Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic Systems, 2nd Volume

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Topic is a continuation of the previous successful Topic “Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic Systems” Solar energy is a clean and reliable source of energy for the production of electric and thermal power to satisfy the increasing demand for power and simultaneously overcome the challenges posed by the climate-friendly environment that is required for the Earth’s sustainable development. The energy conversion efficiency of electric energy generation through photovoltaic (PV) panels is very low. Most of the radiation is converted into heat, which results in a higher operating temperature and a lower photovoltaic efficiency. On the other hand, solar thermal collectors (TCs) are widely used to supply hot water for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. In addition, thermal energy can be converted into electricity by the Seebeck effect using thermoelectric generators (TEGs). TEGs are reliable, robust, and environmentally friendly. Thus, the combination of PV, TC, and TE technologies can improve the performance of both electric and thermal energy generation. This Topic will focus on recent research accomplishments in, and the different approaches to, optimizing the operation, performance, efficiency, and feasibility of hybrid solar photovoltaic, thermoelectric, and thermal modules by experimental, numerical, or analytical techniques. It will also review the optimization and development challenges that need to be overcome in order to extend their effective spectrum range. Therefore, we invite you to contribute to this Special Issue with an original research or review article on a topic relevant to the further improvement of hybrid solar photovoltaic, thermoelectric, and thermal modules. Articles may describe innovative technical developments, present experimental, numerical modeling, case, or analytical studies, or assess the future prospects of and make suggestions on potential approaches to emerging technology solutions.

Prof. Dr. Pedro Dinis Gaspar
Prof. Dr. Pedro Dinho da Silva
Prof. Dr. Luís C. Pires
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Energies energies	3.0	6.2	2008	17.5 Days	CHF 2600
Materials materials	3.1	5.8	2008	15.5 Days	CHF 2600
Processes processes	2.8	5.1	2013	14.4 Days	CHF 2400
Solar solar	-	-	2021	27.4 Days	CHF 1000
Sustainability sustainability	3.3	6.8	2009	20 Days	CHF 2400

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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All Energies Materials Processes Solar Sustainability

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24 pages, 6004 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Predictive Modeling of Solar PV Panel Operating Temperature over Water Bodies: Comparative Performance Analysis with Ground-Mounted Installations

by Karmendra Kumar Agrawal, Shibani Khanra Jha, Ravi Kant Mittal, Ajit Pratap Singh, Sanjay Vashishtha, Saurabh Gupta and Manoj Kumar Soni

Energies 2024, 17(14), 3489; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17143489 - 16 Jul 2024

Viewed by 936

Abstract

Solar panel efficiency is significantly influenced by its operating temperature. Recent advancements in emerging renewable energy alternatives have enabled photovoltaic (PV) module installation over water bodies, leveraging their increased efficiency and associated benefits. This paper examines the operational performance of solar panels placed [...] Read more.

Solar panel efficiency is significantly influenced by its operating temperature. Recent advancements in emerging renewable energy alternatives have enabled photovoltaic (PV) module installation over water bodies, leveraging their increased efficiency and associated benefits. This paper examines the operational performance of solar panels placed over water bodies, comparing them to ground-mounted solar PV installations. Regression models for panel temperature are developed based on experimental setups at BITS Pilani, India. Developed regression models, including linear, quadratic, and exponential, are utilized to predict the operating temperature of solar PV installations above water bodies. These models incorporated parameters such as ambient temperature, solar insolation, wind velocity, water temperature, and humidity. Among these, the one-degree regression models with three parameters outperformed the models with four or five parameters with a prediction error of 5.5 °C. Notably, the study found that the annual energy output estimates from the best model had an error margin of less than 0.2% compared to recorded data. Research indicates that solar PV panels over water bodies produce approximately 2.59% more annual energy output than ground-mounted systems. The newly developed regression models provide a predictive tool for estimating the operating temperature of solar PV installations above water bodies, using only three meteorological parameters: ambient temperature, solar insolation, and wind velocity, for accurate temperature prediction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic Systems, 2nd Volume)

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22 pages, 32102 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Combining Improved Meanshift and Adaptive Shi-Tomasi Algorithms for a Photovoltaic Panel Segmentation Strategy

by Chao Huang, Xuewei Chao, Weiji Zhou and Lijiao Gong

Processes 2024, 12(3), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12030564 - 13 Mar 2024

Viewed by 987

Abstract

To achieve effective and accurate segmentation of photovoltaic panels in various working contexts, this paper proposes a comprehensive image segmentation strategy that integrates an improved Meanshift algorithm and an adaptive Shi-Tomasi algorithm. This approach effectively addresses the challenge of low precision in segmenting [...] Read more.

To achieve effective and accurate segmentation of photovoltaic panels in various working contexts, this paper proposes a comprehensive image segmentation strategy that integrates an improved Meanshift algorithm and an adaptive Shi-Tomasi algorithm. This approach effectively addresses the challenge of low precision in segmenting target regions and boundary contours in routine photovoltaic panel inspection. Firstly, based on the image information of photovoltaic panels collected under different environments by cameras, an improved Meanshift algorithm based on platform histogram optimization is used for preliminary processing, and images containing target information are cut out; then, the adaptive Shi-Tomasi algorithm is used to extract and screen feature points from the target area; finally, the extracted feature points generate the segmentation contour of the target photovoltaic panel, achieving accurate segmentation of the target area and boundary contour of the photovoltaic panel. Experiments verified that in photovoltaic panel images under different background environments, the method proposed in this paper enhances the accuracy of segmenting the target area and boundary contour of photovoltaic panels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic Systems, 2nd Volume)

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28 pages, 10711 KiB  

Open AccessReview

Electrospun Nanofiber Materials for Photothermal Interfacial Evaporation

by Dianming Li, Yingying Cheng, Yanxia Luo, Yuqin Teng, Yanhua Liu, Libang Feng, Nü Wang and Yong Zhao

Materials 2023, 16(16), 5676; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165676 - 18 Aug 2023

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2165

Abstract

Photothermal interfacial evaporation with low cost and environmental friendliness has attracted much attention. However, there are still many problems with this technology, such as heat loss and salt accumulation. Due to their different structures and adjustable chemical composition, electrospun nanofiber materials generally exhibit [...] Read more.

Photothermal interfacial evaporation with low cost and environmental friendliness has attracted much attention. However, there are still many problems with this technology, such as heat loss and salt accumulation. Due to their different structures and adjustable chemical composition, electrospun nanofiber materials generally exhibit some unique properties that provide new approaches to address the aforementioned issues. In this review, the rational design principles for improving the total efficiency of solar evaporation are described for thermal/water management systems and salt-resistance strategies. And we review the state-of-the-art advancements in photothermal evaporation based on nanofiber materials and discuss their derivative applications in desalination, water purification, and power generation. Finally, we highlight key challenges and opportunities in both fundamental research and practical applications to inform further developments in the field of interfacial evaporation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic Systems, 2nd Volume)

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23 pages, 4941 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Harmonic Loss Analysis of Low-Voltage Distribution Network Integrated with Distributed Photovoltaic

by Wenqian Yuan, Xiang Yuan, Longwei Xu, Chao Zhang and Xinsheng Ma

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4334; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054334 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2665

Abstract

In a power system with highly proportional renewable energy integration, the power generated by photovoltaic (PV) of high permeability and high proportion needs to be connected to the distribution network through the power electronic inverter. The inverters can generate the low-order harmonic and [...] Read more.

In a power system with highly proportional renewable energy integration, the power generated by photovoltaic (PV) of high permeability and high proportion needs to be connected to the distribution network through the power electronic inverter. The inverters can generate the low-order harmonic and high-order harmonic near the switching frequency. Harmonic power will be generated when the harmonic current flows through the power grid with the harmonic voltage of the same frequency, and the additional harmonic losses caused should not be neglected. To effectively analyze the voltage quality and calculate the harmonic loss of the low-voltage distribution network integrated with distributed PV, based on the harmonic loss factor of resistance proposed, the harmonic impedance modeling and harmonic loss calculation method for the key equipment of the power grid, such as lines and transformers, are introduced in this paper firstly. Next, a decoupling algorithm of harmonic power flow is proposed, and the influence of the access capacity of PV on voltage quality and line loss of the distribution network is analyzed. Finally, a harmonic loss calculation method based on measured harmonic data of the distribution network is proposed. It is found that the harmonic loss of the low-voltage distribution network accounts for about 0.6% of the total network loss. Therefore, voltage quality can be improved and line loss can be reduced effectively by reasonable access to PV and reducing harmonic order and the current harmonic distortion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic Systems, 2nd Volume)

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11 pages, 1785 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Thermal Stability in High-Temperature Air of Cr-Fe Composite Oxide Solar Coatings by Chemical-Colored of Stainless Steel

by Hongwen Yu, Yi He, Ziye Song, Xinyu Zhang, Yibing Xue and Lei Feng

Processes 2023, 11(1), 213; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11010213 - 9 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1270

Abstract

The stainless steel chemical coloration demonstrates excellent repeatability of process when adopted to fabricate solar selective absorber coatings (SSACs) on TTS445J1 stainless steel base material. The optical performance, morphology, and composition of coatings are characterized by UV-3600, IR-Affinity-1, SEM, EDS, etc. The experimental [...] Read more.

The stainless steel chemical coloration demonstrates excellent repeatability of process when adopted to fabricate solar selective absorber coatings (SSACs) on TTS445J1 stainless steel base material. The optical performance, morphology, and composition of coatings are characterized by UV-3600, IR-Affinity-1, SEM, EDS, etc. The experimental results suggest that the Cr-Fe composite oxides with coatings in a spinel structure obtained by chemical coloration on a stainless steel surface exhibit outstanding spectral selectivity, with α/ε = 0.9334/0.1326. The coatings were generated by the direct reaction between the stainless steel substrate composition and the coloring solution, which changes the traditional way of combining the coating with the substrate by physical methods. Comparing the SEM images of the coatings before and after aging at 500 °C in air, we noticed no significant changes at the interface between the coatings and the substrate, indicating excellent coating adhesion. At the same time, the substrate grains did not change much after the chemical reaction of the stainless steel substrate, indicating that the oxidation resistance of the stainless steel substrate was not weakened. Finally, the Cr-Fe composite oxide exhibited excellent thermal stability in air. Based upon a microstructure analysis, the Performance Creation (PC) is 0.01 after aging at 500 °C for 200 h in high-temperature air, primarily because of the loss of H₂O molecules from the hydrates in the coatings. After aging for 800 h, PC = 0.0458. After the aging hours are extended to 1000 h, PC = 0.0762. During the aging process at high temperature, the coatings of the Cr-Fe composite oxides maintained stable composition and phase structures. The decay in optical performance is due mainly to the reconstruction of the surface morphology of the coatings as a result of the largening of grains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic Systems, 2nd Volume)

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18 pages, 4851 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Design and Experimental Studies of a Funnel Solar Cooker with Phase Change Material

by Kartikey Chauhan, Joseph Daniel, Sreekanth Manavalla and Priyadarshini Jayaraju

Energies 2022, 15(23), 9182; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15239182 - 3 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2261

Abstract

Solar cookers can greatly reduce the overall carbon footprint of the cooking done in India. In the present work a funnel-type solar cooker is designed using cardboard. After making the solar cooker it is then analyzed on the various performance metrics namely the [...] Read more.

Solar cookers can greatly reduce the overall carbon footprint of the cooking done in India. In the present work a funnel-type solar cooker is designed using cardboard. After making the solar cooker it is then analyzed on the various performance metrics namely the figures of merit, efficiency value and Cooker Opto–thermal Ratio (COR) which are dependent parameters. Paraffin wax which is a phase change material (PCM) is also incorporated in the testing process to evaluate the overall improvement in the thermal efficiency of the solar cooker. The time taken to break is also calculated. The experimental results show that the solar cooker is capable of reaching a temperature of 125 °C. From the results it can also be seen that using paraffin wax also offers significant improvement in the overall thermal efficiency. The results are tested on various parts of India considering the major cities such as Chennai, Trivandrum, Kanpur and Delhi with the ANN model, which is a deep learning model. The advantage of this model is that it can forecast and estimate the temperature of the absorber plate and water from weather forecasting data which is used to calculate F1 and F2 metrics for the performance of the solar cooker. For all the cities, the model’s R2 value is greater than 99% and RMSE values are small. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic Systems, 2nd Volume)

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15 pages, 3677 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Experimental and Photothermal Performance Evaluation of Multi-Wall Carbon-Nanotube-Enhanced Microencapsulation Phase Change Slurry for Efficient Photothermal Conversion and Storage

by Changling Wang, Guiling Zhang and Xiaosong Zhang

Energies 2022, 15(20), 7627; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15207627 - 15 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1837

Abstract

Melamine formaldehyde was used as the shell material and n-eicosane as the core material with the method of in situ polymerization to synthesize microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCMs). To enhance the thermophysical characteristics and photothermal conversion performance of the MPCM slurry, multi-wall carbon [...] Read more.

Melamine formaldehyde was used as the shell material and n-eicosane as the core material with the method of in situ polymerization to synthesize microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCMs). To enhance the thermophysical characteristics and photothermal conversion performance of the MPCM slurry, multi-wall carbon nanotubes were added, and the microscopic morphology and thermophysical parameters of the MWCNT-MPCM slurry were analyzed. The thermal conductivity, viscosity, and photothermal conversion properties of the slurry were examined. The results indicated that the synthesized MPCMs were nucleated and unbroken, with a spherical form and a latent heat of phase transition of up to 135.92 kJ/kg. The MPCM was stable when dispersed in water, and its thermal conductivity rose with the temperature but slightly decreased during the phase transition period. The viscosity rose with the addition of the MPCM, with a jump at 20% MPCM content. The addition of MWCNTs had a minor effect on the material’s thermophysical properties. The thermal conductivity increased from 0.55 W/m·°C to 0.6 W/m·°C when MWCNTs were added to the material. The viscosity of a 20% MPCM slurry exceeded 3000 mPa·s when 0.5% MWCNTs were introduced. Under 1 sun of sunlight, the mixture’s peak temperature could reach 60 °C at 0.5% MWCNT concentration. The MWCNT-MPCM slurry is capable of producing efficient solar photothermal conversion without sacrificing other thermophysical properties, and it has several applications in solar energy consumption and thermal engineering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic Systems, 2nd Volume)

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