Thermal energy management strategy of the photovoltaic cell using ferromagnetohydrodynamics

Abstract

In the present investigation, a ferrofluid-based cooling method is suggested for the photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems. Perturbing the ferrofluidic flow domain by an electromagnet can be an effective mechanism to alter the thermal flow characteristics. The temporal evolution of the ferrofluid flow domain under the influence of a constant and a time-varying magnetic field is observed by infrared thermography. The study has been conducted for three magnetic strength of B¯ = 0 G, B¯ = 700 G, and B¯ = 1080 G, while the magnetic field frequencies are varied from 0.1 to 5 Hz. The primary objective of the investigation is to outline the mechanism of enhancement in heat transfer by exploring the role played by the various force fields, i.e., the interplay between the magnetic and the inertia force field. Also, the intricate interplay between the involved timescale, such as advective, diffusive, and magnetic perturbation timescales and its subsequent role on the thermal characteristics of the flow field, is explored in detail. Major inferences of the study are (a) on the application of external magnetic (constant and alternating) and heat transfer augments (b), and there exists a critical frequency (of the perturbing electromagnet) at which the augmentation is maximum; this frequency is a resultant outcome of the balance between the advective timescale and magnetic perturbation timescale. The inferences drawn from this investigation will have far-reaching implications in the purview of designing an effective thermal management in the photovoltaic systems.