Thermal Analysis of Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) Air Heater Employing Thermoelectric Module (TEM)

This chapter provides the description and analysis of a photovoltaic thermal (PVT) air heater, including a thermoelectric module (TEM). A PVT air heater offers several advantages over a PVT water heater. The problems such as corrosion and freezing do not exist when air is used as a working fluid. Also, the system design is less complex, incurs lower operation costs and can be easily integrated into buildings. Furthermore, it is not a cause of any major concern in case of air leaks from the duct. A PVT air heater poses some drawbacks as well, such as uneven cooling of PV panels and lower overall efficiency compared to a PVT water heater resulting from lower specific heat capacity of air. Nevertheless, the choice of the type of working fluid is subject to a variety of factors like efficiency, cost including capital investment, installation, operation and maintenance costs and the particular application.