Thermal analysis of solar panel with phase change material: experimental and numerical study

The electrical output of a solar panel decreases as its temperature increases due to the relationship between electrical output and radiation. This phenomenon presents more importance due to the adverse effect on panel efficiency. To investigate the effects of temperature on the electrical output of a 12 V 20 W solar panel, an experiment was conducted using aluminium plate and phase change material (PCM) as heat sinks. The solar panel was tested for 2 h without heat sinks, and its temperature and electrical output were recorded. The panel reached a maximum temperature of 61 °C and experienced a voltage drop from 21.2 to 19.15 V during continuous operation. The experiment was then repeated with an aluminium plate attached to the back of the panel and with PCM in a container box. The use of these heat sinks resulted in a reduction in temperature and voltage drop of 14.33% and 19.08% with the aluminium plate, and 30.29% and 24.78% with the PCM container. Analysis of both the experimental and numerical data indicates that the temperature has a significant impact on solar panel output, which can be mitigated through the use of heat sinks in adverse condition. Furthermore, the PCM container proved to be the most effective heat sink, demonstrating its considerable potential for enhancing solar panel performance via efficient temperature management. This study contributes valuable insights into addressing the temperature-induced efficiency decline in solar panels and offers a promising approach for optimizing their outputs.