Análise de um sistema de fachada termo fotovoltaico integrado à arquitetura: estudo de caso na cidade de Curitiba, Brasil

Abstract

The constant and growing world demand for energy and the need for sustainable, renewable and non-polluting energetic sources is one of the great challenges of the new millennium. Solar energy, whose availability is inexhaustible and unrestricted on the global human scale, is one of the most promising alternatives to meet growing global demand. Photovoltaic technology is the only one capable of converting solar energy directly into electricity. When there is an aesthetic and functional commitment between photovoltaic array technology and building architecture, these systems are known by their abbreviations: BIPV (Buildingintegrated photovoltaics). It´s known that the heating of the PV modules causes a gradual reduction in the efficiency of the panel and therefore, a reduction in the amount of the final energy produced. When using this surplus thermal energy in systems integrated into buildings, some uses and advantages emerges such as the reduction of the panel operation temperature and the use of indoor heating in buildings. This technology known as BIPV/T (Building-integrated photovoltaic/thermal systems). An experimental prototype was built in Curitiba, Paraná, and the architectural integration of a cadmium telluride PV panel (CdTe) is foreseen. The analysis consisted of comparing internal (Ti) and external (Te) building temperatures concerning to the thermal comfort range, as well as estimates of annual electrical generation based on measurements made on specific days. The results showed that the system configuration adjusted to take advantage of the thermal energy of the panel provided thermal gains in Ti, contributing to a higher average internal temperature and a longer period between the thermal comfort range. An average annual energy equivalent to 360 kWh/year, estimated from the power measured at the connector of the PV module.