EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON USING TWO TYPES OF SQUARE TUBE ABSORBERS AND DISTILLED WATER COOLANT IN A PHOTOVOLTAIC THERMAL COLLECTOR (PV/T).

Abstract

Several recently conducted studies have focused on different technologies that have been tested for improving photovoltaic (PV) modules’ performances and increasing the performances of solar systems. One of the most important of these techniques is the development of a heat exchanger design. According to extensive literature reviews, most photovoltaic panels use circular tubes, through which, water flows to carry out the cooling process. In the current experimental study, a different design has been applied, and square tubes have been used for increasing the panel-cooling tubes’ contact area. The hybrid photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) module’s performance has been evaluated and compared using a square-shaped copper tube in two types of heat exchangers, serpentine and head & riser (PV/Ts and PV/TH&R). At flow rates 0.5 and 1 L/m, outdoor experiments were conducted during August 2019 in Karabük city, Turkey. Results show that in case of PV/T modules, the overall efficiency value was maximum 48.6% at 0.5 L/m while its average value was 59.4% at 1 L/m for serpentine heat exchanger. The mentioned values were 41.7% at 0.5 L/m and 54.7% at 1 L/m for head & riser heat exchanger, respectively. Furthermore, from the perspective of energy, the serpentine heat exchanger design with flow rate 1L/m showed better photovoltaic energy conversion in comparison with other designs and flow rates.

Keywords

• photovoltaic thermal unit PV/T
• Serpentine
• Head and Riser

References

1. Reference1: Abdolzadeh, M.,M.J.R.e. Ameri, Improving the effectiveness of a photovoltaic water pumping system by spraying water over the front of photovoltaic cells,Renewable Energy, 34. (2009), 1, pp. 91-96