STUDYING THE INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT COOLING TECHNIQUES ON PHOTOVOLTAIC-CELLS PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The effect of temperature on the electrical parameters of photovoltaic cells is negative. The efficiency of photovoltaic cells can be enhanced by cooling which the temperature is considered as one of the main factors that affect negatively on the output power. This study was carried out to compare between three different cooling techniques and determine their effects on the output power. The first, cooling techniques is applied, the panel front surface cooled using the water spray on the surface. The second, the panel back surface cooled by extended fins. The third, the panel back surface cooled by extended fins with fans. As expected, the results of comparisons different methods using in cell cooling showed that, there is an increase in the efficiency of photovoltaic cells with the drop in cell temperature, which helps to increase the rate of photovoltaic cell performance and output power. In these experiments the output power increased 2.5%. At the first technique using water spray method the temperature dropped 7 degrees. At the other two methods the temperature dropped 3 degrees less than the panel without cooling. The used pump and fans were power consuming. So, the most effective method was cooling using the fins.