Performance study and parametric analysis of a novel heat pipe PV/T system

A novel heat pipe photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system that could simultaneously supply electrical and thermal energy was proposed. Compared with a traditional water-type PV/T system, the heat pipe PV/T system can be used in cold regions without becoming frozen. A dynamic model of the heat pipe PV/T system was presented, and a test rig was constructed. Experiments were conducted to validate the results of the simulation. Based on the validated model, the performances of the heat pipe PV/T system were studied under different parametric conditions, such as water flow rates, PV cell covering factor of the collector, tube space of heat pipes, and kinds of solar absorptive coatings of the absorber plate.

► A novel heat pipe photovoltaic/thermal system was designed and constructed.
► Performance of the HP-PV/T system is comparable with the water-type system.
► A dynamic model of the HP-PV/T system was presented.