These projects are suitable for students from:

MECH
AERO
CSE

These topics require skills in, or interest to learn, the following areas:

• effect of high operating temperature on performance of photovoltaic systems
• radiative heat transfer (example (6 minutes); example with formulas (15 minutes)) and spectral modeling
• editing of geometry (CAD) in ansys spaceclaim or solidworks (example (4 minutes))
• setup of thermal modeling in ansys package - computational fluid dynamics modelling (CFD) (link (playlist, ~15mins each clip)) (course: MECH4620)

Noting that the complete knowledge of these topics is not required. Please send me an email or a message in Teams if you are interested in any of the topics below, or your own topic:

• E-mail: svetlana.tkachenko@unsw.edu.au
• Teams: ‘Svetlana Tkachenko’ (available via UNSW)
• P: +612 9065 0112  (leave a voicemail if I'm not available, I will get back to you)
• Location: Kensington campus, Sydney

• Rooftop PV may operate at high temperatures over 60C.
• Issues with electric output and degradation.
• Temperatures are affected by weather, roof shapes, wind.
• Passive cooling techniques need to be improved which involve changes to the design without spending energy on additional devices e.g. fans.
• Numerical modeling of fluid flow and heat transfer (CFD), and/or experimental studies indoors at reduced scale.
• Industry partners: TBC
• International collaboration: TBC

• BIPV may operate at high temperatures over 50C.
• Issues with electric output and degradation.
• Multiple objectives: increase thermal comfort, improve ventilation, and reduce energy consumption.
• Novel building ventilation and BIPV install designs can be created, such as solar chimneys, building facades.
• The effect of varying ambient conditions can be assessed in numerical model.
• Numerical modeling of fluid flow and heat transfer (CFD).
• Industry partners: TBC
• International collaboration: France

• PV may operate at high temperatures over 60C.
• Issues with electric output and degradation.
• Rapidly growing industry in Australia.
• Improved correlations of heat transfer with weather are needed.
• Numerical modeling of fluid flow and heat transfer (CFD), and field data analysis and characterization, are involved.
• Industry partners: 5B; TBC
• International collaboration: TBC

3A Machine Learning enhanced analysis of weather data and PV operating conditions

• Assess the effect of wind parameters on performance of PV modules using regression modelling and deep neural networks.

3B Spectral modeling of PV surface and atmosphere

• Characterize impact of heat transfer in different wavelengths
• Make design-driven recommendations for spectral coatings to reduce heating of air
• Possible connections with urban microclimate and thermal comfort

3C Smart coatings for PV systems

• Interested industry partner in UK
• A&B Smart Materials is an Oxford University based venture that focuses on the development of novel materials. They are developing a smart material coating for the photovoltaic industry, which increases the energy generation and lifespan of the panels. The coating automatically absorbs atmospheric water at night and releases it through evaporation during the daytime, cooling the panel down. The venture is looking to co-develop computational thermal models of the coating behaviour.    Experimental data on the coating behaviour in large scale solar simulators will be supplied. In addition, a 2-D MATLAB model will also be supplied as a starting pack (encompassing empirical convection equations, conduction in layers of the PV module, sky radiation,…). There is also an opportunity to perform field trials (A&B Smart Materials will provide the coatings and PV panels), which would be a further opportunity to validate the computational model.

• If you're interested in another project in a related area, get in touch. Please include your academic transcript, and a short one-paragraph description of the research question.