A novel two-step optimization approach for film water cooling of a photovoltaic module in real ambient conditions

Efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) modules decreases as they get warmer in real working conditions. One way to address this issue is to apply water-film cooling on the front surface of a PV module. In order to circulate water over the surface of a module, a power-consuming pumping system is required. This paper presents a novel twostep optimization algorithm for improving the water-film cooling system to maximize the net energy generation of a photovoltaic (PV) panel. In the first step, the fluctuations of the optimal water flow rate during a specified day are calculated and then ideal water flow rates on daily and monthly basis are determined. Since the value of the optimum specific water flow rate is a nonlinear function of ambient conditions, it was calculated through an iterative algorithm. In the second step, the appropriate activation time interval for a water-cooling system was determined to furthermore maximize power gain and minimize energy consumption. By optimizing both water flow rate and cooling system timing, a significant improvement in net efficiency was achieved, increasing from 13.98%, 13.85%, and 13.87% in June, July, and August to 14.82%, 14.86%, and 14.80% in Shiraz, Iran.

Automated summary

This paper presents a novel optimization algorithm for improving the water-film cooling system of photovoltaic panels, resulting in a significant increase in net energy generation.