Sandwich Glazed Photovoltaic Thermal Collector. Performance Study

Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 SOLAR PV ELECTRICITY GENERATION

1.2 HYBRID PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER GENERATION

1.3 PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY

1.4 ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

1.5 SIZING, DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL

1.6 STORAGE SYSTEMS

1.7 APPLICATION OF PV/T SYSTEM

1.7.1 Solar Water Heater

1.7.2 Solar Space Heating/Cooling

1.7.3 Solar Drying

1.7.4 Solar Desalination

1.7.5 Building Integrated Systems

1.7.6 Solar Home Systems (SHS)

1.7.7 Pumps

1.7.8 Other Applications

1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THIS THESIS

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 INTRODUCTION

2.2 BACKGROUND ON PV/T SYSTEM

2.3 TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS IN THE 1990S

2.4 CLASSIFICATIONS OF PHOTOVOLTAIC THERMAL (PV/T) SYSTEM

2.4.1 Solar Photovoltaic Cell Material

2.4.2 Thermal Collector

2.4.3 Working Medium

2.4.4 Glazing

2.4.5 Thermal Absorber

2.5 THE MARKET POTENTIAL OF THE PV/T SYSTEM

2.6 FUTURE OF SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC

2.7 SUMMARY

2.8 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

3 MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM

3.2 COMPONENTS USED

3.2.1 50 Watt Polycrystalline Solar PV Module

3.2.2 Aluminium Sheet

3.2.3 Copper Tube

3.2.4 Surface Mounted K-type Thermocouple

3.2.5 Plywood

3.3 METHODOLOGY

3.3.1 Experimental Procedure

3.3.1.1 Comparative study on SPV and SGPV modules

3.3.1.2 Experimentation on SGPV/T system

3.3.2 Simulation Procedure

3.3.2.1 Transient thermal analysis procedure

3.3.2.2 MATLAB simulation procedure

3.4 INSTRUMENTS USED

3.4.1 Voltmeter

3.4.2 Ammeter

3.4.3 Rheostat

3.4.4 Solar Power Meter

3.4.5 Multi Point Temperature Indicator

3.5 UNCERTAINTY ANALYSIS

4 MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF SANDWICH GLAZED PHOTOVOLTAIC THERMAL SYSTEM

4.1 ELECTRICAL MODELLING

4.2 THERMAL MODELING

4.2.1 Heat Transfer From Sun to Top Glass

4.2.2 Heat Transfer from Top Glass to PV Cells

4.2.3 Heat Transfer from PV Cells to Bottom Glass

4.2.4 Heat Transfer from Bottom Glass to Copper Tube

4.2.5 Heat Transfer from Copper Tube to Absorber Sheet

4.2.6 Heat Transfer from Copper Tube to Water

4.2.7 Heat Transfer from Absorber Sheet to Insulation

4.3 FILM COEFFICIENTS

4.3.1 Film Coefficient for Convection

4.3.2 Thermal Resistance for Conduction

4.3.3 Film Coefficient for Radiation

4.4 QUANTIFICATION OF ENERGY PERFORMANCE

4.4.1 Photovoltaic Performance

4.4.2 Thermal Performance

4.4.3 Overall Performance

4.5 SYSTEM VALIDATION

4.6 SUMMARY

5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

5.1 RESULTS OF COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SPV AND SGPV MODULE

5.1.1 Experimental Results

5.1.1.1 Temperature distribution in SPV and SGPV module

5.1.1.2 Electrical efficiency of the SPV and SGPV module

5.1.2 Transient Thermal Analysis Results

5.2 RESULTS OF SGPV/T SYSTEM

5.2.1 Experimental Results

5.2.1.1 Temperature dissemination in PV modules

5.2.1.2 Impact of PV cells temperature on photovoltaic efficiency

5.2.1.3 Effect of material change in PV module

5.2.1.4 Comparison of energy efficiencies

5.2.2 Validation of MATLAB Simulation Results with Experimental Results

5.2.3 Cost Analysis

5.2.4 Energy Payback Time of the SGPV/T System

5.2.4.1 Annual savings from PV module (ASPV)

5.2.4.2 Annual savings from water collector (ASWC)

5.2.4.3 Payback time

5.2.5 Comparison of the Performance of SGPV/T System with Existing Models

6 CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORKS

6.1 CONCLUSION

6.2 SCOPE FOR FUTURE WORKS

Research Objectives and Themes

The primary research objective of this work is to improve the efficiency and performance of photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) systems by replacing conventional components in a standard photovoltaic (SPV) module with a novel Sandwich Glazed Photovoltaic (SGPV) module, thereby mitigating the overheating issues and enhancing thermal heat extraction.

• Design and fabrication of a novel SGPV module replacing Tedlar with glass.
• Comprehensive experimental comparison between standard PV modules and SGPV modules.
• Development of mathematical models and MATLAB simulations for SGPV/T systems.
• Economic evaluation including cost analysis and payback period calculations.
• Performance validation through experimental findings and thermal analysis.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter provides an overview of solar energy technologies, emphasizing the importance of hybrid PV/T systems for integrated power and heat generation.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW: This chapter examines previous research on PV/T system classifications, material advancements, and strategies for efficiency improvement.

3 MATERIALS AND METHODS: This chapter details the experimental setup, the specific components used in the construction of the SGPV/T system, and the simulation methodologies.

4 MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF SANDWICH GLAZED PHOTOVOLTAIC THERMAL SYSTEM: This chapter covers the electrical and thermal modeling of the proposed SGPV/T system, including heat transfer analysis and system validation.

5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: This chapter presents the experimental findings, simulation results, cost analysis, and a comparison with existing models.

6 CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORKS: This chapter summarizes the research findings and suggests areas for future investigations in the field of PV/T systems.

Keywords

Sandwich Glazed Photovoltaic (SGPV), Photovoltaic Thermal (PV/T) system, Solar Energy, Thermal Efficiency, Photovoltaic Efficiency, Heat Transfer, MATLAB Simulation, COP, Renewable Energy, Energy Payback Time, Thermal Conductivity, Tedlar, Glass, Copper Tube, Experimental Validation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this thesis?

This thesis focuses on analyzing and improving the performance of a Sandwich Glazed Photovoltaic Thermal (SGPV/T) system, specifically by replacing traditional Tedlar layers with glass to enhance heat transfer and overall system cooling.

What are the primary fields of study?

The key themes include renewable energy, thermal management in solar technologies, performance optimization of photovoltaic-thermal hybrids, and economic sustainability of these specific solar applications.

What is the main objective of the research?

The primary goal is to address the overheating issue of commercial solar modules, thereby improving electrical and thermal efficiency by designing a "sandwich" structure for better heat dissipation.

What methodology was employed?

The work utilizes both an experimental approach, testing physical modules to gather real-world data, and a theoretical approach, employing mathematical modeling and MATLAB simulations to validate findings.

What specific topics are covered in the main section?

The main part covers the electrical and thermal modeling of the module, detailed film coefficients, quantification methods for energy performance, and the experimental comparative analysis against standard modules.

Which key terms identify this work?

Key terms include SGPV/T, solar thermal collectors, heat transfer, photovoltaic efficiency, thermal efficiency, and payback period calculation.

How is the SGPV module different from a standard module?

The SGPV module replaces the conventional Tedlar sheet with tempered glass and rearranges the cells to increase the aperture space, which allows for direct solar radiation onto the copper tubes, improving thermal extraction.

What were the final conclusions regarding performance and costs?

The research concludes that the SGPV/T system achieves superior efficiency compared to conventional systems, with a significantly shorter payback time of approximately 2.06 years and lower overall investment costs.