Development and Indoor Testing of a High-Performance PV/thermal (PVT) Panel with Integral Stagnation Control
Abstract
Photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) collectors, as devices that can provide both electricity and heat, have the potential to achieve lower installation costs and higher total energy production for the same roof or ground area than separate photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal (ST) systems. High-performance PVT collectors can enhance the economics of PVT systems by producing heat that can be used directly for domestic hot water systems, space heating and industrial process applications. The increased maximum temperature in high-performance PVT collectors carries an inherent risk of absorber overheating under stagnation conditions. Many PV cells’ damage mechanisms are related to higher temperatures and some of them can lead to catastrophic failures. This work presents indoor tests results for PVT collectors equipped with an anti-stagnation device, evaluating both maximum absorber temperature under stagnation conditions and thermal performance.