Parametric Analysis of Thermal and Electrical Performance of Photovoltaic Thermal Systems Using Nano-Graphene Coolants and Enhanced Fin Design

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive three-dimensional numerical simulation to assess the performance of a photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system utilizing nanofluids (NFs) and enhanced fin configurations. The system integrates a copper flat plate collector, where nanofluids circulate within heat absorber tubes, and rectangular fins are strategically arrayed to augment heat dissipation. The effects of fin dimensions, count, nanofluid concentration, flow rate, and solar intensity on the PVT's thermal and electrical performance are examined. Key findings illustrate that fin configuration, particularly the number of fins, significantly dictates the system’s thermal management, with minimal impact from fin thickness. Optimal thermal behavior was observed with 0.5 wt% graphene nanoplatelet nanofluid at a mass flow rate of 0.1 kg/s, employing 400 fins. Analysis reveals that increasing the number of fins from 10 to 400 could enhance the thermal efficiency by approximately 18%, while reducing the overall system temperature by up to 7°C under peak solar conditions. Furthermore, the study indicates that an increase in solar radiation intensity from 800 to 1000 W/m2 reduces the electrical efficiency by about 2%, even though the electrical power output increases by 5%.