Real-time performance measurement of a photovoltaic panel with and without water cooling

Abstract

As society advances towards an environmentally friendly and sustainable future, the usage of photovoltaic (PV) panels to harvest solar energy will be the most promising method of energy generation in Singapore, due to the high average annual solar irradiation the country receives. However, the power output of a PV panel decreases as its temperature rises above the standard testing conditions (25°C), which is a major drawback in Singapore due to its high average annual temperature. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to cool the PV panel, so as to be able to utilise it efficiently. In this report, the author will analyse and compare the results obtained from different cooling methods used in experiments conducted by other researchers. The author will then adopt and replicate the experiment in real-time, by setting up a test rig on one of the roofs of Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in order to gather data and illustrate his findings. This report also comprises of a mathematical model used to predict the surface temperature of the panel, adopted from previous research and derived from the author’s understanding of the heat transfer present in the PV panel and its surroundings.