Energy and exergy analysis with cost-efficiency comparison of modified phase change material (PCM) integrated with solar panel thermal system

Abstract

This study investigates the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of integrating Phase Change Materials (PCMs) into solar panels to optimize power output and power conversion efficiency under varying temperature conditions. By applying PCMs, temperature fluctuations can be reduced, maintaining solar panels at an optimal temperature for power generation. The research employs modeling and simulation techniques, focusing on energy and exergy analysis of solar energy storage systems based on pure and modified PCMs such as Paraffin wax, Sodium acetate trihydrate, Sodium sulfate decahydrate, etc. Temperature and light intensity data are collected in the Wangchan district, Rayong province, using a light intensity sensor and a thermocouple. The study analyzes each layer of the solar panel, employing numerical methods and matrix solutions to solve the system of non-algebraic equations, yielding temperature values for each component layer. The thermodynamic properties of the modified PCMs are calculated theoretically, and their cost-efficiency is analyzed by comparing the solar panel’s increased power area density generation after applying specific PCMs to the cost of the PCM. The simulation results demonstrate that the solar panel integrated with PCM generates up to 11.1% more power than a regular solar panel, assuming negligible heat loss from the sides of the solar panel and an average temperature during the melting and solidification processes for the PCMs. Moreover, the best cost-efficiency of the modified PCM is achieved, with an increase of up to 637.7%, using a combination of paraffin wax and polyethylene glycol.