Title: A comprehensive analysis of thermo-electrical parameters in photovoltaic thermal systems utilising diverse nanofluids

Authors: Sourav Diwania; Maneesh Kumar; Pavan Khetrapal; Rajeev Kumar; Varun Gupta; Vivek Saxena; Ankur Maheshwari; Vanya Goel

Addresses: Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, KIET Group of Institutions, Delhi – NCR, Ghaziabad, India ' Department of Hydro and Renewable Energy, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India ' Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Delhi – NCR, Ghaziabad, India; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, ABES Engineering College, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India ' Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, KIET Group of Institutions, Delhi – NCR, Ghaziabad, India ' Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Sikkim, India ' Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, ABES Engineering College, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India ' Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, KIET Group of Institutions, Delhi – NCR, Ghaziabad, India ' Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, KIET Group of Institutions, Delhi – NCR, Ghaziabad, India

Abstract: This study examines the thermo-electrical performance of a photovoltaic-thermal unit experimenting with various coolants namely water, Cu/water, TiO₂/water, and Cu/TiO₂/water. Using solar data from Ghaziabad (28.6692°N, 77.4538°E), India, the analysis revealed average system temperatures of 42.11°C, 40.52°C, 35.68°C, and 33.85°C respectively for each coolant. The Cu/TiO₂/water hybrid nanofluid achieved the highest electrical efficiency compared to mono-nanofluids for PVT systems. Results showed that the hybrid nanofluid (50% Cu + 50% TiO₂) outperformed mono-nanofluids, improving overall system efficiency by 14.09% using Cu/TiO₂/water hybrid nanofluid (2 vol. %) compared to water-cooled PVT system.

Keywords: hybrid photovoltaic-thermal system; nanoparticles; electrical efficiency; thermo-physical properties; viscosity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2025.149608

International Journal of Exergy, 2025 Vol.48 No.2, pp.128 - 143

Received: 11 Sep 2024
Accepted: 22 Dec 2024
Published online: 07 Nov 2025 *

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