PV Cell Temperature Research Articles

Modelling and experimental investigation of cooling of field-operating PV panels using thermoelectric devices for enhanced power generation by industrial solar plants

The performance of commercial solar power plants degrades due to an increase in module temperatures for which standard PV-T air or water-cooling techniques are mostly used. In this study, a thermoelectric cooling system is studied for improving photovoltaic cell power efficiency and hence solar power generation. The cooling optimization requires solar cell temperature prediction of field operating PV modules, for which analysis of six models, is presented. The experimentation results show that TEC cooling maintains PV cell at 25 °C whereas PV cell without TEC operates at 55–63 °C, a higher temperature range, showing the effectiveness of the thermoelectric cooling system in precisely controlling PV cell temperature to operate at or near STC conditions in the field creating a temperature difference of 30–38 °C. The NOCT and Faiman model results are found close to the experimental values in comparison to other models. The potential for cooling and a corresponding increase in solar plant energy production is assessed using PV Syst modeling and simulation for three practical PV installation scenarios for 31 different climatic zone locations worldwide showing 6–27 % power loss due to elevated temperatures, which is not studied in previous studies adding novelty to the analysis. The results show that PV-TECS is an effective system to control the temperature of field operating PV modules, which can be used in future photovoltaic power plants. Field results and analysis of PV temperature models is crucial for the optimization and future development of PV-thermoelectric systems deployed under actual outdoor conditions as well as the expected cooling gains in different climatic locations. These aspects are collectively studied in the current work adding to the novelty of the study.

Performance Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic (PV)-Thermoelectric (TEG) Hybrid Energy System for Electricity Generation

The solar spectrum responsible for PV operation comprises the ultra-violent, visible and invisible radiation. The increase in cell temperature due to the invisible radiation in the solar spectrum reduces the solar PV performance. This research investigated the performance of solar PV-TEG hybrid energy system for energy optimization in comparison with simple solar PV system. The solar PV-TEG hybrid energy system is one on which thermoelectric generators (TEG) were couple with PV module for conversion of the excess heat energy due to rise in cell temperature to electrical energy. The output parameters of both systems such as; short circuit currents open circuit voltages and PV cell temperature were measured with respect to incident solar radiation. The power production and efficiencies for the simple PV and hybrid PV-TEG systems were evaluated and compared, The results revealed that at maximum value of 920 W/m2 average hourly sun radiations, 57.9 W useful PV power input was simultaneously utilized by the simple PV and hybrid PV-TEG systems. The operating temperatures of the simple PV and the hybrid PV-TEG systems varies from 64.5°C to 58.9°C which is 9.94%, reduction. The simple PV and hybrid PV-TEG short circuit currents and open circuit voltages varies with values (17.8 to 20.13 V) and (0.56 to 0.57 A), which have increased by 1.78% and 14.1% respectively. However, with respective values 10.14 W and 11.58 W of power outputs an increase of 14.5 % was realized. These enable enhancing respective 17.5 % and 20 % energy efficiencies. The overall power output and efficiency of the hybrid PV-TEG energy system reported were 11.67 W and 20.2% which showed increased by 15.09 % and 15.43% respectively compared to the simple PV system. Moreover, the statistical analysis conducted reported quality of the measured results and inequality of the respective pairs of output values with P-values of 0.000 in each case. Therefore, integrating PV module with TEG enables reduction .......

Performance prediction of ventilated building-integrated photovoltaic system with lightweight flexible crystalline silicon module based on experimental fitting method

The novel ventilated building-integrated photovoltaic system with lightweight flexible crystalline silicon modules (VL-BIPV) has a self-weight of only about 6 kg/m2, which helps to address weight-bearing challenges on low-capacity industrial building rooftops. However, the unique thermal dissipation features of the system pose challenges for the analysis of its photovoltaic performance and thermal processes. Therefore, a comparative experimental testing approach was employed, comparing the VL-BIPV system with a conventional rooftop photovoltaic system. Using the efficiency equations of the conventional photovoltaic system as a reference, the functional equations were fitted based on experimental results. Based on typical meteorological year data in Nanjing, annual power generation and PV cell temperature variations were evaluated, along with power generation and carbon reduction benefits over a 25-year lifetime. The results indicate that the VL-BIPV system achieves an annual power generation of 262.22 kWh/m2, a 6.52% increase compared to the conventional system. Additionally, the highest average and maximum cell temperatures in the VL-BIPV system during the year are 58.39 °C and 64.74 °C, respectively, both lower than the conventional system's peak at 68.34 °C. Over a 25-year lifespan, the VL-BIPV system reduces carbon emissions by 20.17 kgCO2/Wp, exceeding the conventional system's reduction by 1.25 kgCO2/Wp.

Energy and exergy performance improvement of coupled PV–TEG module by using different shaped nano-enhanced cooling channels

In this study, impacts of using different cooling channels (L, T and U-shaped) on the energy and exergy performances of combined PV/TEG (photovoltaic/thermoelectric generator) unit are numerically assessed by using FEM based three dimensional high fidelity computational simulations. Cooling performance is boosted by using ternary nanofluid in the channels. The study is conducted for a range of Reynolds numbers (Re, between 50 and 500), nanofluid cooling inlet temperatures (between 15 °C and 23 °C), and nanoparticle loading amounts (between 0 and 3%). Evaluations are done on average PV-cell temperature, PV/TEG output powers, exergy efficiency, improve potential (IP), and sustainability index (SI). U-shaped and T-shaped channels are found to offer the greatest and worst cooling performances among various cooling channels. When comparing the lowest and maximum Re cases, the average temperature drops for PV cells are 3.54 °C for T channel and 2.55 °C for U channel. Exergy efficiency is determined to be 14.2% with T-channel at Re=50 and 14.6% with U-channel at Re=500. Taking into consideration different channels, an increase in the inlet temperature from 15 °C to 23 °C leads to an average rise in cell temperature of 6 °C. The IP rises with coolant inlet temperature while using T-channel. SI values fall as input temperature increases, although values between 1.164 and 1.175 may be achieved by using different cooling channels. Using nanofluid with higher loading results in higher exergy efficiency when comparing exergetic performances, with U-channel design exhibiting the highest performance. For the range of parameters considered, the coolant inlet temperature at the channel entry has the highest effect on PV cell temperature reduction; 8.5 °C of temperature reduction is feasible. By employing U-channel cooling, the maximum value of Re, the highest loading of nanoparticles, and the lowest inlet temperature yield the best exergy efficiency. The best and worst situations’ respective exergy efficiencies are determined to be 15% and 14.1%. Utilizing T-channel cooling with water at a flow flow rate and a higher input temperature is the scenario with the biggest potential for exergy improvement; the value is 2.9. When different operational parameters are varied, the SI falls between 1.176 to 1.16.

Cooling the future: Peltier thermoelectric solutions for photovoltaic panels

The integration of thermoelectric-generator (TEG) systems into photovoltaic (PV) generators is examined in this paper. Temperature increases have a detrimental effect on PV panel efficiency, which reduces power output. When testing solar modules at a temperature of 25°C (STC), heat can reduce output efficiency by 10–25%. In order to solve this problem, Peltier modules are used to reduce PV-cell temperature. This improves the longevity, power capacity, and efficiency of the system. An IoT platform transmits the gathered data to deliver real-time feedback. According to the investigation, installing a reliable cooling system dramatically lowers the temperature of the PV panels, with noticeable temperature declines seen in situations with cooling systems as opposed to those without. Conditions with cooling systems, such as B2, B3, and B4, showed substantial percentage temperature decreases, ranging from roughly 38.3% to 39.2%, 20.8% to 24.6%, and 36.4% to 36.8%, respectively. These results underline how crucial it is to establish effective cooling systems for the best PV panel performance. B2 also has the best cooling performance, with the resulting 4.5% power savings. Superior cooling effectiveness, increased thermal management, are all demonstrated by the configuration of connecting 4-TEG Peltier modules in a 2 × 2 series-parallel-configuration with a heat-sink.

Performance investigation of metal foam coupled to phase change material as coolant of photovoltaic concentrator systems: Optimization and electrical efficiency analysis

This research investigates the integration of graphitic metal foam with paraffin RT35HC to manage and reduce the temperature of PV cells, focusing on the rigorous examination of the synergistic effects of metal foam porosity and panel inclination on thermal management. A 2D numerical model was developed using ANSYS Fluent 14.0, where User-Defined Functions (UDFs) were employed to incorporate the Darcy-Brinkman-Forchheimer and Carman-Kozeny equations, accurately accounting for the effects of metal foam porosity on thermal conductivity and fluid flow resistance. Various foam porosities (ε = 0.80, 0.85, 0.90, 0.95, 1) were explored on both vertical and tilted panels across a spectrum of inclination angles (β= 0°, 30°, 45°, 75°, 90°). Results highlight critical parameters including PCM melting fraction, cell temperature evolution, and the resultant impact on solar cell electrical efficiency, both with and without metal foam. The integration of graphitic foam with RT35HC contributed to superior heat transfer and a marked reduction in cell temperature of the employed PV system by improving thermal conductivity and heat dissipation, particularly at slight inclination angles (β =0° to 30°), revealing a noteworthy enhancement in electrical efficiency ranging from 1.3 % to 3 %, respectively. Conversely, the absence of graphitic foam at steeper angles (β =45° to 90°) surprisingly strengthens the solar panel’s electrical performance. These findings provide valuable insights into the effects of metal foam integration at varying inclination angles, offering a pathway for the development of more efficient and reliable solar energy systems.

Seasonal thermo-enviro-economic performance analyses of concentrated PV/T integrated with humidification-dehumidification water desalination system

Concentrated solar photovoltaic thermal offers a great opportunity for water desalination by applying some thermally driven techniques. Humidification–dehumidification water desalination is appropriate for moderate installations and runs on low temperatures matching the attainable output of low concentrated photovoltaic thermal systems. So, in this paper, thermo-enviro-economic performance analyses of an integrated system consisting of compound parabolic collectors partially covered with photovoltaic cells powering humidification dehumidification water desalination system is theoretically introduced. The system performance is conducted at a seasonal scale using MATLAB throughout the whole year under the weather of New Borg El-Arab city-Alexandria-Egypt. The results indicate that raising the flow rate of the working fluid of the system increases the desalination output, reduces the PV cell temperature, and enhances PV efficiency. At a fluid flow rate of 0.02 kg/s suitable for PV safety temperature, the cell maximum and minimum temperature are 79 and 42.5 °C, maximum and output power is 6 and 3.8 kW, and maximum and minimum efficiency is 17.2 and 14.2 % respectively. The output water temperature is 73 and 36.9 °C in summer and winter, respectively. The desalination system produces maximally 4.7, 6.2, and 3.8 L/h at water to air mass flow rate ratios of 1.5, 2, and 3, respectively. The maximum achieved average monthly desalination system gain output ratio is 3.15 with an overall system efficiency of 41 %. The average annual system thermal energy and exergy yield is approximately 176 and 0.2 kWh, respectively. The annual freshwater cost is $0.0351/Liter. The system mitigates an annual average of 7.2 tons of CO2 emissions.

A Novel Methodology to Estimate the Cell Temperature of Photovoltaic Thermal Modules: Test With Experimental Data, Prospects, and Limits

Abstract The efficient use and understanding of photovoltaic thermal (PVT) modules require accurately evaluating the temperature of their photovoltaic cells. But due to their specific composition, measuring this temperature directly is usually very complicated, if not impossible in practice. In this article, we present an original methodology to estimate the temperature of the cells of a PVT module. In order to do this, we simultaneously conduct experiments on both PVT and PV modules equipped with identical PV cells, and compare their electrical performance. The temperature of the PV module’s back side is measured and used to estimate the temperature of the PV cells. The latter is then combined with the electrical power output difference between PV and PVT modules in order to obtain, through a specifically developed thermal model, the cell temperature of the PVT module. In addition, an experimental comparative analysis of different PVT modules is presented. The methodology and the results are promising but the experimental measurements used are subject to significant uncertainties that impact the accuracy of the estimation. The model uses an innovative approach to estimate the PV cell temperature of PVT modules, and recommendations are provided to optimize experimental data measurement accuracy in order to use this model in the best possible conditions.

Design study on the parameters influencing the performance of floating solar PV

Floating solar PV, or FPV, refers to the installation of solar PV panels on floating platforms over water bodies for power generation. This technology offers higher efficiency and superior power generation by minimizing the solar PV cell temperature. The parameters affecting the performance of floating solar PV and its design differ from those of the conventional solar PV system. To ensure the successful implementation of this technology, a thorough understanding of its design configuration and proper installation in different geographical locations is crucial. The current study aims to evaluate the impact of wind, ambient temperature, water temperature, height and tilt angle in an FPV. The effect of these parameters on the temperature drop in an FPV cell due to the combination of wind and water is compared with a free-standing photovoltaic module allied with the NOCT condition (NOCT PV), where the source of cooling is only wind. Concerning it, CFD simulation was carried out for a 2D solar PV module using a finite volume approach. Multiple simulations were performed by changing different combinations of parameters to optimize the design of FPV. It is found that a minimum of 5 °C temperature difference between wind and water is required for heat transfer enhancement in FPV. The lower height and tilt angle favour FPV in reducing the temperature of solar PV cells. At higher heights and tilt angles, the heat transfer by the wind in the NOCT PV is better than that in the FPV. For a tilt angle less than 45°, irrespective of height, FPV performs well. For a tilt angle greater than 55°, the solar PV cell temperature of NOCT PV is lower than that of FPV. This variation is observed to be the impact of high wind velocity in NOCT PV compared to FPV. Further, the simulation result revealed that FPV provides maximum cooling to the PV cell at 0° tilt with a height of 1500 mm.

Performance investigation of solar photovoltaic panels using mist nozzles cooling system

ABSTRACT Solar PV has a disadvantage over its many advantages that its electrical efficiency falls due to rise in surface/operating temperature of solar PV cells. Therefore, it is necessary to find a way to mitigate the efficiency loss due to rise in temperature as well as to increase life span of solar photovoltaics by lowering its cell temperature. In this research, the impact of mist cooling on output of PV panel is observed through experimental setup installed at rooftop of Postgraduate Department, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, Pakistan. The rear surface of PV module is cooled with designed mist nozzle assembly. The performance of modified mist cooled PV module is than compared with reference PV module. Experimental investigation is performed several days in different weather conditions with natural circulation and with forced circulations by using submerged pump. The maximum efficiency gains of 7% and average gain of 3.72% is observed with natural circulation, and maximum gain of 9.2% and average gain 1.72% are observed with forced circulated mist. The overall impact of proposed mist cooled system is positive on performance of PV panels.

Techno-economic and environmental analysis of a hybrid PV/T solar system based on vegetable and synthetic oils coupled with TiO2 in Cameroon

To assess the production potential, economic profitability and ecobalance of the photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system in Cameroon, different configurations of HTF based on water, vegetable and synthetic oils, coupled with different forms of titanium dioxide (TiO2) are used. A numerical code is written in Matlab. The PV/T model connected in direct contact PV-absorber is validated and a multi-objective optimization of the system is performed. The hourly evolution of PV cell temperature for the six HTF configurations revealed a value below 36 °C with Coton/TiO2. The platelets-and spherical-shaped nanoparticles increase the convection transfer coefficient between the fluids and the tubes. TiO2 showed a higher thermal influence in vegetable and synthetic oils than in water at a volume concentration of 4 %. The cotton/TiO2 configuration showed a 12.08 % improvement in electrical efficiency over conventional PV systems with low exergy efficiency compared to water. Configurations with therminolVP-1/TiO2 are better, with the proposed energy cost reduced to 33 % of the price of electricity in Cameroon. The PV/T-Palm/TiO2 system showed an energy cost of $0.03 with a net present value of $568.45, an emission rate of 7.78 kg, a reversibility index of 1.95, an annual cost of $7.07 and a payback time of 5.97yr. This shows that PV/T systems based on vegetable oils are economical.

Three dimensional numerical study of PV module cooling by using thermoelectric effects and nano-enhanced confined multiple slot jet impingement

In this study, 3D numerical study of photovoltaic (PV) module cooling is analyzed by combined utilization of thermoelectric generator (TEG) and nano-enhanced slot jet impingement system. For the relevant parameters of interest, such as Reynolds number (between 10 and 100), nanoparticle loading (solid volume fraction between 0 and 0.02), non-dimensional vertical distance between the slots and upper plate (between 2.5 and 8), non-dimensional spacing between the slots (between 2.5 and 8), and cold NF inlet temperature (between 20oC and 30oC), finite element method is utilized. Using only TEG and nano-jet assisted cooling with TEG result in PV-cell temperature reduction by about 43.33oC and 69.55oC as compared to un-cooled PV module. It is observed that cell temperature decreases by about 2.4oC-2.9oC when considering the minimum and maximum Reynolds number cases. When nanoparticle loading is increased to 0.02, output TEG power rises while cell temperature decreases by about 0.75oC. When varying the vertical distance between the slot to the impinging surface, cell temperature changes up to 1.9oC while distance between the slots has very slight impact on the temperature variation. Decreasing the inlet fluid temperature by about 10oC decreases the cell temperature by about 8.5oC.

Enhanced performance of photovoltaic thermal module and solar thermal flat plate collector connected in series through integration with phase change materials: A comparative study

The decline in photovoltaic cell efficiency due to temperature elevation, coupled with solar energy's inherent intermittency, presents challenges for solar systems, including photovoltaic panels and solar thermal (ST) collectors. The integration of phase change materials (PCMs) emerges as a promising solution to enhance thermal energy storage and regulation, thereby improving system performance and sustainability. This study investigates the performance of series-connected photovoltaic thermal (PVT) and ST systems with integrated PCMs from energy and exergy viewpoints, utilizing a 3D transient numerical simulation. The proposed system's performance is compared with that lacking a PCM across various heat transfer fluid mass flow rates. Suitable PCM selection based on melting temperature is explored, along with PCM layer thickness and nanoparticle augmentation. The research highlights that PCM integration effectively regulates PV cell temperature, enhancing electrical power and exergy rate. While increasing the mass flow rate improves thermal and electrical power, it reduces the thermal exergy rate. Comparing different PCMs (RT28 HC, RT35 HC, and RT44 HC), the RT28 HC PCM provides the lowest temperature of PV cells and the best electrical performance during the day. Moreover, increasing PCM layer thickness results in lowering PV cell and outlet temperatures and storing more heat. Nanoparticles added to PCMs lead to a marginal improvement in energy and exergy, especially for the system with RT28 HC. This analysis emphasizes PCM integration's role in enhancing solar thermal system performance, highlighting the importance of considering the PCM's melting temperature for effective thermal energy management.

Thermodynamic analysis of mono and hybrid nanofluid effect on the photovoltaic-thermal system performance: A comparative study

The energy and exergy efficiency of a photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) system at various volume fractions is investigated with mono TiO2 nanofluid and new hybrid TiO2–Fe2O3 nanofluid. Serpentine tubes soldered on an absorbing plate attached to the rear of the PV module have been proposed to evaluate the effect of nanofluids on the PV/T temperature reduction, energy produced, and exergy losses. The study compared energy and exergy with previous studies and delivered an economic analysis to confirm the feasibility of applying nanofluids. The results indicated that using TiO2–Fe2O3 nanofluid reduced the PV cell's temperature by 42.19% compared to water, TiO2 nanofluid, which increased the electrical power by 74.5% and 46.22% when cooling by mono and hybrid nanofluid at 0.3 vol%. The PV/T system's maximum thermal and electrical efficiency recorded with mono and hybrid nanofluids was 34.6%, 8.44%, 47.2%, and 12.62%, respectively. Dispersion of hybrid nanocomposite in DI water has enhanced the Nu number and HTC by 42.72% and 23% higher than mono nanofluid, which improved the exergy efficiency of the PV/T system by 14.89%. A better payback period was achieved with a hybrid nanofluid by 54 days with reduced exergy losses by 45.5% and entropy generation by 86.29%.

Evaluation of different methods to ameliorate the performance of PV/T systems using hybrid nanofluids and PCM in a spiral tube with different cross sections

This study proposes a novel design for a serpentine tube to develop an efficient photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) system. For this purpose, three different hybrid nanofluids and two types of PCM were numerically investigated in a novel serpentine tube with different cross-sectional shapes (rectangular, circular, and triangular). The electrical, thermal, and exergy efficiencies of the PV/T system are evaluated to ascertain the feasibility of the proposed configuration and working fluid. The results showed that using PCM composite and a rectangular cross-section increased thermal and electrical efficiency by 31.1 % and 5.4 %, respectively, compared to the state without PCM and the circular cross-section.For a more comprehensive assessment, the effect of three hybrid nanofluids with a volume concentration of 1.5 % is studied to determine which nanofluid improves heat transfer. Fe3O4-MWCNT demonstrates the most effective nanofluid for cooling down the PV cell temperature. It is used with a volume concentration of up to 4.5 % to investigate how increasing the concentration of hybrid nanofluid can affect important parameters such as cell temperature, fluid outlet temperature, electrical, and thermal efficiency.Moreover, using Fe3O4-MWCNT (4.5 %) along with PCM and PCM composite increases the exergy efficiency by 13.3 % and 16.2 %.

Performance evaluation of a solar photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) air collector system

In the present study, the performance of a photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) air collector is evaluated by revealing the temperature distribution and investigating the effect of the inlet and outlet air temperature and PV cell temperature. Solar PV/T collectors have been recently introduced as a promising solution for the global energy crisis. There is a lack of literature investigating the effect of changing duct depth and velocity, which this study explores. Two scenarios are considered: a PV system and a PV/T system. Equations for efficiency are derived based on thermal and electrical parameters. The simulation results were validated by a set of experimental results from a similar PV/T set-up. Simulations were carried out to a high degree of accuracy with ‘R’ values ranging between 0.881 and 0.952. The air duct improved the electrical efficiency of the PV module by 13.67 %. The PV/T system improved efficiency while limiting its variance throughout the day. It was found that increasing the duct depth reduced the electrical and thermal efficiency. The efficiency of the system improved with rising duct air velocity. Ideal design parameters were identified with a duct depth of 0.01 m and a duct air velocity of 2.5 m/s.

Investigation on overall energy performance of a novel multi-functional PV/T window

PV windows are considered to be a promising building-integrated PV technology due to their excellent electrical, daylighting and thermal performance. However, the shading of the PV cells increases the heating load in winter and the high temperature of PV cells exacerbates the cooling load in summer. Moreover, a significant portion of the heat absorbed by the PV modules is usually wasted. To address these issues, this paper proposed a multi-functional PV/T window. This system could recover the heat on PV cells for producing warm air in winter and hot water in other seasons. As a result, the proposed system can realize the combined PV/T utilization of solar energy and reduce the seasonal thermal needs of the building. First, the mathematical model of the proposed window was developed and validated. Next, the developed model was integrated into building energy software to evaluate the overall energy performance of the proposed window in four different cities of Yangtze River region: Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, and Chongqing in China. These cities experience the subtropical humid climate (Cfa in the Köppen-Geiger classification) and belong to the zones with medium global horizontal irradiation. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the optimal slat angles are between 0o and 40o, while the optimal orientation angles range from 30o to 60o. Selecting low-iron glass as the inner glass resulted in the lowest overall energy consumption. By adopting the MFPV/T window, the annual operation cost of the studied case could be reduced by 34% (6.4 $/m2), 36% (7.0 $/m2), 28% (5.7 $/m2), and 16% (2.9 $/m2) in these four cites, respectively. Additionally, the annual CO2 emissions could be curtailed by 53.5, 58.5, 47, and 22.3 kg/m2, respectively.

A solar spectral splitting-based PVT collector with packed transparent tube receiver for co-generation of heat and electricity

Combined heating and power (CHP) systems co-generating electrical energy as well as thermal energy is indispensable for modern-day distributed applications. Photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems are such hybrid co-generation systems. However, in a conventional PVT system, the PV module/cell temperature restricts the thermal output, making these systems unsuitable for various applications. This study offers a novel and resilient design for a spectral beam splitting-powered compound parabolic collector-based PVT system that employs a nanofluid optical filter within borosilicate glass tubes for volumetric absorption. By maximizing the “splitting effect”, the goal of this work is to disrupt the long-standing relationship between the thermal and electrical yield from a PVT collector, i.e., obtaining a higher heat transfer fluid temperature than the PV cell temperature. Several configurations with varying array width-to-receiver tube diameter ratios, i.e. bdo ratios (ranging from 3 to 8) and one, two, and three rows/layers of receiver tubes were evaluated and compared. The optical and thermal performance of the collector designs are compared using metrics such as heat flux distribution, optical efficiency, temperature distribution, receiver efficiency, and splitting ratio. This work determines how the splitting effect dictates the performances of the collector. Through the ray-tracing routine and thermal analysis, it is demonstrated that for certain bdo ratios, the developed collector attained a maximum cumulative temperature rise of >100∘ C using ZnO–water–ethylene glycol nanofluid as the optical filter. Also, the receiver and electrical efficiency of 51.81% and 18.77%, respectively, are achieved. Moreover, the packed borosilicate glass receiver tubes with a bdo ratio of 8 and two receiver rows/layers achieved the so-called “splitting ratio” (ratio of filter fluid temperature to cell temperature; THTFTcell) of >1.6. The studied configurations find their application depending on the extent of the achieved splitting ratio. Based on these findings, it is concluded that the analyzed packed glass tube receiver designs provide a viable new route towards cost-effective and dependable robust PVT collectors for distributed and other applications.

Uncertainty Estimate and Sensitivity Analysis of Lumped Thermal Model of Photovoltaic Modules

The present work explores the assessment of lumped thermal modelling of solar PV modules and its convective heat transfer terms. The model of solar energy conversion in PV modules requires an accurate description of the electrical and thermal mechanisms involved in energy conversion. The variability of the heat flux over the surface is observed. It allows the uncertainty in the predicting of PV cell temperature and consequently to the conversion efficient is propagated to converted power, inducing an observed error in the efficiency of order of 0,1% for each °C (degree Celsius) and an error of 1W for each °C (degree Celsius). This error was estimated in the generation of a solar plant located in Pilar community in Rio de Janeiro and the possibility of a generation error of 0.6% was observed.

Photovoltaic thermal system with phase changing materials and MWCNT nanofluids for high thermal efficiency and hydrogen production

The performance and electrical output of photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) systems are significantly affected by an increase in the PV cell temperature. The integration of nanofluids has been explored as a solution to mitigate cell temperature rise in PV/T modules. However, the use of nanofluids raises environmental concerns. Thus, in this study, the attempt has been made to incorporate both MWCNT nanofluids and phase changing materials to reduce the cell temperature and which apparently improvised the electrical output and thermal efficiency. A series of tests conducted on five different samples at varying mass flow rates of 30 LPM, 40 LPM, and 50 LPM. MWCNT was dispersed in water at volumes of 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.15% v/v using the sonication method. The proposed PV/T hybrid system effectively reduced panel temperature. Additionally, the integration of PCM and nanofluids resulted in an 8% increase in electrical power and a 12% improvement in thermal efficiency. Furthermore, higher nanofluid mass flow rates led to an enhanced electrical efficiency, ranging from 12.5% to 14.5%. Findings reveal that the incorporation of PCM with nanofluids holds promise for sustainable and improved energy production. Moreover, the possibility of hydrogen production through electrolysis is a viable option that permits further investigation.