IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v231y2024ics0960148124009996.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Improving the photovoltaic thermal system efficiency with nature-inspired dolphin turbulators from energy and exergy viewpoints

Author

Listed:
  • Bashtani, Iman
  • Esfahani, Javad Abolfazli

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to enhance the efficiency of the photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system using nature-inspired dolphin turbulators designed based on thermal images of the dolphin dorsal fin. The turbulators are placed in the cooling channel of the PVT. The effects of the number and length scale of the turbulators are investigated on electrical, thermal, and overall efficiencies from energy and exergy perspectives, as well as the photovoltaic cell temperature at different times of the day. The dolphin turbulator enhances heat transfer to the coolant by preventing the boundary layer growth, accelerating the fluid flow, directing and impacting the coolant to the absorber plate, and improving the mixing of coolant. Consequently, turbulators reduce the photovoltaic cell temperature, increase the coolant temperature, and improve efficiencies. The enhanced PVT improves the electrical, thermal, and overall efficiencies by about 2.59 %, 16.9 %, and 14.78 % from the energy viewpoint and 2.59 %, 12.87 %, and 3.77 % from the exergy viewpoint compared to the conventional PVT. In addition, this study investigates how operational conditions, such as the coolant Reynolds number, the coolant inlet temperature, and ambient wind speed, affect the efficiencies from energy and exergy viewpoints.

Suggested Citation

  • Bashtani, Iman & Esfahani, Javad Abolfazli, 2024. "Improving the photovoltaic thermal system efficiency with nature-inspired dolphin turbulators from energy and exergy viewpoints," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:231:y:2024:i:c:s0960148124009996
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2024.120931
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148124009996
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2024.120931?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sarhaddi, F. & Farahat, S. & Ajam, H. & Behzadmehr, A. & Mahdavi Adeli, M., 2010. "An improved thermal and electrical model for a solar photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) air collector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(7), pages 2328-2339, July.
    2. Oztop, Hakan F. & Sahin, A.Z. & Coşanay, Hakan & Sahin, I.H., 2023. "Three-dimensional computational analysis of performance improvement in a novel designed solar photovoltaic/thermal system by using hybrid nanofluids," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 832-841.
    3. Ghasemian, Mehran & Sheikholeslami, M. & Dehghan, Maziar, 2023. "Performance improvement of photovoltaic/thermal systems by using twisted tapes in the coolant tubes with different cross-section patterns," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    4. Tembhare, Saurabh P. & Barai, Divya P. & Bhanvase, Bharat A., 2022. "Performance evaluation of nanofluids in solar thermal and solar photovoltaic systems: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    5. Sandooghdar, Siavash & Akbarzadeh, Sanaz & Valipour, Mohammad Sadegh & Arabkoohsar, Ahmad, 2023. "Performance improvement of air-based solar photovoltaic/thermal collectors using wavy channels," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 831-845.
    6. Tiwari, Arvind & Sodha, M.S., 2006. "Performance evaluation of hybrid PV/thermal water/air heating system: A parametric study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 31(15), pages 2460-2474.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Elbreki, A.M. & Alghoul, M.A. & Al-Shamani, A.N. & Ammar, A.A. & Yegani, Bita & Aboghrara, Alsanossi M. & Rusaln, M.H. & Sopian, K., 2016. "The role of climatic-design-operational parameters on combined PV/T collector performance: A critical review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 602-647.
    2. Yang, Tingting & Athienitis, Andreas K., 2016. "A review of research and developments of building-integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPV/T) systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 886-912.
    3. Kumar, Rakesh & Rosen, Marc A., 2011. "A critical review of photovoltaic–thermal solar collectors for air heating," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(11), pages 3603-3614.
    4. Pang, Wei & Cui, Yanan & Zhang, Qian & Wilson, Gregory.J. & Yan, Hui, 2020. "A comparative analysis on performances of flat plate photovoltaic/thermal collectors in view of operating media, structural designs, and climate conditions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    5. Bahaidarah, H. & Subhan, Abdul & Gandhidasan, P. & Rehman, S., 2013. "Performance evaluation of a PV (photovoltaic) module by back surface water cooling for hot climatic conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 445-453.
    6. Alshibil, Ahssan M.A. & Vig, Piroska & Farkas, Istvan, 2024. "Performance enhancement attempts on the photovoltaic/thermal module and the sustainability achievements: A review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    7. Maadi, Seyed Reza & Sabzali, Hossein & Arabkoohsar, Ahmad, 2024. "Performance characterization of nano-enhanced PV/T systems in various cross-sections, extended flow turbulators, fins, and corrugated patterns," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    8. Saxena, Abhishek & Varun, & El-Sebaii, A.A., 2015. "A thermodynamic review of solar air heaters," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 863-890.
    9. Radwan, Ali & Ahmed, Mahmoud, 2017. "The influence of microchannel heat sink configurations on the performance of low concentrator photovoltaic systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 594-611.
    10. Abbas, Sajid & Yuan, Yanping & Zhou, Jinzhi & Hassan, Atazaz & Yu, Min & Yasheng, Ji, 2022. "Experimental and analytical analysis of the impact of different base plate materials and design parameters on the performance of the photovoltaic/thermal system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 522-536.
    11. Moh’d Al-Nimr & Abdallah Milhem & Basel Al-Bishawi & Khaleel Al Khasawneh, 2020. "Integrating Transparent and Conventional Solar Cells TSC/SC," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-22, September.
    12. Al-Shamani, Ali Najah & Yazdi, Mohammad H. & Alghoul, M.A. & Abed, Azher M. & Ruslan, M.H. & Mat, Sohif & Sopian, K., 2014. "Nanofluids for improved efficiency in cooling solar collectors – A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 348-367.
    13. Fan, Ruijin & Wan, Minghan & Zhou, Tian & Zheng, Nianben & Sun, Zhiqiang, 2024. "Graphene-enhanced phase change material systems: Minimizing optical and thermal losses for solar thermal applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).
    14. Ooshaksaraei, Poorya & Sopian, Kamaruzzaman & Zaidi, Saleem H. & Zulkifli, Rozli, 2017. "Performance of four air-based photovoltaic thermal collectors configurations with bifacial solar cells," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(PB), pages 279-293.
    15. Othman, M.Y. & Hamid, S.A. & Tabook, M.A.S. & Sopian, K. & Roslan, M.H. & Ibarahim, Z., 2016. "Performance analysis of PV/T Combi with water and air heating system: An experimental study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 716-722.
    16. Ibrahim, Adnan & Othman, Mohd Yusof & Ruslan, Mohd Hafidz & Mat, Sohif & Sopian, Kamaruzzaman, 2011. "Recent advances in flat plate photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar collectors," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 352-365, January.
    17. Vega-Garita, Victor & Ramirez-Elizondo, Laura & Bauer, Pavol, 2017. "Physical integration of a photovoltaic-battery system: A thermal analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 446-455.
    18. Contento, Gaetano & Lorenzi, Bruno & Rizzo, Antonella & Narducci, Dario, 2017. "Efficiency enhancement of a-Si and CZTS solar cells using different thermoelectric hybridization strategies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 230-238.
    19. Oussama El Manssouri & Bekkay Hajji & Giuseppe Marco Tina & Antonio Gagliano & Stefano Aneli, 2021. "Electrical and Thermal Performances of Bi-Fluid PV/Thermal Collectors," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-20, March.
    20. Bonanno, F. & Capizzi, G. & Graditi, G. & Napoli, C. & Tina, G.M., 2012. "A radial basis function neural network based approach for the electrical characteristics estimation of a photovoltaic module," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 956-961.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:231:y:2024:i:c:s0960148124009996. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.