Abstract

There is a significant amount of research on air-based photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) solar collectors. However, the installed area of all air-based solar thermal systems is only 1% compared to all solar thermal systems installed.
With open-loop mechanically ventilated air-based building integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPV/T) collectors, the silicon based photovoltaic panels can be operated at close to optimal power production levels all year long, without overheating in summer. In efficient, highly insulated and airtight buildings, requirements for fresh air are higher, thus solar air collectors integrated with high efficient envelopes and HVAC systems are an important part of a highly efficient building.
This thesis is focused on development of a BIPV design methodology for solar façade applications in building envelope retrofit projects with BIPV, BIPV/T, STPV (semitransparent photovoltaics), BIPV shading devices and double skin façades with BIPV glazing. A BIPV/T assisted heat pump system and a radiant panel with short term phase change thermal storage with PCM (RPCMP) is also studied as a potential retrofit system.
The retrofit methodology is applied to a case study office building, demonstrating that the solar façade application can contribute to energy consumption reduction in perimeter zones by up to 84%. Cases with the most promising techno-economic results demonstrate the possibility to reach energy consumption reductions by up to 56%. The most promising case selection was done using the proposed methodology employing the Net Present Value/Investment ratio over the energy savings cost ratio. Different design options are shown to be feasible for different climatic regions of Canada.
A model with Simulink/Matlab was developed for design, optimization and operational performance studies of a novel concept for a prefabricated façade module, which consists of an air-based building integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPV/T) solar collector assisting a small scale decentralized exhaust heat pump integrated in or linked to façade in which heating of a perimeter zone in an office building is supplied through a radiant panel. Fresh air could be supplied by an air-based BIPV/T system in a displacement ventilation mode and extracted through central exhaust or decentralized heat recovery ventilator. With the developed model annual simulations for Prairies climate, show that there is a potential to reach net-zero energy targets for the perimeter zone with this solution. The model for the perimeter zone studies was incorporated into the existing Simulink toolbox CARNOT (2017) for future work on the system and control optimization.