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Experimental demonstration of enhanced solar energy utilization in flat PV (photovoltaic) modules cooled by heat spreaders in conjunction with cotton wick structures

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  • Chandrasekar, M.
  • Senthilkumar, T.

Abstract

A passive thermal regulation technique with heat spreaders in conjunction with cotton wicks is developed for controlling the temperature of PV module during its operation. Experiments were conducted with the developed technique in the location of Tiruchirappalli (78.6°E & 10.8°N), Tamil Nadu, India with flat 25 Wp PV module and its viability was confirmed. The thermal and electrical performances of thermally regulated flat PV module were also compared with the results of flat PV module without cooling system. The PV module temperature was reduced by 12% while the electrical yield is increased by 14% with the help of the developed cooling system. Basic energy balance equation applicable for PV module was used to evaluate the thermal loss coefficient which was found to increase due to fin effect of heat spreader and evaporative cooling in moist cotton wicks.

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  • Chandrasekar, M. & Senthilkumar, T., 2015. "Experimental demonstration of enhanced solar energy utilization in flat PV (photovoltaic) modules cooled by heat spreaders in conjunction with cotton wick structures," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 90(P2), pages 1401-1410.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:90:y:2015:i:p2:p:1401-1410
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2015.06.074
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    14. Malvika, A. & Arunachala, U.C. & Varun, K., 2022. "Sustainable passive cooling strategy for photovoltaic module using burlap fabric-gravity assisted flow: A comparative Energy, exergy, economic, and enviroeconomic analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(C).
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    17. Hadipour, Amirhosein & Rajabi Zargarabadi, Mehran & Rashidi, Saman, 2021. "An efficient pulsed- spray water cooling system for photovoltaic panels: Experimental study and cost analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 867-875.
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    20. Rajput, Usman Jamil & Yang, Jun, 2018. "Comparison of heat sink and water type PV/T collector for polycrystalline photovoltaic panel cooling," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(PA), pages 479-491.
    21. Wu, Jinshun & Zhang, Xingxing & Shen, Jingchun & Wu, Yupeng & Connelly, Karen & Yang, Tong & Tang, Llewellyn & Xiao, Manxuan & Wei, Yixuan & Jiang, Ke & Chen, Chao & Xu, Peng & Wang, Hong, 2017. "A review of thermal absorbers and their integration methods for the combined solar photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) modules," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 839-854.
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