Simulation Numerical of a Bi-fluid Photovoltaic/Thermal Solar Panel

A photovoltaic/thermal solar collector (PV/T) is used to generate simultaneously thermal and electrical energy from received solar irradiation. In particular, bi-fluid PV/T with air and water cooling fluid is adopted for the energy supply of different applications. In this paper, a numerical study of a bi-fluid photovoltaic/thermal solar panel is performed to improve the cooling effect of two different heat exchangers: air rectangular channel with cooling fins and serpentine copper tubes. A simulation is conducted using ANSYS Fluent 21 software using the 3D steady-state analysis. Furthermore, some main key parameters, e.g., the velocity and temperature in each heat exchanger, are evaluated and analyzed. At a number of tubes and fins, respectively, of 12 and 20, the results show a good PV/T cooling effect. An improved fluid velocity and temperature for the two heat exchangers are determined to be 0.09 m/s and 46.67 °C for air and 0.27 m/s and 29.54 °C for the water.