A Fluid-Thermal-Electric Model Based on Performance Analysis of Semi-transparent Building Integrated Photovoltaic Solar Panels

The combination of solar cells with semi-transparent windows allows for multifunctional usage, such as power generation and natural light penetration, resulting in enhanced total energy efficiency. The effectiveness of semi-transparent structures with integrated photovoltaic windows on office building facades in Bahrain's subtropical desert environment was investigated in this study. The thermal performance and electrical capacity of semi-transparent integrated photovoltaic solar windows were investigated using parametric research. The COMSOL coupled solver was used to execute 3D fluid-thermal-electric multiphysics simulations for five design window geometries. The computational findings were compared to data from the manufacturer. The effects of glazing type, insulation gas type, and photovoltaic cell insertion on the thermal performance of the window were quantitatively investigated under various weather conditions, including solar irradiance and air temperature. The findings showed that krypton-filled triple-glazing windows with integrated PV might provide better thermal insulation. Furthermore, they demonstrated improved thermal performance. At 1000 W/m2, the highest electrical efficiency of the PV module is 17.61%, and the maximum produced power is 248.42 W. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that semi-transparent window glazing is effective and saves 12% on energy.