Numerical Study of Photovoltaic Panel Thermal Efficiency Using Multi-Cooling Process

Abstract

Renewable energy sources are becoming more and more popular, regarding the pollution and non-sustainability of common energy sources. Photovoltaic is the most direct way to convert solar radiation into electricity using the photovoltaic effect. This technology generates direct current (DC) electrical power from semiconductors when they are illuminated by photons. This paper presents a mathematical model in CFD that simulates the thermal presentation of a solar thermal photovoltaic panel equipped with circler, square and elliptic pin fin cooling module. The effect of cooling water velocity on photovoltaic panel average temperature and average cooling water temperature has been studied and the effect of cooling water velocity on photovoltaic panel average temperature and average cooling water temperature. The results show that velocity contours for water flows in circular, elliptic and square pin fin cooling module with inlet water velocities (0.0002, 0.0004 and 0.001 m/s). It is noticed that for square pin fin, the velocity between the pins is higher than the other types of pins, which leads to more circulation of water and more cooling.