The efficiency of a solar panel depends on the amount of solar radiation it
receives and its surface temperature. However, during the conversion process,
some of the solar radiation is converted into heat, which can increase the
temperature of the solar panel’s junction, reducing its performance. This
decrease in efficiency can be attributed to the decrease in output efficiency
that occurs when the surface temperature of the solar panel increases.
Therefore, maintaining a suitable temperature range is crucial to improving the
efficiency of the photovoltaic (PV) panel. Various cooling methods, including
the use of phase change materials (PCM), have been developed to control the
temperature of the PV module.
To test the effectiveness of PCM in cooling the solar PV module, we conducted an
experiment that involved setting up a heat exchanger system and analyzing its
performance. Our analysis revealed a significant improvement of 1.01 % decrement
in the temperature of solar cell and the efficiency and power of the solar cell
increased by 2% in the output efficiency of the PV system, indicating that PCM
cooling can be an effective means of maintaining a suitable temperature range
for the PV panel and improving its overall efficiency.