Conjugate heat transfer analysis of floating photovoltaic panels with hybrid natural convection cooling loops and solar filter

Floating photovoltaic panels have several advantages such as using the open water surface instead of large land areas. Exploiting the water body as a heat sink to cool the panels offers an additional advantage, leading to increased efficiency. This study focuses on the development of a numerical model for a hybrid system that combines a natural convection cooling loop with a solar filter feature. This added feature decreases the temperature of photovoltaic cells and optimises the spectral distribution of the incoming solar radiation. A conjugate heat transfer analysis shows that the cooling system is highly effective in dissipating heat and maximising the electrical output of floating photovoltaic panels. The study also optimises the thickness of the cooling channel to assess the effectiveness of nanofluids.