Performance enhancement of photovoltaic module by integrating eutectic inorganic phase change material

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) technology is an upcoming technology for harnessing solar power. The performances of the PV modules are affected by incident solar radiation and mainly due to the rise in surface temperature in the hot environmental conditions. To manage the PV module temperature, passive cooling technology is adopted in this work. The integration of phase change materials (PCMs) as a thermal regulating medium into the PV module's rear surface is intended. Two inorganic hydrated salts, Sodium Carbonate Decahydrate (SCD) -Na2CO3.10H2O and Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate (MSH) – MgSO4.7H2O are used to form the binary eutectic PCM. The binary eutectic PCM was integrated on the backside of the 25 W polycrystalline silicon PV module and tested for temperature regulation under the outdoor conditions of Kovilpatti (9°10′0′′N, 77°52′0′′E), Tamil Nadu, south India. The thermophysical properties of the eutectic PCM, including the latent heat of fusion and, temperature of phase change were estimated using Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). The melting and freezing point of the 70:30 SCD-MSH eutectic mixture was 35.6 °C and 31.1 °C, respectively, with a latent heat value of 230.5 J/g. The PV-PCM system showed an instantaneous temperature reduction up to 7°C with an increase of 1.21% in the daily average efficiency. An increase in the daily DC power output by 12.5% than the reference PV module is observed in the PV-PCM system.