Thermodynamic refinement and exergy analysis of a mobile hybrid photovoltaic-thermal system

Thermal degradation remains a critical bottleneck in sustaining the electrical conversion efficiency of hybrid photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) systems, particularly under high-irradiance continental climates. This study delivers a comprehensive thermodynamic evaluation of a refined 600 W mobile PV/T system engineered for decentralized co-generation of electricity, domestic hot water, and thermal energy for agricultural drying. To intensify convective heat transfer, the hydraulic geometry of a multi-channel polycarbonate absorber was refined to a 10×8 mm cross-section (D h =8.89 mm). A rigorous five-layer quasi-steady mathematical model - steady-state within each measurement interval and resolved across the full diurnal cycle - was developed to simulate the coupled radiative, convective, and conductive heat transfer mechanisms across the system layers. Field validation demonstrated that the refined hydraulic architecture successfully suppressed the peak PV operating temperature from 53.7 °C to 42.8 °C. This 10.9 °C thermal mitigation yielded a 5.3% relative improvement in electrical conversion efficiency, delivering a net power gain of 28–32 W while simultaneously recovering 5.02 kWh of daily useful thermal energy. Furthermore, exergy analysis revealed a 19.8% reduction in total exergy destruction, elevating the overall exergy efficiency from 13.2% to 16.4%, thereby establishing a highly efficient solar framework for arid environments.

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