This paper presents an experimental study for the development of convective heat transfer correlations for an open loop air-based building-integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPV/T) system. The BIPV/T system absorbs solar energy on the top surface, which includes the photovoltaic panels and generates electricity while also heating air drawn by a variable speed fan through a channel formed by the top roof surface with the photovoltaic modules and an insulated attic layer. The BIPV/T system channel has a length/hydraulic diameter ratio of 38, which is representative of a BIPV/T roof system for 30–45 deg tilt angles. Because of the heating asymmetry in the BIPV/T channel, two average Nusselt number correlations are reported as a function of Reynolds number: one for the top heated surface and the other for the bottom surface. For the top heated surface, the Nusselt number is in the range of 6–48 for Reynolds numbers ranging from 250 to 7500. For the bottom insulated surface, the Nusselt number is in the range of 22–68 for Reynolds numbers ranging from 800 to 7060. This paper presents correlations for the average Nusselt number as a function of Reynolds number; this correlation is considered adequate for the design of BIPV/T systems where forced convection dominates. Local Nusselt number distributions are also presented for laminar and turbulent flow conditions.
Skip Nav Destination
e-mail: lm_canda@encs.concordia.ca
Article navigation
Research Papers
Convective Heat Transfer Coefficients in a Building-Integrated Photovoltaic/Thermal System
Luis M. Candanedo,
Luis M. Candanedo
Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering,
e-mail: lm_canda@encs.concordia.ca
Concordia University
, Room EV16.117, 1455 Maisonneuve West, Montréal, QC, H3G 1M8, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Andreas Athienitis,
Andreas Athienitis
Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Concordia University
, Room EV16.117, 1455 Maisonneuve West, Montréal, QC, H3G 1M8, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Kwang-Wook Park
Kwang-Wook Park
Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Concordia University
, Room EV16.117, 1455 Maisonneuve West, Montréal, QC, H3G 1M8, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Luis M. Candanedo
Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Concordia University
, Room EV16.117, 1455 Maisonneuve West, Montréal, QC, H3G 1M8, Canadae-mail: lm_canda@encs.concordia.ca
Andreas Athienitis
Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Concordia University
, Room EV16.117, 1455 Maisonneuve West, Montréal, QC, H3G 1M8, Canada
Kwang-Wook Park
Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Concordia University
, Room EV16.117, 1455 Maisonneuve West, Montréal, QC, H3G 1M8, CanadaJ. Sol. Energy Eng. May 2011, 133(2): 021002 (14 pages)
Published Online: March 22, 2011
Article history
Received:
October 14, 2009
Revised:
July 20, 2010
Online:
March 22, 2011
Published:
March 22, 2011
Citation
Candanedo, L. M., Athienitis, A., and Park, K. (March 22, 2011). "Convective Heat Transfer Coefficients in a Building-Integrated Photovoltaic/Thermal System." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. May 2011; 133(2): 021002. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4003145
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Numerical Investigations on Minimization of Convective Heat Losses From Hemispherical Cavity Receiver Using Air Curtain
J. Sol. Energy Eng (June 2025)
Related Articles
Discrete Green’s Function Measurements in Internal Flows
J. Heat Transfer (July,2005)
Coupling of Convective and Radiative Heat Transfer in PV Cooling Ducts
J. Sol. Energy Eng (August,2002)
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Convective Heat Transfer in a Gas Turbine Can Combustor
J. Turbomach (January,2011)
Bouyancy Effect on Forced Convection in Vertical Tubes at High Reynolds Numbers
J. Thermal Sci. Eng. Appl (December,2010)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Extended Surfaces
Thermal Management of Microelectronic Equipment, Second Edition
Extended Surfaces
Thermal Management of Microelectronic Equipment
The Special Characteristics of Closed-Cycle Gas Turbines
Closed-Cycle Gas Turbines: Operating Experience and Future Potential