Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

PV module efficiency can be predicted with significant accuracy based on the precise value of the solar cell temperature. A three-dimensional CFD model of a PV solar module with its layers, including front glass, crystalline cells, and the back sheet, has been developed and used to compute the temperature distribution on the cell with high precision. There was good agreement between the CFD model results and experimental and analytical work by several researchers. Several factors that affect the solar cell’s temperature have been studied, including the quantity of solar irradiation falling on it, the actual temperature of the surrounding environment, and the wind speed. The results showed that during hot summer days and when the ambient temperature approaches 50 °C, the efficiency of the solar cell decreases by an average of 19 to 27% according to the climatic conditions. This heat leads to deterioration in the durability of the cell layers. The present CFD model can provide insight into how convection and radiation heat loss coefficients at module surfaces affect solar cell temperature and efficiency.

Keywords: renewable energy, climate change, photovoltaic, CFD, thermal