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Using composite of phase change materials and aluminum wires to optimize thermal and electrical efficiencies of photovoltaic module

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Abstract

The aim of this research is optimizing electrical and thermal efficiencies of a photovoltaic (PV) module integrated with phase change materials (PCMs) and Aluminum (AL) wires. Composites of glycerol and beeswax (GLBW) and the mixture of GLBW with paraffin (GLBWP) are presented as new PCMs. PCMs are applied in PV module to regulate its temperature. Aluminum wires are added to GLBWP composite to increase its thermal conductivity. Response surface methodology (RSM) is used to analyze the dependent variables which are the thermal and electrical efficiencies (ηth and ηe) and the optimum condition of the PV/AL-GLBWP system is achieved. The chosen independent factors of the cooling system are glycerol volume fraction in GLBW (A = 0–100% volume), GLBW volume fraction in GLBWP (B = 0–50% volume), and AL mass in GLBWP (C = 0–50g). Cold water is used to decrease the temperature of the PV module through a heat exchanger embedded in the PCM container. The results show that the composite of glycerol, beeswax and paraffin makes the PCM, which put out more thermal and electrical efficiencies than pure paraffin. Results indicate that for the system with no cooling, ηth and ηe are 53.27% and 9.05%, respectively. The addition of AL wire to PCMs noticeably increases the performance of cooling system. The values of thermal and electrical efficiencies are predicted at the highest point, which are 97.67% and 12.98%, respectively, at 75% GLBW, 37.5% GLBWP, and 37.5 g AL wire.

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Abbreviations

A module :

Entire area of the PV module (mm2)

A collector :

The collector entire area (mm2)

I :

Current of the PV arrays (A)

I solar :

The solar intensity (W m−2)

Q :

The useful accumulated heat (W)

P max :

PV module maximum power (W)

P PCM :

Power generated by PCM (maximum value) (W)

Q :

Flow rate of water (mL min−1)

V :

Voltage of photovoltaic arrays (v)

W :

Mass of aluminum (g)

T s,ave :

PV module average surface temperature (°C)

η th :

Thermal efficiency (−)

η e :

Electrical efficiency (−)

Max:

Maximum

Ave:

Average

PV:

Photovoltaic

GLBW:

Glycerol-bees wax composite

GL:

Glycerol

DOE:

Design of experiments

BW:

Beeswax

PCM:

Phase change material

GLBWP:

Glycerol-beeswax-paraffin composite

AL:

Aluminum

RSM:

Response surface methodology

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Razi University, Tagh-e-Bostan, Kermanshah, Iran

    Atousa Ghale & Masoud Rahimi

  2. CFD Research Division, Advanced Chemical Engineering Research Center, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

    Masoud Rahimi & Neda Azimi

Authors
  1. Atousa Ghale
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  2. Masoud Rahimi
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Correspondence to Masoud Rahimi.

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Ghale, A., Rahimi, M. & Azimi, N. Using composite of phase change materials and aluminum wires to optimize thermal and electrical efficiencies of photovoltaic module. J Therm Anal Calorim 148, 13587–13605 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-023-12624-0

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