A computational fluid dynamic study of PV cell temperatures in novel platform and standard arrangements

Solar systems using photovoltaic (PV) modules must operate in climatic regions that range from relatively benign to hostile. The performance, lifetime and failure rate of the modules at the heart of these systems vary considerably with environmental factors and particularly temperature. The degree to which the design of PV system platforms influences module temperatures and consequently stress outcomes is investigated. The aim is to estimate the PV-cell temperature of modules in novel platforms from the physical properties of their materials in a way that may be readily adapted to address unique conditions. The ability to analyse the thermal impact of new solar system features and elements is important to enable thermal analysis during the design phase. A coupled computational fluid dynamic – finite element model with material properties is used to predict the PV-cell nominal temperature. It is shown that a novel PV-platform is 5 °C cooler in no wind conditions due to passive convection.