The Effect of Variations in Mass Fraction of Al2O3 Nanofluid on Thermal and Electrical Efficiency in Photovoltaic Thermal Systems Using Computational Methods

This study examines the enhancement of Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) systems through the application of nanofluids containing hexagonal boron nitride (Al2O3) nanoparticles. PVT systems, which integrate photovoltaic cells with thermal collectors, offer a dual-function solution by generating both electricity and heat, thereby maximizing the utilization of solar energy. The research specifically focuses on optimizing the thermal and electrical efficiencies of PVT systems by adjusting two critical parameters: the inlet velocity of the nanofluids and the concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticles. Computational simulations were performed using ANSYS Fluent software to analyze the impact of these variables on temperature distribution within the systems. The simulations revealed that both higher inlet velocities and increased nanoparticle concentrations lead to significant improvements in system performance. The most notable gains were observed at a nanoparticle concentration of 0.05% and an inlet velocity of 0.08 m/s, where thermal efficiency reached 74.80%, and electrical efficiency increased to 14.43%. The study confirms that the enhanced thermal conductivity of nanofluids due to the presence of Al2O3 nanoparticles plays a pivotal role in improving heat transfer and cooling processes. This optimization leads to the photovoltaic cells operating at more efficient temperatures, thus elevating both the output and overall efficiency of the PVT systems. The findings suggest that carefully controlled adjustments to the nanofluid properties can effectively optimize PVT systems, making them a more viable and efficient solution for simultaneous heat and electricity production from solar energy.