Experimental Investigation and Characterization of Façade Integrated PVT Collectors With and Without Insulation

Abstract

The performance of two unglazed aluminum PVT collectors integrated into a concrete wall was investigated in a laboratory test facility. One PVT collector was installed in direct contact with the concrete wall and the other was installed with 10 mm of Styrofoam between the PVT collector and the wall. It was found that the temperatures of the walls behind the PVT collectors had big impacts on the thermal performance of the collectors. For this reason, an extended version of the traditional QDT formula was suggested for façade integrated collectors, where the effect of the temperature of the wall was also taken into account.