Development and validation of a hybrid PV/Thermal air based collector model with impinging jets

• A model for an impinging jet hybrid PV/Thermal air collector was developed.
• An experiment was conducted to validate the model.
• Effects of time step and collector frame on modeled results are discussed.

In an air-based hybrid Photovoltaic/Thermal (PV/T) solar collector, a high heat transfer coefficient can be achieved between the absorber plate and the air by using impinging jets. A predictive model of a PV/T collector using impinging jets was developed, and a prototype was built and operated at an outdoor facility in order to validate and test the model capabilities. Overall, the model was found to produce relatively accurate results. Over 8 days of testing, the worst total daily energy model predictions were within 10% and 11% of the experimental value for the thermal and electrical outputs, respectively. The influence of time step and thermal mass on the accuracy of the model were examined.