Enhancing Performance of Photovoltaic Panel by Cold Plate Design with Guided Channels

Photovoltaic (PV) panel is subjected to high temperatures from solar radiation. The performance of the PV panel deteriorates as the PV's operating temperature increases. This study aims to examine the cooling method using a cold plate attached to the PV panel to lower its operating temperature. The cold plate consists of several guided channels or ribbed walls of thickness 0.015 m to direct the circulating water flow from its entrance to the exit point at the back of the PV panel. The experiment demonstrates a decrease of around 21.2°C in surface temperature and improves ∼2% in electrical efficiency, 8% in thermal efficiency and 1.6% in PV panel efficiency as compared to PV panel without a cooling system. The relationship between the average PV's surface temperature and output power is obtained. The uncertainty analysis shows that the average standard deviation in PVs, electrical and thermal efficiency is not more than 1.26% when subjected to differences in the day of measurements, mass flow rate, and pressure of the pump.