العربية
Sohar University students took part in the 15th Engineering Gathering, held at Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat from 2–5 March 2025. This annual event, organized by the Engineering Society, serves as a platform for engineering students from various countries to exchange ideas, showcase research projects, and engage with visitors.
Sohar University’s project focused on a solar photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system, with participation from IEEE student members representing both the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Computer and Information Technology. The project designs and examines a standalone water-cooled photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system for the co-production of electricity and hot water. Focusing on electrical output metrics, outdoor performance assessments were conducted over a three-day test period under Oman’s high-temperature climate.
A comparative analysis between traditional photovoltaic (PV) panels and PV/T collectors (both direct and parallel) revealed improved efficiency under similar environmental and radiation conditions. The PV/T system achieved a peak electrical output of 67 Wp at 18.9V, whereas traditional PV panels demonstrated an average power generation increase of only 6%.
These findings highlight the efficiency of the PV/T system in mitigating performance losses caused by high PV temperatures, reinforcing its potential for energy optimization in solar-intensive regions.
The project was supervised by Prof. Hussein Kazem and provided an opportunity for students to present their innovative work in the field of sustainable energy.