The Impact of Tilt Angle and Flowrate on Performance of Nanofluid Based Photovoltaic/ Thermal (PV/T) Solar Collectors

Abstract Background Today, by the arrival of new sustainable energy technology, the provision of energy for the global population has turned into a significant issue for societies. Meanwhile, photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar collectors, as one of the most advanced types to produce electricity and heat simultaneously, can be applied with nanofluid as the working fluid. Methods In this research, PVP coated silver nanofluid was prepared in three volume concentrations being 250, 500 and 1000 ppm by two-step method to determine the stability and thermal conductivity, experimentally. Then, the performance of PV/T solar collector is analyzed by TRNSYS software to study electrical and thermal efficiency and also output electrical and thermal energy in different months, flowrates (25, 50, 75, 100, 150 and 200 l/h) and nanofluid’s concentration. Results Based on the results, the optimum flowrate and nanofluid’s concentration are obtained 50 l/h and 1000 ppm PVP coated silver nanofluid. At last, the effect of tilt angle on the output thermal and electrical energy is determined. According to the results, by changing tilt angle in different months, the performance of PV/T solar collector can be ameliorated. Conclusion This paper can be heeded as a novel approach to overcome the lack of solar radiation in winters by improving the performance of PV/T solar collectors.