Enhancing Photovoltaic Thermal System Efficiency Using Micro-Channel Container and Nanoparticle Composited Phase Change Material: Effect of Dimensionless Water Flow

Abstract

The photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) hybrid system has attracted significant interest from researchers in the solar field. These systems efficiently harness solar radiation, converting it into a usable source of energy and making use of any excess heat generated in the panel. In this study, PCM is utilized as a medium for combining with nanoparticles. Nanoparticle composited phase change materials (nc-PCMs) are created by mixing lauric acid (LA) with magnesium oxide (MgO) and containing them in a micro-channel container to enhance their thermal conductivity. The testing conducted on the water at various dimensionless Reynolds number (Re) of 1100, 2200, 3300, 4400, and 5500. Research studies have discovered that the presence of a water inlet reduces the temperature of the PV module, resulting in an enhancement of the overall efficiency. According to the results, it has been concluded that the best Re for a water system is Re = 5500. The enhanced photovoltaic (PV) modules boosted the electrical efficiency by 16.01% compared to the reference module, leading to an overall efficiency of 54.91%.

Keywords

• pvt system
• nanoparticles
• pv cooling
• thermal management
• micro-channel