The Experts below are selected from a list of 255 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform

Gary Rosengarten - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • trnsys modeling of a linear fresnel Concentrating Collector for solar cooling and hot water applications
    Journal of Solar Energy Engineering-transactions of The Asme, 2015
    Co-Authors: Tanzeen Sultana, Robert A. Taylor, G L Morrison, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    In this paper, simulation of a linear Fresnel rooftop mounted Concentrating solar Collector is presented. The system is modeled with the transient system (trnsys) simulation program using the typical meteorological year file containing the weather parameters of four different cities in Australia. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to determine the heat transfer mechanism in the microConcentrating (MCT) Collector. Ray trace simulations using soltrace (NREL) were used to determine optical efficiency. Heat loss characteristics determined from CFD simulation were utilized in trnsys to assess the annual performance of the solar cooling system using an MCT Collector. The effect of the different loads on the system performance was investigated, and from trnsys simulations, we found that the MCT Collector achieves a minimum 60% energy saving for both domestic hot water usage and high temperature solar cooling and hot water applications.

  • Numerical and experimental study of a solar micro Concentrating Collector
    Solar Energy, 2015
    Co-Authors: Tanzeen Sultana, Graham Morrison, Robert A. Taylor, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    Natural convection in fluid-filled enclosures driven solely by a temperature difference represents an important phenomenon due to its numerous engineering applications. Applications span diverse fields such as passive solar heating, solar Collectors and the energy efficient design of buildings. In this paper, we study convection inside a rooftop Concentrating Collector designed to operate at temperatures up to 200 °C. The absorber is contained in a sealed enclosure to minimise convective losses. The main heat losses are due to natural convection inside the enclosure and radiation heat transfer from the absorber tube. A numerical and experimental analysis of the combined laminar natural convection and surface radiation heat transfer inside the Collector receiver cavity are presented. A computational fluid dynamics model for the prototype Collector has been developed using ANSYS-CFX. Radiation and convection heat loss has been investigated as a function of absorber temperatures, ranging from 70 °C to 200 °C. Measurements of overall heat loss and particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) were used to experimentally determine the heat and mass transport within the enclosure. Excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement between the CFD and experiments were achieved.

  • beam splitting system for the development of a Concentrating linear fresnel solar hybrid pv t Collector
    International Conference on Fuel Cell Science Engineering and Technology FUELCELL Collocated with ASME International Conference on Energy Sustainabili, 2013
    Co-Authors: Felipe Crisostomo, Robert A. Taylor, Ahmad Mojiri, Evatt R Hawkes, Desiree Surjadi, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    Investigations are underway around the world to make solar energy more competitive in the energy market [1–3]. One approach is to develop solar hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) technologies which allow for maximal utilization of incident sunlight by integrating a PV cell and a thermal receiver in the same Collector [4,5]. In this study, we will present a new PV/T design based on a compact linear Fresnel concentrator (LFC) coupled with a spectral beam-splitter. The beam-splitting approach avoids the efficiency drop in the PV cell while still obtaining high temperature thermal output. The design is analyzed numerically with respect to a worth factor which considers the intrinsically higher economic value of electrical energy at ∼3 times thermal energy. In order to predict optical performance, the geometry of this hybrid Concentrating Collector, which achieves 10–15 suns concentration, is modeled at various incident angles using the ray tracing software Zemax. Three different PV cells are considered (Si, GaAs and GaInP/GaAs). The reported spectral response of these cells is used to determine the optimal wavelength split for the fraction of the solar spectrum directed to the various PV cells. The results indicate that such designs can achieve 20–51% greater value of the power outputs — PV electrical power plus heat produced — relative to a stand-alone PV system.© 2013 ASME

  • Computational and experimental investigation of internal natural convection in a solar micro-Concentrating Collector
    2013
    Co-Authors: Tanzeen Sultana, Graham Morrison, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    In solar thermal systems, heat loss can significantly reduce the efficiency and consequently the cost effectiveness. It is therefore vital to fully understand the nature of the heat loss mechanisms. This paper describes the thermal performance of a new low-cost solar thermal micro-Concentrating Collector (MCT), which uses linear Fresnel reflectors, and is designed to operate at temperatures up to 200°C. The modules of this Collector system are approximately 3.2 meters long by 1.2 meter wide and 0.3 meters high. The numerical and experimental study of combined laminar natural convection and surface radiation heat transfer in the cavity receiver of the MCT is presented. This paper describes the numerical and experimental investigation of the Collector heat losses at inclinations varying from 0 to 40°, and absorber temperatures ranging from 70°C to 200°C. In addition to measurements of overall heat loss, particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) was used to visualize the flow field within the enclosure. Excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement of the flow field is achieved between the experiment and that predicted by the computational model. A three-dimensional simulation model for combined natural convection and surface radiation is also developed.

  • beam splitting system for the development of a Concentrating linear fresnel solar hybrid pv t Collector
    ASME 2013 Heat Transfer Summer Conference (HT2013), 2013
    Co-Authors: Felipe Crisostomo, Robert A. Taylor, Ahmad Mojiri, Evatt R Hawkes, Desiree Surjadi, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    Investigations are underway around the world to make solar energy more competitive in the energy market [1-3]. One approach is to develop solar hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) technologies which allow for maximal utilization of incident sunlight by integrating a PV cell and a thermal receiver in the same Collector [4,5]. In this study, we will present a new PV/T design based on a compact linear Fresnel concentrator (LFC) coupled with a spectral beam-splitter. The beam-splitting approach avoids the efficiency drop in the PV cell while still obtaining high temperature thermal output. The design is analyzed numerically with respect to a worth factor which considers the intrinsically higher economic value of electrical energy at ~3 times thermal energy. In order to predict optical performance, the geometry of this hybrid Concentrating Collector, which achieves 10-15 suns concentration, is modeled at various incident angles using the ray tracing software Zemax. Three different PV cells are considered (Si, GaAs and GaInP/GaAs). The reported spectral response of these cells is used to determine the optimal wavelength split for the fraction of the solar spectrum directed to the various PV cells. The results indicate that such designs can achieve 20-51% greater value of the power outputs - PV electrical power plus heat produced - relative to a stand-alone PV system.

Tanzeen Sultana - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • trnsys modeling of a linear fresnel Concentrating Collector for solar cooling and hot water applications
    Journal of Solar Energy Engineering-transactions of The Asme, 2015
    Co-Authors: Tanzeen Sultana, Robert A. Taylor, G L Morrison, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    In this paper, simulation of a linear Fresnel rooftop mounted Concentrating solar Collector is presented. The system is modeled with the transient system (trnsys) simulation program using the typical meteorological year file containing the weather parameters of four different cities in Australia. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to determine the heat transfer mechanism in the microConcentrating (MCT) Collector. Ray trace simulations using soltrace (NREL) were used to determine optical efficiency. Heat loss characteristics determined from CFD simulation were utilized in trnsys to assess the annual performance of the solar cooling system using an MCT Collector. The effect of the different loads on the system performance was investigated, and from trnsys simulations, we found that the MCT Collector achieves a minimum 60% energy saving for both domestic hot water usage and high temperature solar cooling and hot water applications.

  • Numerical and experimental study of a solar micro Concentrating Collector
    Solar Energy, 2015
    Co-Authors: Tanzeen Sultana, Graham Morrison, Robert A. Taylor, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    Natural convection in fluid-filled enclosures driven solely by a temperature difference represents an important phenomenon due to its numerous engineering applications. Applications span diverse fields such as passive solar heating, solar Collectors and the energy efficient design of buildings. In this paper, we study convection inside a rooftop Concentrating Collector designed to operate at temperatures up to 200 °C. The absorber is contained in a sealed enclosure to minimise convective losses. The main heat losses are due to natural convection inside the enclosure and radiation heat transfer from the absorber tube. A numerical and experimental analysis of the combined laminar natural convection and surface radiation heat transfer inside the Collector receiver cavity are presented. A computational fluid dynamics model for the prototype Collector has been developed using ANSYS-CFX. Radiation and convection heat loss has been investigated as a function of absorber temperatures, ranging from 70 °C to 200 °C. Measurements of overall heat loss and particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) were used to experimentally determine the heat and mass transport within the enclosure. Excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement between the CFD and experiments were achieved.

  • Computational and experimental investigation of internal natural convection in a solar micro-Concentrating Collector
    2013
    Co-Authors: Tanzeen Sultana, Graham Morrison, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    In solar thermal systems, heat loss can significantly reduce the efficiency and consequently the cost effectiveness. It is therefore vital to fully understand the nature of the heat loss mechanisms. This paper describes the thermal performance of a new low-cost solar thermal micro-Concentrating Collector (MCT), which uses linear Fresnel reflectors, and is designed to operate at temperatures up to 200°C. The modules of this Collector system are approximately 3.2 meters long by 1.2 meter wide and 0.3 meters high. The numerical and experimental study of combined laminar natural convection and surface radiation heat transfer in the cavity receiver of the MCT is presented. This paper describes the numerical and experimental investigation of the Collector heat losses at inclinations varying from 0 to 40°, and absorber temperatures ranging from 70°C to 200°C. In addition to measurements of overall heat loss, particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) was used to visualize the flow field within the enclosure. Excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement of the flow field is achieved between the experiment and that predicted by the computational model. A three-dimensional simulation model for combined natural convection and surface radiation is also developed.

  • thermal performance of a novel rooftop solar micro Concentrating Collector
    Solar Energy, 2012
    Co-Authors: Tanzeen Sultana, G L Morrison, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    Abstract Concentrating solar thermal systems offer a promising method for large scale solar energy collection. Although Concentrating Collectors are generally thought of as large-scale stand-alone systems, there is a huge opportunity to use novel Concentrating solar thermal systems for rooftop applications such as domestic hot water, industrial process heat and solar air conditioning for commercial, industrial and institutional buildings. This paper describes the thermal performance of a new low-cost solar thermal micro-Concentrating Collector (MCT), which uses linear Fresnel reflectors, and is designed to operate at temperatures up to 220 °C. The modules of this Collector system are approximately 3 m long by 1 m wide and 0.3 m high. The objective of the study is to optimise the design to maximise the overall thermal efficiency. The absorber is contained in a sealed enclosure to minimise convective losses. The main heat losses are due to natural convection inside the enclosure and radiation heat transfer from the absorber tube. In this paper we present the results of a computational and experimental investigation of radiation and convection heat transfer in order to understand the heat loss mechanisms. A computational model for the prototype Collector has been developed using ANSYS–CFX, a commercial computational fluid dynamics software package. The numerical results are compared to experimental measurements of the heat loss from the absorber, and flow visualisation within the cavity. This paper also presents new correlations for the Nusselt number as a function of Rayleigh number.

  • A Numerical and Experimental Study of a Novel Roof Integrated Solar Micro-Concentrating Collector
    2011
    Co-Authors: Tanzeen Sultana, Graham Morrison, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    A novel new design of a roof-integrated solar Concentrating Collector is presented. It provides a thermal system for rooftop applications such as domestic hot water, industrial process heat and solar air conditioning for commercial, industrial and institutional buildings. This paper describes the thermal performance of a new low-cost solar thermal micro-Concentrating Collector (MCT), which uses linear Fresnel reflectors, a nd is designed to operate at temperatures up to 220°C. The modules of this Collector system are approximately 3 meters long by 1 meter wide and 0.3 meters high. The objective of the study is to optimize the design to maximise the overall thermal efficiency. The absorber is contained in a sealed enclosure to minimise convective losses. The main heat losses are due to natural convection inside the enclosure and radiation heat transfer from the absorber tube. In this paper we present the results of a computational investigation of radiation and convection heat transfer in order to understand the heat loss mechanisms. A computational model for the prototype Collector has been developed using ANSYS-CFX, a commercial computational fluid dynamics software package. The numerical results are compared to experimental measurements of the heat loss from the absorber, and flow visualization within the cavity. The efficiency of the Collector is established on the basis of ray tracing and heat loss analysis.

G L Morrison - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • a systematic parametric study and feasibility assessment of solar assisted single effect double effect and triple effect absorption chillers for heating and cooling applications
    Energy Conversion and Management, 2016
    Co-Authors: Ali Shirazi, Robert A. Taylor, Stephen White, G L Morrison
    Abstract:

    Abstract The present work investigates the feasibility of solar heating and cooling (SHC) absorption systems based on combining three types of LiBr–H 2 O absorption chillers (single-, double-, and triple-effect) with common solar thermal Collectors available on the market. A single-effect chiller is coupled with evacuated tube Collectors (ETCs) – SHC1. A double-effect chiller is integrated with parabolic trough Collectors (PTCs), linear Fresnel micro-Concentrating Collectors (MCTs) and evacuated flat plate Collectors (EFPCs) respectively – SHC2, SHC3, and SHC4. PTCs are employed to provide high-temperature heat to a triple-effect absorption chiller (SHC5). Although triple-effect chillers have been around for a while, this paper represents the first system-level analysis of these chillers coupled with high-temperature solar Concentrating Collectors for air-conditioning applications. A simulation model for each configuration is developed in a transient system simulation environment (TRNSYS 17). Furthermore, a unique, comprehensive perspective is given by investigating the impact of characteristic solar beam radiation to global radiation ratios on the techno-economic performance of the proposed SHC plants for a wide variety of climatic regions worldwide. The results of parametric study suggest that a storage volume of around 70 L/m 2 is a good choice for SHC1, while 40–50 L/m 2 storage capacity is sufficient for the other configurations (SHC2 to SHC5). The simulation results reveal that when the fraction of direct normal irradiance (DNI) is less than 50%, SHC2, SHC3, and SHC5 require larger Collector area compared to SHC1, showing there is no advantage in using Concentrating Collector powered multi-effect chillers over solar single-effect chillers in climates with low DNI level. However, in climates with DNI fractions above 60%, the smallest solar field is achieved by SHC5, followed by SHC2. SHC4, which benefits from both relatively high COP of double-effect chiller and the diffuse component in the solar field, results in the most reasonable trade-off between energetic and economic performance of the system in a wide range of climatic conditions.

  • trnsys modeling of a linear fresnel Concentrating Collector for solar cooling and hot water applications
    Journal of Solar Energy Engineering-transactions of The Asme, 2015
    Co-Authors: Tanzeen Sultana, Robert A. Taylor, G L Morrison, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    In this paper, simulation of a linear Fresnel rooftop mounted Concentrating solar Collector is presented. The system is modeled with the transient system (trnsys) simulation program using the typical meteorological year file containing the weather parameters of four different cities in Australia. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to determine the heat transfer mechanism in the microConcentrating (MCT) Collector. Ray trace simulations using soltrace (NREL) were used to determine optical efficiency. Heat loss characteristics determined from CFD simulation were utilized in trnsys to assess the annual performance of the solar cooling system using an MCT Collector. The effect of the different loads on the system performance was investigated, and from trnsys simulations, we found that the MCT Collector achieves a minimum 60% energy saving for both domestic hot water usage and high temperature solar cooling and hot water applications.

  • thermal performance of a novel rooftop solar micro Concentrating Collector
    Solar Energy, 2012
    Co-Authors: Tanzeen Sultana, G L Morrison, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    Abstract Concentrating solar thermal systems offer a promising method for large scale solar energy collection. Although Concentrating Collectors are generally thought of as large-scale stand-alone systems, there is a huge opportunity to use novel Concentrating solar thermal systems for rooftop applications such as domestic hot water, industrial process heat and solar air conditioning for commercial, industrial and institutional buildings. This paper describes the thermal performance of a new low-cost solar thermal micro-Concentrating Collector (MCT), which uses linear Fresnel reflectors, and is designed to operate at temperatures up to 220 °C. The modules of this Collector system are approximately 3 m long by 1 m wide and 0.3 m high. The objective of the study is to optimise the design to maximise the overall thermal efficiency. The absorber is contained in a sealed enclosure to minimise convective losses. The main heat losses are due to natural convection inside the enclosure and radiation heat transfer from the absorber tube. In this paper we present the results of a computational and experimental investigation of radiation and convection heat transfer in order to understand the heat loss mechanisms. A computational model for the prototype Collector has been developed using ANSYS–CFX, a commercial computational fluid dynamics software package. The numerical results are compared to experimental measurements of the heat loss from the absorber, and flow visualisation within the cavity. This paper also presents new correlations for the Nusselt number as a function of Rayleigh number.

Robert A. Taylor - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • a systematic parametric study and feasibility assessment of solar assisted single effect double effect and triple effect absorption chillers for heating and cooling applications
    Energy Conversion and Management, 2016
    Co-Authors: Ali Shirazi, Robert A. Taylor, Stephen White, G L Morrison
    Abstract:

    Abstract The present work investigates the feasibility of solar heating and cooling (SHC) absorption systems based on combining three types of LiBr–H 2 O absorption chillers (single-, double-, and triple-effect) with common solar thermal Collectors available on the market. A single-effect chiller is coupled with evacuated tube Collectors (ETCs) – SHC1. A double-effect chiller is integrated with parabolic trough Collectors (PTCs), linear Fresnel micro-Concentrating Collectors (MCTs) and evacuated flat plate Collectors (EFPCs) respectively – SHC2, SHC3, and SHC4. PTCs are employed to provide high-temperature heat to a triple-effect absorption chiller (SHC5). Although triple-effect chillers have been around for a while, this paper represents the first system-level analysis of these chillers coupled with high-temperature solar Concentrating Collectors for air-conditioning applications. A simulation model for each configuration is developed in a transient system simulation environment (TRNSYS 17). Furthermore, a unique, comprehensive perspective is given by investigating the impact of characteristic solar beam radiation to global radiation ratios on the techno-economic performance of the proposed SHC plants for a wide variety of climatic regions worldwide. The results of parametric study suggest that a storage volume of around 70 L/m 2 is a good choice for SHC1, while 40–50 L/m 2 storage capacity is sufficient for the other configurations (SHC2 to SHC5). The simulation results reveal that when the fraction of direct normal irradiance (DNI) is less than 50%, SHC2, SHC3, and SHC5 require larger Collector area compared to SHC1, showing there is no advantage in using Concentrating Collector powered multi-effect chillers over solar single-effect chillers in climates with low DNI level. However, in climates with DNI fractions above 60%, the smallest solar field is achieved by SHC5, followed by SHC2. SHC4, which benefits from both relatively high COP of double-effect chiller and the diffuse component in the solar field, results in the most reasonable trade-off between energetic and economic performance of the system in a wide range of climatic conditions.

  • trnsys modeling of a linear fresnel Concentrating Collector for solar cooling and hot water applications
    Journal of Solar Energy Engineering-transactions of The Asme, 2015
    Co-Authors: Tanzeen Sultana, Robert A. Taylor, G L Morrison, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    In this paper, simulation of a linear Fresnel rooftop mounted Concentrating solar Collector is presented. The system is modeled with the transient system (trnsys) simulation program using the typical meteorological year file containing the weather parameters of four different cities in Australia. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to determine the heat transfer mechanism in the microConcentrating (MCT) Collector. Ray trace simulations using soltrace (NREL) were used to determine optical efficiency. Heat loss characteristics determined from CFD simulation were utilized in trnsys to assess the annual performance of the solar cooling system using an MCT Collector. The effect of the different loads on the system performance was investigated, and from trnsys simulations, we found that the MCT Collector achieves a minimum 60% energy saving for both domestic hot water usage and high temperature solar cooling and hot water applications.

  • Numerical and experimental study of a solar micro Concentrating Collector
    Solar Energy, 2015
    Co-Authors: Tanzeen Sultana, Graham Morrison, Robert A. Taylor, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    Natural convection in fluid-filled enclosures driven solely by a temperature difference represents an important phenomenon due to its numerous engineering applications. Applications span diverse fields such as passive solar heating, solar Collectors and the energy efficient design of buildings. In this paper, we study convection inside a rooftop Concentrating Collector designed to operate at temperatures up to 200 °C. The absorber is contained in a sealed enclosure to minimise convective losses. The main heat losses are due to natural convection inside the enclosure and radiation heat transfer from the absorber tube. A numerical and experimental analysis of the combined laminar natural convection and surface radiation heat transfer inside the Collector receiver cavity are presented. A computational fluid dynamics model for the prototype Collector has been developed using ANSYS-CFX. Radiation and convection heat loss has been investigated as a function of absorber temperatures, ranging from 70 °C to 200 °C. Measurements of overall heat loss and particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) were used to experimentally determine the heat and mass transport within the enclosure. Excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement between the CFD and experiments were achieved.

  • beam splitting system for the development of a Concentrating linear fresnel solar hybrid pv t Collector
    International Conference on Fuel Cell Science Engineering and Technology FUELCELL Collocated with ASME International Conference on Energy Sustainabili, 2013
    Co-Authors: Felipe Crisostomo, Robert A. Taylor, Ahmad Mojiri, Evatt R Hawkes, Desiree Surjadi, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    Investigations are underway around the world to make solar energy more competitive in the energy market [1–3]. One approach is to develop solar hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) technologies which allow for maximal utilization of incident sunlight by integrating a PV cell and a thermal receiver in the same Collector [4,5]. In this study, we will present a new PV/T design based on a compact linear Fresnel concentrator (LFC) coupled with a spectral beam-splitter. The beam-splitting approach avoids the efficiency drop in the PV cell while still obtaining high temperature thermal output. The design is analyzed numerically with respect to a worth factor which considers the intrinsically higher economic value of electrical energy at ∼3 times thermal energy. In order to predict optical performance, the geometry of this hybrid Concentrating Collector, which achieves 10–15 suns concentration, is modeled at various incident angles using the ray tracing software Zemax. Three different PV cells are considered (Si, GaAs and GaInP/GaAs). The reported spectral response of these cells is used to determine the optimal wavelength split for the fraction of the solar spectrum directed to the various PV cells. The results indicate that such designs can achieve 20–51% greater value of the power outputs — PV electrical power plus heat produced — relative to a stand-alone PV system.© 2013 ASME

  • beam splitting system for the development of a Concentrating linear fresnel solar hybrid pv t Collector
    ASME 2013 Heat Transfer Summer Conference (HT2013), 2013
    Co-Authors: Felipe Crisostomo, Robert A. Taylor, Ahmad Mojiri, Evatt R Hawkes, Desiree Surjadi, Gary Rosengarten
    Abstract:

    Investigations are underway around the world to make solar energy more competitive in the energy market [1-3]. One approach is to develop solar hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) technologies which allow for maximal utilization of incident sunlight by integrating a PV cell and a thermal receiver in the same Collector [4,5]. In this study, we will present a new PV/T design based on a compact linear Fresnel concentrator (LFC) coupled with a spectral beam-splitter. The beam-splitting approach avoids the efficiency drop in the PV cell while still obtaining high temperature thermal output. The design is analyzed numerically with respect to a worth factor which considers the intrinsically higher economic value of electrical energy at ~3 times thermal energy. In order to predict optical performance, the geometry of this hybrid Concentrating Collector, which achieves 10-15 suns concentration, is modeled at various incident angles using the ray tracing software Zemax. Three different PV cells are considered (Si, GaAs and GaInP/GaAs). The reported spectral response of these cells is used to determine the optimal wavelength split for the fraction of the solar spectrum directed to the various PV cells. The results indicate that such designs can achieve 20-51% greater value of the power outputs - PV electrical power plus heat produced - relative to a stand-alone PV system.

Wafa Ben Youssef - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Simulation and performance analysis of Concentrating photovoltaic/thermal Collector (CPV/T) with three-sided thermal insulation based on coupled optothermal model
    Solar Energy, 2019
    Co-Authors: Taher Maatallah, Wafa Ben Youssef
    Abstract:

    Abstract The present paper is focused on drawing a high performance modeling and computation of a low Concentrating Collector combined into a Photovoltaic/Thermal system. A 3-D computational model based on 3D-4Rays technique and volume finite method is developed. The Collector consists of a trough parabolic concentrator of a 20× concentration rate and two axis tracking system. The absorber is composed of a square duct in which Triple-junction PV cells are connected in series into its lower surface and a three-sided insulated multi-layer water channel, which acts as a cooling system introducing heat recovery capability. A steady pressure-driven laminar flow of a Newtonian fluid is assumed with constant properties inside water microchannel. This coupled model is initially used to simulate and analyze the temperature distributions within the PV cells, and then the thermal and electrical behavior of the proposed system. The results of the coupled model are compared with the analytical model in terms of thermal and electrical performances, such as PV cell temperature, electrical efficiency, and outlet water temperature. In addition, the impact of non-uniform illumination on the PV solar cells is also investigated. The results of the analysis indicated that a discontinuity of the thermal conductivity along the absorber tube duct, post shading and non-uniformities of PV cells temperature distributions causes a reduction in thermal efficiency of slightly more than 6% while significantly effecting the overall electrical performance.

  • simulation and performance analysis of Concentrating photovoltaic thermal Collector cpv t with three sided thermal insulation based on coupled optothermal model
    Solar Energy, 2019
    Co-Authors: Taher Maatallah, Wafa Ben Youssef
    Abstract:

    Abstract The present paper is focused on drawing a high performance modeling and computation of a low Concentrating Collector combined into a Photovoltaic/Thermal system. A 3-D computational model based on 3D-4Rays technique and volume finite method is developed. The Collector consists of a trough parabolic concentrator of a 20× concentration rate and two axis tracking system. The absorber is composed of a square duct in which Triple-junction PV cells are connected in series into its lower surface and a three-sided insulated multi-layer water channel, which acts as a cooling system introducing heat recovery capability. A steady pressure-driven laminar flow of a Newtonian fluid is assumed with constant properties inside water microchannel. This coupled model is initially used to simulate and analyze the temperature distributions within the PV cells, and then the thermal and electrical behavior of the proposed system. The results of the coupled model are compared with the analytical model in terms of thermal and electrical performances, such as PV cell temperature, electrical efficiency, and outlet water temperature. In addition, the impact of non-uniform illumination on the PV solar cells is also investigated. The results of the analysis indicated that a discontinuity of the thermal conductivity along the absorber tube duct, post shading and non-uniformities of PV cells temperature distributions causes a reduction in thermal efficiency of slightly more than 6% while significantly effecting the overall electrical performance.