Mini-Channel Cooling of a Photovoltaic Cell

Abstract

In this article, cooling of a mono-crystalline photovoltaic cell (PV) having 0,00128 m² top surface area was studied using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method. The PV cell was exposed to different solar radiation values in both no-cooling and cooling conditions. Mini-channel cooling was performed by means of 12 aluminum rectangular channels having 0,0018 m hydraulic diameter and 40 mm length. Water flow rate in channels was calculated corresponding to the Reynolds numbers ranging from 500 to 2300 and its effect on the cooling was examined. Results show that the temperature of the top surface of PV panel increases up to 57 ˚C under no-cooling condition and our analysis revealed that it can be decreased to 25 ˚C when the mini-channel cooling is in progress.

Keywords

• photovoltaic cell,solar energy,mini-channel flow,cooling,renewable energy

Mini Kanal İle Fotovoltaik Hücre Soğutma

Abstract

Bu makalede, üst yüzey alanı 0,00128 m² olan bir mono kristalin fotovoltaik (photovoltaic - PV) hücresinin soğutulması Hesaplamalı Akışkanlar Dinamiği (HAD) yöntemiyle araştırılmıştır. PV hücresi hem soğutmasız hem de soğutmalı durumlarda farklı güneş ışınımı değerleri için analiz edilmiştir. Soğutma sisteminin, 0,0018 m hidrolik çapa sahip, 40 mm uzunluğunda 12 adet alüminyum dikdörtgen mini kanallardan oluştuğu ve soğutucu akışkan olarak su kullanıldığı dikkate alınmıştır. Suyun kütlesel debisi 500 ≤ Re ≤ 2300 aralığında hesaplanmıştır ve debinin soğutma üzerindeki etkisi incelenmiştir. Çalışmanın sonuçlarına göre soğutmasız analizlerde 57 ˚C’ye kadar ısınan PV hücresi yüzey sıcaklığı, mini-kanal soğutma yöntemi kullanılarak 25 ˚C’ye kadar soğutulmuştur.

Keywords

• fotovoltaik hücre,güneş enerjisi,mini kanal akışı,soğutma,yenilenebilir enerji

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