A novel porous channel to optimize the cooling performance of PV modules

Yingbo Zhang; Chao Shen; Chunxiao Zhang; Jihong Pu; Qianru Yang; Cheng Sun

Energy and Built Environment (Apr 2022)

A novel porous channel to optimize the cooling performance of PV modules

Yingbo Zhang,
Chao Shen,
Chunxiao Zhang,
Jihong Pu,
Qianru Yang,
Cheng Sun

Affiliations

Yingbo Zhang: School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, Key Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin 150090, China
Chao Shen: Corresponding author.; School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, Key Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin 150090, China
Chunxiao Zhang: School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, Key Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin 150090, China
Jihong Pu: School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, Key Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin 150090, China
Qianru Yang: School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, Key Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin 150090, China
Cheng Sun: School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, Key Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin 150090, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 3, no. 2
pp. 210 – 225

Abstract

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This paper dealt with a series of numerical investigations on a new porous cooling channel applied to PV/T systems in order to improve the insufficient heat transfer in the conventional channel. The proposed porous cooling channel based on field synergy theory had a higher overall heat transfer coefficient, which enhanced the total efficiency of the PV/T system. The numerical model was validated with experimental data. The results showed that holes distributed non-uniformly near the outlet of the cooling water led to a better cooling effect, and a hole diameter of 0.005 m led to an optimal performance. The total efficiency of the PV module with the new cooling channel was 4.17% higher than the conventional one at a solar irradiance of 1000 W/m2 and an inlet mass flow rate of 0.006 kg/s. In addition, as the solar irradiance increased from 300 to 1200 W/m2, the total efficiency of the new PV/T system dropped by 5.07%, which included reductions in both the electrical and thermal efficiency. The total efficiency was improved by 18.04% as the inlet mass flow rate of cooling water increased from 0.002 to 0.02 kg/s.

Published in Energy and Built Environment

ISSN: 2666-1233 (Online)
Publisher: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Country of publisher: China
LCC subjects: Technology: Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering; Technology: Building construction
Website: https://www.keaipublishing.com/en/journals/energy-and-built-environment/

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