Enhancement of solar photovoltaic module performance by using a water-cooling chamber for climatic conditions of Iraq

Nadya Hussein Muslim, Safaa Abdulwahid Ghadhban, Kifah Hamed Hilal

Abstract


 The cooling of photovoltaic (PV) modules is essential for enhancing electrical efficiency and power obtained. In this paper, a water-cooling chamber is attached to the back of PV module to study the effect of pane orientation, which guides water flow through the chamber, and reverse water flow on the electrical and thermal performance of photovoltaic /thermal (PV/T) system. The installation of PV modules is at a 33°-angle tilted to the south. The type of PV module is FRS-50W with dimensions of 640 mm ×540 mm. Three styles of PV with different pane flow angles of 60°, 30° and 0° are implemented. The modules are simultaneously tested and compared with an uncooled PV (Module 0) under two directions of water flow. The three modules of flow angles (60°, 30° and 0°) are defined as Module I, II and III at up-flow, respectively and Module IV, V and VI at down-flow, respectively. Results show that Module I has a maximum thermal efficiency of 80% at water flowrate 4 l/min and an increment of 54% for a range 1-4 l/min. When flow rate is 4 l/min in cooling chamber of Module I, II, and III, electrical efficiency increases by 17%, 15.3% and 13.6%, respectively compared with Module 0 under the same conditions. Furthermore, its maximum power (Pmax), voltage at maximum power (Vmp) and current at maximum power (Imp) increase with cooling and increasing flow rate for all modules due to decreased PV temperature.


Keywords


renewable energy, PV modules, Water cooling, thermal efficiency, electrical efficiency

Full Text:

PDF

References


S. Kalogirou, “Solar thermal collectors and applicationsâ€, Elsevier, Progress in Energy and Combustion, DOI: 10.1016/j.pecs.2004.02.001 ,Vol.30, No.12, pp.231-255.

H. A. Dhahad, W. H. Alawee and A. K. Hassan, “Experimental study of the effect of flow field design to PEM fuel cells performanceâ€, DOI: 10.1016/j.ref.2019.05.002, Renewable Energy Focus, Vol. 30, pp. 71-77.

A. H. Mutlag, S. A. Ghadhban and R. Kh. Kareem, “Type-1 Fuzzy Logic Control System Based Maximum Power Point Tracking of Photovoltaic Systemsâ€, International Journal of Electrical and power Engineering, DOI: 10.36478/ijepe.2018.26.31, Vol.12, No (3-6), pp. 26-31.

W. H. Alawee, H. A. Dhahad and Th. A. Mohamed, “An Experimental Study on Improving the Performance of a Double Slope Solar Stillâ€, 7th International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture for Food, Energy and Industry in Regional and Global Context, ICSAFEI, pp. 1-10, January 2015.

M. Caruso, R. Miceli, P. Romano, G. Schettino and F. Viola, “Technical and Economical Performances of Photovoltaic Generation Façades†International Journal of Smart Grid, Vol.2(2), pp.87-98, 2018.

H. A. Dhahad, E. M. Alfayydh and K. H. Fahim, “Effect of flow field design and channel/header ratio on velocity distribution: An experimental approachâ€, Thermal Science and Engineering Progress, DOI: 10.1016/j.tsep.2018.08.013, Vol. 8, pp. 118-129.

K. Minaminosono, M. Hashimoto and T. Yoshinaga, “Study of Potential and Utilization of Regenerative Power in Electric Railwayâ€, 8th International Conference on Renewable Energy Research and Applications (ICRERA). Romania, 3-6 November 2019.

S. Natarajan, T. Mallick, M. Katz and S. Weingaertner, “Numerical investigations of solar cell temperature for photovoltaic concentrator system with and without passive cooling arrangementsâ€, Int. J. of Thermal Sciences, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2011.06.014, Vol.50, pp.2514-2521.

H. Chen, X. Chen, S. Li, and H. Ding, “Comparative study on the performance improvement of photovoltaic panel with passive cooling under natural ventilation,†Int. J. Smart Grid Clean Energy, DOI: 10.12720/sgce.3.4.374-379, Vol. 3, pp. 374–379, 2014.

A. Belkaid, I. Çolak, K. Kayisli, M. Sara and R. Bayindir, “Modeling and Simulation of Polycrystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cellsâ€,7th International Conference on Smart Grid, Australia, 9-11 Dec. 2019.

U. Bajpai and K. Singh, “Estimation of Instant Solar Radiation Using Instant Temperatureâ€, Acta Montanistica Slovaca, Vol. 14, pp. 189-196, 2009.

V. J. Fesharaki, D. Majid and J. J. Fesharaki, “The Effect of Temperature on Photovoltaic Cell Efficiencyâ€, 1st International Conference on Emerging Trends in Energy Conservation - ETEC, Tehran, Iran, 20-21 November 2011.

A. H. Mutlag, S. A. Ghadhban and R. Kh. Kareem, “Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Controller System of Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT)â€, J. of Eng. and Applied Sciences, DOI: 10.36478/jeasci.2019.4973.4979, Vol.14(15), pp.4973-4979.

J. Siecker, K. Kusakana and B. P. Numbi, “A review of solar photovoltaic systems cooling technologiesâ€, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.053, Vol.79, pp.192-203.

A. S. Elgharbawy “Review on Corrosion in Solar Panelsâ€, International Journal of Smart Grid, Vol 2(4), pp. 218-220, 2018.

J. K. Tonui and Y. Tripanagnostopoulos, “Improved PV/T solar collectors with heat extraction by forced or natural air circulationâ€, Renewable Energy, DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2006.03.006, Vol. 32, pp. 623-637.

Rahul S. R and Hariharan R., “Performance Study of Solar Photovoltaic Thermal Collector Integrated with Cooling Systemâ€, Int. J. of Emerging Engineering Research and Technology, Vol. 2, p.p. 132-145, 2014.

R. Ali and C. Serdar, "Effect of Cooling on Solar Panel Performance " Int. Proceedings of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Eng., DOI: 10.7763/IPCBEE. 2017, Vol.100, pp.118-123.

Qunzhi Z. and Leilei S., "Electrical Outputs and Thermal Outputs of Water/Air Cooled Amorphous-Silicon Photovoltaic Modules", Int. Conference on Environmental Eng. and Tech., Vol. 8, p.p. 83-86, China, 2012.

Zeyad A. H., Jamel O. and Zakariya K., “Experimental investigation of evaporative cooling for enhancing photovoltaic panels efficiencyâ€, DOI: 10.1016/j.rinp.2018.10.016, Elsevier, Results in Physics, vol.11, pp. 690-697, 2018.

Gokhan Ö., “CFD Analysis and Electrical Efficiency Improvement of a Hybrid PV/T Panel Cooled by Forced Air Circulationâ€, Hindawi, Int. Journal of Photoenergy, DOI: 10.1155/2018/9139683, Vol. 2018, ID. 9139683.

Bhaskar B. G. and Mandar V. T., “Design of Cooling System for Photovoltaic Panel for Increasing Its Electrical Efficiency", International Conference on Mechanical and Industrial Eng., pp.144-149, June 2012.

S. Odeh, and B. Masud, “Improving Photovoltaic Module Efficiency Using Water Coolingâ€, Heat Transfer Engineering, DOI: 10.1080/01457630802529214, Vol.30(6), p.p. 499-505, 2009.

S. Kiran, and U. Devadiga., “Performance Analysis of Hybrid Photovoltaic/ Thermal Systemsâ€, Int. J. of Emerging Technology and Advanced Eng., Vol. 4(3), pp. 80-86, 2014.

D. Baskar, “Efficiency Improvement on Photovoltaic Water Pumping System by Automatic Water Spraying Over Photovoltaic Cellsâ€, Middle-East J. of Scientific Research, DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2014.19.8.11232, Vol. 19(8), pp. 1127-1131.

Salih M. S., Osama I. A. and Kaleid W. A., "Performance enhancement of PV array based on water spraying technique", Int. J. of Sustainable and Green Energy, DOI: 10.11648/j.ijrse.s.20150416.12, Vol.4(16), pp. 8-13.

Irwan Y. M., Leow W. Z., Irwanto M., Fareq. M, Amelia A. R., Gomesh N. and Safwati I., “Indoor Test Performance of PV Panel through Water Cooling Method", Elsevier, Int. Conference on Alternative Energy in Developing Countries and Emerging Economies, DOI: 10.1016/j.egypro.2015.11.540, Vol. 79, pp. 604-6011, Bangkok, Thailand, 28-29 May 2015.

S. Mehrotra, P. Rawat, M. Debbarma and K. Sudhakar, “Performance of a Solar Panel with Water Immersion Cooling Techniqueâ€, Int. J. of Science, Environment and Technology, Vol. 3(3), pp. 1161-1172, 2014.

P. Kumer and R. Dubey, “Efficiency Improvement of Photovoltaic Panels by Design Improvement of Cooling System using Back Water-Cooling Tubesâ€, Int. J. of Eng. Research & Technology, Vol. 7(1), pp.74-77, 2018.

A. H. Al-Waeli, M. T. Chaichan, H. A. Kazem, K. Sopian and J. Safaei, “Numerical study on the effect of operating nanofluids of photovoltaic thermal system (PV/T) on the convective heat transferâ€, Case Studies in Thermal Eng., DOI: 10.1016/j.csite.2018.05.011, Vol. 12, pp. 405-413.

D. J. Hasan and A. A. Farhan, “Enhancing the Efficiency of Photovoltaic Panel Using Open-Cell Copper Metal Foam Finsâ€, Int. J. of Renewable Energy Research, vol.9(4), pp. 1849-1855, 2019.

H. H. Istepanian, Solar energy in Iraq: from outset to offset, Iraq energy institute, Publication no. IEI181018, 2018, pp. 6-8.

M. Basher, “Solar energy applications in Iraq: a reviewâ€, Int. J. of Scientific Engineering and Science, Vol.1(9), pp. 30-39, 2017.

J. Siecker, K. Kusakana and B.P. Numbi, “A review of solar photovoltaic systems cooling technologiesâ€, Elsevier, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, DOI:10.1016.j.rser.2017.05.053, Vol. 79, pp. 192-203.

A. M. Alsayah, M. H. Kadhum, M. H. Majeed and A. A. Al-Najafy, “Multiple Modern Methods for Improving Photovoltaic Cell Efficiency by Cooling: A Reviewâ€, J. of Mechanical Eng. Research and Developments, DOI: 10.26480/jmerd.04.2019.71.78, Vol. 42(4), pp.71-78.

A. Anwar, “Study of the Effect of Surface Tilt Angle in the global solar radiationâ€, Al-Mustansiriyah Journal of Science, Vol. 21(6), pp.273-275, 2010.

M. Boxwell, Solar Electricity Handbook, Greenstream Publishing, 2017.

Amprobe, Solar-400- solar analyzer: user’s manual, 2009, www.amprobe.com.

A. Singh, O.P. Shukla and N. Saxena, “Energy and Exergy Analysis of Crystalline Silicon Solar Photovoltaic Module for clear sky Day at Bhopalâ€, Int. Research J. of Eng. and Technology, Vol. 3(8), 2016.

Ibrahim E. E., T. Khalil and Mohamed H.A., “Experimental Investigations and Developing of Photovoltaic/Thermal Systemâ€, World Applied Sciences Journal, Vol. 19(9), pp. 1342-1347, 2012.

J.P. Holman, and W.J. Gajda, Experimental Methods for Engineers, 5th edition, McGraw-Hill, 1989, pp.62-72.




DOI (PDF): https://doi.org/10.20508/ijrer.v10i3.10937.g7984

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Online ISSN: 1309-0127

Publisher: Gazi University

IJRER is cited in SCOPUS, EBSCO, WEB of SCIENCE (Clarivate Analytics);

IJRER has been cited in Emerging Sources Citation Index from 2016 in web of science.

WEB of SCIENCE between 2020-2022; 

h=30,

Average citation per item=5.73

Impact Factor=(1638+1731+1808)/(189+170+221)=9.24

Category Quartile:Q4