Are wavy pipes better in photovoltaic thermal systems?

Wavy pipes in photovoltaic thermal systems are more efficient than straight ones, claims a University of Nottingham study.

Photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems directly convert sunlight into both electricity and thermal energy, making them more than 70% efficient than standalone photvoltaics.

The team at Nottingham has used a computer model to study a PVT system with wavy pipes. It was found to work more effectively and also keeps solar panels at an optimum temperature, resulting in higer electricity generation.

The wavy tube PVT system captured more than 85% of thermal energy received in the model, whereas the straight ones are only 72% efficient.

The researchers measured metrics like the shape of the pipes, the speed of fluid, the size of panels, how well the system works and how much energy was generated.

Dr Surojit Sen, from the Power Electronics, Machines and Drives research group, believes, 'Humans spend about 15% of all energy usage, about 600 billion gigajoules, on indoor heating only. It is crucial to rapidly move over to cleaner energy sources and what better than the sun.'