Optimal air cooling gap width at the top of the PVT: thermal and electrical efficiency analysis

One way to address the issue of high cell temperature is to cool solar panels. Thus, it is suggested to cool the system from the top of the photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) module in this numerical study utilising commercial CFD code analysis and determining the ideal cooling gap width. Consequently, a 1–10-cm gap is used to cool the PV module. In this study, air is used at a normal flow rate. The objective is to determine the ideal cooling gap width to enhance the PVT module's electrical and thermal efficiency. The impact of photovoltaic panels operating at high temperatures and solar radiation levels (ranging from 300 to 1000 W m⁻²), thermal puissance, and thermal efficiency is assessed. The collected findings indicated that for the air cooling test, the ideal gap width is 5 cm. The system's thermal efficiency is in the presence of solar radiation of 1000  W m⁻², with rates of 25.05% at a 5-cm air gap. The thermal puissance under solar radiation of 1000  W m⁻² was at a rate of 162.31 W with an air gap width of 5 cm. It is shown that the PVT system's 5-cm-wide gap successfully preserves the system's maximum levels of electrical and thermal efficiency.