Thermal stabilization, energy, cost and life analyses of hybrid photovoltaic-phase change composite system - Part 1

Temperature rise across the photovoltaic (PV) panel is a serious challenge, drastically affecting the power and efficiency, degrading the life and enhancing the system cost. Addressing such challenges is highly important in order to curtail the rising energy crisis across the globe, especially in developing countries with hot climatic surroundings. Herein, a full hybrid energy generation power plant has been proposed, consisting of PV panel as a diurnal electricity producer, form-stabilized phase change composite (PCC) as a thermal stabilizer, thermoelectric generator (TE) panels as thermal energy convertor and biomass-gasification unit as a nocturnal heat provider. In the first phase, mathematical and numerical modeling has been carried out, providing the preliminary guidance on the temperature trends of PV-standalone panel, as well as of PV-PCC system via ANSYS FLUENT. In addition, PCC has been prepared and experimentally analyzed, obtaining the thermophysical data, as well as inferring the form-stability and thermal stability necessary to resolve the design challenges of PV-PCC system. By varying the thermal conductivity and thickness of PCC film at the backside of PV panel, the thermal stabilization of PV has been successfully tuned under the influence of surrounding temperatures. Also, the design parameters of the PCC enclosure have been concluded at the optimum thermal conductivity and thickness of PCC film. With PV-PCC hybrid system, the efficiency, electrical energy and lifespan have been enhanced by 16.9%, 17.1% and 3 years compared with PV-standalone panel, respectively. The total cost of the PV-PCC system is calculated to be $290. In the next phases, TE and gasification units are intended to be numerically analyzed, based on which the experimental setup for the whole hybrid power plant will be fabricated and validated through numerical results. This hybrid power plant is expected to be practically workable in the countryside regions of Pakistan where the climate is the hottest but electricity crisis remains on the peak. • Hybrid energy generation and storage power plant is proposed. • The PV-stand-alone and PV-PCC system are modeled and numerically investigated. • The promising thermal stabilization of PV is achieved via PCC. • The form-stability of PCC is necessary to cope with the design challenges. • The PV-PCC system shows 3 years' enhanced life and 16.9% higher efficiency.