Cooling of Solar Photovoltaic Cell: Using Novel Technique

Abstract

Over the past few decades, the world has started moving towards renewable resources of energy from non-renewable resources for meeting today’s energy demand. The solar energy is available abundant in nature and easy to harvest it, and provides a natural solution to move ahead in fulfilling the energy requirement. The solar photovoltaic cells convert solar energy to electrical energy. In general, the regular PV module cell converts nearly about 5–18% of the incidental solar radiation into electricity, and in order to maintain energy balance nearly 60% of incidental radiations are converted in the form of heat energy and with scientific and experimental analysis; it is already pre-determined that with increase in internal PV cell temperature there is an exponential decrease in electrical efficiency of the solar cell gradually with this alternate cooling and superheating process over a time period thermal stresses are formed in solar cell which eventually degrades the cell. A practical way of marginally increasing the output efficiency of solar PV cell is to decrease the operating and surrounding temperature of solar PV, which can be achieved by maintaining a stipulated temperature when solar photovoltaic cell is in operation. Therefore, in the following work, a novel passive technique of cooling has been introduced by basic principles of evaporation using sand dunes concept of cooling and will be investigated experimentally.