Indoor and Outdoor Performance of an Enhanced Photovoltaic Panel through Graphene/Fins/Phase Change Materials

Abstract

The operative temperature of a photovoltaic cell influences the electric conversion yield. This can be enhanced by cooling the panel. Among the studied solutions, phase change materials (PCM) exploit latent heat and absorb a large amount of energy at a nearly constant temperature. PCMs suffer from a low thermal conductivity. Under these premises the paper presents a hybrid graphene/fins/PCM cooling system to maximize efficiency gains and thermal recovery. An indoor laboratory characterization, under a solar simulator, compares the proposed model with a reference one (an identical, simple PV module) under fixed environmental conditions. Outdoor tests investigate the performances of the two systems under natural conditions. Indoor results show that the front temperature of the proposed PCM integrated module is averagely 6 °C less, with a peak of 8 °C, than the reference case. This means an increase in the electric yield of about 3%. Outdoor investigations prove that, when the PCM is solid and during the melting phase, the proposed system is averagely 1.12 °C and 4.87 °C colder than the reference case, respectively. The thermal efficiency is 30% and 65%, respectively. Once the melting process is completed, the performance becomes worse, and the hybrid panel is almost 3 °C warmer than the simple panel.

An approach toward higher electrical conversion efficiency of solar photovoltaic module using phase change materials

“…The present research is influenced by Hasan et al 26 which is similar to Colarossi and Principi 19 for PV‐PCM systems. In Hasan's study, two PV‐PCM systems were developed using Capric‐palmitic acid and calcium chloride hexahydrate as PCMs and performance comparison with reference PV was conducted.…”

“…In this comparative study, the PV/T‐PCM system showed the higher heat storage potential among other systems. To compare the performance of fins equipped PV‐PCM system with a simple PV panel Colarossi and Principi 19 used graphene in PCM behind PV panel. The comparison was done under indoor and outdoor conditions with a simple PV panel for surface temperature and efficiency.…”

Enhancement of PV Panel Power Production by Passive Cooling Using Heat Sinks with Perforated Fins

“…By implementing efficient PV systems, the safety of the users of the electricity supply is increased [4,5]. These systems also reduce the vulnerability of European space and could eliminate future energy crises or the lack of an energy supply.…”