Photovoltaic Thermal System Research Articles

Increasing the Utilization of Solar Energy through the Performance Evaluation of Air-Based Photovoltaic Thermal Systems

Photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems are attracting a significant amount of attention in research because they can generate electricity outside of daytime hours, unlike photovoltaic (PV) systems, and can increase efficiency and collect additional energy by reducing the temperature of PVT panels. However, a somewhat lower amount of collected energy is used in the summer than in the winter, and research on this issue is lacking. In this study, first, we experimentally evaluated the performance of PV and PVT systems by season and verified the improvement in the performance of the PVT system. Second, experiments were conducted to verify the enthalpy reduction via mist cooling and dehumidification, and the temperature and humidity control effect via mist cooling and dehumidification was verified. Based on our research findings, we propose a model that can be integrated with indoor ventilation systems to increase the solar energy utilization of PVT systems. Using the PVT system, we improved the panel power generation efficiency by up to 5.89% and generated up to a 38.0% higher collection efficiency than that of the PV system. The air that passed through the PVT system was then subjected to mist cooling and dehumidification to reduce its temperature and increase its humidity, resulting in a 23.2% reduction in enthalpy.

Experimental Study of Hybrid Photovoltaic (PV/T) Thermal Solar Collector with Air Cooling for Domestic Use: A Thermal and Electrical Performances Evaluation

Photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) collectors convert solar energy into both electrical and thermal energy. This conversion enables the cooling of solar cells while also allowing the produced thermal energy to be used to heat water or space. A hybrid solar panel converts the heat emitted by photovoltaic cells into a transfer fluid (liquid or air), enhancing PV cell efficiency while also producing useful solar heat for household hot water or heating. The heated air extracted from the PV/T collector can be used as a heat source for the building. The paper presents a baffle-based collector for a photovoltaic/thermal system (PVT) to increase output from the system using solar power by comparison with a PVT system without baffles, and its electrical and thermal performance are analysed with the experimental results. Baffles are a solution for optimizing the performance of flat plate solar collectors, which often have low performance. Three typical days from the March 2022 season were chosen and presented as part of this study. For the experiments, two fans were used for air extraction in the PV/T collector, with three speeds chosen: 0.02804 m3/s, 0.0082 m3/s, and 0.016 m3/s, respectively. The variation in thermal and electrical efficiencies of PV/T solar collectors has been calculated for the three tests of March 3, 4, and 5, 2022. The results indicated that the thermal and electrical efficiencies of the PV/T collector were on average 86% and about 9%, respectively, and the thermal efficiency improved by 22% compared with a PV/T collector without baffles in the absorber.

Development of partitioned rectangular-shaped heat sink for photovoltaic thermal systems and performance evaluation using TiO2/Water-based nanofluids

The current study presents a partitioned rectangular-shaped heat sink for improving the PVT system performance. The experiment was examined under various experimental parameters. Five cooler block types with different dimensions were arranged to share the same total contact area with the panel back surface. These cooler blocks were placed in different arrangements, namely (PVT-I, PVT-II, PVT-III, PVT-IV, PVT-V), and studied comparatively using water. The dimensions and numbers of each cooler block arrangement were altered, while maintaining the same surface area in contact with the photovoltaic panel. Through the response surface methodology (RSM) optimization, the optimal arrangement with the best performance was determined, and then TiO2/nanofluid was applied to that arrangement with different volumetric concentrations. Using water, the highest electrical and thermal efficiencies were obtained by case PVT-III with values of 19.39 % and 63.72 %, respectively. This was followed by PVT-II, PVT-V, PVT-I, and PVT-IV in that order for electrical efficiency; and at the same time by PVT-II, PVT-I, PVT-IV, and PVT-V in that order for thermal efficiency. The RSM method recommended the optimal arrangement case as case PVT-III. By using nanofluid in that case arrangement, the highest electrical efficiency value was recorded upon using 0.3 wt% and operating the system at 1.5 L/m and 900 W/m2. Regarding the thermal efficiency results, in that case, the highest and lowest values were recorded upon using 0.3 wt% and 0.1 wt%, respectively, with values of 72.49 % and 31.19 %. Increasing the volumetric concentrations positively reflected on the system's performance, resulting in high efficiencies being achieved. In addition, the highest electrical efficiencies were obtained at high levels of solar irradiance and flow rates.

Comprehensive numerical modeling of intermittent flow cooling with enhanced photovoltaic efficiency in PVT/NPCM systems

The photoelectric conversion efficiency of photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems is a key concern in solar energy research. The widespread use of continuous nanofluid cooling in PVT/NPCM (Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Material) systems leads to heightened energy consumption. In order to improve efficiency of the PVT/NPCM systems, a two-dimensional transient heat transfer numerical model is established to analyze the PVT/NPCM system with intermittent flow cooling. Corresponding govern equations with boundary conditions are proposed, and numerically solved by using the finite element method. Simulation results are compared with experimental data, showing a deviation of less than 7 %. The findings indicate that the intermittent cooling reduces the flow energy consumption required to drive 2220 L of nanofluid compared to continuous cooling over a 7-h period. Furthermore, under intermittent cooling conditions, the average electrical efficiency stands at approximately 19.7 %. Notably, the electrical efficiency of PVT/NPCM systems employing intermittent flow cooling closely aligns with those employing continuous flow cooling, exhibiting a maximum deviation of merely 0.0348 %. Additionally, intermittent flow cooling emerges as a favorable choice under solar radiation intensities surpasses 1000W/m2, enabling a significant reduction in overall energy consumption while maintaining commendable cooling performance.

Experimental and economic evaluation on the performance improvement of a solar photovoltaic thermal system with skeleton-shaped fins

At elevated ambient temperatures, the production and efficiency of solar panels are degraded due to the overheating of the cells. Cooling photovoltaic cells at elevated ambient temperatures can prevent overheating, extend their life, and enhance overall efficiency, particularly in areas exposed to strong sunlight and elevated temperatures. In this study, an attempt was made experimentally to increase the performance of solar photovoltaic thermal systems with a novel cooling technique. The proposed system has an absorber plate coupled with novel skeleton-shaped fins used to create double-pass ambient air channels below the solar module for natural heat dissipation. Performance of the proposed photovoltaic thermal system with skeleton-shaped fins was designed, evaluated, and evaluated, under different climatic conditions of the southern Algeria city of Ghardaïa from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Theoretical analysis was also developed relying on the energy and exergy balance equations for the system components. An economic analysis is also performed by the life cycle cost analysis to evaluate the feasibility, annual performance, and payback period of the proposed solar system compared with that of the conventional system. Results showed that the proposed photovoltaic thermal generates an average daily production of 2.02 kWh, which is 55.1 % more than the conventional system. The energy and exergy efficiency of the proposed system are higher than the conventional system by 8.61 and 8.98 %, respectively. The levelized costs of energy associated with the proposed system (0.17 $/kWh) is lower than that of the conventional system by 11.76 %. The payback period of the proposed system (6.21 years) is lower than that of the conventional solar systems by 34.7 %. This means that the additional power generation obtained by the proposed system with skeleton-shaped fins was sufficient to offset the total life cycle costs.

Modelling and evaluating different multi-carrier energy system configurations for a Dutch house

The urge to reduce the dependence on natural gas for heating at the residential level has led to the deployment of different fossil fuel-free alternatives. In the Netherlands, two technologies are leading the transition: heat pumps, due to their high COP, and photovoltaic–thermal systems, due to their dual electric-thermal output. However, both represent a challenge for users and grid operators, aside from their stochastic behavior. Heat pumps alone can surpass a typical Dutch house’s total energy and power consumption. Photovoltaic–thermal systems, as their only electric homologs, usually have a mismatch between generation and demand, causing energy injections to the grid. From the electric perspective, storage systems are a proven solution to reduce the energy exchange with the distribution network. This paper proposes four multi-carrier energy system configurations for a Dutch household, comprising different combinations of a photovoltaic–thermal system, a battery energy storage, a heat pump, and an underground water tank thermal energy system, providing analytical models for every component (including the thermal losses from the thermal storage to the ground), and the space heating and electrical demands. We determined the components’ compatibility and evaluated the combinations considering their thermal performance, electrical performance, and equivalent CO2 emissions. The results suggest that using a heat pump combined with a photovoltaic system and a battery provides the best trade-off. The photovoltaic–thermal system alone could not supply the thermal demand required for comfortable space heating nor reach temperatures high enough to charge the thermal storage. Combining the thermal storage with the heat pump allows a certain degree of flexibility for the heat pump activation at the cost of COPs between 0.8 and 1.38 when used to charge the thermal storage, thus increasing energy consumption and equivalent emissions considerably.

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles via Artocarpus odoratissimus peel extract for potential applications of optical filter and catalytic degradation

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were synthesized via a green synthesis method, utilizing the peel extract of Artocarpus odoratissimus as both the reducing and capping agent. This study investigates the impact of peel extract concentration (ranging from 0.002 to 0.012 g/mL) and reaction temperature (including room temperature, 45 °C, and 75 °C) on the properties of the synthesized Au NPs. Various characterization techniques, such as UV–Visible spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and zeta potential analysis, were employed to analyze the synthesized samples. UV–Visible spectroscopy revealed absorption peaks of the Au NPs around 533–537 nm, varying with synthesis parameters, while TEM analysis indicated particle sizes ranging from 12 to 25 nm. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of Au NPs, with diffraction peaks aligning well with the standard. FTIR analysis suggested interactions between phytochemicals and Au NPs, contributing to their reduction and size control. The synthesized Au NPs exhibited remarkable optical filtering capability, with up to 87 % transmittance in the 751–1126 nm spectral range and significant absorbance in the lower wavelength region (300–751 nm). Additionally, catalytic studies revealed that Au NPs accelerated the degradation of rhodamine B dye, 0.0795 min−1, compared to 0.0445 min−1 without Au NPs. These findings underscore the potential of Au NPs for use in hybrid photovoltaic-thermal systems as filters, where transmitted light can be harvested for photovoltaic energy generation while absorbed light can be utilized for the thermal aspect. Moreover, Au NPs offer promise for improving wastewater quality by enhancing pollutant degradation.

Thermodynamic analysis of drying cycles utilizing a desiccant wheel thermoelectric modules and heat pipe for the drying of hazel nuts in the East Blacksea climatic conditions

The use of renewable energy sources to maintain appropriate thermal humidity and temperature conditions in food drying technologies, especially in humid climate zones, is a current area of research. In the Eastern Black Sea Region, the high relative and specific humidity of the atmospheric air lead to a low drying rate of the products. Therefore, in this study, to enhance the drying rate of the products, three models and their psychometric cycles were studied on decreasing the specific humidity of the drying air and increasing the moisture saturation degree of the drying air. The innovative hazelnut drying models proposed for the climatic conditions of the Eastern Black Sea region incorporate several components, including thermoelectric modules (TEM), photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) systems, desiccant wheels (DW), heat pipes (HP) and heat exchangers (HX). The thermodynamic analysis was conducted on the theoretical cycles belonging proposed models. Emphasis was given to the development of Model-C, taking into account the drying conditions specific to hazelnuts in the Eastern Black Sea region, among the cycles named Model-A, Model-B and Model-C. The energy efficiencies and SEMER values of Model-A, Model-B and Model-C were presented based on selected atmospheric conditions. Each model is valid under its characteristic operating conditions, and the energy efficiencies, SEMER values and the exergetic efficiencies for Model-A, Model-B and Model-C were determined as (4.66%-0.271 kg-H2O kWh−1–62%), (9.87%-0.1542 kg-H2O kWh−1–22%) and (9.13%-0.1381 kg-H2O kWh−1–10%), respectively. Also, presented models of hazelnut drying supported by renewable energy have achieved high sustainable index (SI) values. Consequently, these models ensure the sustainability of energy in the drying sector and facilitate the assessment of their environmental, economic and social impacts. The utilization of renewable energy in the models will lead to a reduction in CO2 emissions during the drying process. These results indicate that TEM systems are a viable option for food drying in the future.

Correlation study of thermal charging, discharging, and efficiency of graphene oxide-reinforced paraffin wax for thermal energy storage system

Nanocomposites, produced through mechanical blending, serve to enhance thermal performance of heat exchangers, solar collectors, and photovoltaic-thermal systems. This work employs an experimental methodology to assess the thermal charging (TC) and thermal discharging (TDC) of a composite generated by mixing graphene oxide (GO) and paraffin wax. TC and TDC of the GO-reinforced paraffin wax-based phase change material (PCM) have been examined across different flow rates (0.375, 0.75, and 1.5 L/min) and concentrations of GO (ranging from 0.25 to 1.00 vol%). The results exhibit a direct correlation between TC, TDC and efficiency, and reaction parameters (flow rate and volume concentration of GO). The experimental and predicted values of TCs, TDCs, and efficiencies fell ±15% (for TC and TDC), and ±9% for thermal efficiency, demonstrating a satisfactory level of agreement. This holds a practical application and valuable predictive tool for estimating TC, TDC, and thermal efficiency on known flow rates and concentrations of GO in wax-based PCMs.

Simulation Approach of Photovoltaic Thermal Based on Water Collector with Rectangular Model

The advancement of PVT technology in the contemporary era is experiencing an upward trend. This phenomenon can be attributed to the growing societal demand for energy, particularly renewable energy derived from solar sources. The present study investigates the rectangular configuration of a water-based heat absorber within a photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) system. The rectangular model PVT system was simulated using nine different mass flow rate of water variations within the rectangular model channel. The dataset has nine mass flow rate of water variants ranging from 0.001 kg/s to 0.009 kg/s, as well as six solar radiation variations: 500 W/m2, 600 W/m2, 700 W/m2, 800 W/m2, 900 W/m2, and 1000 W/m2. The maximum average outlet temperature achieved under 1000 W/m2 solar radiation is 50.53%, given a 0.001 kg/s fluid mass flow rate. The maximum average photovoltaic (PV) efficiency is 11.93% when exposed to 500 W/m2 solar radiation intensity. The maximum average photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) efficiency is 76.23% when exposed to 500 W/m2 solar radiation intensity. Therefore, utilizing rectangular collectors in water-based photovoltaic-thermal systems potentially substantially enhanced the average thermal efficiency and overall PVT efficiency. Consequently, it is advisable to consider incorporating rectangular collectors in the future improvements of PVT technology.

Performance of Photovoltaic Thermal and Biomass Gasification for Efficient Renewable Energy Generation: A Review

AbstractThis review presents the technical and operational performances of solar and biomass energy technologies viz photovoltaic thermal (PVT) and biomass gasification systems. This work aims to offer a reference and guidelines to the renewable energy‐related players, especially for those at the operational level and investors. This paper highlights the technical advantage of hybrid PVT with phase change material in terms of electrical and thermal efficiencies. While the operational performance of biomass gasification is thoroughly discussed via sensitivity analysis, the potential integration between solar and biomass gasification technologies is explored to complement and bolster the capabilities of both renewable systems within the power energy mix portfolio. Finally, few directions and significant takeaways considering the technical criteria are addressed for identifying efficient renewable energy generation.

A Review of Heat Dissipation and Absorption Technologies for Enhancing Performance in Photovoltaic–Thermal Systems

With the growing demand for photovoltaic (PV) systems as a source of energy generation that produces no greenhouse gas emissions, effective strategies are needed to address the inherent inefficiencies of PV systems. These systems typically absorb only approximately 15% of solar energy and experience performance degradation due to temperature increases during operation. To address these issues, PV–thermal (PVT) technology, which combines PV with a thermal absorber to dissipate excess heat and convert it into additional thermal energy, is being rapidly developed. This review presents an overview of various PVT technologies designed to prevent overheating in operational systems and to enhance heat transfer from the solar cells to the absorber. The methods explored include innovative absorber designs that focus on increasing the heat transfer contact surface, using mini/microchannels for improved heat transfer contiguity, and substituting traditional metal materials with polymers to reduce construction costs while utilizing polymer flexibility. The review also discusses incorporating phase change materials for latent heat absorption and using nanofluids as coolant mediums, which offer higher thermal conductivity than pure water. This review highlights significant observations and challenges associated with absorber design, mini/microchannels, polymer materials, phase change materials, and nanofluids in terms of PV waste heat dissipation. It includes a summary of relevant numerical and experimental studies to facilitate comparisons of each development approach.

Impact of liquid spectrum filter and solar tracker on the overall effectiveness of a photovoltaic thermal system: An experimental investigation

The purpose of this experimental research is to improve the electrical and thermal efficiency of an innovative photovoltaic thermal setup equipped with a Fresnel lens, a nanofluid-based liquid spectrum filter, and a dual-axis solar tracker. The nanofluid, which is a combination of water and ethylene glycol solution with 0.3 wt% of ZnO nanoparticles, was used as a cooling medium. The experiments were conducted on different days that were generally sunny, hazy, and cloudy. The maximum output power of the setup increased by 4.8% and 23.8% from no-lens to single-lens concentration and from a single-stage lens to a two-stage lens concentration system, respectively. The integration of a two-stage system with a solar tracker further enhances the output power by 6.1%. Significant enhancement in the performance of the system was achieved using nanofluid coolant and sun-tracking technologies. The incident solar radiation was efficiently utilized, resulting in an appreciable increase in thermal and electrical efficiency of 6.96% and 28.85%, respectively. Therefore, the proposed system is efficient and suitable for solar photovoltaic thermal applications.

Energy and economic analysis of building integrated photovoltaic thermal system: Seasonal dynamic modeling assisted with machine learning-aided method and multi-objective genetic optimization

Building integrated photovoltaic thermal (BIPV/T) systems offer a highly effective means of generating clean energy for both electricity and heating purposes in residential buildings. Hence, this article introduces a new BIPV/T system to optimally minimize the energy consumption of a household residential building. The meticulous design of the proposed BIPV/T system is accomplished through MATLAB/Simulink® dynamic modeling. Performance analysis for the BIPV/T system is performed under different seasonal conditions with in-depth techno-economic analyses to estimate the expected enhancement in the thermal, electrical, and economic performance of the system. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to explore the impact of various factors on the energetic and economic performances of the proposed BIPV/T system. More so, the two-layer feed-forward back-propagation artificial neural network modeling is developed to accurately predict the hourly solar radiation and ambient temperature for the BIPV/T. Additionally, a multi-objective optimization using the NSGA-II method is also conducted for the minimization of the total BIPV/T plant area and maximization of the total efficiency and net thermal power of the system as well as to estimate the optimized operating conditions for input variables across different seasons within the provided ranges. The sensitivity analysis revealed that higher solar flux levels lead to increased electric output power of the BIPV/T plant, but total efficiency decreases due to higher thermal losses. Moreover, the proposed NSGA-II shows a feasible method to attain a maximum net thermal power and optimal total efficiency of 5320 W and 63% with a minimal total plant area of 32.89 m2 that attained a very low deviation index from the ideal solution. The levelised cost of electricity is obtained as 0.10 $/kWh under the optimal conditions. Thus, these findings offer valuable insights into the potential of BIPV/T systems as a sustainable and efficient energy solution for residential applications.

A numerical study on the effect of employing porous medium on thermal performance of a PV/T system

Surface temperatures of photovoltaic (PV) panels increase with solar radiation and ambient temperature. This temperature increase negatively affects the PV cell, causing the electrical efficiency of the system to decrease. Photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) systems also provide thermal energy gain by cooling PV cells, increasing electrical conversion efficiency and lifespan. Integrating porous material into cooling pipes offers an important innovation in terms of the cooling techniques of PV panels. This study emphasizes the positive effects of porous materials by innovative approaches in this field. For this reason, in order to increase the electrical and thermal efficiency of PV cells, a porous material-supported cooling system was designed for the PV/T system and the effects of using porous materials with different properties were examined with Ansys Fluent software. As the porous density and porosity ratio of the porous material used throughout the pipe decreased, the average cell temperature decreased and the water outlet temperature increased. At a low flow rate of 0.3 L/min, it achieved an improvement of approximately 118% in thermal efficiency compared to the pipe without porous material. The porous structure containing 0.9 and 30 PPI pore density reached the highest efficiency value of 96.56% with a flow rate of 1.71 L/min.

Using perovskite solar cells with tunable bandgaps for beam-splitting photovoltaic-thermal System

ABSTRACT The beam-splitting PV-T system has great potential for solar energy production. However, few studies have been conducted on hybrid systems featuring the newly emerging perovskite solar cells. This paper proposes a novel beam-splitting PV-T system with perovskite solar cells (PSCs). PSCs with various bandgaps are fabricated for the system by replacing Iodine ion (I−) in FA1-xMAxPbI3 with different proportions of Bromine ion (Br−). The trends of the photovoltaic properties of PSC are also analyzed and validated through the characterization of perovskite films. Systems of various spectral response ranges are then simulated and optimized using the experimental data. The obtained results show that the beam-splitting PV-T system can achieve a theoretical solar-to-electric efficiency of 25.74%. This value exceeds that of the single CSP and single PSC, which are 23.97% and 17.27%, respectively. When the ratio of Br− increases, the efficiency tends to decrease. Although the introduction of Br− fails to increase the overall efficiency, the changed spectral response range brings a shift in optimum cutoff wavelength, and the efficiency only slightly decreases with a lower ratio of Br− mixing. The results of this study provide a reference for beam-splitting PV-T utilization.

Investigation of factors affecting photovoltaic thermal system efficiency

This experimental study investigates the effects of ambient temperature (Tamb) and solar irradiance on the efficiency of photovoltaic panels (ηPV). Experiments have shown that increasing these parameters, which affect ηPV, also raises panel Tcell, leading to decreased electrical energy production. A photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) system was created to enhance the ηPV by reducing Tcell. The excess heat generated in the cells is stored as hot water in this system. In the experiments, water was used as the heat transfer fluid (HTF) to lower the temperature of the PV panel. A closed loop with a 25-liter tank volume circulated the water at a constant mass flow rate of 0.0161 kg/s. The heat transferred from the panel cells to the HTF was accumulated in a 50-liter water tank. The ηth of a standard PV panel and a PV/T system, with and without a fan-cooled heat exchanger, was assessed. The results showed that the ηelec of the system without a fan-cooled heat exchanger increased by 2%. However, for systems designed for maximum efficiency, the presence of the fan-cooled heat exchanger caused a 13% reduction in ηth. Additionally, the temperature of the water in the tank increased by 50%. The efficiency of the designed PV/T system was analyzed without the use of a fan-cooled heat exchanger. The 8-hour average thermal efficiency was calculated to be 66.53%, with an electrical efficiency of 3.42%. The results are presented in graphs for better data visualization.

Investigating the effect of employing a 24-hour radiative cooling system on the photovoltaic/thermal systems performance: A case-based research

This study aims to investigate the potential of a renewable hybrid system that integrates a nocturnal and diurnal radiative cooling system (RC) and photovoltaic/thermal system (PV/T) as a novel system to supply highly efficient electricity, while also providing a 24-hour radiative cooling system and diurnal preheated water supply. The proposed system comprises a photovoltaic system (PV) fitted with a transparent layer instead of glass, along with two cooling systems. The first cooling system involves water flow within aluminum pipes beneath the photovoltaic panel, while the second cooling system utilizes a silicon dioxide layer as RC. The study employs a novel approach by analyzing the impact of utilizing both nocturnal and diurnal RC on PV/T performance. The results are based on simulations conducted over four days during various months of the year, including January, March, July, and October. The findings of the simulations demonstrate that the utilization of the first cooling method increases the electrical efficiency of PV by 9.1%. Furthermore, the incorporation of RC along with the first method again leads to a 3.7% increase in electrical efficiency. Additionally, the thermal efficiency is estimated to be 37.1% and 20.62% for PV/T and RC-PV/T, respectively. The cooling power of RC during the night reached 287.13 W/m2 in July. A sensitivity analysis of the input parameters reveals that variations in solar radiation and inlet water temperature have the greatest impact on the system's electrical efficiency.

Optimizing photovoltaic thermal solar systems efficiency through advanced artificial intelligence driven thermal management techniques

Photovoltaic Thermal (PV/T) solar systems have the capacity to convert solar radiation into both electrical and thermal energy. Solar cells convert solar radiation into electricity, whereas solar thermal collectors gather excess energy and use it to heat cooling fluids and extract leftover heat from photovoltaic cells. Optimizing the design of the PV/T cooling system is critical for increasing overall system efficiency. This research describes a revolutionary AI approach for determining the ideal design for PV/T cooling systems. The suggested system has three major stages: data collection (DC), data preprocessing (DP), and prediction (PS). In the DC step, the collected data is preprocessed before being input into the suggested prediction model. The PS uses the Optimized Deep Neural Network (ODNN) to forecast water, air, and electrical efficiency. To improve the model's effectiveness, a new met-heuristic method, the Sand Cat Swarm Optimization (SCSO), is used in conjunction with the Deep Neural Network (DNN). The SCSO approach improves the DNN's hyperparameters to maximize prediction accuracy. The results show that ODNN outperforms in terms of Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Squared Error (MSE), and R-squared (R2), with values of approximately 0.0075, 0.00251, and 0.9972, respectively, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed AI-driven approach in optimizing PV/T cooling system design. In addition to predicting water, air, and electricity efficiency, the proposed AI-driven approach in this study shows the capacity to optimize the operational efficiency of a system. When combining SCSO with DNN, it shows its effectiveness in dynamically adjusting hyperparameters, contributing to the robustness of the model across many scenarios. Furthermore, the study focuses on the optimized PV/T cooling system's possible real-world applications, emphasizing its role in supporting sustainable energy solutions and solving the developing issues of solar energy consumption. The results confirm the suggested AI system's versatility and reliability, positioning it as a promising tool for improving solar energy technologies.

Year-round experimental analysis of a water-based PVT-PCM hybrid system: Comprehensive 4E assessments

In this year-long study conducted in Cairo, Egypt, an innovative water-based photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) system coupled with phase change material (PCM) was evaluated for its ability to enhance building energy efficiency. The system utilizes 22 copper capsules filled with RT35 paraffin wax and a water-cooling duct to ensure optimal electricity generation and heat storage. The proposed system underwent detailed 4E (energy, exergy, economic, and environmental) assessments to compare its performance against traditional uncooled PV panels. The results indicated significant improvements: a reduction in cell temperature by up to 8.3 °C, an increase in electrical efficiency by 4.0–13.3%, and a boost in power output by 4.1–15.9%. Overall, the system demonstrated efficiencies between 27.23 and 67.33%, along with an exergy efficiency peak at 74.64% in July, substantially outperforming the uncooled panel. Economically, the PVT-PCM system achieved a 1.58-year payback period, and carbon emissions were reduced by 32%, highlighting its viability and environmental benefits. The potential of the PVT-PCM system to advance sustainable building energy management was strengthened by this study, providing a significant step forward in integrating renewable energy within architectural designs.