IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i6p3490-d521634.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Analytical Modeling and Optimization of a Heat Sink Design for Passive Cooling of Solar PV Panel

Author

Listed:
  • Fahad AlAmri

    (Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, College of Engineering, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam P.O. Box 1982, Saudi Arabia)

  • Gaydaa AlZohbi

    (Department of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar P.O. Box 1664, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mohammed AlZahrani

    (Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, College of Engineering, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam P.O. Box 1982, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mohammed Aboulebdah

    (Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, College of Engineering, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam P.O. Box 1982, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

High temperature is the primary challenge in the development of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in an arid climate. A rise in temperature diminishes the performance of the PV systems and shortens their lifespan. The goal of this manuscript is to develop an analytical model to predict the temperature of PV panels under a passive cooling system for an arid environment. Taking into consideration the link between solar panel temperature and its conversion efficiency, Kirchhoff’s and Ohm’s laws for a complex circuit were applied to calculate the heat flux in the solar panel system, and hence obtain the temperatures of each layer in the system. Closed-form analytical expressions for temperature, output power, and conversion efficiency of the solar panel were deduced and presented as functions of solar irradiance, ambient temperature, emissivity, wind velocity, tilt angle, and dimensions of fins. Comparison between the results presented in the literature and those predicted by the developed analytical model validated the presented model. Moreover, the length of the fins required for safe thermal operation of solar panels in harsh desert environment were also obtained from analysis. Furthermore, the effect of using such a cooling system on the temperature and efficiency of the solar panels was verified by using the developed model under real conditions in Dammam city during summer and winter seasons. The results showed that the optimized heat sink could raise the solar panel power by 8.7% during summer and by 6.5% during winter.

Suggested Citation

  • Fahad AlAmri & Gaydaa AlZohbi & Mohammed AlZahrani & Mohammed Aboulebdah, 2021. "Analytical Modeling and Optimization of a Heat Sink Design for Passive Cooling of Solar PV Panel," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-23, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:6:p:3490-:d:521634
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/6/3490/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/6/3490/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Al Harbi, Y. & Eugenio, N.N. & Al Zahrani, S., 1998. "Photovoltaic-thermal solar energy experiment in Saudi Arabia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 483-486.
    2. Zhang, Xingxing & Shen, Jingchun & Xu, Peng & Zhao, Xudong & Xu, Ying, 2014. "Socio-economic performance of a novel solar photovoltaic/loop-heat-pipe heat pump water heating system in three different climatic regions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 20-34.
    3. Shenyi Wu & Chenguang Xiong, 2014. "Passive cooling technology for photovoltaic panels for domestic houses," International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(2), pages 118-126.
    4. Ramadan J. Mustafa & Mohamed R. Gomaa & Mujahed Al-Dhaifallah & Hegazy Rezk, 2020. "Environmental Impacts on the Performance of Solar Photovoltaic Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-17, January.
    5. Zhao, Jiaxin & Ma, Tao & Li, Zhenpeng & Song, Aotian, 2019. "Year-round performance analysis of a photovoltaic panel coupled with phase change material," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 245(C), pages 51-64.
    6. Li, Zhenpeng & Ma, Tao & Zhao, Jiaxin & Song, Aotian & Cheng, Yuanda, 2019. "Experimental study and performance analysis on solar photovoltaic panel integrated with phase change material," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 471-486.
    7. Nasser Ahmad & Amith Khandakar & Amir El-Tayeb & Kamel Benhmed & Atif Iqbal & Farid Touati, 2018. "Novel Design for Thermal Management of PV Cells in Harsh Environmental Conditions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-9, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Al-Amri, Fahad & Saeed, Farooq & Mujeebu, Muhammad Abdul, 2022. "Novel dual-function racking structure for passive cooling of solar PV panels –thermal performance analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 100-113.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhang, Chenyu & Wang, Ning & Xu, Hongtao & Fang, Yuan & Yang, Qiguo & Talkhoncheh, Fariborz Karimi, 2023. "Thermal management optimization of the photovoltaic cell by the phase change material combined with metal fins," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    2. Zhao, Dong & Liu, Ying, 2020. "A prototype for light-electric harvester based on light sensitive liquid crystal elastomer cantilever," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    3. Ma, Tao & Li, Meng & Kazemian, Arash, 2020. "Photovoltaic thermal module and solar thermal collector connected in series to produce electricity and high-grade heat simultaneously," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    4. Zhou, Yuekuan & Zheng, Siqian, 2020. "Multi-level uncertainty optimisation on phase change materials integrated renewable systems with hybrid ventilations and active cooling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    5. Muhammad Aftab Rafiq & Liguo Zhang & Chih-Chun Kung, 2022. "A Techno-Economic Analysis of Solar Energy Developmental Under Competing Technologies: A Case Study in Jiangxi, China," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, June.
    6. Kazemian, Arash & Khatibi, Meysam & Reza Maadi, Seyed & Ma, Tao, 2021. "Performance optimization of a nanofluid-based photovoltaic thermal system integrated with nano-enhanced phase change material," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    7. Kumar, Laveet & Hasanuzzaman, M. & Rahim, N.A. & Islam, M.M., 2021. "Modeling, simulation and outdoor experimental performance analysis of a solar-assisted process heating system for industrial process heat," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 656-673.
    8. Gao, Datong & Gao, Guangtao & Cao, Jingyu & Zhong, Shuai & Ren, Xiao & Dabwan, Yousef N. & Hu, Maobin & Jiao, Dongsheng & Kwan, Trevor Hocksun & Pei, Gang, 2020. "Experimental and numerical analysis of an efficiently optimized evacuated flat plate solar collector under medium temperature," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    9. Mohammad Ghalambaz & Seyed Abdollah Mansouri Mehryan & Reza Kalantar Feeoj & Ahmad Hajjar & Obai Younis & Pouyan Talebizadehsardari & Wahiba Yaïci, 2021. "Effect of the Quasi-Petal Heat Transfer Tube on the Melting Process of the Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Substance in a Thermal Energy Storage Unit," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-22, March.
    10. Savvakis, Nikolaos & Tsoutsos, Theocharis, 2021. "Theoretical design and experimental evaluation of a PV+PCM system in the mediterranean climate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    11. Bin Huang & Lin-Li Tian & Qing-Hua Yu & Xun Liu & Zu-Guo Shen, 2021. "Numerical Analysis of Melting Process in a Rectangular Enclosure with Different Fin Locations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-17, July.
    12. Rajvikram Madurai Elavarasan & Karthikeyan Velmurugan & Umashankar Subramaniam & A Rakesh Kumar & Dhafer Almakhles, 2020. "Experimental Investigations Conducted for the Characteristic Study of OM29 Phase Change Material and Its Incorporation in Photovoltaic Panel," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, February.
    13. Li, Meng & Ma, Tao & Liu, Jiaying & Li, Huanhuan & Xu, Yaling & Gu, Wenbo & Shen, Lu, 2019. "Numerical and experimental investigation of precast concrete facade integrated with solar photovoltaic panels," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    14. Islam, M.M. & Hasanuzzaman, M. & Rahim, N.A. & Pandey, A.K. & Rawa, M. & Kumar, L., 2021. "Real time experimental performance investigation of a NePCM based photovoltaic thermal system: An energetic and exergetic approach," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 71-87.
    15. Shamberger, Patrick J. & Bruno, Nickolaus M., 2020. "Review of metallic phase change materials for high heat flux transient thermal management applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    16. Tariq, Rasikh & Xamán, J. & Bassam, A. & Ricalde, Luis J. & Soberanis, M.A. Escalante, 2020. "Multidimensional assessment of a photovoltaic air collector integrated phase changing material considering Mexican climatic conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    17. Fu, Zaiguo & Liang, Xiaotian & Li, Yang & Li, Lingtong & Zhu, Qunzhi, 2021. "Performance improvement of a PVT system using a multilayer structural heat exchanger with PCMs," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 308-317.
    18. Adibpour, S. & Raisi, A. & Ghasemi, B. & Sajadi, A.R. & Rosengarten, G., 2021. "Experimental investigation of the performance of a sun tracking photovoltaic panel with Phase Change Material," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(P1), pages 321-333.
    19. Kannan, Nadarajah & Vakeesan, Divagar, 2016. "Solar energy for future world: - A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1092-1105.
    20. He, Y. & Tao, Y.B. & Ye, H., 2023. "Periodic energy transmission and regulation of photovoltaic-phase change material-thermoelectric coupled system under space conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PC).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:6:p:3490-:d:521634. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.