Investigating the influence of nanoparticle disbanded phase changing material (NDPCM) on the working of solar PV

Abstract

As the price of solar photovoltaic (PV) panel remains to fall owing to the consequence of nation’s energy policy proposals favouring sustainable and renewable energy solutions, conversion of solar radiation into electricity has become increasingly popular. But the PV's efficacy is not impressive, and it's about 15% all the time. The PV's surface temperature changes dramatically during the day because of the variation in sun's rays, which has a significant impact on how well it performs. As a result, efficient solar panel heat management is critical to maximizing the efficiency of the panel. Using a Nanoparticle Disbanded Phase Change Material (NDPCM), the researchers hoped to maximize performance of solar PVs by regulating absorbed heat radiation of the panels. To make NDPCM, a paraffin matrix was diffused at a low volume percent (0.5 vol%) with nano-ZnO particles in this present study. Two similar PV solar panels with the same capacity (30 Wp) and architecture had been used in this experiment. During the experimental work on thermal management of panels, the first panel was used as-is, however, the second panel was incorporated with aforementioned NDPCM and the trials had accompanied on days with non-cloudy sky. The PV panels were inspected between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and it was found that the uniting of NDPCM reduced PV temperature by 28.98% and improved electrical efficiency to 14.88%, which is 2.14% greater than the normal PV.