SPF Competencies Photovoltaics

Collectors and PVT

Our research related to solar thermal collectors currently focuses on solutions for overheating protection, the use of new materials in collector design, cost reduction, and building integration. Besides pure thermal collectors, we work on the optimization and the new development of concepts for combined photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) collectors.

The most important tools and methods include: Steady-state solar simulator, outdoor collector test rigs, numerical modelling of optics, heat transport, and fluid dynamics problems, as well as dynamical simulations of complete solar heat and electricity systems. (see our Services)

Selected publications:

• PVT Wrap-Up: Energiesysteme mit Photovoltaisch-Thermischen Solarkollektoren (EnergieSchweiz)
• Thermische und elektrische Charakterisierung von unabgedeckten PVT-Kollektoren (OTTI 2015; German)
• PVT-Kollektoren für die Brauchwarmwasser-Vorwärmung ‒ Mess- und Simulationsresultate einer Testanlage (Brenet 2014; German)