generation rate in a concentrating photovoltaic thermal system with twisted tube turbulator using Boosted regression tree algorithm

Efficient energy conversion and utilization remain paramount in addressing the growing energy demand and environmental concerns. Concentrating photovoltaic thermal (CPVT) systems have emerged as promising solutions by integrating photovoltaic (PV) cells with thermal components for simultaneous electricity and heat generation. In this paper, we propose the application of the Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) algorithm to predict the entropy generation rate in a CPVT system equipped with a perforated twisted tube turbulator. Brief introduction of numerical analysis of local and global rates of frictional (S˙fr) and thermal (S˙th) irreversibilities in a CPVT system equipped with a perforated twisted tube turbulator. The results approve the efficacy of the BRT algorithm in predicting the entropy generation rate. Through comprehensive simulations and data analysis, we establish a predictive model that considers factors such as solar irradiance, fluid flow rate, tube geometry, and turbulator characteristics. The BRT model exhibits remarkable accuracy in capturing the nuanced interplay of these factors, enabling reliable estimations of entropy generation rate.

Green hydrogen production and utilization in a novel SOFC/GT-based zero-carbon cogeneration system: A thermodynamic evaluation

Owing to the rise in global energy demand and environmental issues caused by energy supply and distribution, the attempt to design and develop novel eco-friendly and efficient cogeneration energy systems is one of the current research focuses. In this regard, this study presents a novel zero-carbon cogeneration energy system based on a pressurized solid oxide fuel cell-gas turbine (SOFC/GT) with a carbon capture and storage (CCS) process. The designed system accomplishes the joint production of energy (electricity, cooling, and heating) and matter (hydrogen, oxygen, condensate water recovery, and carbon dioxide). The proposed system also includes an advanced alkaline electrolyzer (AAE) system, an organic Rankine cycle, a LiBr-H2O absorption refrigeration cycle, and an LNG regasification cycle. A combination of a solar concentrated photovoltaic/thermal (CPV/T) system and wind turbines feed the AAE system, resulting in green hydrogen production. According to the simulation results, the suggested system under the design conditions generates power, cooling, and domestic hot water with 315 kW, 137.5 kW, and 1.012 kg/s, respectively. Also, this system can capture and store carbon dioxide, recover condensate water, and supply natural gas to the pipeline with values of 74.88 kg/h, 137.9 kg/h, and 624.24 kg/h, respectively. The results from thermodynamic analysis indicate that the CPV/T system has the highest contribution to the exergy destruction rate, and the presented cogeneration system operates with energy and exergy efficiency of 58.09% and 38.58%, respectively. Furthermore, a comprehensive parametric study has been conducted on the developed system in which the impact of important parameters, such as SOFC operating temperature, current density, solar radiation, air velocity, etc., on the output parameters of the system has been examined.

Solar driven desalination system for power and desalination water production by concentrated PVT and MED system

Abstract In this paper, a thermodynamic study of the combination of Concentrated Photovoltaic Thermal (CPVT) and Multi Effect Desalination (MED) system was conducted. CPVT produces electricity, and the heat produced in CPVT is used for the MED system. Engineering Equation Software (EES) was utilized to simulate this system. The effect of CPVT parameters (area, concentration ratio, and average solar radiation) and MED parameters (effect number and temperature of heating steam) were investigated on the produced heat, produced power, exergy destruction, total mass flow rate (FR) of desalinated water, total FR of feed water, heating steam FR and total brine FR. The range of changes for CPVT surface, concentration ratio, and average solar radiation was considered from 2000 m2 to 20000 m2, from 5 to 15 and from 400 W/m2 to 1100 W/m2, respectively. Based on obtained results, as the surface area of the solar panel, the ratio of concentration, and average solar radiation increase, the heat produced increases. Transferring this heat to the MED unit increases the total FR of desalinated water. But it has no significant effect on the Gain ratio (GOR). As the surface area of the solar panel increases from 10000 m2 to 12000 m2, the average radiation intensity increases from 800 W/m2 to 1000 W/m2, and the concentration ratio increases from 10 to 12 in effect the number of 4 and steam temperature of 70 °C, the total mass FR of desalinated water increases by 29 %, 23 %, and 20 %, respectively.

Numerical investigation for concentrated photovoltaic solar system in existence of paraffin equipped with MWCNT nanoparticles

To generate greater electricity and heat saving, a concentrated PVT (Photovoltaic thermal) system was applied in current study. The thermal section of the unit includes tubes containing nanofluid and paraffin containers in existence of MWCNT nanoparticles. Numerical simulation has been incorporated to investigate the impact of installing fins within the paraffin zone. The four mirrors with equal width have been utilized to concentrate the solar irradiation which leads to use of the whole solar spectrum. Laminar 3D flow within the cooling unit has been considered. The verification tests have been done in both views of melting modeling and PVT simulation. The grid independence procedure has been done and also, the best value of time step has been selected. Three configurations of fins (I-shape, short base arrow and long base arrow) have been implemented with four levels of Re (25, 750, 1250 and 1750). The maximum useful heat has been achieved for configuration of short base arrows. Dispersing MWCNT nanoparticles makes useful heat to increase about 9.58% for greatest inlet flow. The minimum temperature of the paraffin zone has been reported for short base arrows and augment of Re leads to reduction of temperature about 1.05%. Among scrutinized configurations, the maximum value of ηele belongs to the configuration of short base arrows and this function enhances with augment of Re about 3.72%.

Swirling jet impingements for thermal management of high concentrator solar cells using nanofluids

Large intensity of irradiance in high concentrator solar cells leads to extremely high temperatures causing an adverse effect on the performance of solar cells. Efficient cooling systems are crucial for the optimal performance of high concentrator cells, which are typically required to operate within a prescribed temperature range (⁓ 110 °C). The implementation of effective cooling strategies poses a significant challenge for High Concentrator Photovoltaic Thermal (HCPV/T) hybrid systems to ensure sustained performance and longevity of the modules. This study proposes a novel method for the thermal management of High Concentrator Solar Cells (HCSC) using swirling nanofluid jets impinging on a heat sink. The study applies RANS (Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes) method with the SST k-ω turbulence model and energy equation to resolve a conjugate heat transfer analysis for three different flow ratios: Qr = 0, Qr = 0.5 and Qr = 1 and two water-based nanofluids: Al2O3-Water and CuO-Water. The numerical results demonstrate a significant decrease in cell temperatures, reaching as low as 71 °C. At a mass flow rate of 50 g/min, the use of Al2O3-Water nanofluid increases the overall electrical efficiency by a maximum of 39.43%. In contrast, a minimum electrical efficiency of 39% for CuO-Water nanofluid is obtained for a lower mass flow rate (25 g/min). Al2O3-Water nanofluid yielded a maximum PEC (Performance Evaluation Criteria) of 116%, while CuO-Water nanofluid yielded about 113%. In addition, an increase of the mass flow rate results in an improvement of temperature uniformity, as demonstrated by a reduction of temperature variation from 6.8 to 5.2. These results suggest that the use of nanofluids is promising. The proposed swirling jet impinging on a heat sink in combination with nanofluid provides an effective cooling technique for HCSC, thereby potentially contributing to the improvement of the cell's performance and longevity.

Indoor experimental analysis of Serpentine-Based cooling scheme for high concentration photovoltaic thermal systems

High concentration photovoltaic thermal hybrids are expected to play an important role in meeting growing energy demands. When approaching concentrations over 1000 suns, a cooling system is needed to maximise both the thermal and electrical performance of the multi-junction solar cell without producing excessive parasitic losses.This study develops a novel simulation model to provide an in-depth understanding of the functionality of a concentrated photovoltaic thermal hybrid system with serpentine-based cooling systems. An ultra-high concentrator photovoltaic optic irradiance profile (peak effective concentration ratio: ∼1500 suns) is considered within the simulation model, which has been validated through indoor experimentation. The effectiveness of cooling is also evaluated through maximum thermal stresses generated in the multi-junction solar cell. The double serpentine design was deemed the highest performing, primarily because of the single serpentine’s excessive pressure drop. Copper as the heat sink material yielded superior performance because of its higher thermal conductivity. The maximum total exergetic efficiency achieved by the receiver was ∼ 10.9% with this configuration. Compared to some examples in the literature this value may seem low, however, it is more accurate due to the inclusion of a specific irradiance profile. All serpentine-based cooling systems could maintain the recommended operating temperature.

Optical Modelling of a Linear Fresnel Concentrator for the Development of a Spectral Splitting Concentrating Photovoltaic Thermal Receiver

Concentrating photovoltaic thermal (CPVT) solar collectors can be regarded as a promising technology, as they are capable of providing renewable electricity and industrial heat simultaneously. The development of a novel CPVT receiver for a linear Fresnel concentrator requires detailed knowledge about the optical performance of the utilised mirror field. Therefore, this paper presents a generic optical model for such concentrating solar systems. The model was developed in MATLAB™ and calculates the sun’s position depending on the location, date and time. The subsequent geometrical computation of each mirror stripe angle is the basis for the detailed consideration of internal shading mechanisms that are typical for Fresnel mirror concentrators. Furthermore, the cosine losses are determined separately for each mirror. The outcomes of the developed model comprise the optical performance parameters of the considered Fresnel mirror field, such as the geometric efficiency, resulting irradiance in the receiver input plane, expected width of the focus image, concentration factor and total radiant flux impinging the receiver. Due to the chosen design of the model, its application is not limited to a particular kind of Fresnel concentrator. By contrast, all geometric parameters, such as the number of mirrors, the dimensions of the mirrors and the receiver, among others, can be freely adjusted.

Energy exergy and economic evaluation of a CCHP configuration powered by CPVT collectors dynamically

This study presents a dynamic simulation of a combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) configuration powered by concentrating photovoltaic thermal (CPVT) collectors. The desired configuration comprises CPVT collectors, a phase change material (PCM) storage tank, an organic Rankine cycle (ORC), an absorption chiller, and heat exchangers. The evaluation has been carried out for a residential building using EES, MATLAB, and TRNSYS software. Moreover, an auxiliary heater has been used to provide the thermal energy of the desired configuration in case of low or no solar irradiation. The desired configuration has been evaluated from energy, exergy, and economic points of view during the warm months of the year (May to September). Also, the influences of key parameters of the desired system such as the CPVT area, CPVT flow rate, and PCM melting temperature on the performance of the desired configuration have been examined. The results indicate that the solar fraction enhances by about 161 % when the CPVT area changes from 100 m2 to 400 m2. Also, CPVT has found to be the main contributor to exergy destruction, accounting for 49% of the total. The maximum energy and exergy efficiencies of the desired configuration are obtained at the CPVT area of 400 m2 with values of 72.26 % and 79.03 % respectively. On the other hand, the lowest payback period occurs at 100 m2 with value of 11 years.

Numerical investigations of concentrated photovoltaic thermal system integrated with thermoelectric power generator and phase change material

Numerical investigations of concentrated photovoltaic thermal system integrated with thermoelectric power generator and phase change material

Optical Modelling of a Fresnel Mirror Field for the Development of a Spectral Splitting CPVT Collector

Concentrating photovoltaic thermal (CPVT) collectors could contribute to supply renewable mid-temperature heat and electricity simultaneously, e.g. for applications in the industrial sector. Although CPVT can be still seen as a niche technology, it has a high potential for the future. One of the technological challenges of CPVT are the contradictory temperature requirements within the receiver, as the thermal part should provide temperatures as high as possible, while the electrical part consisting of conventional PV cells shows best efficiency at low temperature. Therefore, this research work focuses on the development of a CPVT collector with integrated Spectral Splitting, which is an approach to overcome the discrepancy of internal temperature demands. The basis for the developed CPVT collector is a Fresnel mirror field consisting of 28 mirror stripes and providing a gross area of 13.34 m². The presented paper describes the optical modelling of this Fresnel mirror field, which was necessary before working on the receiver design in order to yield the dimensions of expected focus image on the receiver input plane. Furthermore, the resulting concentrated irradiance is a major parameter for calculating thermal and electrical efficiencies of the system, thus, this was another target for the modelling work. The optical model for the Fresnel mirror field was developed in MATLAB™ in a general way, as the number of mirrors and all geometric parameters are set as input variables. This makes it possible to use it not only for the available mirror field, but also for the design and optimisation of any other Fresnel mirror system. The model calculates the single mirror angles depending on the sun position and considers all four mechanisms of internal shading that are typical for such concentrators. Furthermore, the cosine losses in transversal and longitudinal direction are calculated. The results of the modelling are satisfying, as the experimental validation on the present mirror field was successful. The model provides comprehensive outcomes like the geometric efficiency depending on the sun´s elevation angle, the mean geometric efficiency at varying geometric parameters, local and mean irradiance in the receiver input plane, as well as mean irradiance and total solar input depending on time.

A detailed analysis of a novel auto-controlled solar drying system combined with thermal energy storage concentrated solar air heater (CSAC) and concentrated photovoltaic/thermal (CPV/T)

In recent years, the use of solar energy, one of the renewable energy sources, has been increasing in many areas due to its practical, environmental, and economic benefits. Besides, the drying industry is an applied area where solar energy can be implemented. Solar drying systems are used in the industry to reduce high drying costs and to obtain better quality products. In this study, a novel solar drying system was designed by combining concentrated solar air collector (CSAC) and concentrated photovoltaic/thermal system (CPV/T). In addition, the automation system has been integrated for data acquisition from the system and humidity-temperature control of the drying chamber. The SAC's inlet air was preheated by a heat exchanger using thermal energy from the PV/T. The drying system has been designed to be more useful by using phase change material in the collector. Thus, the drying process can be performed on cloudy days and after sunset. In addition, the designed system can generate electricity from the PV module to meet the electricity requirement. The mint which grows in various regions worldwide was chosen as the product to be dried in this study. Mint was dried from the first moisture content of 3.3125 g water/g dry matter to the last moisture content of 0.0625 g water/g water/g dry matter. Besides, the average overall efficiency of the system, PV module electrical efficiency, and drying efficiency were found to be 61%, 10%, and 26%, respectively. Furthermore, the average system exergy efficiency, PV module exergy efficiency, and concentrated solar air heater exergy efficiency values were calculated as 20%, 16%, and 21.9%, respectively. In the experiment, the ambient average temperature was 22 °C, while the average drying chamber temperature was 30 °C. The mint drying quality efficiency was 67% on average at this drying chamber temperature. The energy, exergy efficiency, and sustainability index of the system were calculated as 61%, 38.8%, and 1.69, respectively. Moreover, the enviro-economic cost of the system was determined to be 0.39 ¢/h.

State-of-the-Art of Concentrating Photovoltaic Thermal Technology

Concentrating photovoltaic thermal (CPVT) technology has the potential to support the industrial sector with renewable electricity and heat simultaneously. The implementation of spectral splitting emerges as a possible approach to significantly increase the conversion efficiency, and furthermore, to hurdle the fundamental discrepancy of CPVT systems, that the electrical and the thermal receiver part have opposing temperature requirements. This paper provides an introductive description of beam splitting methodology and presents an updated review of the latest developments in the specific sector of spectral splitting by selective absorption. Furthermore, a novel CPVT receiver design utilizing bendable PV cells and an innovative heat transfer fluid are explained in detail. Simulation results illustrate the possibilities of spectral splitting to raise the electrical conversion efficiency in CPVT receivers by up to 42.9%. Potential improvements in receiver designs are discussed for further enhancement of the technical capabilities and possible cost reduction of the implemented material.

Performance enhancement of a nanofluid filtered solar membrane distillation system using heat pump for electricity/water cogeneration

Membrane distillation (MD) assisted by heat pump exhibits a favorable energy performance in water production, but it consumes huge precious electricity. In this work, a nanofluid filtered concentrating photovoltaic/thermal (CPV/T) technology is proposed to integrate with heat pump membrane distillation (HPMD) system for electricity/water cogeneration. Solar energy cascade utilization is considered in the system where electricity generated by CPV/T powers heat pump for MD heat recovery, and the collected thermal energy is used to heat seawater. A comprehensive study is carried out by establishing models of the receiver, direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) and heat pump to investigate the performance of the nanofluid filtered solar membrane distillation system using heat pump. Results show that the seawater of 350.3 K is fed to the DCMD module while the electrical efficiency is above 12.2%. MD parametric analysis and equivalent specific thermal energy consumption (eSTEC) optimization are performed. We found that HPMD operates at the lowest eSTEC of 607.8 kWh·m−3 at heating temperature of 338 K and feed flow rate of 0.04 kg s−1. An overall system efficiency of 61% is obtained, and the comparison of permeate flux and energy consumption demonstrates advantages of the proposed system over other hybrid MD technologies.

Performance Evaluation of Novel Concentrating Photovoltaic Thermal Solar Collector under Quasi-Dynamic Conditions

Concentrating Photovoltaic Thermal (CPVT) collectors are suitable for integration in limited roof space due to their higher solar conversion efficiency. Solar sunlight can be used more effectively by CPVT collectors in comparison to individual solar thermal collectors or PV modules. In this study, the experimental investigation of a novel CPVT collector called a PC (power collector) has been carried out in real outdoor conditions, and the test set-up has been designed based on ISO 9806:2013. A quasi-dynamic testing method has been used because of the advantages that this method can offer for collectors with a unique construction, such as the proposed collector, over the steady-state testing method. With a quasi-dynamic testing method, it is possible to characterize the collector within a wide range of incidence angles and a complex incidence angle modifier profile. The proposed novel collector has a gross area of 2.57 m2. A maximum power output per collector unit area of 1140 W is found at 0 °C reduced temperature (1000 W/m2 irradiance level), while at a higher reduced temperature (70 °C), it drops down to 510 W for the same irradiance level. The data have been fitted through a multiple linear regression method, and the obtained efficiency curve coefficients are 0.39, 0.192, 1.294, 0.023, 0.2, 0, −5929 and 0 for Kθd, b0, c1, c2, c3, c4, c5 and c6, respectively. The experimental characterization carried out on the collector proved that the output powers calculated by using the obtained parameters of the quasi-dynamic testing method are in good agreement with experimental points.

Development and economic evaluation of a CPVT system with PHP cooling; An experimental study

In this paper, the experimental investigation of the performance of a concentrated hybrid photovoltaic thermal solar system is sought. Accordingly, there is a parabolic trough concentrator receiver that consists of three components: a triangular duct, photovoltaic cells covering the duct, and a three-turn PHP. The PHP cools down the photovoltaic cells efficiently and regenerates waste heat. The duct is filled with a heat transfer fluid surrounding the PHP’s evaporator. The condensation section of the PHP is located outside the solar concentrator. Using a one-axis polar mechanism, the concentrator tracks the sun from east to west. The system experiment setup was fabricated and tested outdoors in Tehran’s climate. Different heat transfer fluids, including Glycerine, Ethylene Glycol, and Calcium Chloride water mixture, were tested. Given the enhancement of PHP performance, a variety of working fluids were tested, including graphene oxide nanofluid/water, acetone, and pure water. The experiments showed that graphene oxide nanofluid/water mixture provided the highest thermal performance. With the use of graphene oxide nanofluid/water (as a working fluid) and glycerine (as heat transfer fluid), experiment results showed a decrease of 7.84 °C in PV temperature and a consequent increase of 21.85% in electrical efficiency in best condition. Furthermore, the provided cooling system recycles a maximum of is 190.4 kJ of thermal energy equivalent 52.5% thermal efficiency, increasing overall efficiency by 74.35%. Lastly, the IRR of 65.41%, PBT of 1.04 years, and LCOE of 1.84 $/kWh demonstrate appropriate financial profitability.

Multi-aspect investigation and multi-criteria optimization of a novel solar-geothermal-based polygeneration system using flat plate and concentrated photovoltaic thermal solar collectors

This study investigates different aspects of an innovative multi-heat recovery-based solar-geothermal polygeneration system, acclaiming the exergetic, exergoeconomic, and energetic concepts. Principally, using two renewable energy sources, the whole framework of the system encompasses Concentrated PhotoVoltaic Thermal (CPVT) solar collectors, Flat Plate Solar Collectors (FPSCs), geothermal wells, an Ejector Refrigeration Cycle (ERC) Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) integrated with a Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell (SOEC), heating production units, an air dryer, and an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) unit. Afterward, the sensitivity analysis utilized for the parametric study makes a multi-aspects optimization in diverse scenarios in which NSGA-II, as well as, fuzzy TOPSIS and fuzzy VIKOR decision makings, are handled to designate the optimal solution. The suggested system has professionally been devised thanks to the characteristic of maximum use of energy of the streams circulated. Hence, crucial variables evaluated are more influenced by the variation in the geothermal heater pinch point temperature gradient. Also, in the optimization scenario based on unit cost of products / exergy efficiency, the TOPSIS selects the optimal objectives of 4.29%/1.13 $/GJ, while the VIKOR selects 4.06%/1.07 $/GJ, respectively.

A Detailed Numerical Study of a Nanofluid-Based Photovoltaic/THERMAL Hybrid System under Non-Uniform Solar Flux Distribution

The concentrated photovoltaic/thermal system (CPVT) adopting spectral beam splitting is a promising field of solar energy research. However, the thermo-electric properties of fluid-based CPVT collectors, which depend strongly on the non-uniform concentrated energy flux, remain unclear. This study aims to fill the gap and explore the thermo-electric properties of fluid-based CPVT collectors under non-uniform energy flux based on the finite volume method (FVM) with the Monte Carlo Ray-Trace (MCRT) method. The actual solar flux distribution on the receiver surface is obtained using Tracepro software. Then, the realistic non-uniform energy flux was employed in ANSYS Workbench 2022R1 software as a boundary condition to increase the accuracy of the CFD modeling of the system. The model is validated by comparing the results of the reference data. Moreover, the impact of uniform and non-uniform energy flux on the PV cell temperature is analyzed. In addition, the effects of mass flow rate on the electrical and thermal performance of the system are investigated. The results show that the PVT hybrid system has high conversion efficiency, with a total efficiency of more than 50%. Notably, the extreme non-uniformity of the solar-concentrated energy flux can result in local overheating of the PV cell, which may lead to irreversible damage.

Evaluation of Heat Flux Distribution on Flat Plate Compound Parabolic Concentrator With Different Geometric Indices

AbstractThe Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC), when coupled with the photovoltaic system, namely the Concentrated Photovoltaic Thermal System (CPVT), makes utilizing solar energy efficient. The major challenge that hinders the electrical and thermal performance of the CPC–CPVT system is the non-uniform heat flux distribution on the absorber surface. In the present paper, detailed ray-tracing simulations have been carried out to understand the heat flux distribution characteristics of CPC with different geometrical conditions, and those are concentration ratio, truncation ratio, incident angle, and average heat flux on the absorber surface. To have a thorough understanding, the analysis has been carried out in multiple steps. First, it is performed by analyzing the effect of concentration ratio and incident angle on heat flux distribution characteristics at a fixed truncation ratio. Second, investigations have been carried out to understand the heat flux distribution characteristics at different truncation ratios and different incident angles by keeping the concentration ratio constant. Local concentration ratio and non-uniformity index have been employed to quantify the non-uniformity of heat flux distribution on the absorber surface. It has been observed that the 0-deg incidence angle is the most effective angle to achieve uniform heat flux distribution on the absorber surface. This paper sheds insight into the heat flux distribution characteristics on the absorber surface of a CPC–CPVT system which can be used by the research community for designing an effective CPVT system from the perspective of uniform heat flux distribution on the absorber surface.

Performance Assessment of an Ice-Production Hybrid Solar CPV/T System Combining Both Adsorption and Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Systems

The technology of a hybrid solar concentration photovoltaic/thermal (CPV/T) system is an efficient way of converting solar energy to heat and electrical power, in which overall energy-extraction efficiency is at its highest. In this study, numerical dynamic simulation models were developed for a hybrid solar CPV/T system and an adsorption refrigeration system (ARS). Under the climatic conditions of Riyadh all year round, the electrical and thermal powers generated by the CPV/T system were used to estimate the ice production of both the vapor compression refrigeration system (VCS) and the ARS. The CPV/T system can provide a thermal energy of 37.6 kWh and electrical energy of 24.7 kWh a day on average over the year using a 12.5 m2 facing area of Fresnel lenses. The ARS employed an advanced approach which used Maxsorb III adsorbent packed in two aluminum foam beds. An optimum cycle time of the ARS was adapted for each month to match the variation in the thermal energy, while a variable-speed compressor was chosen for the VCS. Due to its higher coefficient of performance (COP), the proposed solar hybrid system can produce 494.4 kg of ice per day while sharing 84.5% of the VCS. The average solar COP over the year of the hybrid system can attain 0.875, which represents a promising value for a solar ice-production system.

Performance Assessment of Coupled Concentrated Photovoltaic-Thermal and Vacuum Membrane Distillation (CPVT-VMD) System for Water Desalination

Numerical simulations were carried out to assess the technical and economic feasibility of a solar water desalination system that has a novel hybrid Concentrating Photovoltaic Thermal (CPVT) collector coupled with a Vacuum Membrane Distillation (VMD) process. A special characteristic of this CPVT is its triangular receiver with PV cells facing the reflecting surface. This type of receiver has the advantage of generating more electricity with less PV surface area and great potential to be used to hybridize conventional parabolic thermal collectors. TRNSYS was employed to analyze the annual performance of the CPVT-VMD system evaluating parameters such as solar fraction, specific permeate production and specific energy production for different coastal cities. In the dynamic simulations, local annual weather data and specific information about the characteristics and operating conditions of a real CPVT collector and a VMD module were considered. From the parametric analysis the optimal surface area of collectors and the input temperature of the VDM module were determined. A maximum specific permeate of 218.410 m 3/m2VMD for Acapulco, MX, and a minimum of 170.365 m 3/m2VMD for Singapore, SG, were achieved for the proposed CPVT-VMD system of four solar collectors with an operating set temperature of 55 °C. An economic profit was found after 7 years for Acapulco city, which showed great potential to use solar energy from hybrid CPVT collectors for a VMD process to provide freshwater in coastal cities.