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Performance assessment of novel photovoltaic thermal system using nanoparticle in phase change material

Alper Ergün (Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Karabuk University, Karabuk, Turkey)
Hilal Eyinç (Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Karabuk University, Karabuk, Turkey)

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow

ISSN: 0961-5539

Article publication date: 18 January 2019

Issue publication date: 6 June 2019

300

Abstract

Purpose

Nanotechnology has developed gradually in recent years and it is encountered in various applications. It has many usage area especially in energy systems. The purpose of this study, in a photovoltaic thermal system, thermal behaviours of a PV panel has been investigated by energy and exergy analysis method using a phase change material inserted 5 per cent weighted Al2O3 nanoparticle.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, one of the three different PV panels was kept normally, the other one was filled with a phase changing material (paraffin-wax) and the last panel was filled with the mixture of a nanoparticle and paraffin-wax.

Findings

After the analyses, especially during the time intervals when the radiation is high, it is found that the panel with Np-paraffin mixture has a high electrical and thermal efficiency. In addition, as a result of the exergy analyses, average exergy efficiency of the panel with Np-paraffin mixture has been determined as 10 per cent, whereas that of the panel with paraffin as 9.2 per cent.

Originality/value

Nanoparticles had not been used with PCMs in photovoltaic–thermal systems in the studies made before.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Karabük University Scientific Research Projects Unit, Karabük/TURKEY for providing the financial supports for this study under the KBÜ-BAP- 17-YL-182 project.

Citation

Ergün, A. and Eyinç, H. (2019), "Performance assessment of novel photovoltaic thermal system using nanoparticle in phase change material", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 29 No. 4, pp. 1490-1505. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-05-2018-0257

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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