Share

Performance evaluation of a building-integrated photovoltaic/thermal system.

Number: pap. 3530

Author(s) : BAMBARA J., ATHIENITIS A., KARAVA P.

Summary

Building-Integrated Photovoltaic/Thermal (BIPV/T) technology is a method to optimally generate renewable energy on site and is applicable in both new and retrofit construction. A well-known highly efficient collector is the openloop Unglazed Transpired Collector (UTC) which consists of dark porous cladding through which outdoor air is drawn and heated by absorbed solar radiation. Commercially available Photovoltaic (PV) systems typically produce electricity with efficiencies up to about 18%. Thus, it is beneficial to obtain much of the normally wasted heat, possibly by combining UTC’s with PV. This paper presents the design and performance of a BIPV/T system which integrates two technologies: commercially available UTC and custom designed PV modules. About 70% of UTC area is covered with black-framed modules PV modules specially designed to enhance heat recovery and facilitate airflow into the UTC plenum. An experimental BIPV/T system was designed, constructed and tested in a laboratory equipped with a solar simulator where controlled testing conditions allowed for direct performances evaluation. The overall efficiency was found to be very similar for the UTC and the BIPV/T system, however, the BIPV/T system also produces electrical energy - a high grade energy compared to heat. The overall efficiency for the collector with and without PV modules is very similar and both vary between 30-70% depending on the combination of suction airflow rate (50-150 kg/h-m²) and wind speed (0-10 m/s). The BIPV/T concept was applied to a 288 m² full-scale office building demonstration project in Montreal (45°N), Canada. The performance of both the experimental and the full-scale BIPV/T system compare reasonably well (within 3%). The effect of wind on the tested systems was found to reduce overall efficiency by up to 20%. Measured combined efficiencies for the full-scale façade-integrated system are in the order of 40-60% (at the operating suction airflow of 70 kg/h-m²) and show the potential of this technology for replacing conventional cladding while converting incident solar energy into high grade electricity and thermal heat for use within the building.

Available documents

Format PDF

Pages: 10 p.

Available

  • Public price

    20 €

  • Member price*

    15 €

* Best rate depending on membership category (see the detailed benefits of individual and corporate memberships).

Details

  • Original title: Performance evaluation of a building-integrated photovoltaic/thermal system.
  • Record ID : 30006821
  • Languages: English
  • Source: 2012 Purdue Conferences. 2nd International High Performance Buildings Conference at Purdue.
  • Publication date: 2012/07/16

Links


See other articles from the proceedings (42)
See the conference proceedings

Indexing