پژوهش‌های مکانیک ماشینهای کشاورزی

پژوهش‌های مکانیک ماشینهای کشاورزی

Numerical Simulation of a Nano-PCM Integrated PV/T Collector for Enhanced Thermal Regulation and Uniform Heat Distribution

نوع مقاله : شماره ویژه انگلیسی

نویسندگان
Mohadeseh Ahmadi 1
Akbar Arabhosseini 2
Hadi Samimi-Akhijahani 3
1 Department of Agrotechnology, Aburaihan Campus, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2 Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology (Aburaihan), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
3 Department of Biosystem Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Kurdistan, Iran
10.22034/jrmam.2026.14951.758
چکیده
Thermal regulation of photovoltaic (PV) systems is critical for maintaining electrical efficiency and extending component lifespan. This study presents a hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) collector incorporating nano-enhanced phase change material (nano-PCM) for simultaneous cooling and thermal energy storage. Copper tubes filled with paraffin doped with 3 wt.% zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) nanoparticles were vertically embedded beneath the PV panel in a novel energy storage configuration to enhance heat dissipation, improve thermal uniformity, and optimize latent heat storage within the collector structure. Transient numerical simulations were conducted using ANSYS Fluent to analyze both charging and discharging phases of the thermal storage system. During the charging process, the nano-PCM absorbed excess solar heat, effectively stabilizing the thermal field and maintaining tube temperatures approximately within the range of 290–293 K, while limiting the peak collector temperature to 372–389 K and preventing localized thermal hotspots. In the discharging phase, the controlled release of stored latent heat sustained tube temperatures between 310–325 K, maintained the central collector surface temperature at 340–345 K, and kept the PV panel temperature within 300–304 K, thereby ensuring stable operational thermal conditions. The proposed system introduces a modified and innovative configuration of thermal energy storage integration, enabling improved heat management, enhanced energy recovery, and prolonged system stability. The results indicate that the simultaneous implementation of nano-PCM–based storage and optimized PV/T structural arrangement provides an effective strategy for balancing heat absorption, storage, and controlled heat release. This integrated thermal management approach is particularly suitable for solar drying applications, where a continuous and stable thermal energy supply is essential for maintaining product quality and process efficiency.
کلیدواژه‌ها
Charging and discharging
Photovoltaic panel
Thermal energy storage material
Nano-PCM
Dynamic heat transfer analysis
Abdelrazik, A. S., Al-Sulaiman, F. A., Saidur, R., & Ben-Mansour, R. (2018). A review on recent development for the design and packaging of hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar systems. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 95, 110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2018.07.024
 
Ahmadi, M., Arabhosseini, A., & Samimi-Akhijahani, H. (2025). Design and investigating the performance of the flat plate collector with photovoltaic panel and phase change material. Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 4(1), 32–43. https://doi.org/10.22103/bbr.2025.24483.110
 
Ahmadi, M., Samimi-Akhijahani, H., & Salami, P. (2023). Thermo-economic and drying kinetic analysis of oleaster using a solar dryer integrated with phase change materials and recirculation system. Journal of Energy Storage, 68, 107351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2023.107351
 
Arabhosseini, A. (2023). Application of clean energies in agricultural greenhouses. In Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Technology and Energy Management (ICTEM). https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTEM56862.2023.10084219
 
Boyle, A. E., & Redgwell, C. (2021). Birnie, Boyle, and Redgwell’s international law and the environment. Oxford University Press.
 
El-Afifi, M. I. (2024). Solar energy: Our future for sustainable energy. Nile Journal of Communication & Computer Science, 7(1), 67–83. https://doi.org/10.21608/njccs.2024.276627.1031
 
Hossain, M. F. (2021). Estimation of global solar energy to mitigate world energy and environmental vulnerability. In Renewable energy for mitigating climate change (1st ed., p. 28). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003240120
 
Kaushik, E., Prakash, V., Mahela, O. P., Khan, B., El-Shahat, A., & Abdelaziz, A. Y. (2022). Comprehensive overview of power system flexibility during the scenario of high penetration of renewable energy in utility grid. Energies, 15, 516. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15020516
 
Khoja, M. (2022). Solar energy applications for agriculture: A review. iManager's Journal on Power Systems Engineering, 10(3), 25. https://doi.org/10.26634/jps.10.3.19031
 
Koohi-Fayegh, S., & Rosen, M. A. (2020). A review of renewable energy options, applications, facilitating technologies and recent developments. European Journal of Sustainable Development Research, 4(4), em0138. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejosdr/7900
 
Kumar, C. M. S., Singh, S., Gupta, M. K., Nimdeo, Y. M., Raushan, R., Deorankar, A. V., et al. (2023). Solar energy: A promising renewable source for meeting energy demand in Indian agriculture applications. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 55, 102905. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2022.102905
 
Lämmle, M., Oliva, A., Hermann, M., Kramer, K., & Kramer, W. (2017). PVT collector technologies in solar thermal systems: A systematic assessment of electrical and thermal yields with the novel characteristic temperature approach. Solar Energy, 155, 867–879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2017.07.025
 
Mahdi, L. A., Chaichan, M. T., Abass, K. I., Fayad, M. A., Abdul-Wahab, H. A., & Kazem, H. A. 2024. Characterization of the thermophysical properties of paraffin-based nanocomposite containing alumina and iron oxide nanoparticles. In Advances in Material Science and Engineering. pp: 89–100.
 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7389-5_10
 
Makieła, K., Mazur, B., & Głowacki, J. (2022). The impact of renewable energy supply on economic growth and productivity. Energies, 15, 4808. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15134808
 
Mishra, S. K., Gupta, M. K., Kumar, R., & Sharma, A. (2025). Performance enhancement of thermal energy storage system using ZrO₂ doped paraffin wax. Journal of Thermal Engineering, 11 (1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.14744/thermal.0000905
 
Nandi, A., & Biswas, N. (2025). Melting dynamics and energy efficiency of nano-enhanced phase change material (NePCM) with graphene, Al₂O₃, and CuO for superior thermal energy storage (TES). Journal of Energy Storage, 109, 115076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2024.115076
 
Nair, D. R., Nair, M. G., & Thakur, T. (2022). A smart microgrid system with artificial intelligence for power-sharing and power quality improvement. Energies, 15, 5409. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15155409
 
Rezk, H., Alamri, B., Aly, M., Fathy, A., Olabi, A. G., Abdelkareem, M. A., & Ziedan, H. A. (2021). Multicriteria decision-making to determine the optimal energy management strategy of hybrid PV–diesel battery-based desalination system. Sustainability, 13, 4202. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084202
 
Singh, S. N., Tiwari, P., & Tiwari, S. (Eds.). (2021). Fundamentals and innovations in solar energy: Energy systems in electrical engineering. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6456-1
 
 Sirin, C., Selimefendigil, F., & Öztop, H. F. (2023). Performance analysis and identification of an indirect photovoltaic thermal dryer with aluminum oxide nanoembedded thermal energy storage modification. Sustainability, 15, 2422. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032422
 
Tay, N.H.S., Bruno, F. and Belusko, M. 2012. Experimental validation of a CFD model for tubes in a phase change thermal energy storage system. International Heat and Mass Transfer, 55: 574-585.
 
Zheng, X., & Zhou, Y. (2023). A three-dimensional unsteady numerical model on a novel aerogel-based PV/T-PCM system with dynamic heat-transfer mechanism and solar energy harvesting analysis. Applied Energy, 338, 120899. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.120899
 
Zhou, F., Ji, J., Yuan, W., Zhao, X., & Huang, S. (2019). Study on the PCM flat-plate solar collector system with antifreeze characteristics. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 129, 357–366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2018.09.105