Utilizing novel industrialized heat exchanger plate in air-based photovoltaic/thermal collectors to enhance thermal and electrical efficiency

Abstract

• The study introduces a novel air-based photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) system using a GRIPMetal (GM) heat exchanger as the absorber plate, designed for industrial application. • The GM heat exchanger, featuring spikes and cavities, significantly enhances the convective heat transfer coefficient and reduces the PV panel temperature by up to 28 °C. • The PVT system improves electrical efficiency by 164%, thermal efficiency by 16.1%, and overall efficiency by 50% compared to a flat plate PVT collector. • The optimal configuration is achieved with a low airflow rate, narrow air channel, and the largest GM spikes, maximizing energy efficiency and minimizing fan power consumption. This study aims to design a highly efficient and applicable air-based photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) collector that maximizes both electrical and thermal energy efficiencies. An innovative industrialization-ready configuration of the air-based PVT system is proposed, utilizing an industrialized heat exchanger (GRIPMetal or GM) as the absorber plate for the PVT air channel. The heat exchanger consists of spikes and cavities to enhance the heat transfer coefficient in the air channel. The proposed heat exchanger plate minimally affects the dimensions and weight of the PVT collector. A numerical model, validated against experimental results, is used to ensure the accuracy of the simulation. The study is followed by a parametric study that investigates the geometric effects of the heat exchanger and air channel, as well as the airflow rate, on the overall performance of the PVT system. It is observed that the utilization of GM plates significantly reduces the average PV panel temperature (with a maximum of 28 ℃ reduction) and enhances the convective heat transfer coefficient in the air channel, the electrical and thermal efficiencies by approximately 164%, 16.1%, and 50%, respectively, when compared to a flat plate PVT collector. The results demonstrate that the proposed PVT collector effectively compensates for the pressure drops and excess fan power consumption at low Reynolds numbers due to the GM heat exchanger, resulting in higher overall system efficiency. The optimal configuration for the proposed PVT system is achieved by employing a low airflow rate, a narrow air channel, and GM spikes of the largest size available.