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A solar heat pump based on the photovoltaic photothermal (PV/T) module is a new technology that can improve the photovoltaic efficiency and recovery of waste heat in photovoltaic conversion. The comprehensive efficiency of a system can thus be greatly improved. At present, there is little research on the simulation of a solar heat pump based on the Simulink 2018 software. In this paper, PV/T modules are modeled and simulated using the Simulink software based on the typical meteorological parameters in Beijing city during summer and winter conditions. Considering the system characteristics of a simultaneous operation, the models of all components such as the compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion valve, and heat storage tanks contained in a system are established based on the system's working principle, energy conservation equations, and some empirical formulas and then simulated. As PV/T modules are the key influencing factor for system performance, the model and simulation process are introduced in detail in this paper. The results show that the surface temperature of PV/T modules under different operating conditions are all significantly lower than that of ordinary photovoltaic panels. The average temperature of PV/T modules is only 15.2 °C, which is 20.2 °C lower than that of ordinary panels under summer conditions, and the average temperature of PV/T modules is only 0.5 °C, 17.8 °C lower than that of ordinary panels under winter conditions. The average photoelectric efficiency can be improved by 15.4% and 8.9%. And, the temperature change amplitude of PV/T modules is lower, which weakens the temperature fluctuation of the modules. The photovoltaic efficiency is therefore further increased. As a result, the power generation and photovoltaic efficiency are both improved significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy storage is considered a crucial unit in utilizing renewable energy sources, and compressed air energy storage (CAES) provides a cost-effective solution. It offers the benefits of zero pollution, a long lifespan, low maintenance costs, and minimal environmental impact. In order to increase the possibilities of compressed air energy storage for vehicle power, the performance of the expander needs to be studied. First, a CAES unit test bench is established. Then, the volumetric flow rate, rotational speed, torque, and output power are examined. Additionally, the isentropic exhaust temperature, pressure, and gas consumption rate of the scroll expander are analyzed. Finally, analyzing the economic feasibility of the CAES unit entails running the unit under varied driving conditions. Results reveal that the pressure of the input expander is high, which will lead to greater torque, greater peak power, and a greater temperature drop, but the gas in the air tank will also run out quickly. The peak power of the scroll expander does not occur at the maximum volume flow rate, rotation speed, and torque. The basic investment of the CAES unit mainly depends on the peak output power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern large-scale wind farms, power loss caused by the wake effect is more than 30%, and active yaw control can greatly reduce the influence of the wake effect by deflecting the wind turbine's wake. The yawed wind turbine's wake characteristics are complex, and a deep comprehension of a yawed turbine's wake is necessary. The actuator line method combined with URANS (unsteady Reynold-averaged Navier–Stokes equations) is used to study the yawed wind turbine's wake characteristics in this paper. Compared with an un-yawed wind turbine, a yawed one has two main characteristics, deflection and deformation. With an increasing yaw angle, turbine wake shows an increasing deflection. The results indicated that deflection at different height was different, the wake profile showed the biggest deflection at about the hub height, while the smallest deflection existed at the top and bottom of the yawed turbine's wake. This can be visually demonstrated by the evolution of a kidney-shape velocity distribution at the vertical cross-section. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional presentations of velocity deficit distributions are presented in this paper. The evolution of an irregular kidney-shape distribution is discussed in this paper. It is formed by the momentum exchange caused by the counter-rotating vortex pair. The results indicated that the counter-rotating vortex pair was composed of the streamwise vortex flux brought by the tip vortex. Furthermore, when the wind turbine rotated clockwise and yawed clockwise, the negative vorticity of counter-rotating vortex first appeared in the upper left position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, graphene is used as a photothermal material, which is added to the SiO2 superhydrophobic solution treated with fluorine silane, and then sprayed on the copper plate surface to prepare a new type of photothermal superhydrophobic surface with contact angles up to 160.5° and 159.8°. Under the conditions of natural convection, the effects of photothermal superhydrophobic surfaces on droplet condensation, freezing, and frost growth are investigated in different environments. The results show that the photothermal superhydrophobic surface can not only delay the freezing of surface droplets, prolong the freezing time of droplets, and reduce the thickness of the frost layer, but also allow for the rapid removal of droplets under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. If the droplet is irradiated by an infrared laser emitter while the cooling system is still turned on, the internal temperature of the droplet will always be higher than the crystallization temperature under the illumination intensity of 2 W/cm2, and the droplets will not freeze. With the extension of irradiation time, the droplet will evaporate, and the volume of the droplet will decrease. On the basis of summarizing and evaluating the study on the anti-icing performance of superhydrophobic surfaces and the properties of photothermal materials, a new research direction regarding the anti-icing of fan blade surfaces was established. This kind of surface combines the photothermal capabilities of light absorption materials with the micro- and nanostructure of the superhydrophobic surface to improve the anti-icing capability of wind turbine blade surfaces in difficult conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]