Photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar collector

About: Photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar collector is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 8688 publications have been published within this topic receiving 232734 citations.

Improvement in solar panel efficiency using solar concentration by simple mirrors and by cooling

Abstract: Concentrated photovoltaic technology (CPV) uses optics such as mirrors and lens to focus sunlight on solar cells for the sake of generating electricity. CPV has advantage over non-concentrated photovoltaic as less number of solar cells are required for the same power output. Along with duration and intensity of sunlight, temperature also has great effect on the performance of PV module as high temperature significantly reduces output power. This research paper explains a practical approach to enhance the efficiency of solar panel by the use of mirrors and cooling mechanism. These reflectors are cheap, easy to handle, simple enough to use and need no extra equipment or devices to use. But CPV operate efficiently in concentrated light as long as the solar cells are kept cool by means of some heat sinks. Experimental results indicate appreciable enhancement in overall output of solar panel. Experimental readings obtained from a) without reflectors and without cooling b) with reflectors and without cooling c) with reflectors and with cooling are compared. Corresponding results obtained from different conditions showing improvement in efficiency up to 32% in case (b) and 52% in case (c) are tabled and plotted.

Analysis of Potential Conversion Efficiency of a Solar Hybrid System With High-Temperature Stage

Abstract: The analysis is given of hybrid system of solar energy conversion having a stage operating at high temperature. The system contains a radiation concentrator, a photovoltaic solar cell, and a thermal generator, which could be thermoelectric one or a heat engine. Two options are discussed, one (a) with concentration of the whole solar radiation on the PV cell working at high temperature and coupled to the high-temperature stage, and another (b) with a special PV cell construction, which allows the use of the part of solar spectrum not absorbed in the semiconductor material of the cell (“thermal energy”) to drive the high-temperature stage while the cell is working at ambient temperature. The possibilities of using different semiconductor materials are analyzed. It is shown that the demands to the cell material are different in the two cases examined: in system (a) with high temperature of cell operation, the materials providing minimum temperature dependence of the conversion efficiency are necessary, for another system (b) the materials with the larger band gap are profitable. The efficiency of thermal generator is assumed to be proportional to that of the Carnot engine. The optical and thermal energy losses are taken into account, including the losses by convection and radiation in the high-temperature stage. The radiation losses impose restrictions upon the working temperature of the thermal generator in the system (b), thus defining the highest possible concentration ratio. The calculations made show that the hybrid system proposed could be both efficient and practical, promising the total conversion efficiency around 25–30% for system (a), and 30–40% for system (b).