Numerical investigation of photovoltaic thermal management using conical, pyramid, and hexagonal fins

The renewable energy industry has grown steadily as people seek more environmentally friendly methods to generate electricity. Photovoltaic panels are one of the most efficient means of generating power. It turns solar energy into electricity by absorbing heat from solar radiation, which demands lowering the temperature of these panels to enhance power production efficiency. As a result, cooling solar panels became one of the objectives that were addressed in several research studies. In this work, several models (models 1, 2, 3, and 4) were utilized to assess the impact of employing conical, pyramidal, and hexagonal fins for cooling (PV) using numerical simulations. Different fin shape configurations were simulated in ANSYS Fluent to determine their influence on heat dissipation and temperature reduction in PV modules. The investigation shows that conical fins provide the most efficient cooling, lowering the average panel temperature during noon by up to 25 % compared to an uncooled PV panel. At peak circumstances, conical fins boost electrical efficiency by 14.26 %, whilst pyramid and hexagonal fins improve by 13.8 % and 7.5 %, respectively. The results highlight the potential for passive cooling techniques, such as enhanced fin designs, to reduce temperature-induced performance losses in PV systems. This research gives important insights for improving PV technology's sustainability and energy output, especially in areas with intense solar irradiation.