Enhanced Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow in a Channel Behind a Photovoltaic Panel in a Hybrid Photovoltaic/Thermal System

• Published in: Industrial & engineering chemistry research 2013-12, Vol.52 (51), p.18413-18420
• Main Authors: Yahya, Syed Mohd, Anwer, Syed Fahad, Sanghi, Sanjeev
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Channels; Fluid dynamics; Fluid flow; Heat transfer; Panels; Photovoltaic cells; Solar cells; Turbulent flow
• ISSN: 0888-5885; 1520-5045
• DOI: 10.1021/ie402460n

Thermal large eddy simulation (TLES) of air flow in a simple channel is being carried out to understand the insight physics and possibility of enhancing heat transfer in a photovoltaic/thermal system. A photovoltaic panel operating at higher temperature loses its efficiency; to alleviate this situation, a simple channel configuration at the rear of the panel is used to extract maximum heat and keep the electrical efficiency in permissible limits. Forced convection of air is being simulated with different complex internal geometries in a biperiodic channel using a low Mach number approach aiming at enhanced turbulence mixing. Detailed studies of the flow and thermal fields of the air are presented in order to explore the thermal behavior of the air in the channel. Comparison with an empty channel and a classical channel with fins and internal innovative structures are carried out for choosing a suitable configuration for better performance. It has been observed that artificial hindrances in the form of fins and DWVGs (delta-winglet vortex generators) inside the channel is one effective way of improving heat extraction from the channel.