Thermo-economic analysis of a wire-mesh integrated photovoltaic thermal collector

Abstract

This study experimentally compared a flat-plate photovoltaic-thermal air collector with and without a double-crimped galvanized iron wire mesh. Both units were tested together for eight days under identical outdoor conditions in Noida, India at an optimized airflow rate of 0.0165 kg/s. The hourly and daily means, along with standard deviations and 95% confidence intervals, were calculated; statistical significance tests were carried out; and a sensitivity analysis was performed to confirm the robustness of the mesh-integrated PVT system over the conventional PVT system. The mesh-integrated system maintained a 2.5 °C lower mean PV module temperature and a 2.1 °C higher mean outlet air temperature than the conventional unit. On an annual basis, the mesh-integrated system generated 43.2% higher mean thermal energy, 74.2% higher mean thermal exergy, and 1.9% higher mean net electrical energy than the conventional unit. Overall annual energy and exergy outputs rose by 19.25% and 3.15%, respectively. Despite a 2.5% increase in embodied energy, the mesh-integrated system required 14.18% and 0.58% less time on an overall energy and exergy basis to recover the invested energy. Over a 25-year lifespan, it mitigated 19.21% more CO₂ on an overall energy basis and 3.16% more on an overall exergy basis, yielding higher carbon-credit potential. Therefore, with better energy- and enviro-economic parameters, the mesh-integrated system has enhanced techno-economic and environmental viability over the conventional unit.