Thermal and electrical management of photovoltaic panels using phase change materials – A review

Abstract Thermal and electrical management of the PV systems integrated with Phase Change Materials has been discussed in this article. The main aim of this review article is to provide the current status of PV-PCM technology along with the research gaps and challenges being faced by this technology. A comprehensive literature review elaborating different aspects of this technology, such as system development, performance evaluation, PCM selection, heat transfer enhancement, simulation, and application in practice is presented. Cost incurred due to inclusion of PCM into PV system is also discussed in detail in this article. Major findings of the current review are that PV panel peak temperature can be reduced up to 20 °C with an increase in electrical conversion efficiency up to 5% by using PCM. At an average, ~ 2.6 kg of PCM is needed per meter square of the PV panel area to reduce the one-degree temperature of the PV panel during peak hours. The current review concludes that PV-PCM cooling system is not yet commercialized because of technological challenges, high system cost, and availability of appropriate PCMs. However, PV–PCM systems are still in the research phase, with great scope for practical applications. Suggestions for the future work along with current challenges are also presented.