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

2. 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.

3. Hybrid Solar Panel Schematic

4. 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

5. Boundary Conditions

6. 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
25°C
.611
𝐶 𝑝 = 𝐶 𝑣
4.184 μ
902 x 10-6

7. Finite Element Model Mesh

8. Computed Velocity Field

9. Computed Temperature and Heat Flux Fields

10. Hybrid Panel Overall Efficiency

11. 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.