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Experimental investigation of a novel solar flat copper tube loop-heat-pipe PV/T system for heating and power generation

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  • Zhu, Xiaoling
  • Yuan, Yanping
  • Yu, Min
  • Zhou, Licheng
  • zhou, Jinzhi

Abstract

This paper experimentally investigates a novel flat copper tube loop heat pipe photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system, which employs PV-bound flat copper tubes array as the PV/evaporator with sintered copper powder wick inside the tubes, and a liquid upper-feeding LHP with a vapor-liquid separator. Results showed these specific designs improve the temperature uniformity and solar energy utilization of the PV/T module, achieving an average electrical efficiency of 15.7 %, solar thermal efficiency of 43.6 %, and overall efficiency of 59.3 % on a sunny day; the volume-filling ratio significantly impacts the system performance, where increasing volume-filling ratio initially led to an increase in solar thermal and overall efficiencies and then decrease with a peak volume-filling ratio of 120 %. Moreover, the temperature difference across the flat copper tube gradually decreased with the increase in the volume-filling ratio. Notably, the system demonstrated the highest overall efficiency of 62.5 % when the PV/T panel inclination was adjusted to 60°. When compared to a standalone PV system, this integrated PV/T system not only achieved a higher level of power generation but also exhibited superior electrical efficiency. Overall, compared to the existing PV/T system, the novel PV/T system achieved higher overall solar efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhu, Xiaoling & Yuan, Yanping & Yu, Min & Zhou, Licheng & zhou, Jinzhi, 2025. "Experimental investigation of a novel solar flat copper tube loop-heat-pipe PV/T system for heating and power generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:320:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225007522
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135110
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