DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69717/jaest.v5.i1.110Keywords:
Renewable energy, Solar energy, Hybrid Photovoltaic-Thermal solar collectors, PV panel, Hybrid nanofluid, CFD simulation, Heat and mass transferAbstract
The optimization of energy consumption is closely tied to enhancing the power output of photovoltaic panels. This study offers a numerical investigation of the utilization of hybrid nanofluids (Ag-Al2O3-water) as a cooling fluid in a hybrid photovoltaic thermal (PV/Th) collector, aiming to improve electrical performance by lowering the PV cells operating temperature. The hybrid PV/Th collector comprises a photovoltaic panel (PV) coupled with a thermal collector, including a heat sink equipped with rectangular ribs positioned at the bottom of the PV module. This research explores the impact of critical configuration parameters, such as inlet velocities of working fluid and nanoparticle volume fractions, on the Nu number, PV cell temperature, and both thermal and electrical efficiencies within steady-state operating conditions. The 3D numerical simulation to analyze the overall performance of a hybrid PV/Th collector was conducted using ANSYS Fluent software version 17.1. The numerical findings demonstrate that increasing the nanoparticle volume fraction elevates the cooling fluid's thermal conductivity, consequently enhancing the heat transfer by conduction. Furthermore, higher coolant velocities enhance heat transfer by convection, resulting in a more effective heat transfer rate within the PV/Th system. This, in turn, reduces the operating temperature and significantly enhances the hybrid PV/Th system's overall performance.
Highlights
- Hybrid nanofluid cooling reduces PV cell temp and boosts overall system efficiency.
- Higher Re numbers and nanoparticle loads enhance thermal and electrical performance.
- ANSYS CFD showed max total efficiency of 44.7% at Re = 800, Φ = 0.06.
- Ag-Al2O3 nanofluid outperformed water alone in PV/Th heat transfer.
- PV cell temp dropped from 60.1°C to 40.6°C using nanofluid at high flow rate.
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References
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