01. Experimental/Computational Fluid Dynamics

Solar photovoltaic technology is a popular and eco-friendly method for harnessing solar energy. However, its efficiency is affected by environmental factors such as tilt angle, ambient temperature, and humidity, which vary depending on the location. These factors not only reduce the performance of PV modules but can also decrease their lifespan. This study uses both experimental and numerical methods to examine the influence of temperature on these factors. The study focuses on computational fluid dynamics and thermal analysis under various conditions. The experimental setup consisted of a 310 W solar panel and variable resistors as loads, with temperature, heat transfer coefficients, solar irradiance and performance characteristics captured using an infrared camera, Testometer probes, light sensor logger and a pyranometer, and PV analyzer respectively. Four turbulence models were employed to calculate heat transfer coefficients and panel temperatures: k-ε (enhanced wall treatment), k-ω (standard), k-ε (standard wall functions), and k-ω (SST). Upon comparing the results with experimental data, the average temperature errors for the models ranged from 0.56-0.74%, 6.25-7.91%, 9.88-13.69%, and 0.18-0.36%. Despite the k-ω SST model having the least error, the k-ε enhanced wall treatment model was selected for further simulations due to its significantly reduced computational time. To investigate the effects of tilt angles, relative humidity and ambient temperature at different air velocities, detailed transient analyses were conducted. The analysis revealed that tilt angles of 0° and 90° resulted in lower temperatures, while middle angles showed higher temperatures. The relative humidity variation from minimum to maximum showed a temperature change of almost 5°C at lower velocities, but this change decreased as the velocity increased. Ambient temperatures demonstrated a change of almost 20°C when varying from lower to higher temperatures, providing comprehensive insights into the performance and thermal behavior of monocrystalline solar panels under various environmental conditions.