Optimization of angle of inclination of the hybrid photovoltaic-thermal solar collector using particle swarm optimization algorithm

In this paper, a mathematical model is used to determine the solar radiation incident on an inclined surface and the optimum slope angles for each month, season, and year are calculated for solar hybrid collectors. We recommend on how the collected energy can be increased by varying the tilt angle. First, we esteem the global solar radiation on a horizontal surface of a thermal photovoltaic hybrid collector (PVT) for a clear sky. The data set of the solar radiation at Ghardaia (Algeria) measured during 2013 was used to analyze the models of global solar radiation estimation. The models of performance are evaluated by using the coefficient of correlation (R-2), the absolute average error skew (mean absolute error, MABE), average quadratic error (mean square error RMSE), the percentage of the average error (MPE), and the percentage of average absolute error. Then the anisotropic and isotropic models that provide the most accurate estimation of the total solar radiation has been used to determine the optimum collector slope. Particle swarm optimization method was applied to obtain the tilt angle setting of the tilt angle of PVT collector. The objective was to improve the efficiency of PVT collector. The results show that these models used are very well designed. The coefficient of correlation (R-2) varies from 0. 90 to 0. 99. For the percentage of errors of prediction (MABE and RMSE) lowered by 0.1, it is observed also that the angle of inclination of PVT collector takes different values during the year and that the collector received more solar energy compared to collector without optimal angle. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.