Schueco uses CFD software for photovoltaic panels
A
Mentor Graphics Mechanical Analysis Division product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Sep 9, 2008
Schueco, a producer of photovoltaic panels, used Flomerics' Flovent computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to redesign its products to improve their thermal performance.
Today's photovoltaic panels present a major thermal design challenge since every degree centigrade of temperature rise reduces the power produced by 0.5 per cent.
'The CFD results helped us understand exactly how the panels were being heated and guided us as we made major improvements to the design,' said Hamid Batoul, technical director of the solar department, Schueco International, Paris, France.
'Examining the flow of air under the photovoltaic panels showed that the size of the passageway was constricting the flow of air.
'We increased the depth of the profile that supports the photovoltaic panels to increase the distance between the panels and the roof.
'Re-running the simulation demonstrated that this increased the airflow and reduced the temperature of the photovoltaic panels.
'Through these studies, we optimised the design of the solar energy systems and also gained an understanding of how temperature is affected by different arrangements of panels and ambient conditions.' Schueco provides complete solar energy systems, including all components needed to produce energy from the sun, including panels, collectors, tanks, mounting system, control units and monitoring electronics.
Sunlight hits the photovoltaic panels and generates direct current.
Schueco was the first company in the solar energy business to recognise that substantial improvements in photovoltaic panel performance could be achieved by optimising thermal design.
'I previously worked for several companies making telecommunications equipment and used thermal simulation to solve thermal challenges,' said Batoul.
He added: 'I found that Flomerics' Flotherm CFD software was the most powerful tool available in that space.
'Performing thermal simulation of solar energy systems requires different software because of the need to model building materials that play a role in thermal performance.
'Flomerics offers Flovent CFD software designing for addressing heating, ventilation and cooling problems in buildings.
'We tried Flovent and found it met all our requirements such as modeling the thermal characteristics of glass and simulating the effects of radiation on the panels.' Batoul uses Flovent to model complete solar systems.
Flovent simulates the absorption and reflection of solar energy by the panels, the transfer of heat to aluminum profiles and the surrounding air, and so on.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Google Ads
Contact Mentor Graphics Mechanical Analysis Division
Related Stories
- Renault deploys Dassault V6 PLM
- DS acts as technical client for university project
- Controlair selects CDS Catalog and Modelserver
- Simulator receives FAA qualification
- Modelling research funded by Noble Denton
Articles by product category
- Consultancy and Services (903)
- Machine Building (4,517)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,179)
- Engineering Design Software (12)
- 2D CAD software (200)
- 3D CAD software (1,157)
- FEA and structural analysis software (369)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (334)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (914)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (196)
- Materials design and moulding design software (151)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (258)
- Electrical design software (164)
- Publishing and documentation software (229)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (317)
- Data, document management software (310)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (568)
- File conversion software, data capture (351)
- PLM and collaboration software (649)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,361)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (1)
- Precision Motors and Gears (411)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,276)
- Linear Drives and Motors (114)
- Industrial Motors (497)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,060)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (1,975)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,028)
- Plantwide control (1,324)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,174)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (387)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (184)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (201)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (562)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (294)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (806)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,459)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (494)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (472)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (630)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (703)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (440)
- Data loggers (422)
- Materials testing equipment (421)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (154)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (500)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,222)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,160)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (555)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (679)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (709)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (420)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (798)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (369)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (630)
-
Materials and Processing (2,963)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials and components (2,215)
- Rapid Prototyping (458)
- Materials processing and testing (285)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,093)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (562)
- Engineering Conferences (425)
- Engineering Seminars (400)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (633)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (349)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Training Courses (433)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (838)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Health and Safety Legislation (402)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (113)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (175)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (277)
-
Powertrain Design (3,598)
- Powertrain Design (2)
- Bearings (939)
- Chains and belts (326)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,441)
- Hydraulic Components (471)
- Lubricants (418)
-
Capital Equipment (3,387)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (468)
- Production line blowers and fans (62)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (510)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,093)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (930)
-
Sensors (7,080)
- Sensors (8)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (427)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (699)
- Pressure sensors (621)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (618)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (527)
- Linear Position Sensors (399)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (546)
- Proximity Sensors (700)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (284)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (152)
- Temperature sensors (612)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,384)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,623)
