Numerical Investigation on the Effect of Using a Heat Sink Integrated with Nano-PCM on the PV Cell Temperature

Hussian A. Abdul Kareem; Anwar S. Barrak; Oula M. H. Fatla

doi:10.51173/jt.v8i1.2809

Authors

Hussian A. Abdul Kareem Engineering Technical College - Baghdad, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq
Anwar S. Barrak Imam Ja’afar Al-Sadiq University, Baghdad, Iraq
Oula M. H. Fatla Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Gulf University, Sanad, Kingdom of Bahrain

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51173/jt.v8i1.2809

Keywords:

CFD Simulation, FEM, Cooling PV, PV Cell, Nano-PCM, Fins Geometry

Abstract

This work is a simulation study of cooling feasibility for a 570 x 670 mm solar cell rated at 50 W, evaluated using COMSOL Multiphysics 6.1. Specifically, the effect of the number of flat fins on the cell temperature is examined. To determine the optimal number of fins, the impact of three fin cross-sections—flat, triangular, and T-shaped—is investigated. Following the selection of the optimum cross-section, the effect of adding a nano-PCM mass to the heat sink is studied. Several masses are analyzed by varying the height of the nano-PCM mass container, with dimensions of 20, 30, and 40 mm. Once the optimum tank height is identified, the feasibility of using water to cool the nano-PCM mass is assessed. The results indicated that eight flat fins can yield a similar temperature despite that the lowest cell temperature has been achieved with 10 flat fins. Therefore, the number of fins is fixed at 8, which reduces the cell temperature to 52.6 °C, a 10% improvement. Subsequently, using triangular-section fins instead of flat ones can reduce the maximum temperature to 50.8 °C, representing an 11.8% improvement. Supporting the heatsink with a 40 mm-thick container filled with nano-PCM can further reduce the cell temperature to 44.67 °C (by 22.5%). Finally, the lowest maximum cell temperature is obtained as 37.9 °C when the nano-PCM described above is cooled with water, resulting in a 34.1% improvement.

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Author Biographies

Hussian A. Abdul Kareem, Engineering Technical College - Baghdad, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq

Anwar S. Barrak, Imam Ja’afar Al-Sadiq University, Baghdad, Iraq

Oula M. H. Fatla, Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Gulf University, Sanad, Kingdom of Bahrain

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