The main objective of this paper is the modeling of a water-based concentration photovoltaic-thermal collector. This study also aims to investigate on the influence of the cooling water mass flow rate on the temperature and performances of a PV cell in such hybrid system.
On the basis of the thermal model, the thermal equation was determined at the steady-state. The numerical resolution of this equation allowed to plot the PV cell temperature profile according to light concentration and for different mass flow rates. It appears that the temperature rises with light concentration and falls down with increase in water mass flow rate towards the inlet temperature of this one. On the basis of the electrical model, diffusion parameters and electrical performance were extracted and plotted according to light concentration and mass flow rate.
The results show the decrease of the diffusion parameters with increase of light concentration and their improvement with increase of the mass flow rate. The current density and the short-circuit current density remain practically invariables under mass flow rate effect. But it appears a strong augmentation in voltage, open-circuit voltage, electrical power, electrical efficiency and fill factor when the mass flow rate increases. However, above 0.001 kg.s−1, it appears a drop in the cooling effect of water. This phenomenon is characterized by the slowing down of the favorable effect of an increasing water flow rate.