IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v10y2017i11p1889-d119230.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Transmittance and Reflectance Studies of Thermotropic Material for a Novel Building Integrated Concentrating Photovoltaic (BICPV) ‘Smart Window’ System

Author

Listed:
  • Karen Connelly

    (Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK)

  • Yupeng Wu

    (Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK)

  • Xiaoyu Ma

    (Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, 260 Glenbrook Road, Unit 3247, Storrs, CT 06269, USA)

  • Yu Lei

    (Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, 260 Glenbrook Road, Unit 3247, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
    Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, 191 Auditorium Road, Unit 3222, Storrs, CT 06269, USA)

Abstract

A novel Building Integrated Concentrating Photovoltaic (BICPV) Smart Window has been designed and developed as a next generation intelligent window system. In response to climatic conditions, the smart window varies solar light transmission into the building for provision of light and heat with the reflection of light to the photovoltaic (PV) for electricity generation. This unique function is realised using an integrated thermotropic layer in conjunction with embedded PVs. As commercial PVs are readily available, the success of this novel BICPV design depends solely on the performance of the thermotropic material. This study aimed to develop a suitable reflective thermotropic layer for the proposed smart Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) system. A Hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) polymer was tested for its applicability as a potential reflective thermotropic material for this purpose. HPC concentration was systematically varied from 1 wt. % to 6 wt. % in aqueous solution so as to provide insight into the relationship between transmittance/reflectance properties, the concentration of the thermotropic material and their dependence upon the environmental temperature. The degree of hysteresis of light transmittance upon subjecting HPC to heating and cooling cycles was also investigated. Specifically, for the HPC liquid samples the measured threshold temperature/transition temperature (T s ) was observed to be approximately 40 °C for 6 wt. % HPC, increasing to approximately 44 °C for 1 wt. % HPC. No hysteresis was observed upon heating and cooling HPC samples. Reflectance below the T s was recorded at ~10%, increasing up to ~70% above the T s for 6 wt. % HPC. Finally, a HPC-based hydrogel membrane sample was developed and exhibited good thermotropic activity therefore demonstrating its suitability for use within the BICPV smart window. This study corroborates that HPC is a suitable thermotropic material in the application of next generation BICPV smart window systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Karen Connelly & Yupeng Wu & Xiaoyu Ma & Yu Lei, 2017. "Transmittance and Reflectance Studies of Thermotropic Material for a Novel Building Integrated Concentrating Photovoltaic (BICPV) ‘Smart Window’ System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-13, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:10:y:2017:i:11:p:1889-:d:119230
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/11/1889/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/11/1889/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Connelly, Karen & Wu, Yupeng & Chen, Jun & Lei, Yu, 2016. "Design and development of a reflective membrane for a novel Building Integrated Concentrating Photovoltaic (BICPV) ‘Smart Window’ system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 331-339.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Flor, Jan-Frederik & Liu, Dingming & Sun, Yanyi & Beccarelli, Paolo & Chilton, John & Wu, Yupeng, 2018. "Optical aspects and energy performance of switchable ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) foil cushions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 335-351.
    2. Sun, Yanyi & Wilson, Robin & Wu, Yupeng, 2018. "A Review of Transparent Insulation Material (TIM) for building energy saving and daylight comfort," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 713-729.
    3. Muhammad Saidu Aliero & Muhammad Asif & Imran Ghani & Muhammad Fermi Pasha & Seung Ryul Jeong, 2022. "Systematic Review Analysis on Smart Building: Challenges and Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-28, March.
    4. Lu, Wei & Wu, Yupeng & Eames, Philip, 2018. "Design and development of a Building Façade Integrated Asymmetric Compound Parabolic Photovoltaic concentrator (BFI-ACP-PV)," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 325-336.
    5. Hossein Arasteh & Wahid Maref & Hamed H. Saber, 2023. "Energy and Thermal Performance Analysis of PCM-Incorporated Glazing Units Combined with Passive and Active Techniques: A Review Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-42, January.
    6. 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).

    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. Sun, Yanyi & Liang, Runqi & Wu, Yupeng & Wilson, Robin & Rutherford, Peter, 2017. "Development of a comprehensive method to analyse glazing systems with Parallel Slat Transparent Insulation material (PS-TIM)," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 951-963.
    2. Zhu, Li & Zhang, Jiqiang & Li, Qingxiang & Shao, Zebiao & Chen, Mengdong & Yang, Yang & Sun, Yong, 2020. "Comprehensive analysis of heat transfer of double-skin facades integrated high concentration photovoltaic (CPV-DSF)," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 635-649.
    3. Mehrdad Ghamari & Senthilarasu Sundaram, 2024. "Solar Window Innovations: Enhancing Building Performance through Advanced Technologies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-31, July.
    4. Li, Guiqiang & Xuan, Qingdong & Akram, M.W. & Golizadeh Akhlaghi, Yousef & Liu, Haowen & Shittu, Samson, 2020. "Building integrated solar concentrating systems: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    5. Jamil, Furqan & Ali, Hafiz Muhammad & Nasir, Muhammad Ali & Karahan, Mehmet & Janjua, M.M. & Naseer, Ammar & Ejaz, Ali & Pasha, Riffat Asim, 2021. "Evaluation of photovoltaic panels using different nano phase change material and a concise comparison: An experimental study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 1265-1279.
    6. Sun, Yanyi & Wilson, Robin & Wu, Yupeng, 2018. "A Review of Transparent Insulation Material (TIM) for building energy saving and daylight comfort," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 713-729.
    7. Sun, Yanyi & Liu, Xin & Ming, Yang & Liu, Xiao & Mahon, Daniel & Wilson, Robin & Liu, Hao & Eames, Philip & Wu, Yupeng, 2021. "Energy and daylight performance of a smart window: Window integrated with thermotropic parallel slat-transparent insulation material," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    8. 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).
    9. Al-Waeli, Ali H.A. & Sopian, K. & Kazem, Hussein A. & Chaichan, Miqdam T., 2017. "Photovoltaic/Thermal (PV/T) systems: Status and future prospects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 109-130.
    10. Lu, Wei & Wu, Yupeng & Eames, Philip, 2018. "Design and development of a Building Façade Integrated Asymmetric Compound Parabolic Photovoltaic concentrator (BFI-ACP-PV)," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 325-336.
    11. Li, Guiqiang & Xuan, Qingdong & Zhao, Xudong & Pei, Gang & Ji, Jie & Su, Yuehong, 2018. "A novel concentrating photovoltaic/daylighting control system: Optical simulation and preliminary experimental analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 1362-1372.
    12. Flor, Jan-Frederik & Liu, Dingming & Sun, Yanyi & Beccarelli, Paolo & Chilton, John & Wu, Yupeng, 2018. "Optical aspects and energy performance of switchable ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) foil cushions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 335-351.
    13. Vassiliades, C. & Agathokleous, R. & Barone, G. & Forzano, C. & Giuzio, G.F. & Palombo, A. & Buonomano, A. & Kalogirou, S., 2022. "Building integration of active solar energy systems: A review of geometrical and architectural characteristics," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).

    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:gam:jeners:v:10:y:2017:i:11:p:1889-:d:119230. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.