MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF A Hybrid solar panel Robert Collins and Ernesto Gutierrez-Miravete Rensselaer at Hartford

Hybrid Solar Panel Uses PV cell to convert a fraction of the solar irradiance into electricity. Uses heat exchanger principles to store most of the solar irradiance NOT converted into electricity as useful thermal energy inside a working fluid. The use of the heat exchanger reduces heating of the PV cell and increases its conversion efficiency.

Hybrid Solar Panel Schematic

Steady 2D Turbulent Flow of a Non-Isothermal Newtonian Fluid: Governing Equations ∂vx/∂x + ∂vy/∂y = 0 v · ∇vx = − ∂p/∂x + µ∇2 vx + ρgx v · ∇vy = − ∂p/∂y + µ∇2 vy + ρgy k-ε Turbulence Model ρ Cp v · ∇T = k∇2 T

Boundary Conditions

Model Geometry and Input Material Property Value Reference PV Cell ρ 2329 Silicon k 130 𝐶 𝑝 700 ε .60 [11] Thermal Paste 3500 [12] 2.87 .7 Copper 8700 400 385 Water 997.1 Water @ 25°C .611 𝐶 𝑝 = 𝐶 𝑣 4.184 μ 902 x 10-6

Finite Element Model Mesh

Computed Velocity Field

Computed Temperature and Heat Flux Fields

Hybrid Panel Overall Efficiency

Conclusions The greatest overall PV/T module efficiency of 85.7% occurs with the labyrinth arrangement or the arrangement with 27 top and 27 bottom fins that are ¾ the height of the flow path. This is an approximate 5.7% increase in efficiency over the arrangement with no fins. When connected as an array, three modules linked in a head to tail arrangement, heat the water by 16.5 degrees Celsius and collect energy from the environment in the form of usable electrical and thermal energy.