Experimental and numerical analyses of parameter optimization of photovoltaic cooling system

When the temperature of photovoltaic (PV) increases, the power generation efficiency decreases almost linearly. The temperature effect caused by high temperature has become an important factor that hinders the production of PV. In this study, the structural layout and the parameter optimization of PV cooling system are conducted. For this purpose, a thermal-electric coupled model of PV cooling system has been set up. Using the mathematical model, the effects of various parameters, such as the type of tube, tube diameter, tube spacing, water inlet temperature and flow velocity are analyzed. The results show that the average surface temperature of PV decreases with the increase of tube diameter and flow velocity and the decrease of tube spacing and water inlet temperature. Furthermore, theoretical parametric values for the optimized configuration of the PV cooling system are obtained. The experimental results show that the optimized PV cooling system can effectively reduce the surface temperature, which is about 47.0 degrees C lower than that of the non-cooled system. Moreover, the conversion efficiency and the exergy efficiency are exponentially related to mass flow. When the mass flow rate is 0.04 kg/s, the conversion and exergy efficiencies achieved the maximum values of 11.9% and 12.4%. When the water inlet temperature is 10 degrees C, the conversion and exergy efficiencies achieved the maximum values of 11.6% and 11.7%, respectively. Finally, the economic calculations were carried out in three typical cities in China. The results show that the PV cooling system can increase power generation by 7%-15%. (c) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study investigates the structural layout and parameter optimization of a PV cooling system which effectively reduces the surface temperature, increases power generation efficiency, and achieves maximum conversion and exergy efficiencies through exponential relationships with mass flow rate. Economic calculations show that the PV cooling system can increase power generation by 7%-15% in typical cities in China.