Design and performance evaluation of selective energy optimization of PV/T system

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a selective energy optimisation of the photovoltaic–thermal (PV/T) system performance. The PV cell inside the PV/T system could be periodically manipulated to produce domestic hot water without applying an external power supply.

Design/methodology/approach

A numerical simulation model of the proposed PV/T model was developed in MATLAB/Simulink to analyse the selective energy optimisation of the model. The extrinsic cell resistance (R_se) is adjusted to control the ratio of thermal to the electrical energy, generated from the PV cell inside the PV/T system. Therefore, the internal heat of the PV cell inside the PV/T system is periodically used as a thermal element to produce electrical power and hot water.

Findings

The optimisation of PV/T energy shows that the electrical power efficiency can increase by 11.6% when R_se was 0 Ω, and the 200 L water tank temperature increased by 22ºC when R_se was 50 Ω.

Originality/value

This study showed that the use of the PV cell could be extended to domestic hot water and space heating, and not only for electricity.

Citation

Aminou Moussavou, A.A., Ayeleso, A.O., Adonis, M. and Raji, A. (2023), "Design and performance evaluation of selective energy optimization of PV/T system", Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, Vol. 21 No. 5, pp. 1461-1480. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEDT-08-2021-0396