Thermal and exergy analysis of Pin-finned heatsinks for nanofluid cooled high concentrated photovoltaic thermal (HCPV/T) hybrid systems

Cooling of High Concentrated Photovoltaic (HCPV) cells is a major concern among researchers due to higher heat generation in the cells from highly concentrated solar radiation. In the present investigation, a numerical study of the High Concentrated Photovoltaic Thermal (HCPV/T) system is conducted for the combined effect of nanofluids and pin-finned heatsinks on the cooling performance. The investigation is carried out for AZUR SPACE solar cell (Model: 3C44C) for 1000 Concentration Ratio (CR) and the Reynolds number (Re) varies within the laminar range (600 ≤Re≤ 2200). Different shapes of pin-fins and their orientations are systematically investigated for the effect of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT) nanoparticles in a base fluid. The results show a significant reduction in the temperature (up to…