Experimental investigation on the thermal performance of low-concentrated photovoltaic module using various pin-fin configurations of heat sink with phase change materials

Abstract

This article relates to an experimental study of the thermal performance of low-concentrated photovoltaics using various configurations of heat sink encapsulated with two different phase change materials. Four different pin-fin configurations inclusive of triangular, hexagonal, square, and circular were used in the heat sink. The phase change materials selected had different melting point temperatures namely, OM35 and OM46. Variations in concentration ratio of low concentrated photovoltaics were made from 1 to 5 using a ceramic electric heater at the bottom of the heat sink. The performance of low-concentrated photovoltaics was studied with and without phase change materials in each heat sink configuration. The temperature reduction was found to be 12 °C with the use of OM35, while it was 13 °C with the use of OM46 in a triangular pin-fin configuration heat sink as compared to unfinned heat sink with PCM. The results showed the significance of the reduction in temperature in low concentrated photovoltaics with all configurations of heat sink. The electrical conversion efficiency of low concentrated photovoltaics was found to be 11 % with the use of a triangular pin-fin configuration heat sink with OM35 phase change material case, which is higher compared to other cases.