Photovoltaic Thermal Collectors with Nanofluids and Nano-PCM

This book gives you theory and design of PV/T systems. Are you interested in solar energy? If you are, you must have read about solar panels, or photovoltaics (PV). If you have installed a photovoltaic system, you must have noticed it not to generate the amount of power mentioned in its datasheet. A major issue that PV suffers from is its temperature, which causes a drop in its power. Among the solutions to this issue is to use active cooling methods, such as the hybrid photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) system. These systems can produce electrical and thermal energy simultaneously and within same area. The thermal collector serves to cool down the PV surface temperature, which negatively affects the PV efficiency, to reclaim the efficiency or bring it back close to standard testing conditions value. Moreover, the thermal collector will convey this heat using a working fluid and extract it as thermal energy. On the other hand, the electrical power generated from the PV can be utilized in standalone or grid-connected configuration. Moreover, the book presents a novel PV/T collector which can utilize nanofluids and nano-Phase Change Material (PCM) to enhance its performance in tropical climate conditions. The methods used to develop the heat transfer and energy balance equations are presented as well. PV/T collector numerical simulation using MATLAB and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) was also presented. Finally, the approach of life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) is presented to evaluate PV/T with nanofluid and nano-PCM, economically.

Photovoltaic Thermal (PV/T).- Traditional PV/T Collectors.- State-of-the-Art of PV/T Systems.- PV/T with Nanofluids and Nano-PCM.- Performance of PV/T with Nanofluids and Nano-PCM.- Life Cycle Cost Analysis.

Ali H.A. Al-Waeli is an Assistant Professor in the engineering department at the American University of Iraq – Sulaimani (AUIS). He has obtained his bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Sohar University, Oman in 2016. In 2019, Ali obtained a Ph.D. in renewable energy from SERI, UKM. He is also a reviewer peer reviewer in many international journals. He is also a member of international organizations such as IEEE, WSSET, IAENG, and ISES.

Kamaruzzaman Sopian obtained his BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin- Madison in 1985, MSc in Energy Resources from the University of Pittsburgh in 1989 and PhD. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Miami - Coral Gables in 1997. He is presently the Professor and Director of the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. 

Hussein A Kazem obtained his BSc, MSc in electrical engineering from University of Technology, Iraq, also PhD from Newcastle University, UK. He is presently Associate Professor in Faculty of Engineering-Sohar University, Oman. He has been involved in the field of solar and renewable energy for more than twenty years. His main contributions are in standalone and grid-connected photovoltaic systems, solar radiation and systems modeling, solar water heating system, solar desalination, combined photovoltaic thermal or hybrid collector and solar/wind hybrid system. He has delivered keynotes speeches at national and international conferences on renewable energy. He is a winner of some national and international awards. He had completed some national and international research grants. He is chairman of the Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology Research Group in Oman.

Miqdam T. Chaichan is a professor in mechanical engineering at the Energy and Renewable Energies Technology Center, in the University of Technology,Iraq. In 1982, he obtained his B.Sc. in mechanical engineering from the engineering college of Baghdad University and in 1989 he obtained a M.Sc. in power generation from the University of Technology, Baghdad.