Experimental and numerical analysis of naturally ventilated PV-DSF in a humid subtropical climate

Zhenghong Wu, Ling Zhang, Xiaosong Su, Jing Wu and Zhongbing Liu

Renewable Energy, 2022, vol. 200, issue C, 633-646

Abstract: Photovoltaic double-skin façades (PV-DSFs) have great potential to simultaneously achieve power generation, thermal insulation and natural lighting when applied in buildings. Among them, crystalline silicon PV-DSF is one of the common types due to its high efficiency and mature technology. However, the alternate arrangement of opaque crystalline silicon and transparent glass in crystalline silicon PV-DSF complicates its heat transfer characteristics. Furthermore, the ventilation air cavity in crystalline silicon PV-DSF could induce a vertical convective heat transfer process. It is difficult to accurately predict the complex multidimensional heat transfer process in crystalline silicon PV-DSF by simplified 1-D or 2-D thermal models. Therefore, a comprehensive numerical model of PV-DSF including the optics, electricity and 3-D heat transfer sub-models is developed in this paper to estimate the annual electrical and thermal properties of PV-DSF in a humid subtropical climate. The effects of structure, orientation, air cavity depth and solar cell coverage on the overall performance of PV-DSF are analyzed. In comparison with single-glazed semi-transparent photovoltaic, PV-DSF provides a 30.4% reduction in heat gain and a 50.3% reduction in heat loss. The preferred installation orientation is due south for PV-DSF in a humid subtropical climate.

Keywords: Semi-transparent photovoltaic; Numerical simulation; 3-D heat transfer model; Parameter analysis; Double-skin façade; Ventilation modes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:200:y:2022:i:c:p:633-646

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2022.09.108

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