Experimental Study on the Cooling of PV Solar Panels Using Cross-fin Configuration

Abstract

This experimental research underscores two fin configurations that were assessed under actual outdoor settings to evaluate the effect of fin positions on heat dissipation and energy output. In the first setup, standard perforated and vertical fins were mounted on the back surface of the PV panel. The panel without cooling fins reached a maximum power of approximately 52 W, and this configuration produced a temperature reduction ranging from 7 °C to 9.5 °C and a power increase of up to 2.14 W, reaching a pinnacle output of 53 W, showing a gain of 1 W compared to a panel without fins. The efficiency boost reached up to 43.9 %, confirming the benefit of passive cooling in lessening temperature-induced losses. The second configuration utilized a more advanced design with perforated and cross fins. Compared to the panel without fins, this setup reduced panel temperature by 9 °C to 14 °C and increased power output by up to 4 W, achieving a maximum of 59 W, showing a gain of 7 W. The efficiency gain reached 53 %, which is roughly 10 % higher than that of the vertical fin configuration. The results show that passive cooling, especially with perforate and cross fin is a straightforward, economical, and highly efficient technique for enhancing PV system performance in relation to the perforate and vertical fins. These improvements are especially valuable in high-radiation environments, where higher panel temperatures can adversely affect energy yield and durability. Furthermore, the economic and reliability assessment demonstrated that the proposed PV system with cross-fins offers a net economic gain of 10.578 DA and a return on investment of about 34 % over 25 years, confirming both its financial feasibility and long-term operational reliability under Algerian climatic conditions. Although these are low-power experimental panels, commercial PV modules typically exceed 300 W, and future studies may consider higher-power modules to evaluate the scalability and practical applicability of passive cooling fins. The research emphasizes the potential of innovative thermal management designs and promotes additional research into both passive and hybrid cooling solutions to advance solar energy efficiency.