Title: Thermal management of non-concentrating photovoltaic panels under extreme ambient conditions

Authors: Zakariya Kaneesamkandi; M. Chandrasekar; P. Gopal

Addresses: Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Anna University of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Anna University of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India

Abstract: Solar photovoltaic modules have reduced efficiency levels when the ambient temperature is very high. In this paper, the temperature and the efficiency of a non-concentrating flat plate collector is determined by a one dimensional steady state analysis at different solar radiation levels for the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where the radiation intensity and ambient temperatures are very high. The effects of the high temperature on the short and long term performance of the photovoltaic modules are also discussed. The various possible options available for the cooling of panels are analysed and compared.

Keywords: PV modules; cell temperature; PV cooling; radiation intensity; thermal management; photovoltaic panels; solar panels; solar energy; solar power; flat plate collectors; high temperatures; solar radiation; Saudi Arabia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRET.2012.049524

International Journal of Renewable Energy Technology, 2012 Vol.3 No.4, pp.372 - 385

Received: 31 Jul 2011
Accepted: 12 Dec 2011
Published online: 29 Oct 2014 *

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