| Work Detail |
Scientists in China have used ground heat exchangers based on volcanic tuff stones to improve storage capabilities and efficiency of photovoltaic-thermal systems. Their experiments showed that the proposed combination effectively improves PV module cooling and thermal efficiency. system, it interacts with geothermal energy, resulting in heat dissipation during the summer and heat absorption in the winter.” The systems thermal and electrical performance was measured through a pyranometer, a digital multimeter, and a variable mass flow meter, while temperature readings were taken via K-type thermocouples. These data were then compared to those of a reference PVT system operating without the GHE. The experiment showed that the volcanic tuff stones contributed to reducing PV module temperature by up to 23% and achieved a power conversion efficiency of 17.25% and a 6.25% higher power output compared to the benchmark the PVT system without the GHE, which achieved an efficiency of only 16.65%. The proposed system also reached a thermal efficiency of 70.61%, which compares to 58.66% in the reference array. “The ground heat exchanger consistently raised outlet air temperatures by an average of 10 C above ambient, even under varying environmental conditions,” the academics further explained. “This highlights the volcanic tuff stones’ capability to stabilize heat exchange through their porous structure, ensuring reliable thermal performance.” The novel approach was described in the paper “Experimental investigation of the photovoltaic thermal integrated with ground heat exchanger using volcanic tuff stones,” published in Applied Thermal Energy. Looking forward, the research team said it wants to investigate how the system operates under different environmental conditions and assess its potential scalability for large-scale applications, while also conducting economic feasibility studies to evaluate costs and potential energy savings. |
