Modeling of energy and exergy efficiencies in high vacuum flat plate photovoltaic–thermal (PV–T) collectors

This work deals with the performance evaluation of novel flat photovoltaic–thermal (PV–T) modules under vacuum. Through a 1D (dimensional) steady-state-energy-balance numerical model developed in MATLAB, two different layouts are studied: first consisting photovoltaic (PV) cell installed just below glass encapsulating panel, and second where PV is placed on selective solar absorber (SSA). In both cases thermal electrical efficiencies have been evaluated at SSA operating temperatures, range 323 K to 423 K. The analysis has conducted energy bandgap (Ebg) assuming variable transmittance or emittance cell, depending design. systems efficiency comparison carried out same temperature. Overall, this highlights importance high vacuum insulation, which guarantees reduction convective losses, shows that maximum produced for cells Ebg ?1.5-1.7 eV, layout temperature, by including output PV–T? optimization. exergy obtainable using proposed considerably improved compared results previously reported literature.