A novel air-cooling technique for enhancing the thermal performance of photovoltaic modules: An experimental and computational fluid dynamics study

The performance of photovoltaic (PV) panels is significantly affected by high operating temperatures, which reduce efficiency and overall output. This study addresses this issue by introducing an innovative air-cooling system designed to enhance thermal performance. Utilizing experimental methods and computational fluid dynamics analysis, the cooling system was developed and evaluated against traditional air-cooling methods to assess improvements in temperature regulation. Results indicate a temperature reduction of over 14 °C, leading to a 32.25% increase in thermal efficiency and a 12.88% increase in electrical efficiency. The proposed air-cooling system also achieves an average turbulent kinetic energy of 2.4 m2/s2, compared to 0.56 m2/s2 for traditional cooling, and generates 10.85% more energy than the module without cooling. This research highlights the potential of advanced air-cooling solutions to enhance PV performance and simplify installation.