| Work Detail |
Iraqi scientists have applied two different types of phase change materials to reduce the operating temperature of photovoltaic panels. Their experiment showed that beeswax and paraffin are especially effective in achieving this goal, even when combined with each other.
Researchers from Northern Technical University and AlNoor University in Iraq have studied the ability of phase change materials (PCMs) to cool photovoltaic panels at extremely high temperatures.
PCMs are substances that can absorb and release thermal energy during phase transitions. The PCMs used in this study were natural beeswax, paraffin wax, and a combination of both. They absorb heat when changing from solid to liquid and release it when transforming again.
“This study aims to evaluate the effect of integrating phase change materials with solar panels and passive cooling under the influence of Iraqi meteorological conditions, characterized by their heat,” explain the academics from the Technical University of the North. “We compared performance under these conditions in terms of electrical efficiency, panel temperature and electrical production through experimental work.”
For their experimental setting, the scientists placed four 50W panels with polycrystalline cells on a rooftop in the city of Hawija, northern Iraq. One of the panels was kept in its original state for reference, while the other three had cavities made in the back to contain the different PCMs. The five-liter cavity was then filled with the different waxes, leaving 10% empty space for solidification.
The group carried out the measurements on a day in July 2022 with an ambient temperature of 43.5 ºC and solar radiation values ??ranging between 300 and 956 W/m2. Different measuring instruments were installed in this equipment to measure the temperature, electricity production and panel efficiency.
The analysis showed that the panel without PCM had temperatures ranging between 38.65 and 69.4ºC, with an average daily temperature of 54.7ºC. On the contrary, the photovoltaic module with paraffin reached an average of 54.21 ºC, and the panel that used beeswax an average of 51.66 ºC. The panel with both materials, for its part, reached an average of 53.62 ºC.
The three PCM PV panels performed similarly, with lower temperatures than the reference panel until 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., when the wax melted. Then, unable to absorb more heat, the wax froze, emitting heat and therefore raising the temperature of the panel to levels higher than those of the reference assembly.
“As for electricity generation, the average daily electricity production was 28, 28.5, 31 and 28.7 watts for the reference plate, paraffin, beeswax and the photovoltaic mixture,” added the academic group. . “The electrical efficiency of the beeswax improved by 1% compared to the reference plate. As for the other two types, the improvement was very slight.” |
