Investigation of collector efficiency effect as a result of application of artificial deformation processes of transparent cover used in photovoltaic collectors

Energy demand and interest in renewable energy sources are increasing day by day. Research on renewable energy sources is also increasing and developing in this perspective. In this context, the use of photovoltaic solar panels is also increasing rapidly. Research and development studies that increase the efficiency and prolong the working life of the collectors used are a current issue. In this thesis, changes in the structure and properties of glass such as photovoltaic solar collectors are investigated after environmental conditions to which transparent cover is used. Various deformation methods have been applied to the glasses provided in the model size. These deformations are sudden expansions caused by scratching the glass surface, spraying powder with wind on the glass and hot-cold differences. As a result of these artificial deformations applied to the glass, changes in the structure of the glass were determined. These are the structure of the scratches on the surface of the glass, micro cracks in the structure of the material, the reflection rate of the glass, the absorption and permeability properties of the glass. Artificially deformed glasses were deposited on a real photovoltaic cell in solar simulators and their effects on the yield were investigated. The data obtained were compiled into the literature. The effects of the changes in the structure of the artificially deformed glasses on the collector yield were investigated. The fact that this thesis study is in the nature of R-D will provide many useful outputs. The results obtained can be considered as an important parameter especially among the factors affecting the efficiency of photovoltaic collector.