Buildings Facade Photovoltaic-Thermal Collectors based on Aluminum Heat Pipes

An advance of the energy efficiency and the ecological level of the housing sector is general task at energy supply new and old buildings. Apply renewable energy sources, in particular, solar energy is very perspective for it. Meanwhile, with allowance for the constructive properties of using solar heat and electric systems, it is urgent to simplify their integration and the use of these systems as elements of roofs and building facades. Good prospects are opened by using heat pipes as autonomic elements of solar collectors. Given article considers new approach to the design of photovoltaic-thermal collectors on the basis of aluminum heat pipes for use in building facades. In this case, aluminum heat pipes perform a complex role: they simultaneously serve as an absorbing surface, as highly thermal conductive device and as a cooling system for photovoltaic cells. The possibility to use such collectors is confirmed by experimental data which showed that the efficiency of photovoltaic-thermal collector with parameter X = (0.02...0.06) K·m 2 /W is 0.35...0.60. Besides, the photovoltaic-thermal collector can further produce electricity up to 135 W/m 2 and maximum heat output up to 457 W/m 2 at the incident solar radiation of 900 W/m 2 . Experimental test was carrying out on the mock-up of facade photovoltaic-thermal collector with dimension 1,340 × 500 mm. Such design of the photovoltaic solar collector could be easily integrated into building constructions.