Experimental investigation on the operation performance of photovoltaic double skin façade in winter

Photovoltaic double skin façade (PV-DSF) offers a versatile solution to address the escalating energy demands of buildings by combining power generation and indoor air temperature adjustment functionalities. Most prior research concentrated on its summer performance, while the winter season receives less attention. This paper concentrates on its operation performance in winter, to provide an experimental framework for its efficient operation. In this regard, the performance of internal circle and thermal buffer mode (both are possible operation modes in winter) were compared via control variable experiments, and the feasibility of mechanical ventilation is also examined regarding the trade-off between the energy consumption of fans and additional energy benefit. These experiments were performed in the full-size experiment rig at Harbin, China, a city with severe cold climate. The experiment results conclusively demonstrate that the internal circle mode can outperform the thermal buffer mode on a cold, sunny day by 10.9%, and the total energy-saving potential can be further increased by 12.6% if fans are activated to enhance cavity airflow. While the experimental data during partly cloudy emphasizes the significance of a suitable operation schedule and shows that PV-DSF can only be switched to internal circle mode when cavity air is fully heated.