Temperature-dependent performance of amorphous silicon photovoltaic/thermal systems in the long term operation

Xiao Ren, Jing Li, Dongsheng Jiao, Datong Gao and Gang Pei

Applied Energy, 2020, vol. 275, issue C, No S0306261920306681

Abstract: The influences of temperature on the performance of amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cells and photovoltaic (PV) systems are extensively studied in the literature. The benefit from thermal annealing effect at a higher temperature than ambient has been demonstrated, which makes a-Si cells a promising material for photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system. However, the temperature-dependent performance of a-Si PV/T system in the long term operation has rarely been reported. The temperature effect will be more complicated than that on a single cell or PV system. Particularly, the exergetic efficiency and mechanical behavior of the PV/T system at different temperatures are unknown. To fill the above knowledge gap, two identical a-Si PV/T systems are developed. One operates at a water inlet temperature of 60 °C with an a-Si cell temperature of up to 70 °C. The other operates at an inlet temperature of 30 °C. Long-term outdoor tests from December 2017 to June 2019 have been conducted. Results indicate that the difference in the electrical efficiency between the two systems is 0.47% in the initial stage, and it gradually narrows to only 0.13% over time. The overall exergy efficiency at 60 °C generally exceeds that at 30 °C, which proves the superiority of the a-Si PV/T operating at medium temperature. Besides, the long-term operation at 60 °C has not led to a lower level of reliability.

Keywords: Amorphous silicon cells; Photovoltaic/thermal; Temperature; Long-term experiments; Energy efficiency; Exergy efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.115156

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