Effect of Triangular Baffle Arrangement on Heat Transfer Enhancement of Air-Type PVT Collector

Abstract

A Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) Collector is a device that produces electricity and simultaneously uses a heat source transmitted to back side of the Photovoltaic (PV). The PVT collector is categorized into liquid-type and air-type according to the heating medium. As an advantage, air-type PVT system is easy to manage and can be directly used for heating purposes. The performance of air-type PVT collector is determined by various factors, such as the height of air gap and air flow path (by baffles) in the collector. Baffles are installed in the PVT collector to improve the thermal performance of the collector by generating turbulence. However, the air flow that affects the performance of the PVT collector can vary depending on the number and placement of the baffles. Thus, the flow design using baffles in the collector is important. In this study, the performance of an air-type PVT collector due to the arrangement of triangular baffles and air gap height at the back of the PV module is analyzed through a simulation program. For this purpose, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed with an NX program to compare and analyze the optimum conditions to improve the performance of the collector.