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In this paper, two generic photovoltaic (PV) panels (poly-Si and mono-Si) were experimentally tested in typical Mediterranean climatic conditions. The focus of the applied experimental approach was to examine the effect of backside convective thermal profile and its impact on temperature distribution, i.e. on panel electrical efficiency. Therefore, a series of measurements was made in 2015, from April to July, as well as CFD modeling in order to obtain a detailed analysis of the possible working regimes. According to the obtained experimental and CFD results, the present design of typical PV panels have an unfavorable impact on PV panel electrical efficiency. Namely, typical contemporary panel designs lead to two typical backside convective air temperature profiles which have a direct impact on the effectiveness of natural cooling. As shown in the obtained measurements, the specific convective profiles at the backside of PV panels have a significant influence on the degradation rate of panel electrical efficiency in the estimated amount of 2.5% up to 4.5%. The results of the research discussed in this paper signal the need to provide a possible redesign of the backside surface in conventional PV panels, in order to increase their average efficiency (more efficient backside thermal dissipation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a thermodynamic model for the regenerative Brayton cycle that uses monochlorobiphenyl waste as fuel in a combustion chamber to power a gas turbine. The regenerator increases the air temperature entering the combustion chamber to react with monochlorobiphenyl wastes to produce a higher turbine inlet temperature. The pressure ratio and turbine inlet temperature can negatively or positively affect power plants' thermal efficiency. Thus, different pressure ratios and turbine inlet temperatures are used to calculate the overall thermal efficiency. A stoichiometric reaction-based gas composition model is used to determine the combustion gas composition at the combustion chamber exit and to calculate the heat capacity of air and combustion gases as a function of temperature. The exergy analysis of the proposed power plant is presented to determine the effect of the pressure ratio on the exergy efficiency of the turbine, compressor, and regenerator. According to the results, an increase in pressure ratio increases cycle thermal efficiency and turbine inlet temperature when using a regenerator, whereas the temperatures decrease when not using a regenerator. The Brayton cycle with a regenerator increases thermal efficiency from 30% to 100% for a pressure ratio of 6–30. This contrasts with the Brayton cycle without a regenerator. In addition, for the regenerative Brayton cycle, the turbine inlet temperature rises from 1050 K to 1200 K as the pressure ratio rises from 1 to 30. In the absence of the regenerator, however, this variation's trend is in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the results show that an increase in pressure ratio will increase the exergy efficiency of the compressor and regenerator, while a decrease will occur in the exergy efficiency of the turbine. Findings indicate that the regenerator has the highest exergy efficiency at a pressure ratio higher than five, followed by turbine and compressor exergy efficiency. [Display omitted] • Increase in pressure ratio, improves regenerator and compressor exergy efficiency. • Turbine efficiency increases system efficiency in "with regenerative" mode. • In "no regeneration" mode, boosting the pressure ratio improves thermal efficiency. • In "with regeneration" mode, turbine intake temperature decrease with pressure ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]