Enhancing the Performance of Photovoltaic Panels by Evaporative Cooling in Hot and Arid Climates

In this chapter, the conversion of solar energy into electricity using photovoltaic modules is experimentally investigated. The efficiency of PV modules is based on the electrical characteristics of the PV panel and the PV module temperature. In this work, an experimental evaluation of the performance of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels coupled with an evaporative cooling system has been subjected to the hot and dry climate of Saudi Arabia for the months of August and September 2022. The back surface of the PV module was cooled by the capillary action of the burlap material that absorbs water from the pipe that was longitudinally cut to allow the burlap to absorb water and transfer it down by capillary action to the surface of the back side of the PV module. The experimental results showed that the average temperature of the uncooled PV module was 62.3 °C. While, the cooled panel temperature was 44 °C which is about 29.3% drop in the operating temperature and achieving about 12.7% improvement in the electrical efficiency compared to the uncooled PV module. In addition to that, the minimal water consumption is 0.30 L/h.