Project Details
Description
The electrical energy produced by photovoltaic systems represents more than 50% of the world's renewable
energy. However, photovoltaic panels decrease their productivity when they heat up. Temperature is the
control variable to improve productivity in such facilities. In the process of converting solar energy to
electricity, photons with a low vibrational energy that fails to jump the depletion zone increase the movement
of the particles, and therefore the temperature increases.
Our planet is experiencing a warming phase caused by greenhouse gases, which cause an increase in
environmental temperature. High ambient temperatures, heat waves, etc., significantly impact the
performance of electricity production from photovoltaic (PF) panels installed around the world. Considering
this, with a passive heat exchanger that can lower the temperature of the photovoltaic panels by 15 °C, it is
possible to increase the production by approximately 6%.
This project proposes the development of a passive heat exchanger based on micro-fluidics that allows
evacuating heat without external energy sources. Said low-cost and easy-to-install exchanger could be
applied to the millions of photovoltaic panels installed worldwide, for mono- and polycrystalline technologies
of the mono-facial type. This solution would increase the efficiency of photovoltaic panels and, therefore, of
solar farms.
The research is divided into 4 phases: computational simulation of geometries and selection, prototype
construction, experimentation and performance measurement, demonstration of results. To carry out each
phase, special student assistants with an advanced level will be used.
As a result of the investigation, a prototype would increase the energy production of the photovoltaic panel
with the same typical solar resource and ambient temperature. This applied research project is aligned with
the Energy Systems research line of the School of Electromechanical Engineering.
energy. However, photovoltaic panels decrease their productivity when they heat up. Temperature is the
control variable to improve productivity in such facilities. In the process of converting solar energy to
electricity, photons with a low vibrational energy that fails to jump the depletion zone increase the movement
of the particles, and therefore the temperature increases.
Our planet is experiencing a warming phase caused by greenhouse gases, which cause an increase in
environmental temperature. High ambient temperatures, heat waves, etc., significantly impact the
performance of electricity production from photovoltaic (PF) panels installed around the world. Considering
this, with a passive heat exchanger that can lower the temperature of the photovoltaic panels by 15 °C, it is
possible to increase the production by approximately 6%.
This project proposes the development of a passive heat exchanger based on micro-fluidics that allows
evacuating heat without external energy sources. Said low-cost and easy-to-install exchanger could be
applied to the millions of photovoltaic panels installed worldwide, for mono- and polycrystalline technologies
of the mono-facial type. This solution would increase the efficiency of photovoltaic panels and, therefore, of
solar farms.
The research is divided into 4 phases: computational simulation of geometries and selection, prototype
construction, experimentation and performance measurement, demonstration of results. To carry out each
phase, special student assistants with an advanced level will be used.
As a result of the investigation, a prototype would increase the energy production of the photovoltaic panel
with the same typical solar resource and ambient temperature. This applied research project is aligned with
the Energy Systems research line of the School of Electromechanical Engineering.
General Objective
Mejorar la producción eléctrica en paneles fotovoltaicos usando un prototipo de intercambiador de calor microfluídico pasivo que disminuya la
temperatura de las celdas fotovoltaicas.
temperatura de las celdas fotovoltaicas.
Research Lines
1. Sistemas Energéticos
2. Sistemas microelectromecánicos
2. Sistemas microelectromecánicos
| Status | Finished |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 1/01/24 → 31/12/25 |
Keywords
- Heat exchanger
- performance increase in PV
- numerical simulation
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