Numerical and Experimental Validation of a PV/T Collector Model Based on an Equivalent Thermal-Electrical Network

This study presents a numerical and experimental investigation of a serpentinephotovoltaic/thermal collector using an equivalent thermal-electrical network model. Themodel represents the main conductive, convective, and radiative heat-transfermechanisms between the glass cover, PV layer, absorber, serpentine tube, working fluid,and insulation. To better reflect the real behavior of the serpentine PV/Tcollector, temperature variations along the surface are specifically considered for the PVglass and PV cell layers. A transient numerical model was implemented in MATLAB andvalidated using outdoor experimental data obtained in southern Algeria for a water massflow rate of 0.004 kg/s. The numerical predictions were compared with measured upperand lower PV glass temperatures and outlet fluid temperature using a percentage RMSerror criterion. The obtained RMS errors were 2.09%, 1.42%, and 1.24%, respectively. Aparametric analysis was also conducted to examine the influence of solar radiation,ambient temperature, and mass flow rate on the thermal and electrical performance of thecollector. The results indicate that the proposed network model can reproduce themeasured thermal behavior with acceptable accuracy under the tested conditions.However, further validation over different days, seasons, and flow rates is required togeneralize the model.