Energy and exergy analysis of a newly designed photovoltaic thermal system featuring ribs, petal array, and coiled twisted tapes: Experimental analysis

Photovoltaic systems suffer from electrical efficiency loss due to increases in surface temperature. To tackle this problem, Photovoltaic Thermal, consisting of photovoltaic and tube configurations attached to its back, is suggested. This study attempts to develop a new collector design in photovoltaic thermal systems. The new design features ribs and petal arrays on its inner and outer surfaces and a coiled twisted tape positioned inside it. The study also uses silicon carbide enhanced nanofluid (0.3 % and 6 % volume concentration) and phased changing material (1 % volume concentration) to boost the thermal efficiency further. Using an indoor solar simulator, the study investigates the effects of mass flow rate in the range of (0.1-0.85) kg/s, solar irradiances of (400-1000) W/m2, and coolant types of (water, 0.3 % and 0.6% SiC enhanced nanofluid, water and nanophase changing materials, and 0.3 % and 0.6 % SiC enhanced nanofluid and nanophase changing materials). Besides revealing the relationship between all the parameters studied, the results report a maximum electrical energy efficiency of 11.2 %, thermal energy efficiency of 86.2 %, and total exergy efficiency of 15.3 %. The system reached optimal power production of 25.99 W using a photovoltaic module with a maximum power rate of 30 W.