Pressure Drops Reduction and Performance Optimization Strategies of an Innovative Channel Box Photovoltaic Thermal System
Yassine El Alami, Elhadi Baghaz, Rachid Bendaoud, Rehena Nasrin
Abstract
An innovative channel box photovoltaic thermal system was proposed and investigated to overcome the limitations of sheet‐and‐tube‐type systems, including high‐pressure drops, nonuniform heat distribution, and low electrical and thermal efficiencies. The new configuration of the heat exchanger was analyzed, and the manifold height and channel number were varied to determine the optimum design. The effect of solar irradiance on system performance was also calculated. Simulations were conducted using COMSOL Multiphysics, a finite element method, and corroborated against numerical/experimental data from the literature. All systems studied exhibit lower pressure drops than conventional photovoltaic thermal sheet‐and‐tube systems, with the photovoltaic thermal system 5 standing out for its optimum performance, showing a pressure drop of 38.8 Pa and electrical, thermal, and overall efficiencies of 12.66%, 69.79%, and 82.46%, respectively. Furthermore, an increase in irradiance leads to a rise in cell temperature and fluid outlet temperature, as well as an increase in electrical and thermal power, while the electrical and thermal efficiencies of photovoltaic thermal system 5 decrease by 0.84% and 0.05%, respectively, for each 100 W/m 2 increase.