Performance evaluation and thermal stabilization of photovoltaic panels using phase-change materials

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) is a widely used technology that generates power from solar energy. The solar radiations reaching PV panels are converted into electrical energy and heat, however the panel temperature increases, leading to a decrease in performance. This issue can be resolved using cooling methods. Phase-change materials (PCMs) are utilized in passive cooling methods, which do not consume energy, store the heat from the panel and cool them. In this study, sodium acetate trihydrate (PCM-1), palmitic acid (PCM-2), and a eutectic mixture of stearic acid and palmitic acid (PCM-3) were placed in a container and integrated into monocrystalline and polycrystalline PV panels to examine the impact of PCM on various performance metrics including power output, energy efficiency, and PV panel surface temperature. The experiments are carried out in Izmir, which has a hot climate condition in summer months. The solar irradiance of Izmir city and standard test condition of 1000 W/m2 were applied to the panels in the experiments. Results showed that the maximum temperature decreased, compared to the reference panel (without PCM), by 22.84 % and 14.4 %, respectively, when using PCM-1 and eutectic mixture in the monocrystal panel at 1000 W/m2 in August. The power and efficiency increased by 24.97 % and 24.95 %, respectively, for the polycrystalline panel in July. These results indicate that PCMs enhanced the cooling and increased the performance of the PV panels with high surface temperatures due to intense solar irradiation.