Performance Analysis of a PVT Collector Based on Different Solar Cells: Case Study of the Chichaoua Region in Morocco
摘要
The enhancement of the electrical efficiency in conventional photovoltaic (PV) modules can be achieved by reducing their operating temperatures. Employing a hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar system involves integrating a standard PV module with an attached thermal cooling device, through which circulates a working fluid. The latter is intended to extract and evacuate thermal energy from the PV module. The main purpose of this study is to compare the behavior of three different solar cells—namely, polycrystalline silicon (case A), monocrystalline silicon (case B) and triple junction solar cells (GaInP /GalnAs /Ge)- (case C)—during a typical operating day in the Chichaoua region of Morocco. A two-dimensional model, which computes the temperature profiles along each PV/T layer, is developed to evaluate the impact of thermal behavior on electrical efficiency. The validation was carried out through extensive comparisons between the results predicted using the present numerical model and credible data reported in previous studies. The main findings revealed a remarkable temperature sensitivity of silicon cells compared to triple junction cells. Additionally, triple-junction cells have shown superior performance in electrical energy generation, while the use of polycrystalline cells leads to higher thermal energy production.