Enhancing the Thermo-Electrical Performance of Low-Concentrator Photovoltaic Module using Design of Experiments

A promising approach to enhance the power output of photovoltaic (PV) modules is through low-concentration photovoltaic (LCPV) systems. However, increased solar radiation in these systems elevates temperatures, significantly reducing electrical efficiency. This study addresses the issue by proposing an optimized converging cooling channel attached to the rear of monocrystalline LCPV modules, with a variable height at the channel outlet. Using design of experiments (DOE) approach, six input factors including cooling fluid velocity (Vin), fluid temperature (Tin), outlet channel height (Hout), solar concentration ratio (CR), solar irradiance (G), and wind speed (Vw) are investigated for their effects on electrical and thermal efficiency. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, simulated with ANSYS Fluent, is used to evaluate performance. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) identifies significant factors and interactions, while regression models predict system efficiencies. The results indicate that solar irradiance, CR, and Tin strongly affect electrical efficiency, whereas Vin, Vw, and Hout mainly influence thermal efficiency. The optimized design yields an electrical efficiency of 15.4% and a thermal efficiency of 68.1 % under optimal conditions: Yin = 0.009 m/s, Tin = 298.15 K, Vw = 0 m/s, G = 1100 W/m2, CR = 3 suns, and Hout = 3 mm.