Thermal and electrical performance enhancement of solar cell modules using thermally conductive EVA/PVDF/AIN composite encapsulation materials

To enhance heat dissipation from solar cells, reduce cell temperature, and mitigate the adverse effects of temperature increase on electrical characteristics, a thermal transfer theory and finite element heat transfer model based on the encapsulation structure and materials of the modules for solar cell modules were developed. A study was conducted on the impact of encapsulation material’s thermal conductivity on the temperatures of the module's front surface, on the solar cell itself, and on the back surface. Using aluminum nitride (AIN) as a filler, the EVA/AIN and PVDF/AIN, thermally conductive encapsulation composite materials were prepared. Subsequently, studies were conducted to test the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of these composite materials. Based on the structure and fabrication process of solar cell modules, three types of thermally conductive solar cell modules were designed using EVA/PVDF/AIN composite with thermal conductivities of 0.395, 0.486, and 0.879 W/(m·K). The electrical characteristics (Short-circuit current I sc , Open-circuit voltage V oc , fill factor FF , and Conversion efficiency η ) and temperature characteristics of the thermally conductive solar cell modules were investigated. The results indicated that as the thermal conductivity of the encapsulation materials increased, the front surface temperature decreased while the back surface temperature increased. The Temperature of bake surface show a rise of 2.31°C compared to standard modules. Experimental results were generally consistent with theoretical analysis, and the changes in I sc , V oc , FF , and η gradually decreased with increasing thermal conductivity. • A novel EVA/PVDF/AlN composite serves as a high-thermal-conductivity encapsulant for solar modules. • Higher encapsulant thermal conductivity lowers cell temperature and improves heat dissipation. • Improved conductivity reduces module front temperature by 1.88°C and raises back temperature by 2.31°C. • The lower cell temperature alleviates power loss in I sc , V oc , fill factor (FF), and efficiency. • This approach enhances rear-side heat transfer, benefiting photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) systems.