Research Article
Numerical Modelling and Analysis of Photovoltaic-Thermal Liquid Collector Using OpenFOAM
Ashutosh Dev*,
Bikram Singh Bhattarai
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 4, August 2023
Pages:
77-83
Received:
26 August 2023
Accepted:
13 September 2023
Published:
28 December 2023
Abstract: This paper presents a comprehensive study on the performance of a solar photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) system with a single water pipe as the working fluid. The investigation focuses on mathematical modeling using the OpenFOAMv9 software package and visualization through Paraview. The primary objective is to evaluate the thermal and electrical efficiency of the PVT collector while analyzing its transient response. In this research, steady-state and transient analyses of the solar PVT system are conducted under various water mass flow rates and solar radiation levels, employing the chtMultiRegionFoam solver. The study includes the variation of water outlet temperature concerning mass flow rates for solar radiations at 700 W/m² and 1000 W/m². Simulation results closely align with analytically calculated thermal efficiencies by Chow T., demonstrating the validity of the approach. Thermal efficiency remains consistent between the two radiation levels. The analysis reveals that the electrical efficiency is superior at 700 W/m² due to reduced heating and lower silicon cell temperatures. Moreover, both thermal and electrical efficiencies exhibit an increasing trend with higher water mass flow rates. The study also presents the transient response of the PVT system when reducing the mass flow rate from 0.002 kg/s to 0.001 kg/s. The successful simulation of this PVT system classifies the employed CFD package as capable and effective. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of PVT system performance and offers insights into enhancing its efficiency under various operational conditions. The findings hold significance for the design and optimization of solar PVT systems to harness both thermal and electrical energy effectively. Additionally, the research highlights the utilization of the OpenFOAM platform for simulating this specific case.
Abstract: This paper presents a comprehensive study on the performance of a solar photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) system with a single water pipe as the working fluid. The investigation focuses on mathematical modeling using the OpenFOAMv9 software package and visualization through Paraview. The primary objective is to evaluate the thermal and electrical efficien...
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