Changes in the Electrical Output Power and Efficiency of a Photovoltaic Panel Cooled by a Hybrid Method

Öz

During the process of generating electrical energy from photovoltaic panels, high ambient temperatures and radiation tend to cause excessive heating of the photovoltaic panel, resulting in a decrease in its efficiency. In this experimental study, two cooling methods were employed. The first method involved active cooling using water, while the second method combined active cooling with passive cooling using an aluminum heat sink, all while using water as the cooling medium. The experiment involved the analysis of changes in electrical output power and efficiency from three identical 100 W monocrystalline photovoltaic panels, one of which served as the reference. The first panel was considered the reference panel. The second panel featured active cooling, with a liquid reservoir created on its rear surface to be filled with transformer oil. Copper pipes were placed at specific intervals within this liquid reservoir, and the rear surface was covered with a thin flat metal plate. The third panel was prepared for the hybrid method, featuring a liquid reservoir covered with a rectangular finned aluminum heat sink, distinct from the second panel. In both methods, transformer oil was used for electrical insulation and thermal conduction between the panel and the copper pipes at the rear. The copper pipes were connected to an automotive radiator and a pump to form a closed circuit. The water inside the radiator was cooled using a radiator fan and circulated by a pump. In the first method, active cooling was achieved by cooling through the radiator, while in the hybrid method, active cooling through the radiator was combined with passive cooling using the rectangular finned aluminum heat sink. In the experiment setup, temperature and liquid flow were measured using radiation, electrical sensors, and other measuring instruments. The data obtained from the measurements were used to compare the increases in electrical power and efficiency of the panels. The electrical power increase and efficiency were calculated as follows: in the hybrid method, it was found to be 4.7% and 0.84%, respectively, while in the active method, it was 2.94% and 0.52%, respectively. The energy consumed in the study was provided by wind energy

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Water cooling
• Electrical power increase
• Aluminum finned
• Heat sink
• Transformer oil

Proje Numarası

FBE.21.018

Teşekkür

This project was carried out with the support of Dicle University Scientific Research Projects (DÜBAP) unit within the scope of the project No. FBE.21.018 and named "Experimental analysis of efficiency increase with cooling in photovoltaic panels". We thank DÜBAP for their support.

Kaynakça

1. [1] S. Fakouriyan, Y. Saboohi, and A. Fathi, “Experimental analysis of a cooling system effect on photovoltaic panels’ efficiency and its preheating water production,” Renew. Energy, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.renene.2018.09.054.
2. [2] J. Siecker, K. Kusakana, and B. P. Numbi, “A review of solar photovoltaic systems cooling technologies,” Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., vol. 79, pp. 192–203, Nov. 2017, doi: 10.1016/J.RSER.2017.05.053.
3. [3] A. Al Miaari and H. M. Ali, “Technical method in passive cooling for photovoltaic panels using phase change material,” Case Stud. Therm. Eng., vol. 49, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.csite.2023.103283.
4. [4] A. A. B. Baloch, H. M. S. Bahaidarah, P. Gandhidasan, and F. A. Al-Sulaiman, “Experimental and numerical performance analysis of a converging channel heat exchanger for PV cooling,” Energy Convers. Manag., vol. 103, 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.enconman.2015.06.018.
5. [5] P. Dwivedi, K. Sudhakar, A. Soni, E. Solomin, and I. Kirpichnikova, “Advanced cooling techniques of P.V. modules: A state of art,” Case Stud. Therm. Eng., vol. 21, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.csite.2020.100674.
6. [6] M. H. Shojaeefard, N. B. Sakran, M. M. Sharfabadi, O. A. Hussein, and H. A. Mohammed, “Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Water Cooling on the Temperature Distribution of Photovoltaic Modules Using Copper Pipes,” Energies, vol. 16, no. 10, 2023, doi: 10.3390/en16104102.
7. [7] W. Gu, T. Ma, A. Song, M. Li, and L. Shen, “Mathematical modelling and performance evaluation of a hybrid photovoltaic-thermoelectric system,” Energy Convers. Manag., vol. 198, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.enconman.2019.111800.
8. [8] A. K. Suresh, S. Khurana, G. Nandan, G. Dwivedi, and S. Kumar, “Role on nanofluids in cooling solar photovoltaic cell to enhance overall efficiency,” in Materials Today: Proceedings, 2018. doi: 10.1016/j.matpr.2018.06.442.

9. [9] R. M., L. S., R. S., A. H., and D. A., “Experimental investigation on the abasement of operating temperature in solar photovoltaic panel using PCM and aluminium,” Sol. Energy, vol. 188, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2019.05.067.
10. [10] F. Bayrak, H. F. Oztop, and F. Selimefendigil, “Experimental study for the application of different cooling techniques in photovoltaic (PV) panels,” Energy Convers. Manag., vol. 212, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.enconman.2020.112789.
11. [11] N. A. Pambudi, A. Sarifudin, R. A. Firdaus, D. K. Ulfa, I. M. Gandidi, and R. Romadhon, “The immersion cooling technology: Current and future development in energy saving,” Alexandria Engineering Journal, vol. 61, no. 12. 2022. doi: 10.1016/j.aej.2022.02.059.
12. [12] X. Yuan et al., “Phase change cooling in data centers: A review,” Energy and Buildings, vol. 236. 2021. doi: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2021.110764.
13. [13] C. Ventura, G. M. Tina, A. Gagliano, and S. Aneli, “Enhanced models for the evaluation of electrical efficiency of PV/T modules,” Sol. Energy, vol. 224, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2021.06.018.
14. [14] F. Bayrak, H. F. Oztop, and F. Selimefendigil, “Effects of different fin parameters on temperature and efficiency for cooling of photovoltaic panels under natural convection,” Sol. Energy, vol. 188, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2019.06.036.
15. [15] A. Aydın, İ. Kayri, and H. Aydin, “Determination of the performance improvement of a PV/T hybrid system with a novel inner plate-finned collective cooling with Al2O3 nanofluid,” Energy Sources, Part A Recover. Util. Environ. Eff., vol. 44, no. 4, 2022, doi: 10.1080/15567036.2022.2136801.
16. [16] A. Aydın, İ. Kayri, and H. Aydin, “Electrical and thermal performance enhancement of a photovoltaic thermal hybrid system with a novel inner plate-finned collective cooling with different nanofluids,” Int. J. Green Energy, 2023, doi: 10.1080/15435075.2023.2201345.
17. [17] F. Rajaee, M. A. V. Rad, A. Kasaeian, O. Mahian, and W. M. Yan, “Experimental analysis of a photovoltaic/thermoelectric generator using cobalt oxide nanofluid and phase change material heat sink,” Energy Convers. Manag., vol. 212, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.enconman.2020.112780.
18. [18] S. Nižetić, E. Giama, and A. M. Papadopoulos, “Comprehensive analysis and general economic-environmental evaluation of cooling techniques for photovoltaic panels, Part II: Active cooling techniques,” Energy Convers. Manag., vol. 155, 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.enconman.2017.10.071.
19. [19] M. King et al., “Mathematical modelling of a system for solar pv efficiency improvement using compressed air for panel cleaning and cooling,” Energies, vol. 14, no. 14, 2021, doi: 10.3390/en14144072.
20. [20]S. Navakrishnan, E. Vengadesan, R. Senthil, and S. Dhanalakshmi, “An experimental study on simultaneous electricity and heat production from solar PV with thermal energy storage,” Energy Convers. Manag., vol. 245, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.enconman.2021.114614.
21. [21] H. G. Teo, P. S. Lee, and M. N. A. Hawlader, “An active cooling system for photovoltaic modules,” Appl. Energy, vol. 90, no. 1, 2012, doi: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.01.017.
22. [22] J. Siecker, K. Kusakana, and B. P. Numbi, “A review of solar photovoltaic systems cooling technologies,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 79. 2017. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.053.
23. [23] Q. K. Jasim, “Studying the Effect of Cooling Methods on the Performance of Solar Cells,” Int. J. Heat Technol., vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 265–270, Feb. 2023, doi: 10.18280/ijht.410130.
24. [24] I. Fernández, A. Ortiz, F. Delgado, C. Renedo, and S. Pérez, “Electric Power Systems Research Comparative evaluation of alternative fluids for power transformers,” Electr. Power Syst. Res., vol. 98, pp. 58–69, 2013, doi: 10.1016/j.epsr.2013.01.007.
25. [25] S. Nižetić, D. Čoko, A. Yadav, and F. Grubišić-Čabo, “Water spray cooling technique applied on a photovoltaic panel: The performance response,” Energy Convers. Manag., vol. 108, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.enconman.2015.10.079.