Numerical analysis of photovoltaic-thermal air collector with fins and rectangular turbulators

Photovoltaic-thermal air collectors (PVTACs) can simultaneously produce electricity and heat air, but they suffer from poor thermal efficiency due to the low thermal conductivity of air. Hence, researchers have sought to enhance the performance of PVTACs by increasing either the heat transfer coefficient or the heat transfer surface area. However, efforts to improve both these parameters simultaneously have been limited. Therefore, in this study, a novel PVTAC with fins and turbulators (PVTAC-FT) was designed to enhance both the heat transfer coefficient and surface area, and its performance was evaluated through numerical analysis using an experimentally validated model. The effects of various geometrical and operating parameters on thermal efficiency, electrical efficiency, and thermal equivalent net efficiency (TENE)-which considers fan power consumption-were examined. Additionally, the daily energy outputs of the PVTAC-FT were compared with that of a PVTAC with smooth fins. Based on the results, the proposed design achieved 17.26% and 1.02% higher thermal and electrical outputs, respectively, along with a 6.72% higher TENE. These findings confirm the feasibility of the proposed design, which is considered worthwhile for further promotion.