Numerical investigation of photovoltaic hybrid cooling system performance using the thermoelectric generator and RT25 Phase change material

摘要

The PV panel absorbs solar irradiation flux on its surface. Part of the absorbed flux generates electricity, and a more significant amount converts into heat. Different methods are used to maintain photovoltaic at low temperatures. Heat is transferred in all heat transfer forms conduction, convection, and radiation. In the current study, two cooling models of the photovoltaic panel are developed as active and hybrid cooling systems. The active cooling system uses thermoelectric generators for photovoltaic panel heat dissipation. The hybrid cooling system uses a thermoelectric generator and phase change material for photovoltaic panel heat dissipation. The thermoelectric generators heat sink in both active and hybrid cooling systems is the domestic water supply at average ambient temperature. The thermoelectric generator heat source is the photovoltaic temperature in the active cooling system and the phase change material temperature in the hybrid active and passive cooling system. The hybrid cooling process keeps the photovoltaic panel at a steady temperature for four hours and decreases the temperature from 332K to 295K by up to 60 %. Results show an improvement of the panel efficiency by 2.5% in fair weather and 3.5% in sunny weather. Also, electrical power generation is enhanced by 20% in fair weather and 30% in sunny weather. The effeciency enhancement of the photovoltaic panel is steady for ten hours, even under transient irradiation flux. The active cooling and hybrid cooling systems with cavity channel (CCH) and cavity capsules (CCP) show a significant improvement and stability in temperature, efficiency, and power generation.