Latent Heat Research Articles

Preparation and thermal performance study of a novel hydrated salt composite PCM for space heating

In order to effectively address the mismatch between thermal energy supply and demand in buildings, latent heat storage (LHS) based on phase change material (PCM) stands out as a key technology. While hydrated salt has emerged as a promising PCM, it encounters common issues such as substantial supercooling, phase separation, and low thermal conductivity, hindering its development. To mitigate these limitations, this study focused on modifying Ba(OH)2·8H2O by incorporating various nucleating agents and thickening agents to reduce supercooling, enhancing the composite PCM's thermal properties by introducing expanded graphite (EG) to elevate thermal conductivity. Subsequently, the thermal stability of the PCM was evaluated through accelerated thermal cycling tests, encompassing the assessment of critical thermal parameters, including supercooling degree, enthalpy, and thermal conductivity of the composite PCM. Experimental findings unveiled the effectiveness of incorporating 2 wt% BaCl2·2H2O and 1 wt% CMC to Ba(OH)2·8H2O, effectively diminishing the supercooling degree from 14 °C to 1.42 °C. Further integration of 3.5 wt% EG led to a substantial decrease in the supercooling degree to 0.24 °C. Simultaneously, the addition of EG resulted in an improvement in thermal conductivity, elevating it from 0.62 W/(m·K) to 1.03 W/(m·K), while the enthalpy decreased from 283.68 J/g to 252.81 J/g. Notably, the composite PCM exhibited notable thermal reliability with a latent heat drop of 15.9 % following 1000 accelerated cycles of testing. Moreover, the composite PCM demonstrated superior thermal storage density, measuring at 2.36 times that of traditional paraffin wax, yet with a thermal storage cost merely a quarter of paraffin wax, rendering it more favorable for extensive deployment in building energy systems.

Preparation and characterization of expanded dickite/decanoic acid phase-change materials

The leakage of phase-change materials presents a significant challenge that impedes their application. Loading porous materials onto phase-change materials is an effective approach to addressing this issue. In this study, porous expanded dickite as a carrier was utilized to load decanoic acid and create a composite phase-change material. The loading content of decanoic acid was varied to obtain different composite phase-change materials. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the formation of hydrogen bonds between the expanded dickite carrier and decanoic acid. Scanning electron microscopy images and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping results demonstrated that decanoic acid was evenly dispersed on the expanded dickite carrier without any agglomeration. The expanded dickite carrier effectively immobilized decanoic acid through hydrogen bonding, thereby preventing leakage, as long as the loading content of decanoic acid did not exceed 60%. The higher thermal conductivity of the expanded dickite carrier promoted the thermal conductivity of the expanded dickite/decanoic acid composite phase-change materials, enhancing the responsiveness of the composite phase-change materials to ambient temperature. The composite phase-change material containing 60 wt% decanoic acid exhibited excellent endothermic/exothermic cycle stability, and after six cycles, its latent heat remained stable.

Insights into effect of lignocellulosic biomass framework types on bio-based shape stable composite phase change materials

The utilization of biomass waste as framework materials to inhibit the leakage of phase change material (PCMs) has gained widespread attention. In this work, three new kinds of shape stable composite phase change materials (sscPCMs) were prepared which combined with stearic acid (SA) and peanut shell powders (PSP), poplar wood powders (PWP), and corn straw powders (CSP), respectively. The influence of lignocellulosic biomass types on the thermal energy storage performance of sscPCMs was studied by comparing three types of sscPCMs. The research results indicated that SA/CSP exhibited superior properties in terms of load capacity and thermal energy storage performance. According to leakage experiments the load capacity of SA/PSP, SA/PWP and SA/CSP was 31.67 %, 44.69 %, and 50.09 %, respectively. The phase change latent heat of SA/PSP, SA/PWP, and SA/CSP was 55.78, 84.27 and 98.47 J/g, respectively. In addition, the relationship between biomass component content and load rates was studied. The results showed that there was a positive correlation between the loading rates of SA and the ratio of holocellulose (cellulose + hemicellulose) to lignin. The results provided a promising approach for the selection of lignocellulosic biomass framework materials.

Role of aloe vera based nanofluids for cool thermal energy storage system: A comparative study

The present experimental investigation incorporates the preparation of aloe vera gel-based phase change nanofluid (NFPCM) for a cool thermal energy storage (CTES) system. Two sets of NFPCMs were produced by adding graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) in deionized water and aloe vera gel (0.20 wt%, 0.40 wt%, and 0.60 wt%). The zeta potential analysis shows that the NFPCM with aloe vera gel is more stable even after 60 days from the preparation (−44 mV). The thermal conductivity of NFPCMs was analyzed through the transient hot wire method and the enhancement of 42 %, and 37.5 % were measured in the ice phase for NFPCMs with aloe vera gel and DI water (0.60 wt%) respectively at the heat transfer fluid temperature of −15 °C. The NFPCMs with aloe vera gel show that the addition of GNP prepended the peak melting temperature from −16 °C to −10.5 °C, which is due to the quick formation of nuclei as compared to NFPCMs with DI water. Additionally, a slight reduction in the latent heat of only 7 % was observed. The charging characteristics of NFPCMs were studied in a single spherical capsule at −8 °C. The maximum reduction in total charging time of 25 % was recorded for the aloe vera gel-based NFPCM with a maximum concentration of GNP (0.60 wt%). The green synthesis of aloe vera gel-based NFPCM exhibited noteworthy enhancements in thermophysical properties. Additionally, it was observed that the long-term stability of the NFPCM was achieved by excluding surfactants during the preparation process. The incorporation of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) into aloe vera gel as the foundational phase change material (PCM) facilitates the partial charging of the CTES system with a reduced energy input.

Preparation and performance enhancement of MXene/Na2HPO4·12H2O@SiO2 phase change microcapsule

Currently, the leakage problem of phase change materials can be solved by the microencapsulation technology. Inorganic hydrated salt materials have the advantages of high latent heat density, high thermal conductivity and low cost. How to construct inorganic hydrated salt microcapsules with excellent heat storage capacity and photothermal conversion performance maintains a challenge. In this work, the MXene/Na2HPO4·12H2O@SiO2 (MXene/MPCMs) composite phase change microcapsules were designed and prepared. The Na2HPO4·12H2O was directly used as phase change material and TEOS was used as raw material to generate SiO2 wall material. The MXene played a key and important role in simultaneously enhancing their photothermal conversion efficiency while maintaining available latent heat. The prepared composite microcapsules (MPCM-1) showed more obvious heat storage and release characteristics, and the latent heat reached 169.62 J/g. Besides, when the hydrated salt was encapsulated in silica shell, the supercooling degree of hydrated salt was reduced from 14.2 °C to 10.1 °C. With the increase of MXene content, the maximum surface temperature of microcapsules significantly increased. Based on the results of surface temperature distribution, the photothermal conversion ability and heat transfer rate of microcapsules were effectively improved, which was mainly attributed to the remarkable light absorption conversion ability of MXene. When the MXene was added, the MXene/MPCMs still showed excellent heat storage properties (~ 156.64 J/g). At the same time, the MXene/MPCMs showed good chemical compatibility, crystallization characteristics and thermal stability. Considering available performance enhancement, the prepared microcapsules show good application prospect in solar energy utilization.

Experimental investigation of spray cooling heat transfer with microcapsule phase change suspension

This paper reveals the spray cooling heat transfer mechanism with the microencapsulated phase change suspension as the working fluid based on an experimental investigation. The heat transfer performances between the spray cooling and jet impinging with suspension are compared. A series of key parameters affecting the heat transfer are analyzed, including suspension concentration, nozzle diameter, spray height, inlet temperature, and spray inclined angle. It concludes that the spray cooling of suspension has a stronger heat transfer capability relative to the jet impinging, but the pressure loss is correspondingly larger. Compared with the water, the spray cooling heat transfer of phase change suspension is superior owing to the latent heat ability of particle core, and the maximum improvement in the current tests is 33.9 %. However, excessive suspension concentration can result in the deterioration of heat transfer because of the larger viscosity. There is an optimal volumetric flow rate and an optimal spray height for the spray cooling, where a suitable spray cone angle is present so that the heating surface may be exactly covered by the liquid-film. The latent heat absorption characteristic of phase change core leads to the existence of an optimal spray inlet temperature, which is about 10 °C lower than the melting peak temperature of the particle core. For the cases of incomplete-coverage, the decrease of the spray inclined angle may enlarge the liquid-film covering area and thence improve the heat transfer. A theoretical analysis indicates that the suspension in current tests has a high complete-melting rate (σ ≥ 93.7 %) when using in the spray cooling. The results may provide the beneficial support for the potential application of spray with phase change suspension for the cooling of electronic devices.

Thermal performance augmentation of honeycomb metal matrix embedded phase change material in shell-tube latent heat storage unit

Due to the global warming challenge, there is a transition from the utilization of fossil fuels to harvesting new and renewable energy sources globally. Solar energy, being the infinite source with easy accessibility, leads the race among other allied sources. However intermittent nature of it demands an efficient thermal energy storage system. In the present experimental study, an innovative heat transfer augmentation technique i.e. aluminium honeycomb grill and fine mesh embedded in PCM is demonstrated. Both visualization of PCM melt fraction and capture of temperature contour complemented each other to identify the honeycomb version (HC-LHSU) as substantially better (43 % improvement in charge period) than the base model (BM-LHSU). On the other side, due to fine pores (porosity = 95 %), the fine meshmodel (FM-LHSU) yielded poorer results than BM-LHSU. Even the temperature gradient that exists during the charge or discharge period is gauged and recognized HC-LHSU as the best, followed by BM-LHSU and FM-LHSU. Since the onset of the phase transition zone reflects heat storage rate, the same is identified, and the charge period (sensible heat + latent heat) assessed to be 8000 s, 10000 s, and 12,000 s for HC-LHSU, BM-LHSU, and FM-LHSU, respectively. Further, an improvement in the average Nusselt number by 74 % and 67 % during the charge and discharge period respectively compared to the base model justified the honeycomb grill's role in augmenting the energy storage unit's performance.

Sensitivity of coastal squall line evolution to numerical sea breeze initialization method and coastal mountain characteristics

Abstract This study employs 3D idealized numerical experiments to investigate the physical processes associated with coastal convection initiation (CI) as an offshore-moving squall line traverses a mountainous coastal region. A squall line can propagate discretely as convection initiates over the lee slope downstream of the primary storm as the cold pool collides with a sea breeze. Intensity of the initiating convection, thus the downstream squall line, is sensitive to the sea breeze numerical initialization method, since it influences sea breeze and cold pool characteristics, instability and vertical wind shear in the sea breeze environment, and ultimately the vertical acceleration of air parcels during CI. Here, sea breezes are generated through four commonly used numerical methods: a cold-block marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL), prescribed surface sensible heat flux function, prescribed surface sensible plus latent heat flux functions, and radiation plus surface-layer parameterization schemes. For MABL-initialized sea breezes, shallow weak sea breeze flow in a relatively low instability environment results in weak CI. For the remainder, deeper stronger sea breeze flow in an environment of enhanced instability supports more robust CI. In a subset of experiments, however, the vertical trajectory of air parcels is suppressed leading to weaker convection. Downward acceleration forms due to the horizontal rotation of the sea breeze flow. Accurate simulations of coastal convective storms rely on an accurate representation of sea breezes. For idealized experiments such as the present simulations, a combination of initialization methods likely produces a more realistic representation of sea breeze and the associated physical processes.

Diagnostics for Imbalance on the Convective Scale

Abstract The analyses produced by a data assimilation system may be unbalanced, that is dynamically inconsistent with the forecasting model, leading to noisy forecasts and reduced skill. While there are effective procedures to reduce synoptic-scale imbalance, the situation on the convective scale is less clear because the flowon this scale is strongly divergent and non-hydrostatic. In this studywe compare three measures of imbalance relevant to convective-scale data assimilation: (i) surface pressure tendencies, (ii) vertical velocity variance in the vicinity of convective clouds, and (iii) departures from the vertical velocity prescribed by the weak temperature gradient (WTG) approximation. These are applied in a numerical weather prediction system, with three different data assimilation algorithms: 1. Latent Heat Nudging (LHN), 2. Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (LETKF), and 3. LETKF in combination with incremental analysis updates (IAU). Results indicate that surface pressure tendency diagnoses a different type of imbalance than the vertical velocity variance and theWTG departure. The LETKF induces a spike in surface pressure tendencies, with a large-scale spatial pattern that is not clearly related to the precipitation pattern. This anomaly is notably reduced by the IAU. LHN does not generate a pronounced signal in the surface pressure, but produces the most imbalance in the other two measures. The imbalances measured by the partitioned vertical velocity variance andWTG departures are similar, and closely coupled to the convective precipitation. Between these two measures, the WTG departure has the advantage of being simpler and more economical to compute.

Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of the Effect of Vaporization Heat on the Interaction between Laser and Biological Tissue

A theoretical model, based on the classical Pennes’ bioheat theory, incorporating various boundary conditions, was established and compared to analyze the influence of the latent heat of vaporization via simulation. The aim was to elucidate the extent of its influence. The thermal damage rate, governed by the vaporization heat of biological tissue, is introduced as a key factor. Functional relationships between temperature and incident laser power, spatial position, and time are derived from the classical Pennes’ bioheat equation. According to the theoretical model, numerical simulations and experimental validations are conducted using Comsol Multiphysics 6.0, considering the tissue latent heat of vaporization. The model incorporating the latent heat of vaporization proved more suitable for analyzing the interactions between laser and biological tissue, evident from the degree of fit between simulated and experimental data. The minimum deviations between theoretical and experimental observations were determined to be 2.43% and 5.11% in temperature and thermal damage, respectively. Furthermore, this model can be extended to facilitate the theoretical analysis of the impact of vaporization heat from different primary tissue components on laser-tissue interaction.

Lattice Boltzmann study of liquid water flow and freezing in the gas diffusion layer

The flow and freezing process of liquid water in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) is studied using a proposed lattice Boltzmann method that integrates the multi-component pseudo-potential model and the enthalpy-based method. The evolution of liquid water, ice, and temperature distributions inside the GDL during this process is specifically analyzed, and the effect of GDL porous structure, such as porosity and carbon fiber diameter, is discussed. Results indicate that liquid water exhibits a propensity to break through the GDL through the regions characterized by larger pores, subsequently forming a liquid droplet on the GDL surface and beginning to freeze. The freezing process extends from the droplets to the CL side through the liquid pathways within the GDL. In addition, liquid water is more prone to freezing around carbon fibers. Due to the released latent heat during freezing, the temperature at the liquid water/ice interface stabilizes at 273 K. Moreover, it is also demonstrated that a large porosity and coarse carbon fibers both facilitate the flow of liquid water into the GDL where it then freezes, leading to more serious blockage of pores by ice and liquid water.

Offset-Free Koopman Model Predictive Control of Thermal Comfort Regulation for a Variable Refrigerant Flow-Dedicated Outdoor Air System-Combined System

Abstract Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system has been an appealing solution of air conditioning for residential and commercial buildings, due to its flexibility and cost effectiveness, while lack of ventilation capability is a major drawback. Incorporation of dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) is a typical practice. However, good coordination between DOAS and VRF is critical for achieving desired thermal comfort is challenging due to the possible complexity of mixed sensible and latent heat exchanges. In this paper, to handle the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of VRF-DOAS system, we propose an offset-free Koopman model predictive control (MPC) strategy for thermal comfort regulation, in which the MPC design is computationally more efficient due to the convex problem formulation and the use of reduced-order Koopman models, and the offset-free MPC structure enhances the robustness to model uncertainties and unmeasured disturbances. A control-oriented model is obtained by hybridizing the first-principle and data-driven modeling approach. The proposed controls strategy is evaluated with a Modelica simulation model of a VRF-DOAS system. A Dymola-Python cosimulation platform is developed via the functional mockup interface (FMI), for which the MPC algorithms are implemented in Python. Simulation results show significantly better performance of the offset-free Koopman MPC in thermal comfort regulation.

Estimating and partitioning evapotranspiration in a film mulched cropland with shallow groundwater by the improved dual source model

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a key link in terrestrial water cycle and influenced by complex environmental factors in cropland. Accurate assessment of crop ET over heterogeneous underlying surfaces remains challenging. In this study, the dual source Shuttleworth-Wallace (SW) model was modified to estimate λET (latent heat corresponding to ET) through incorporating the effects of film mulching and shallow groundwater. λET and latent heat from transpiration (λT) were measured in a maize field in northwest China during 2017 and 2018 to assess the performance of the original (SW) and modified (SWM) models. Results indicate that the overestimation of latent heat from soil evaporation (λE) due to ignoring film mulching could be obviously mitigated by SWM. Besides, considering capillary rise from shallow groundwater in SWM improved not only λET estimates but also the accuracy of canopy resistance parameter. The SWM model outperformed the SW model that the slopes of fitting lines for λET and λT increased from 0.60 to 0.79 to 0.77–0.99 at daily scale and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency coefficient exceeded 0.86. Relative error and RMSE were decreased to below 0.15 and 19.88 W m−2, respectively. The estimations of λET and λT by SWM were also improved at hourly scale. Seasonal variation and partition of λET between two years were comparable and average T/ET for the entire growing season was about 78 %-84 %, which was largest at the heading stage. Path analysis on the responses of λET to the environmental factors recognized the greatest direct effect of crop height or leaf area index, and identified the significantly direct control of shallow groundwater on λT in this area. The study presented an improved dual source model to better quantify λET, which would benefit water resources management for film mulched croplands with shallow groundwater.

Investigating the impact of tropical deforestation on Indian monsoon hydro-climate: a novel study using a regional climate model

AbstractThis study uses a state-of-the-art regional climate model (RCM) to examine how tropical deforestation affects the meteorology of the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM). Incorporating insights from existing research on deforestation by climate scientists, alongside evidence of environmental deterioration in semi-arid, hilly and tropical regions of Southeast Asia, this research seeks to elucidate the critical influence of anthropogenic reasons of climate change on the hydroclimate of ISM. Employing “tropical deforestation” design experiments with the ICTP-RegCMv4.4.5.10 RCM the study evaluates the effects on meteorological parameters including precipitation, circulation patterns and surface parameters. This experimental design entails substituting vegetation type in the land use map of RegCMv4.4.5.10 model, such as deciduous and evergreen trees in Southeast Asia with “short grass” to mimic tropical deforestation. Findings reveal that deforestation induces abnormal anti-cyclonic circulation over eastern India curtails moisture advection, diminishing latent heat flux and moisture transport, leads to a decrease in precipitation compared to control experiment scenario. Alterations in albedo and vegetation roughness length attributable to deforestation impact temperature, humidity, precipitation, consequently exacerbating drought and heatwave occurrences. Additionally, the study also explores deforestation-induced feedback on ISM precipitation variability. The study concludes that deforestation substantially alters land-surface characteristics, water and energy cycle, and atmospheric circulation, thereby influencing regional climate dynamics. These findings offer foundational insights into comprehending land-use and land-cover changes and their implications for climate change adaptation strategies.

Enhancing Energy and Environmental Metrics of Aqueous Ammonia Emulsified Diesel Fuel using Carbon-Metal Oxide Nanocomposites: An Experimental Study

The study explores the impact of a zinc oxide (ZnO) induced carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposite on ammonia decomposition in aqueous ammonia (AA) emulsified diesel fuel, while evaluating performance and emissions. Functionalized CNTs induced with ZnO underwent structural and surface morphology analysis. Different concentrations of ammonium hydroxide (5% and 10%) were mixed with plain diesel fuel (PDF), and 100 ppm of ZnO/CNT was blended with 10% AA emulsified fuel. Fuel performance was assessed under various brake power conditions compared to PDF. The results demonstrate that the absorption of latent heat by ammonia and its higher decomposition energy result in a longer ignition delay, thereby increasing peak in-cylinder pressure and net heat release rate. The post-combustion reaction of AA emulsified fuels contributes to increased brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), brake specific energy consumption (BSEC), hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and smoke opacity. However, the dispersion of nanocomposite in AA emulsion enhances the catalytic effect and promotes ammonia decomposition, resulting in combustion characteristics similar to PDF. Notably, there is an observed improvement in BSFC by 8.1% and BSEC by 10.9%, respectively. Furthermore, emission metrics such as oxides of nitrogen, HC, CO, and smoke opacity decrease by 4.5%, 18.8%, 11.4%, and 5%, respectively.

A combined uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of melting in a cubical cavity, Part A: Model validation

Latent heat thermal energy storage systems exploit the solid–liquid phase transition of a material to store thermal energy almost isothermally with high energy density. Numerical methods are increasingly being used for the targeted design of these storage systems. The problem, however, is that the results obtained with these methods – despite a frequently shown near-perfect agreement between validation experiments and simulation results – are subject to large uncertainty. To illustrate the extent of this problem and to show approaches to solving it, a combined uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of the melting process of a paraffin (octadecane) in a cuboid heated from one side is carried out in this two-paper series. In part A, we present the model and validate it; in part B we use it to carry out the combined uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. The validation of the model is performed with the help of experimental results. For this purpose, we measure the liquid phase fraction, the position of the phase boundary, the velocity field in the liquid and the temperature inside the test capsule. We make sure that the experimental results are reproducible. Systematic deviations are discussed and, if possible, the results are corrected for their value. When measuring the velocity field using particle image velocimetry (PIV), the greatest systematic deviation is due to the inhomogeneous refractive index field in the liquid phase. Finally, it is shown that, in the present case, the influence is very low if constant material properties evaluated at the mean temperature are taken for each phase compared to a temperature-dependent implementation. An exception is the density. If the density change during melting is not taken into account the deviation of the melt fraction lies between 6 and 8%. In summary, the validation of the numerical model is very satisfactory and demonstrates the suitability of the model for performing the investigations of the part B paper.

Analysis of hybrid nanoparticles shape factor and thermal radiation effect on solidification in latent energy storage in a triplex chamber

Analysis of hybrid nanoparticles shape factor and thermal radiation effect on solidification in latent energy storage in a triplex chamber

Analysis of reducing thermal resistance between the PCM and ambient air for improving the power generation characteristics of PCM-based thermoelectric power generators

A power generator comprising a thermoelectric device (TED) and a phase change material (PCM) allows energy harvesting from ambient temperature variations, which exist ubiquitously; thus, such a device has received considerable attention as an energy harvester that can operate at any location. We developed a model for estimating the characteristics of a power generator in ambient air, whose temperature is forcibly changed between two temperature values, such as when an air conditioner is turned on and off. We calculated the influence of latent heat and thermal conductivity of the PCM on the characteristics of power generators with various thermal resistances between the TED/PCM interface and ambient air. Latent heat and thermal conductivity of the PCM affect the amount of heat energy (Q) transfer between the ambient air and PCM and the energy conversion efficiency (ηE), respectively, where the amount of electric energy is given by Q × ηE. The increase in Q caused by an increase in the latent heat of the PCM was almost independent of the thermal resistance between the TED/PCM interface and air. However, the increase in ηE caused by an increase in the thermal conductivity of the PCM decreased as the thermal resistance between the TED/PCM interface and air increased. These results indicate that the techniques to improve the power generation characteristics by increasing the thermal conductivity of PCM, which have been frequently investigated in recent years, are effective only when the thermal resistance between the TED/PCM interface and ambient air is small.

Experimental Investigation of Heat Transfer Rate for Building Roof with Corrugated Sheets Using Phase Change Material (PCM)

Research on cost-effective and efficient technology that can hold enormous amounts of heat or cold in a specific volume has been ongoing for a while. Due to its isothermal behaviour throughout the phase change process and high energy storage density, latent heat storage in phase change materials (PCM) is highly appealing. The incorporation of latent heat of storage in building materials considerably aids in the energy conservation of structures, which is a major role of thermal storage. By reducing the frequency of internal air temperature swings and keeping the indoor air temperature closer to the ideal temperature for longer periods of time, increasing the building's thermal storage capacity can improve human comfort. Nonetheless, a phase change material can be chosen to accommodate every type of weather in a certain area.

Influence on solar PV performance integrated with heat sinks and nano-enhanced phase change material

The inevitable advancement of solar photovoltaic (PV) system performance highly relies on temperature control, which enhances electrical efficiency. The objective of this study is to enhance electrical efficiency by incorporating phase change material of HS36 (PCM) and nano enhanced PCM (NePM). The thermal properties of PCM were improved by adding graphene flakes (GF) into PCM to enhance the thermal transfer rate between the PV panel and PCM. The phase change properties and thermal conductivity of PCM with different concentrations of GF were assessed. The results indicated that the 0.9 wt.% NePCM exhibited the highest thermal conductivity enhancement of 47% in solid states and a significant reduction in latent heat by 9.4% during freezing compared to pure PCM. The effect of cooling on PV performance was studied using a reference panel, integrated with a heat sink containing PCM (PV/PCM) and NePCM (PV/NePCM). Outdoor experiments were conducted using a 10 W panel, and the results for the use of PCM showed a reduction in temperature and an improvement in efficiency. The findings revealed that attaching a heat sink and integrating the PV panel with pure PCM and NePCM reduced the temperature by 8.65°C and 10.04°C, respectively, and improved efficiency by 11.65% and 12.15%, respectively. It can be concluded that the proposed thermal management method for PV systems offers a viable solution for increasing daily average electrical generation with maximum efficiency.