Experimental characterisation of a flat panel integrated collector-storage solar water heater featuring a photovoltaic absorber and a planar liquid-vapour thermal diode

摘要

A flat panel Integrated Collector-Storage Solar Water Heater (ICSSWH) incorporating a photovoltaic-thermalrn(PVT) absorber and a Planar Liquid-Vapour Thermal Diode (PLVTD) was fabricated. Tests indicate zerorntemperature rise instantaneous thermal and electrical efficiencies of 60% and 9% respectively, dropping torn40% and 6% under nominal intended operating conditions (600 Wm-2 irradiance, 50°C storage tank, 20°Crnambient temperature). Measured overall heat loss coefficient was 0.85 Wm-2K-1 and thermal diodernconductances were typically 45 Wm-2K-1 during solar collection periods and 1.7 Wm-2K-1 during heat retentionrnperiods. The work demonstrates that ICSSWH, PVT and PLVTD concepts can be successfully combined torncreate a scalable flat panel solar collector suitable for integration within a multifunction building façade.