Experimental and heat transfer studies of MHP-PV/T by Reynolds number and heat transfer coefficient enhancement

The photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system, as an energy conversion system to generate electricity and heat, has great application potential in northwest zone of ample solar energy resource in China. The working media inside the micro heat pipe (MHP) of previous studies was acetone. Compared to acetone,...

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Main Authors: Rui Li, Jinping Li, Junjie Zhu, Xuemin Zhang, Xiao Guo, Vojislav Novakovic
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-04-01
Series:Energy and Built Environment
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666123323001125
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author Rui Li
Jinping Li
Junjie Zhu
Xuemin Zhang
Xiao Guo
Vojislav Novakovic
author_facet Rui Li
Jinping Li
Junjie Zhu
Xuemin Zhang
Xiao Guo
Vojislav Novakovic
author_sort Rui Li
collection DOAJ
description The photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system, as an energy conversion system to generate electricity and heat, has great application potential in northwest zone of ample solar energy resource in China. The working media inside the micro heat pipe (MHP) of previous studies was acetone. Compared to acetone, R141b has better stability and lower solubility. For working fluid as R141b in the MHP, higher Reynolds Number (Re) theoretically means better heat transfer. During the typical winter season, when the inclination of the PV panel was 45°, the average power conversion efficiency (PCE) and thermal conversion efficiency (TCE) can reach 12.8 and 26.4 %. Furthermore, in order to reduce the simulation time and facilitate the research, the study establishes the fitting equation of MHP-PV/T surface temperature based on solar radiation intensity and environmental temperature with an average error of 7.6 %. Furthermore, a three-dimensional mathematical model of MHP-PV/T system was developed and validated with experimental results, investigating the Re of R141b in the MHPs and calculating the related heat transfer coefficient (h) based on Re. The simulation showed that the Re and h at the condensation section of the MHP were bigger than those at the evaporation section. The Re and h increased with the water temperature decrease of airfoil heat exchanger and solar radiation intensity rise. Lastly, when water temperature of airfoil heat exchanger was unchanged, the impact of solar radiation intensity on h was greater than Re. When the solar radiation intensity remained unchanged and the water temperature decreased, Re was the main reason for affecting the change of h. The research results will give a scientific foundation and technical application for the MHP-PV/T, as well as more efficient solar energy applications in the future.
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spelling doaj-art-ad443192cb654bc6a5f8a4e26ddea0f12025-08-20T02:38:13ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Energy and Built Environment2666-12332025-04-016232033110.1016/j.enbenv.2023.11.007Experimental and heat transfer studies of MHP-PV/T by Reynolds number and heat transfer coefficient enhancementRui Li0Jinping Li1Junjie Zhu2Xuemin Zhang3Xiao Guo4Vojislav Novakovic5School of Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Complementary Energy System of Biomass and Solar Energy, Lanzhou 730050, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Supporting Technology of Northwest Low-Carbon Towns, Lanzhou 730050, ChinaSchool of Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Complementary Energy System of Biomass and Solar Energy, Lanzhou 730050, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Supporting Technology of Northwest Low-Carbon Towns, Lanzhou 730050, China; Corresponding author at: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, ChinaSolar Energy Department, Institute for Energy Technology, Kjeller 2007, Norway; Corresponding author.School of Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Complementary Energy System of Biomass and Solar Energy, Lanzhou 730050, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Supporting Technology of Northwest Low-Carbon Towns, Lanzhou 730050, ChinaSchool of Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China; Gansu Key Laboratory of Complementary Energy System of Biomass and Solar Energy, Lanzhou 730050, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Supporting Technology of Northwest Low-Carbon Towns, Lanzhou 730050, ChinaDepartment of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim NO-7491, NorwayThe photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system, as an energy conversion system to generate electricity and heat, has great application potential in northwest zone of ample solar energy resource in China. The working media inside the micro heat pipe (MHP) of previous studies was acetone. Compared to acetone, R141b has better stability and lower solubility. For working fluid as R141b in the MHP, higher Reynolds Number (Re) theoretically means better heat transfer. During the typical winter season, when the inclination of the PV panel was 45°, the average power conversion efficiency (PCE) and thermal conversion efficiency (TCE) can reach 12.8 and 26.4 %. Furthermore, in order to reduce the simulation time and facilitate the research, the study establishes the fitting equation of MHP-PV/T surface temperature based on solar radiation intensity and environmental temperature with an average error of 7.6 %. Furthermore, a three-dimensional mathematical model of MHP-PV/T system was developed and validated with experimental results, investigating the Re of R141b in the MHPs and calculating the related heat transfer coefficient (h) based on Re. The simulation showed that the Re and h at the condensation section of the MHP were bigger than those at the evaporation section. The Re and h increased with the water temperature decrease of airfoil heat exchanger and solar radiation intensity rise. Lastly, when water temperature of airfoil heat exchanger was unchanged, the impact of solar radiation intensity on h was greater than Re. When the solar radiation intensity remained unchanged and the water temperature decreased, Re was the main reason for affecting the change of h. The research results will give a scientific foundation and technical application for the MHP-PV/T, as well as more efficient solar energy applications in the future.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666123323001125Micro heat pipe PV/TR141bHeat transferReynolds numberHeat transfer coefficient
spellingShingle Rui Li
Jinping Li
Junjie Zhu
Xuemin Zhang
Xiao Guo
Vojislav Novakovic
Experimental and heat transfer studies of MHP-PV/T by Reynolds number and heat transfer coefficient enhancement
Energy and Built Environment
Micro heat pipe PV/T
R141b
Heat transfer
Reynolds number
Heat transfer coefficient
title Experimental and heat transfer studies of MHP-PV/T by Reynolds number and heat transfer coefficient enhancement
title_full Experimental and heat transfer studies of MHP-PV/T by Reynolds number and heat transfer coefficient enhancement
title_fullStr Experimental and heat transfer studies of MHP-PV/T by Reynolds number and heat transfer coefficient enhancement
title_full_unstemmed Experimental and heat transfer studies of MHP-PV/T by Reynolds number and heat transfer coefficient enhancement
title_short Experimental and heat transfer studies of MHP-PV/T by Reynolds number and heat transfer coefficient enhancement
title_sort experimental and heat transfer studies of mhp pv t by reynolds number and heat transfer coefficient enhancement
topic Micro heat pipe PV/T
R141b
Heat transfer
Reynolds number
Heat transfer coefficient
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666123323001125
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AT jinpingli experimentalandheattransferstudiesofmhppvtbyreynoldsnumberandheattransfercoefficientenhancement
AT junjiezhu experimentalandheattransferstudiesofmhppvtbyreynoldsnumberandheattransfercoefficientenhancement
AT xueminzhang experimentalandheattransferstudiesofmhppvtbyreynoldsnumberandheattransfercoefficientenhancement
AT xiaoguo experimentalandheattransferstudiesofmhppvtbyreynoldsnumberandheattransfercoefficientenhancement
AT vojislavnovakovic experimentalandheattransferstudiesofmhppvtbyreynoldsnumberandheattransfercoefficientenhancement