View article

In this paper we present a dynamic model of a hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) collector with a sheet-and-tube thermal absorber. The model is used in order to evaluate the annual generation of electrical energy along with the provision of domestic hot-water (DHW) from the thermal energy output, by using real climate-data at high temporal resolution. The model considers the effect of a non-uniform temperature distribution on the surface of the solar cell on its electrical power output. An unsteady 3-dimensional numerical model is developed to estimate the performance of such a collector. The model allows key design parameters of the PVT collector to vary so that the influence of each parameter on the system performance can be studied at steady state and at varying operating and atmospheric conditions. A key parameter considered in this paper is the number of glass covers used in the PVT collector. The results …