Harnessing the full solar spectrum in CPV/T systems by combining selective liquid filters and phase change materials

Effectively utilizing the solar spectrum in concentrated photovoltaic/thermal (CPV/T) systems remains challenging due to significant heat losses and insufficient thermal decoupling between PV cells and thermal absorbers. This study reports a novel bypass CPV/T design employing water as both a spectral liquid filter (SLF) and active coolant, paired with phase change materials (PCMs) for passive cooling. Through detailed three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics simulations, the overall performance of the hybrid CPV/T-PCM/SBS (spectral beam splitting) system is explored, and the key parameters to maximize the energy productivity and economic feasibility are determined. While a thicker SLF improves the heat recovery, the produced electricity is sacrificed owing to the reduced light transmission in the PV waveband. Conversely, a thinner SLF increases the electrical power but causes higher PV cell temperatures and reduced thermal gains. Balancing the SLF thickness and concentrating ratio (CR) is critical to enhance the system efficiency. For the designed module, the optimal design features an SLF thickness of 6.045 mm, a flow rate of 0.105 kg/s, and a PCM layer thickness of 28.266 mm at CR ∼ 20. Optimizing the optical characteristics of the SLF and the thermophysical properties of the PCM allows for maximizing the productivity of the CPV/T-PCM/SBS system, making it a promising solution for high concentrated solar applications with efficient energy generation and thermal management.