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Experimental characterisation of a smart glazing with tuneable transparency, light scattering ability and electricity generation function

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  • Liu, Xiao
  • Wu, Yupeng

Abstract

Daylighting control technologies have become an essential part of sustainable building design to reduce overheating, glare and energy consumption in buildings. In this paper, a smart glazing system where a Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) glazing is coupled with an optically switchable thermotropic hydrogel layer is proposed to improve the daylighting control and electricity generation performance of traditional BIPV glazings. Thermotropic (TT) hydrogels made of various weight percentage combinations of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) polymer, gellan gum and sodium chloride (NaCl) salt were synthesised and first evaluated by visible-near-infrared spectroscopy. Subsequently, small-scale prototypes of the proposed BIPV thermotropic (BIPV-TT) laminated glazing based on these TT hydrogels were fabricated and characterised experimentally under controlled laboratory conditions. The TT hydrogel, which was synthesised of 6 wt% HPC, 0.5 wt% gellan gum and 4.5 wt% NaCl, was selected for further experimental characterisations in a dynamic outdoor environment, due to its appropriate transition temperature of 30.7 °C for use in mild climates with a wide modulation range of solar transmittance from 85.8% (in the transparent state) to 9.6% (in the light-scattering state). The outdoor tests were conducted in Nottingham, the UK, on typical summer days with sunny and partial cloudy conditions. The results showed that using the prototype BIPV-TT laminated glazing can reduce up to 80% of the solar radiation transmitted into the outdoor test cell, while providing up to 12% higher electrical power outputs, compared to its counterpart system with no thermotropic hydrogel applied.

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  • Liu, Xiao & Wu, Yupeng, 2021. "Experimental characterisation of a smart glazing with tuneable transparency, light scattering ability and electricity generation function," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:303:y:2021:i:c:s0306261921009028
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.117521
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    Cited by:

    1. Shaohang Shi & Ning Zhu, 2023. "Challenges and Optimization of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) Windows: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-30, November.
    2. Shi, Shaohang & Zhu, Ning & Wu, Shuangdui & Song, Yehao, 2024. "Evaluation and analysis of transmitted daylight color quality for different colored semi-transparent PV glazing," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    3. Li, Xue & Sun, Yanyi & Liu, Xiao & Ming, Yang & Wu, Yupeng, 2024. "Development of a comprehensive method to estimate the optical, thermal and electrical performance of a complex PV window for building integration," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    4. Liu, Haixiang & He, Wei & Liu, Xianghua & Zhu, Jian & Yu, Hancheng & Hu, Zhongting, 2023. "Building integrated concentrating photovoltaic window coupling luminescent solar concentrator and thermotropic material," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    5. Mehrdad Ghamari & Senthilarasu Sundaram, 2024. "Solar Window Innovations: Enhancing Building Performance through Advanced Technologies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-31, July.

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