Numerical and experimental study on the performance of a Photovoltaic Trombe wall system with Venetian blinds

The integration of a photovoltaic system with the Trombe wall system (PVTW) is effective in thermal load regulation of buildings and electrical energy production. The modification of the PVTW system by adding a Venetian blind can regulate the airflow and provide shading. In this study, the experimental and numerical simulation results for the novel Photovoltaic Trombe wall system with a Venetian blind (PVTW_Ven) and the conventional Trombe wall system with a Venetian blind (TW_Ven) are compared. The experiments were conducted in a test room equipped with the PVTW_Ven and TW_Ven systems located in Abha, Asir Province of Saudi Arabia, with semiarid climatic conditions. The results obtained by numerical simulation were validated by comparing with experimental results. The results indicate that the average heat gain of the TW_Ven configuration is 1.33 times more than that of the PVTW_Ven configuration, with a 5.2 °C higher outer wall surface temperature. The temperature can be systematically regulated inside the test room by installing a Venetian blind with the slats at optimal 60° in the air gap of both configurations. The maximum temperature of the Venetian blind in the PVTW_Ven configuration is 4.7 °C lower than that in TW_Ven.