Experimental investigation of a hybrid photovoltaic-thermal energy system for hot air production

Solar energy as a non-fossil alternative energy source has become the best choice to overcome the problem of energy demand in most countries in the world. There are two different techniques to convert solar energy: photovoltaic (PV) panels to produce electricity and thermal collectors to generate heat. The two technologies can be combined to provide electrical and thermal energy either simultaneously or separately. In order to optimize the performance of a hybrid photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) solar air heater, it is necessary to collect experimental data on solar irradiation and temperature. This paper emphasized the development of a PVT energy system for hot air production in a temperature range of 50-55 °C. Additionally, experiments were constructed to monitor the information acquired from the proposed PVT solar air heater and the environment, such as hot air temperature, ambient temperature, and solar irradiation. The real-time monitoring system was set for five sample days. A microcontroller unit was used to control the hot air temperature and save the measurement data into memory. The experimental results showed that the proposed PVT solar air heater is capable of maintaining a certain level of hot air temperature throughout the day and night.