Enhancing Photovoltaic Efficiency through Innovative Cooling Techniques Using Porous Marble

Abstract

The efficiency of solar panels is a critical factor in enhancing the use of renewable energy, especially in regions with high solar irradiance. Elevated surface temperatures of solar panels lead to a noticeable decline in their electrical performance, as their efficiency decreases with rising temperatures. This research aims to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic panels through an innovative cooling technique that employs porous materials, specifically marble, which possesses effective thermal properties for heat absorption and dissipation. The core idea is to reduce the operating temperature of solar panels by utilizing porous marble, thereby enhancing their energy conversion efficiency. The experiment was conducted on the rooftop of the Faculty of Technological Engineering at Al-Balqa Applied University, an ideal location for studying this technology due to the region's high solar irradiance levels.

Three flow rates were assessed: 1 liter/min, 1.5 liters/min, and 2 liters/min. The first flow rate was applied on the first day, while the other rates were used on the second and third days, respectively, for comparative purposes. Three different sizes of marble were also utilized with porosities of 0.35, 0.4, and 0.48. The results highlight the critical role of porosity size in reducing temperature, indicating that a decrease in porosity size correlates with a reduction in temperature. This phenomenon can be attributed to homogeneous heat exchange and the time lag of heat transfer between the porous media and the flowing water, enhancing cooling efficiency, especially in the case of porosity 0.35, which demonstrated superior performance among all cases. The average rear surface temperature exhibited significant reductions of 35.7%, 34.8%, and 34%, with corresponding output power recorded at 9.4%, 7.8%, and 6.2%, respectively. Consequently, the case with a porosity of 0.35 showed the best performance for the photovoltaic module due to effective homogeneous heat transfer exchanges