Thermal Efficiencies of Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) with Bi-Fluid Cooling System

Solar radiation can be converted into thermal and electrical energy by using photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system. This system combines the functions of a flat plate solar collector and a PV panel. PV surface and cells play an important role in enhancing the efficiency of PVT systems; that is, the PV efficiency decreases with increasing solar radiation intensity. PVT systems use a small amount of solar radiation to produce electricity and a bulk amount to generate thermal energy that warms the surface of PV cells. A medium that can effectively absorb heat energy from PV collectors should be used to increase the efficiency of electrical energy to a satisfactory level. In this study, a PVT system was fabricated and its performance was evaluated. An experiment was conducted on the PVT with water flow at a mass flow rate from 0.01 kg/s to 0.03 kg/s and air flow rate at a mass flow rate from 0.04 kg/s to 0.10 kg/s. This study highlights the thermal energies efficiencies when bi-fluid (water and air) allowed to flow. The optimal flow rate had been chosen and highest thermal efficiencies for each mass flow rate had been listed in which had been 77.31% has been attained at air and water mass flow rate of 0.06 kg/s and 0.01 kg/s.