Open AccessIncreasing photovoltaic panel power through water cooling technique
Author(s) -
Calebe Abrenhosa Matias,
Licinio Moraes Santos,
Aline Teixeira Alves,
Wesley P. Calixto
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
transactions on environment and electrical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2450-5730
DOI - 10.22149/teee.v2i1.90
Subject(s) - photovoltaic system , water flow , environmental science , volumetric flow rate , water cooling , materials science , reuse , flow (mathematics) , marine engineering , nuclear engineering , automotive engineering , mechanics , mechanical engineering , environmental engineering , electrical engineering , engineering , waste management , physics
This paper presents the development of a cooling apparatus using water in a commercial photovoltaic panel in order to analyze the increased efficiency through decreased operating temperature. The system enables the application of reuse water flow, at ambient temperature, on the front surface of PV panel and is composed of an inclined plane support, a perforated aluminum profile and a water gutter. A luminaire was specially developed to simulate the solar radiation over the module under test in a closed room, free from the influence of external climatic conditions, to carry out the repetition of the experiment in controlled situations. The panel was submitted to different rates of water flow. The best water flow rate was of 0.6 L/min and net energy of 77.41Wh. Gain of 22.69% compared to the panel without the cooling system.