A multi-method approach to investigating porous media cooling for enhanced thermal performance of photovoltaic panels: Exploring the effects of porosity, flow rates, channel design, and coolant types
Elevated temperatures in photovoltaic (PV) panels adversely affect their efficiency and lifespan, necessitating effective cooling strategies. This study introduces a novel approach by integrating porous media within cooling channels to improve thermal management and energy output. While several cool...
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Thermofluids |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666202725001120 |
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| author | Ismail Masalha Siti Ujila Masuri Omar Badran Ali Alahmer |
| author_facet | Ismail Masalha Siti Ujila Masuri Omar Badran Ali Alahmer |
| author_sort | Ismail Masalha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Elevated temperatures in photovoltaic (PV) panels adversely affect their efficiency and lifespan, necessitating effective cooling strategies. This study introduces a novel approach by integrating porous media within cooling channels to improve thermal management and energy output. While several cooling techniques have been explored, the integration of porous media with various coolants and their combined effects on cooling channel design, porosity size, flow rates, and porous media type have not been thoroughly investigated. This study fills this gap by conducting both experimental and numerical investigations to analyze key parameters, including porosity size (0.35–0.5), flow rates (1–4 L/min), cooling channel design, and coolant types (water, chemical alcohol, engine oil). Experimental tests were performed on 30-watt polycrystalline PV cells under real-world conditions, employing porous media such as gravel, marble, flint, and sandstone. The study was structured into three phases: (1) a comparative analysis of cooling performance with and without porous media, (2) optimization of porosity size for enhanced cooling, and (3) identification of optimal flow rates for system efficiency. The study identified optimal configurations, achieving up to 35.7 % temperature reduction and a 9.4 % power output increase with a porosity size of 0.35 and a flow rate of 2 L/min. ANSYS simulations validated experimental findings, with deviations in PV surface temperature below 3 %. Simulations further revealed that a tapered cooling channel design (5 mm inlet to 3 mm outlet), combined with water as the coolant and sandstone as the porous medium, reduced PV temperatures to 36.6 °C. This comprehensive analysis highlights the potential of porous media-integrated cooling systems to enhance PV panel performance and longevity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7be46efcd19b4efda8702f4e826fc4bd |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2666-2027 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Thermofluids |
| spelling | doaj-art-7be46efcd19b4efda8702f4e826fc4bd2025-08-20T02:47:40ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Thermofluids2666-20272025-05-012710116510.1016/j.ijft.2025.101165A multi-method approach to investigating porous media cooling for enhanced thermal performance of photovoltaic panels: Exploring the effects of porosity, flow rates, channel design, and coolant typesIsmail Masalha0Siti Ujila Masuri1Omar Badran2Ali Alahmer3Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering Technology, Al–Balqa Applied University, JordanDepartment of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor, MalaysiaMechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering Technology, Al–Balqa Applied University, JordanDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA; Corresponding author.Elevated temperatures in photovoltaic (PV) panels adversely affect their efficiency and lifespan, necessitating effective cooling strategies. This study introduces a novel approach by integrating porous media within cooling channels to improve thermal management and energy output. While several cooling techniques have been explored, the integration of porous media with various coolants and their combined effects on cooling channel design, porosity size, flow rates, and porous media type have not been thoroughly investigated. This study fills this gap by conducting both experimental and numerical investigations to analyze key parameters, including porosity size (0.35–0.5), flow rates (1–4 L/min), cooling channel design, and coolant types (water, chemical alcohol, engine oil). Experimental tests were performed on 30-watt polycrystalline PV cells under real-world conditions, employing porous media such as gravel, marble, flint, and sandstone. The study was structured into three phases: (1) a comparative analysis of cooling performance with and without porous media, (2) optimization of porosity size for enhanced cooling, and (3) identification of optimal flow rates for system efficiency. The study identified optimal configurations, achieving up to 35.7 % temperature reduction and a 9.4 % power output increase with a porosity size of 0.35 and a flow rate of 2 L/min. ANSYS simulations validated experimental findings, with deviations in PV surface temperature below 3 %. Simulations further revealed that a tapered cooling channel design (5 mm inlet to 3 mm outlet), combined with water as the coolant and sandstone as the porous medium, reduced PV temperatures to 36.6 °C. This comprehensive analysis highlights the potential of porous media-integrated cooling systems to enhance PV panel performance and longevity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666202725001120Photovoltaic (PV) coolingPorous mediaThermal managementANSYS simulationsOptimization |
| spellingShingle | Ismail Masalha Siti Ujila Masuri Omar Badran Ali Alahmer A multi-method approach to investigating porous media cooling for enhanced thermal performance of photovoltaic panels: Exploring the effects of porosity, flow rates, channel design, and coolant types International Journal of Thermofluids Photovoltaic (PV) cooling Porous media Thermal management ANSYS simulations Optimization |
| title | A multi-method approach to investigating porous media cooling for enhanced thermal performance of photovoltaic panels: Exploring the effects of porosity, flow rates, channel design, and coolant types |
| title_full | A multi-method approach to investigating porous media cooling for enhanced thermal performance of photovoltaic panels: Exploring the effects of porosity, flow rates, channel design, and coolant types |
| title_fullStr | A multi-method approach to investigating porous media cooling for enhanced thermal performance of photovoltaic panels: Exploring the effects of porosity, flow rates, channel design, and coolant types |
| title_full_unstemmed | A multi-method approach to investigating porous media cooling for enhanced thermal performance of photovoltaic panels: Exploring the effects of porosity, flow rates, channel design, and coolant types |
| title_short | A multi-method approach to investigating porous media cooling for enhanced thermal performance of photovoltaic panels: Exploring the effects of porosity, flow rates, channel design, and coolant types |
| title_sort | multi method approach to investigating porous media cooling for enhanced thermal performance of photovoltaic panels exploring the effects of porosity flow rates channel design and coolant types |
| topic | Photovoltaic (PV) cooling Porous media Thermal management ANSYS simulations Optimization |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666202725001120 |
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