A global analysis workforce has designed a brand new photovoltaic-thermal module configuration that makes use of zirconium oxide as a cooling agent. The system is reportedly extra environment friendly than its water-cooled counterparts in decreasing its working temperature.
Scientists from the College of Miskolc in Hungary and the Basrah College for Oil and Fuel in Iraq have designed a photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) system prototype that makes use of zirconium oxide (ZrO2) nanofluid as a cooling agent for the PV unit of the system.
The aim of their work is to match the efficiency of the system with a non-cooled PV system or a water-cooled system underneath a scorching local weather.
“The experiments have been carried out in Could 2022 on sunny days from 7:00 am to five:00 pm, with out vital modifications in ambient temperature and photo voltaic radiation through the experimental days,” the researchers mentioned. “The best ambient temperature is 42.7 C, particularly at 12:20 pm, then steadily decreases till sundown.”
The experimental setting is positioned within the metropolis of Basra, within the south of Iraq. It consists of a PVT module cooled by ZrO2a water-cooled PV module, and a PV module with out cooling, all of which have a nominal energy of fifty W. The PVT module makes use of a copper plate absorber with channels connected to the again, which reduces the temperature of the module.
The group additionally positioned a layer of thermal wool on the serpentine tubes to fully cowl the again of the PV module and cut back warmth loss, then coated it with an aluminum plate. the ZrO2 nanofluids circulated in serpentine tubes by two pumps with a mass circulate price of 0.7 L/min set by circulate sensors.
The scientists utilized three totally different concentrations of ZrO2 of 0.015%, 0.025%, and 0.0275% within the PVT system, which they are saying led to a temperature discount of 14%, 18.1%, and 21.2%, respectively, in comparison with the reference PV panel with out cooling. The working temperature of the water-cooled module is diminished by 9.7%.
They current the examine system “Impact of zirconium oxide nanofluid on the conduct of photovoltaic-thermal system: An experimental examine,” printed in Vitality Reviews. “The present examine could be prolonged by bettering the thermal properties of ZrO nanofluid by including one other kind of nanomaterials to kind a hybrid nanofluid, which is used for a brand new cooling system design,” they mentioned.
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