Enhanced electrical performance for heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer solar cells based photovoltaic thermal system with aluminum collector

The solar photovoltaic thermal system (PVT) facilitates conversion of incoming solar radiations into heat and electricity simultaneously. The beam split photovoltaic thermal system (BSPVT) is one of the PVT systems. In this system, the incoming solar beam is splitted and used separately for PV and thermal system. The feasibility of water, silicone oil, and coconut oil as spectrum filter for C–Si solar photovoltaic system is reported in the literature recently. However, the changes in the optical behavior of the liquids due to extended exposure to sunlight (aging effect) had not been considered in most of the previous studies. The current study includes the methodology for the selection of liquids for BSPVT systems, estimation of external quantum efficiency (EQE) of a solar cell using liquids, and the aging effect on the liquid spectrum filters. The spectral response of the solar cell is analyzed using BENTHAM, (PVE 300) for 300–1100 nm. In this study, it has been observed that the aging of silicone oil reduces the electrical performance of the solar cell. On the other hand, the aged coconut oil improves the electrical performance of the solar cell as compared to the fresh coconut oil spectrum filter.

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Glazed Photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) Collectors for Domestic Hot Water Preparation in Multifamily Building

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12156071 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (15) ◽

pp. 6071

Author(s):

Nikola Pokorny ◽

Tomáš Matuška

Keyword(s):

Thermal Energy ◽

Simulation Study ◽

Water System ◽

Hot Water ◽

Electrical Performance ◽

Electricity Production ◽

Thermal System ◽

Conventional System ◽

Domestic Hot Water ◽

Photovoltaic Thermal System

Photovoltaic–thermal collector generates electrical and thermal energy simultaneously from the same area. In this paper performance analysis of a potentially very promising application of a glazed photovoltaic–thermal collector for domestic hot water preparation in multifamily building is presented. Solar system in multifamily building can be installed on the roof or integrated in the façade of the building. The aim of this simulation study is to show difference of thermal and electrical performance between façade and roof installation of a glazed photovoltaic-thermal collectors at three European locations. Subsequently, this study shows benefit of photovoltaic-thermal collector installation in comparison with side-by-side installation of conventional system. For the purpose of simulation study, mathematical model of glazed photovoltaic-thermal collector has been experimentally validated and implemented into TRNSYS. A solar domestic hot water system with photovoltaic–thermal collectors generates more electrical and thermal energy in comparison with a conventional system across the whole of Europe for a particular installation in a multifamily building. The specific thermal yield of the photovoltaic–thermal system ranges between 352 and 582 kWh/m2. The photovoltaic–thermal system electric yield ranges between 63 and 149 kWh/m2. The increase in electricity production by the photovoltaic–thermal system varies from 19% to 32% in comparison with a conventional side-by-side system. The increase in thermal yield differs between the façade and roof alternatives. Photovoltaic-thermal system installation on the roof has higher thermal yield than conventional system and the increase of thermal yield ranges from 37% to 53%. The increase in thermal yield of façade photovoltaic-thermal system is significantly higher in comparison with a conventional system and ranges from 71% to 81%.

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