Experimental investigation of an optical water filter for Photovoltaic/Thermal conversion module. (1st March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Al-Shohani, Wisam A.M.; Sabouri, Aydin; Al-Dadah, Raya; Mahmoud, Saad; Butt, Haider
• Is Part Of: Energy conversion and management. Volume 111(2016)
• Page Start: 431
• Page End: 442
• Publication Date: 2016-03-01
• Subjects: Optical water filter -- Spectrum splitter -- Photovoltaic -- PVT -- CPVT; Direct energy conversion -- Periodicals; Energy storage -- Periodicals; Energy transfer -- Periodicals; Énergie -- Conversion directe -- Périodiques; Direct energy conversion; Periodicals; 621.3105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2015.12.065
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0196-8904

Abstract

Highlights: New design of Photovoltaic/Thermal system is proposed. Using the optical water layer as a spectrum splitter is tested experimentally. Optical rig is developed to study the optical performance of water layer. Energy conversion under different water layer thicknesses is determined. Abstract: This paper presents an experimental investigation of a novel optical water filter used for Photovoltaic/Thermal and Concentrating Photovoltaic/Thermal modules. A water layer is used as a spectrum splitter of solar radiation placed above the photovoltaic cells and as a thermal working fluid simultaneously. The water layer absorbs the ultraviolet and part of infrared, which are not used by the photovoltaic, but transmits the visible and some of infrared to the solar cell surface which are used by the photovoltaic. In this work, the transmittance of the optical water filter was measured for different water thicknesses (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 cm) and radiation wavelength ranging from 0.35 to 1 μm. Results show that there is a significant effect of the water layer thickness on the transmittance of the spectra where the transmittance decreases as the water layer increases. Moreover, energy conversion rate of photovoltaic with the optical water filter at different water layer thicknesses has been determined.