Spectrum-Based 3D Thermal Modeling of the PV Module: Simulation and Experimental Study

Abstract

The performance of the solar photovoltaic (PV) modules primarily depends on the incident irradiation and temperature. However, the solar cells are spectrum-dependent along with the intensity of solar radiation. The heating up of the module is an attribute of the unused spectrum during the electricity generation, which contributes to a negative impact on the performance of the photovoltaic module. In this study, a time-dependent spectrum-based 3D thermal model of a PV module has been designed using COMSOL Multiphysics. Real-time diurnal change in the spectrum and cell temperature of the PV module has been incorporated in the model to obtain the actual temperature profile of the PV module operating under real working environmental conditions. The temperature distribution on different layers of the PV module has been reported. The designed model has also been validated using experimental analysis conducted under clear sky conditions. It has been observed that considering the spectrum-based thermal model, a match of 95.7% has been obtained between the simulated cell temperature and the experimental cell temperature, whereas considering only the solar radiation showed a deviation of 31.9% in the simulated cell temperature from the experimental cell temperature. The simulation result thus shows the goodness of the designed model for the prediction of the thermal behavior of PV module under operating conditions.