Thermal Patterns in PV Arrays Operating in Tropical Conditions: A Preliminary Approach

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rolando Soler-Bientz ◽  
Lifter Ricalde-Cab ◽  
Inés Riech Méndez
Keyword(s):  
Wind Speed ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Temperature Sensors ◽  
Research System ◽  
Pv Array ◽  
Pv Module ◽  
Tropical Conditions ◽  
Pv Modules ◽  
Thermal Patterns

This paper presents preliminary results of a field study focused in the study of the heat patterns of a PV array in tropical conditions. The research system is comprised by four sub arrays of four mono-crystalline Silicon PV Modules. The system was installed facing to the South direction in a static configuration according to the geographical location of the study site. A set of temperature sensors were installed on the back of the PV module in order to monitor their thermal patterns on daily basics. Ambient temperature, solar radiation on the PV surface and on the horizontal surface as well as the wind speed and wind direction have been also monitored concurrently with the thermal patterns of the whole PV array under study.

scholarly journals Proposed Models to Improve Predicting the Operating Temperature of Different Photovoltaic Module Technologies under Various Climatic Conditions

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 7064
Author(s):  
Dang Phuc Nguyen Nguyen ◽  
Kristiaan Neyts ◽  
Johan Lauwaert
Keyword(s):  
Wind Speed ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Operating Temperature ◽  
Thermal Inertia ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Solar Irradiation ◽  
Photovoltaic Module ◽  
Silicon Thin Film ◽  
Pv Module ◽  
Pv Modules

The operating temperature is an essential parameter determining the performance of a photovoltaic (PV) module. Moreover, the estimation of the temperature in the absence of measurements is very complex, especially for outdoor conditions. Fortunately, several models with and without wind speed have been proposed to predict the outdoor operating temperature of a PV module. However, a problem for these models is that their accuracy decreases when the sampling interval is smaller due to the thermal inertia of the PV modules. In this paper, two models, one with wind speed and the other without wind speed, are proposed to improve the precision of estimating the operating temperature of outdoor PV modules. The innovative aspect of this study is two novel thermal models that consider the variation of solar irradiation over time and the thermal inertia of the PV module. The calculation is applied to different types of PV modules, including crystalline silicon, thin film as well as tandem technology at different locations. The models are compared to models that are described in the literature. The results obtained in different time steps show that our proposed models achieve better performance and can be applied to different PV technologies.

scholarly journals Study on the Influence of Mounting Dimensions of PV Array on Module Temperature in Open-Joint Photovoltaic Ventilated Double-Skin Façades

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 5027
Author(s):  
Wenjie Zhang ◽  
Tongdan Gong ◽  
Shengbing Ma ◽  
Jianwei Zhou ◽  
Yingbo Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Heat Dissipation ◽  
Temperature Drop ◽  
Vertical Direction ◽  
Wind Pressure ◽  
Pv Array ◽  
Pv Module ◽  
Pv Modules ◽  
Double Skin ◽  
Open Joint ◽  
Double Skin Facades

In building integrated photovoltaics (PV), it is important to solve the heat dissipation problem of PV modules. In this paper, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is used to simulate the flow field around the open-joint photovoltaic ventilated double-skin façades (OJ-PV-DSF) to study the influence of the mounting dimensions (MD) of a PV array on the module temperature. The typical summer afternoon meteorological parameters, such as the total radiation (715.4 W/m2), the outdoor temperature (33.1 °C), and the wind speed (2.0 m/s), etc., are taken as input parameters. With the DO (discrete ordinates) model and the RNG (renormalization-group) k − ε model, a steady state calculation is carried out to simulate the flow of air in and around the cavity under the coupling of hot pressure and wind pressure, thereby obtaining the temperature distribution of the PV array and the wall. In addition, the simulation results are compared with the onsite experimental data and thermal imaging to verify the accuracy of the CFD model. Then three MD of the open joints are discussed. The results show that when the a value (represents the distance between PV modules and wall) changes from 0.05 to 0.15, the temperature drop of the PV module is the most obvious, reaching 2.0 K. When the b value (representing the distance between two adjacent PV modules in the vertical direction) changes from 0 to 0.1, the temperature drop of the PV module is most obvious, reaching 1 K. When the c value (represents the distance between two adjacent PV modules in the horizontal direction) changes from 0 to 0.1, the temperature of the PV module is lowered by 0.8 K. Thus, a = 0.1–0.15, b = 0.1 and c = 0.1 are recommended for engineering applications to effectively reduce the module temperature.

scholarly journals Feasibility Study of the Technical and Economic Performance of Grid-Connected PV System for Selected Rooftops in UTHM

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Fakrie Mohamad Ali ◽  
◽  
Mohd Noor Abdullah ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Payback Period ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Pv System ◽  
Pv Module ◽  
Electricity Bill ◽  
Pv Modules ◽  
Energy Metering

This paper presents the feasibility study of the technical and economic performances of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system for selected rooftops in Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM). The analysis of the electricity consumption and electricity bill data of UTHM campus show that the monthly electricity usage in UTHM campus is very high and expensive. The main purpose of this project is to reduce the annual electricity consumption and electricity bill of UTHM with Net Energy Metering (NEM) scheme. Therefore, the grid-connected PV system has been proposed at Dewan Sultan Ibrahim (DSI), Tunku Tun Aminah Library (TTAL), Fakulti Kejuruteraan Awam dan Alam Bina (FKAAS) and F2 buildings UTHM by using three types of PV modules which are mono-crystalline silicon (Mono-Si), poly-crystalline silicon (Poly-Si) and Thin-film. These three PV modules were modeled, simulated and calculated using Helioscope software with the capacity of 2,166.40kWp, 2,046.20kWp and 1,845kWp respectively for the total rooftop area of 190,302.9 ft². The economic analysis was conducted on the chosen three installed PV modules using RETScreen software. As a result, the Mono-Si showed the best PV module that can produce 2,332,327.40 kWh of PV energy, 4.4% of CO₂ reduction, 9.3 years of payback period considering 21 years of the contractual period and profit of RM4,932,274.58 for 11.7 years after payback period. Moreover, the proposed installation of 2,166.40kWp (Mono-SI PV module) can reduce the annual electricity bill and CO2 emission of 3.6% (RM421,561.93) and 4.4% (1,851.40 tCO₂) compared to the system without PV system.

scholarly journals Sustainable End of Life Management of Crystalline Silicon and Thin Film Solar Photovoltaic Waste: The Impact of Transportation

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (16) ◽  
pp. 5465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilke Celik ◽  
Marina Lunardi ◽  
Austen Frederickson ◽  
Richard Corkish
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
United States ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hotspot Analysis ◽  
Material Recovery ◽  
Pv Module ◽  
Pv Modules ◽  
The Impact

This work provides economic and environmental analyses of transportation-related impacts of different photovoltaic (PV) module technologies at their end-of-life (EoL) phase. Our results show that crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules are the most economical PV technology (United States Dollars (USD) 2.3 per 1 m2 PV module (or 0.87 ¢/W) for transporting in the United States for 1000 km). Furthermore, we found that the financial costs of truck transportation for PV modules for 2000 km are only slightly more than for 1000 km. CO2-eq emissions associated with transport are a significant share of the EoL impacts, and those for copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) PV modules are always higher than for c-Si and CdTe PV. Transportation associated CO2-eq emissions contribute 47%, 28%, and 40% of overall EoL impacts of c-Si, CdTe, and CIGS PV wastes, respectively. Overall, gasoline-fueled trucks have 65–95% more environmental impacts compared to alternative transportation options of the diesel and electric trains and ships. Finally, a hotspot analysis on the entire life cycle CO2-eq emissions of different PV technologies showed that the EoL phase-related emissions are more significant for thin-film PV modules compared to crystalline silicon PV technologies and, so, more environmentally friendly material recovery methods should be developed for thin film PV.

scholarly journals Long-Term Reliability Evaluation of Silica-Based Coating with Antireflection Effect for Photovoltaic Modules

Coatings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kensuke Nishioka ◽  
So Pyay Moe ◽  
Yasuyuki Ota
Keyword(s):  
Refractive Index ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Reliability Evaluation ◽  
Photovoltaic Modules ◽  
Pv Array ◽  
Pv Module ◽  
Pv Modules ◽  
Main Factors

Not all sunlight irradiated on the surface of a photovoltaic (PV) module can reach the cells in the PV module. This loss reduces the conversion efficiency of the PV module. The main factors of this loss are the reflection and soiling on the surface of the PV module. With this, it is effective to have both antireflection and antisoiling effects on the surface of PV modules. In this study, the antireflection and antisoiling effects along with the long-term reliability of the silica-based layer easily coated on PV modules were assessed. A silica-based layer with a controlled thickness and refractive index was coated on the surface of a Cu(In,Ga)Se2 PV array. The array was exposed outdoors to assess its effects and reliability. As a result of the coating, the output of the PV array increased by 3.9%. The environment of the test site was relatively clean and the increase was considered to be a result of the antireflection effect. Moreover, it was observed that the effect of the coating was maintained without deterioration after 3.5 years. The coating was also applied to a silicon PV module and an effect similar to that of the CIGS PV module was observed in the silicon PV module.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Performance of Various PV Module Technologies in Peru

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Romero-Fiances ◽  
Emilio Muñoz-Cerón ◽  
Rafael Espinoza-Paredes ◽  
Gustavo Nofuentes ◽  
Juan De la Casa
Keyword(s):  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Performance Ratio ◽  
Energy Yield ◽  
Actual Behavior ◽  
Low Light ◽  
Light Levels ◽  
Pv Module ◽  
Pv Modules ◽  
Parameter Ranges ◽  
Pv Grid

A knowledge gap exists about the actual behavior of PV grid-connected systems (PVGCS) using various PV technologies in Peru. This paper presents the results of an over three-year-long performance evaluation of a 3.3-kWp monocrystalline silicon (sc-Si) PVGCS located in Arequipa, a 3.3-kWp sc-Si PVGCS located in Tacna, and a 3-kWp policrystalline (mc-Si) PVGCS located in Lima. An assessment of the performance of a 3.5-kWp amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon hetero-junction (a-Si/µc-Si) PVGCS during over one and a half years of being in Lima is also presented. The annual final yields obtained lie within 1770–1992 kWh/kW, 1505–1540 kWh/kW, and 736–833 kWh/kW for Arequipa, Tacna, and Lima, respectively, while the annual PV array energy yield achieved by a-Si/µc-Si is 1338 kWh/kW. The annual performance ratio stays in the vicinity of 0.83 for sc-Si in Arequipa and Tacna while this parameter ranges from 0.70 to 0.77 for mc-Si in Lima. An outstanding DC annual performance ratio of 0.97 is found for a-Si/µc-Si in the latter site. The use of sc-Si and presumably, mc-Si PV modules in desert climates, such as that of Arequipa and Tacna, is encouraged. However, sc-Si and presumably, mc-Si-technologies experience remarkable temperature and low irradiance losses in Lima. By contrast, a-Si/µc-Si PV modules perform much better in the latter site thanks to being less influenced by both temperature and low light levels.

scholarly journals Origin of Bypass Diode Fault in c-Si Photovoltaic Modules: Leakage Current under High Surrounding Temperature

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Woo Shin ◽  
Suk Ko ◽  
Hyung Song ◽  
Young Ju ◽  
Hye Hwang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Leakage Current ◽  
Schottky Diode ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Operating Voltage ◽  
Reverse Voltage ◽  
Photovoltaic Modules ◽  
Pv Module ◽  
Bypass Diode ◽  
Pv Modules

Bypass diodes have been widely utilized in crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) modules to maximize the output of a PV module array under partially shaded conditions. A Schottky diode is used as the bypass diode in c-Si PV modules due to its low operating voltage. In this work, we systematically investigated the origin of bypass diode faults in c-Si PV modules operated outdoors. The temperature of the inner junction box where the bypass diode is installed increases as the ambient temperature increases. Its temperature rises to over 70 °C on sunny days in summer. As the temperature of the junction box increases from 25 to 70 °C, the leakage current increases up to 35 times under a reverse voltage of 15 V. As a result of the high leakage current of the bypass diode at high temperature, melt down of the junction barrier between the metal and semiconductor has been observed in damaged diodes collected from abnormally functioning PV modules. Thus, it is believed that the constant leakage current applied to the junction caused the melting of the junction, thereby resulting in a failure of both the bypass diode and the c-Si PV module.

The Impact Mitigation of Partial Shading on PV Array Power Generation

2015 ◽  
Vol 781 ◽  
pp. 267-271
Author(s):  
Santisouk Phiouthonekham ◽  
Anucha Lekkruasuwan ◽  
Surachai Chaitusaney
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Solar Irradiation ◽  
Testing System ◽  
Partial Shading ◽  
Pv Array ◽  
Pv Module ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Current Voltage ◽  
Pv Modules ◽  
The Impact

The impact of partial shading on photovoltaic (PV) array is discussed in this paper. The partial shading on PV array can significantly decrease the power generation of PV array. This study examines the modeling of PV module which relates with solar irradiation, temperature, and shading pattern. There are different shading patterns on PV array, such as one-string shading, two-strings shading, and much more. The characteristics of current-voltage (I-V) and voltage-power (V-P) curves for each individual the PV array can be different dependent on the multiple MPPs, maximum power points (MPPs). These multiple MPPs are basically lower than the MPP in case of no shading. Therefore, the total generated energy in an interested time period is usually reduced. As a result, this paper proposes the appropriate arrangement of PV modules in a PV array in order to mitigate the impact of partial shading. Finally, the proposed arrangement of PV modules is tested in a testing system. All the obtained results confirms that the proposed arrangement of PV modules is effective and can be applied in practice.

The Status and Trends of Crystalline Silicon PV Module Recycling Treatment Methods in Europe and China

2013 ◽  
Vol 724-725 ◽  
pp. 200-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Zhang ◽  
Fang Lv ◽  
Li Yun Ma ◽  
Li Juan Yang
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Treatment ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Thermal Method ◽  
Abrasive Machining ◽  
Pv Systems ◽  
Pv Module ◽  
Pv Modules ◽  
The Status ◽  
Treatment Research

The disposal of PV systems will become a problem in view of the continually increasing production of PV modules. Development for waste PV modules recycling would be extremely effective in coping with this problem. In Europe, the thermal method and chemical method for PV recycling were deeply developed. The thermal treatment was to separate the module components under 600°C. The chemical treatment is to recover silicon wafers out of solar cells, which can be used again in modules. But automated separation of components and advanced chemical process needs to be studied on. In China, mechanical treatment research for PV recycling has just started. PV modules were separated and recycled by abrasive machining under the cryogenic condition and electrostatic separation. The mechanical treatment can't recycle silicon to reprocess new wafers for its low purity. Compared to the advanced technology in Europe, PV recycling in China is primary and badly in need of improving to face the huge PV module recycling demands in future.

Fabrication and Characteristics of Recyclable PV Modules

Solar Energy ◽  
2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuya Doi ◽  
Izumi Tsuda ◽  
Koichi Sakuta ◽  
Goichi Matsui
Keyword(s):  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Cell Recovery ◽  
Total Cost ◽  
Transparent Films ◽  
Pv Module ◽  
Pv Modules ◽  
Pv Cell ◽  
Cell Modules ◽  
Weather Resistance ◽  
Resistance Tests

Since the life of crystalline silicon PV modules is mainly determined by that of the encapsulations and not of the cells, it is possible to reuse the cells, except when the cells are physically damaged. By reusing the cells, we can save the significant amount of energy consumed in the manufacture of PV cells, and reduce the total cost of PV modules as a consequence. PV cells are resources, and they should be recycled. However, it has not been easy to remove cells from modules without damaging them because of the very strong adhesiveness of EVA, the most common encapsulant resin. We propose a new PV module with a double encapsulation module (DEM) structure, in which both surfaces of the PV cells are wrapped with non-adhesive transparent films. Here, the concept of DEM is explained and detailed results from the fabrication of single-cell modules are presented. The results of PV cell recovery experiments and weather resistance tests are also shown.

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