Performance Evaluation of Air-Type PVT with Dual Channels and Semi-Circular Turbulence Promoters According to Air Mass Flow Rate

A photovoltaic thermal collector (PVT) is a system that regulates the temperature of photovoltaic (PV) module cells by means of a certain fluid flowing underneath them, thereby preventing their electricity efficiency from decreasing.Through this process, the fluid abducting heat from the PV module cells can also produce useful thermal energy.However, air-type PVTs have lower thermal efficiency than those of other types owing to the low thermal conductivity of air; hence, to improve their performance, various methods, such as attaching turbulence promoters or adding air channels, have been proposed.The system proposed in this study was evaluated by applying three different mass flow conditions, i.e., 0.0455, 0.0899, and 0.1189 kg/s, under actual weather conditions.Results showed that both the thermal and electrical efficiencies improved with increasing airflow rate.The highest average overall efficiency, i.e., 84.8% at an airflow rate of 0.1189 kg/s, was achieved by considering the thermal and electricity efficiencies.As the airflow rate increased, the average overall efficiency improved by 44.5%, from a minimum of 58.7% to a maximum of 84.8%.Overall, the PVT system with the turbulence promoter and dual-channel structure improves the thermal and electricity efficiencies as the airflow increases.