Photovoltaic Performance Improvement with Phase Change Material Cooling Treatment
Zainal Arifin, Singgih Dwi Prasetyo, Bhimo Ageng Tribhuwana, Dominicus Danardono Dwi Prija Tjahjana, Rendy Adhi Rachmanto, Budi Kristiawan
Abstract
Solar energy is a clean, abundant, and low-emission renewable energy source. Photovoltaic (PV) technology can convert solar energy into electrical energy; however, it still has a poor output efficiency since high temperatures can lower PV efficiency. Phase Change Materials (PCM) can absorb latent heat, which can be applied to PV as a passive cooling system. In this study, 50 wp PV was treated without and with PCM as a passive cooling system to determine the PV performance. This study compares three PCM types: soy wax, paraffin, and beeswax. Utilizing the PV-PCM panel temperature modeling technique, the inaccuracy in the experimental data was ascertained. According to the simulation, soy wax, paraffin, and beeswax PV panels had average temperatures of 48.6℃, 45.8℃, and 42.6℃, respectively, at an intensity of 1100 W/m2. The experimental results show that PCM beeswax is the best in reducing the working temperature of PV from 60.7℃ to 52.5℃ at an intensity of 1100 W/m2. The results showed that PV with PCM beeswax treatment as a passive cooler could increase the maximum PV output power of 3.04 Watt and the maximum efficiency of PV by 0.94% by lowering the maximum temperature of PV by 8.2℃ compared to PV without a cooling system.