• Energy Research

Photovoltaic (PV) panels and thermal collectors are commonly known as mature technologies to capture solar energy. The efficiency of PV cells decreases as operating cell temperature increases. Photovoltaic Thermal Collectors (PVT) offer a way to mitigate this performance reduction by coupling solar cells with a thermal absorber that can actively remove the excess heat from the solar cells to the Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF). In order for PVT collectors to effectively counter the negative effects of increased operating cell temperature, it is fundamental to have an adequate heat transfer from the cells to the HTF. This paper analyzes the operating temperature of the cells in a low concentrating PVT solar collector, by means of both experimental and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation results on the Solarus asymmetric Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) PowerCollector (PC). The PC solar collector features a Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) reflector geometry called the Maximum Reflector Concentration (MaReCo) geometry. This collector is suited for applications such as Domestic Hot Water (DHW). An experimental setup was installed in the outdoor testing laboratory at Gävle University (Sweden) with the ability to measure ambient, cell and HTF temperature, flow rate and solar radiation. The experimental results were validated by means of an in-house developed CFD model. Based on the validated model, the effect of collector tilt angle, HTF, insulation (on the back side of the reflector), receiver material and front glass on the collector performance were considered. The impact of tilt angle is more pronounced on the thermal production than the electrical one. Furthermore, the HTF recirculation with an average temperature of 35.1 °C and 2.2 L/min flow rate showed that the electrical yield can increase by 25%. On the other hand, by using insulation, the thermal yield increases up to 3% when working at a temperature of 23 °C above ambient.

The alarming new global warming and increasing awareness related to climate change (mainly due to the high emissions of carbon dioxide) in recent decades linked all nations into a common cause, which requires ambitious efforts to combat climate change by adapting energy systems to its effects. The knowledge gain presented in this dissertation establishes the foundations for the development of a more efficient concentrating photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) solar collector. The presented work provides decision-makers with a broader, more detailed performance assessment of concentrating PVT solar collectors. A critical issue for concentrating PVT solar collectors lies in the respective reflector shape, which will determine, to some extent, the overall performance of the CPVT collector. Therefore, several symmetrical reflector design concepts were designed and optimized through Monte Carlo ray-tracing software. With the support of a MATLAB script, a simulation test methodology has been developed and optimized, allowing a more thorough analysis of the results regarding the viability of the different reflector shapes, which established the compound parabolic collector (CPC) to be the most appropriate reflector geometry for PVT solar collectors. Moreover, CPC-PVT solar collectors (based on the findings described above) were designed, built and outdoor tested (under steady-state method guidelines) for their thermal and electrical peak efficiencies, heat losses and incidence angle modifier (IAM) coefficients. The developments achieved in this dissertation significantly enhanced the annual performance of CPC-CPVT solar collectors, which closes the efficiency/performance gap between mature technologies such as PV modules or ST collectors. Moreover, I would like to express my gratitude to the funding authorities that supported this project with funding, such as 1. Department of Building Engineering, Energy Systems and Sustainability Science of the University of Gävle. Papers I, II, III, IV and RES4BUILD project. 2. European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 814865. Paper II, IV and RES4BUILD project. Note: The output reflects only the author's view and the European Union cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. 3. Eureka Eurostars, under project number E10625. Paper II. 4. Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education, under grant number ME 2018-7559. Paper III.

Abstract One way to reduce solar collectors’ production costs is to use concentrators that increase the output per photovoltaic cell. Concentrating collectors re-direct solar radiation that passes through an aperture into an absorber/receiver. Symmetrical truncated non-tracking C-PVT trough collectors based on a parabola and compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) geometries have been developed. The collector type has a central vertical bifacial (fin) receiver and it was optimized for lower latitudes. In this paper, the electrical and thermal performance of symmetric truncated non-tracking low concentrator PVT solar collectors with vertical bifacial receivers is analysed, through a numerical ray-tracing model software and a multi-paradigm numerical computing environment. A thermal (quasi-dynamic testing method for liquid heating collectors described in the international standard for solar thermal collectors ISO 9806:2013) and electrical performance models were implemented to evaluate the design concepts. The evaluation was made for heating Domestic Hot Water for a Single Family House in Fayoum (Egypt), where CPC geometries with a concentration factor of 1.6 achieved 8 to 13%rel higher energy yields (in kWh/m2/year) than the Pure Parabola geometries.

Abstract PVT collectors co-generate electricity and heat from the same gross area, thus achieving higher combined heat and electric yields. A comprehensive evaluation has been carried out on non-uniform solar irradiation profile distributions on four symmetric low concentration CPC PVT (LCPVT) solar collector design concepts. Additionally, an electrical and thermal performance evaluation of symmetric truncated LCPVT solar collectors based on a CPC reflector geometry with a central transverse bifacial PVT receiver has been carried out, through a numerical ray-tracing model software and a multi-paradigm numerical computing environment software. A simplified thermal (quasi-dynamic testing method for liquid heating collectors described in the international standard for solar thermal collectors ISO 9806:2017) and electrical performance models were employed to evaluate the LCPVT design concepts. The evaluation was carried out for heating Domestic Hot Water (DHW) for a Single Family House (SFH) in Fayoum (Egypt), where energy yields between 351 and 391 kWh/m2/year have been achieved. The non-uniform solar irradiation assessment showed that the PV cells are exposed to high levels of radiation due to the specific reflector geometry. Furthermore, the study showed that the CPC geometries are very sensitive to the shading effect, as partial shadowing is substantial for high incidence angles.

A two-trough parabolic-shaped concentrating photovoltaic solar collector with a vertical half-size ‘phosphorus-passivated emitter rear totally diffused’ bifacial cell string receiver was designed and built for household applications, with the aim of smooth the electrical ‘duck curve’. The study consisted in testing the concentrating photovoltaic solar collector outdoors, under real weather conditions, for its daily electrical peak power and efficiency, as well as for its electrical transversal and longitudinal Incidence Angle Modifier direction. The outdoor testing measurements were conducted in a parabolic trough with low concentration coupled with a central vertical half-size ‘phosphorus-passivated emitter rear totally diffused’ bifacial cell string receiver. Furthermore, the electrical transversal Incidence Angle Modifier showed to be very delicate due to the position and outline of the receiver, which led to an electrical peak efficiency close to 10% at ±25° (i.e., for an electrical power output of around 49.3 W/m2). To validate the measured parameters, a ray-tracing software has been used, where the measured Incidence Angle Modifiers have a very good agreement with the simulated Incidence Angle Modifiers (e.g., deviation of <4%). Consequently, the concentrating solar collector met the objective of lowering the Photovoltaic cell stress and high radiation intensity, by shifting the electrical peak power at normal (e.g., at 0°) to higher incidence angles (e.g., ±25°); this aids the electrical demand peak shaving, by having the highest electrical power production displaced from the highest intensity solar radiation during the day.

Abstract This paper presents an experimental investigation of a photovoltaic-thermal solar collector (commonly known as PVT) that generates both electricity and heat from the same gross area. PVT solar collectors, in theory, achieve higher combined electrical and heat yields. Additionally, PVT enables a thermal coupling between PV cells and a heat transfer cooling medium. Electrical and thermal outdoor testing measurements have been performed on a low concentration PVT solar collector based on a parabolic reflector geometry with a wedge PVT receiver. Several outdoor experiments have been carried out and presented, such as daily instantaneous electrical and thermal performance efficiency diagrams, as well as optical efficiency charts. Moreover, an electrical Incidence Angle Modifier (for both transversal and longitudinal directions) assessment has been performed and presented. Furthermore, an overall heat loss coefficient of 4.1 W/m2.°C has been attained. A measured thermal optical and electrical efficiency of 59% and 8% have been achieved, respectively. Additionally, the placement of the wedge receiver shown to be very sensitive to high incidence angles, as the electrical transversal Incidence Angle Modifier factor decreases significantly after reaching its electrical peak efficiency at 10°.

Photovoltaics (PV) and Solar Thermal (ST) collectors are sometimes competitors, as investment capacity, energy demand, and roof space are limited. Therefore, a ratio that quantifies the difference in annual energy output between ST and PV for different locations is useful. A market survey assessing the average price and performance both in 2013 and 2021 was conducted, showing a factor of 3 cell price decrease combined with a 20% efficiency increase, while ST showed negligible variation. Winsun simulations were conducted, and the results were plotted on the world map. Despite variations due to local climate, the ratio of energy production (ST/PV) increases at lower latitudes mainly due to (a) higher air temperature increasing ST output but decreasing the PV output; (b) solar radiation reducing ST efficiency to zero while having a minor impact on PV efficiency. The ratio was calculated for several ST operating temperatures. For latitudes lower than 66°, the ratio of a flat plate at 50 °C to a PV module ranges from 1.85 to 4.46, while the ratio between a vacuum tube at 50 °C and a PV module ranges from 3.05 to 4.76. This ratio can support the decision between installing ST or PV while combining different factors such as energy value, system complexity, and installation cost.