Performance Analysis of Photovoltaic Solar Cells with Passive Cooling Under Controlled Uniform Radiation Heat Source

Many types and designs of solar photovoltaic cells that harness solar energy, yet their efficiency diminishes greatly with an increase in operating temperature. The study aims to investigate the performance enhancement of PV cells' passive cooling methods under a controlled environment of uniform radiation. An experimental setup was custom-made with a tungsten halogen lamp to simulate solar radiation, with the crucial parameters of temperature and electrical power being monitored by a real-time data acquisition system. The novelty of the paper lies in the integration of a zigzag rectangular water channel at the back of the PV panel, which maintains an ideal thermal condition without requiring any external energy input. When constant radiation was set at 1200 W/m2, the flow rates of cold water were varied from 0.096 to 0.601 lpm. Results showed that the temperature of runoff water on the panel surfaces dropped substantially, while the open-circuit voltage increased from 20.25 V to 21.50 V during cooling on top. Hence, it was confirmed that passive water cooling is an affordable and efficient means of improving PV performance and its thermal control. This current study showcases a series of technologies based on non-electrical cooling designed to cool solar cells.