Hybrid Systems for Photovoltaic Thermal Regulation

The cost of photovoltaic (PV) panels has decreased significantly in recent years, making their use widespread in homes for generating electricity. Despite the fact that PVs rely on the free energy of the sun, they have low conversion efficiency. Moreover, their efficiency decreases as the temperature of the cells rises, which is inevitable under solar radiation. The current study aims to find a solution to the previously mentioned problem by examining phase change material (PCM)-based passive hybrid cooling systems for reducing PV temperatures. This examination was done through an experimental approach. Four different hybrid cooling systems which incorporate various melting point PCMs (25°C and 35°C) along with different heat transfer elements (fins and porous medium) were manufactured and tested under laboratory conditions. The experiments measured the temperature of the PV panels, as well as the generated current and voltage. Results showed that the hybrid cooling system consisting of low melting point PCM and fins resulted in the greatest temperature drop of 17°C compared to the test case of a PV without any cooling system. The maximum efficiency increase was found to be 17% through experimental calculation and 7% through theoretical calculation, using the low melting point PCM and porous medium configuration. The results also indicated that configurations with low melting point PCM are effective when the environmental temperature is moderate.