Bi-fluid cooling effect on electrical characteristics of flexible photovoltaic panel

Nurul Shahirah Rukman (Solar Energy Research Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi Selangor, Malaysia)
Ahmad Fudholi (Solar Energy Research Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi Selangor, Malaysia)
Putri Adia Utari (Centre for Deep Sea Research, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Ambon, Indonesia)
Cheku Nurul Aisyah (Solar Energy Research Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi Selangor, Malaysia)
Andri Joko Purwanto (Research Centre for Electrical Power and Mechatronics, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Bandung, Indonesia)
Rakhmad Indra Pramana (Research Centre for Electrical Power and Mechatronics, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Bandung, Indonesia)
Erie Martides (Research Centre for Electrical Power and Mechatronics, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Bandung, Indonesia)
Ant. Ardath Kristi (Research Centre for Electrical Power and Mechatronics, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Bandung, Indonesia)
Nilofar Asim (Solar Energy Research Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi Selangor, Malaysia)
Mohammad Hossein Yazdi (Department of Electric Power Generation Stations, Network and Supply Systems, Institute of Engineering and Technology, South Ural State University, 76, Lenin Avenue, Chelyabinsk, 454080, Russian Federation)
Hazim Moria (Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology, Yanbu Industrial College, Yanbu Al-Sinaiyah City 41912, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
Husam Abdulrasool Hasan (Department of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering, Al Esra'a University College, Baghdad, Iraq)
Zeki Ahmed Darwish (Ministry of Education, United Arab Emirates, Dubai PO. Box 3962)

Mechatronics, Electrical Power, and Vehicular Technology
Vol 12, No 1 (2021)

A photovoltaic (PV) system integrated with a bi-fluid cooling mechanism, which is known as photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system, was investigated. The electrical characteristics of flexible solar panel were evaluated for PV and PV with bi-fluid (air and water) cooling system. The integration of monocrystalline flexible solar panel into both systems was tested under a fixed solar radiation of 800 W/m2. A total of 0.04–0.10 kg/s of air flow was utilised in PV with cooling system with a fixed water mass flow rate of 0.025 kg/s. The efficiencies of flexible panel for PV and PV with cooling system were explored. For PV with bi-fluid flow, the highest obtained efficiency of module was 15.95% when 0.08 kg/s of air and 0.025 kg/s of water were allowed to flow through the cooling system. Compared with PV without cooling mechanism, the highest efficiency of module was 13.35% under same solar radiation. Current–voltage and power graphs were also plotted to present the electrical characteristics (current, voltage and power) generated by both systems.