Thermal Efficiency of the Photovoltaic Thermal System with Serpentine Tube Collector

Abstract:

Photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system is one of the renewable energy resources that produce electric and thermal energy simultaneously. One of the key parameters to ensure good performance of the PVT is the design of the collector absorber. In this study, a thermal model of the PVT was developed to predict the thermal efficiency of the system. Simulations were conducted on four configurations of the serpentine tube. Results showed that the best design could achieve 50% thermal efficiency at zero reduced temperature. Our findings indicate that the shape, gap, and diameter of the tubes of the absorber are crucial to the good performance of the PVT.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 699)
• Pages: 455-461
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.699.455
• Online since: November 2014
• Authors: Mohamad Afzanizam Bin Mohd Rosli, Suhaimi Misha, Kamaruzzaman Sopian, Sohif Mat, Mohd Yusof Sulaiman, Elias Salleh
• Keywords: Absorber, Energy Balance, Photovoltaic Thermal System, Serpentine, Thermal Efficiency

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