Use of response surface methodology and CFD for analysing and optimization of simple-air cooled solar panel

Solar panel cooling is very much required to sustain its performance. In contrast, air cooling requires small changes in the design of solar panel and has good feasibility to conversion in the actual model. In this research article, a 100 W solar panel was simulated in ANSYS workbench at various solar flux, atmospheric temperature, and the air flow velocity. The numerical results in the form of contour plots of the temperature indicated that if the solar flux and atmospheric temperature are enhanced then, the module temperature increases but the enhancement in the air flow velocity reduces the module temperature. Secondly, the numerical results of the contour plot of temperature also indicate that the maximum temperature hot spot is seen in the middle part of the solar panel. Furthermore, the data obtained from numerical simulation and model equations has been optimized to determine the optimum setting of input and response variables. The optimization work has been completed by Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in MINITAB 17 software. The optimum values of input variables were determined at the maximum values of the solar panel efficiency and exergy efficiency. The optimum solar flux, atmospheric temperature, and air velocity obtained to be 974 W/m², 22 °C and 6 m/s on which responses solar panel temperature 51.22 °C, power output 65 W, solar panel efficiency 0.1588, exergy entering into the system 385 W and exergy efficiency 0.1695. To validate the optimum results of the RSM, an experimental setup has been developed and data has been collected at these optimum settings. Finally, the percentage variation in the responses has been calculated to know the error of the predicted results of RSM and experimental observation.