Pushing the limits of a hybrid thermal / PV system

We study the constraints on the electrical and thermal efficiency of an integrated photovoltaic and solar heating system over a large range of possible design parameters. These include the geometry of the set-up, solar concentration ratios, the properties of the materials used (emissivities, thermal conductivities, etc.) and flow rates. Our model quantifies the relative influence exhibited by each of these parameters on overall efficiency as well as exterior surface temperatures. In effect, we are able to assess and exclude a range of possible configurations which are anticipated to operate at temperatures prohibitively high for photovoltaic cells. We assess the modifications required to render a strictly thermal system suitable for photovoltaic integration, and, for a viable configuration, estimate its total thermal and electrical power output.