Cooling integrated solar panels using Phase Changing Materials

Abstract: In this master thesis, several cooling systems for PV-systems have been looked into by doing a smaller literature review and then a cooling module for a BIPV-panel was built out from the knowledge gathered. The cooling module used a PCM material separated into 12 bags and then placed in a 3x4 shaped pattern fastened to an aluminium plate that in turn was placed on the back of a PV-panel. This was tested in first a pilot test and then tested outdoors on panels with insulation on its back to simulate BIPV-panels. Temperature data from behind the panel was gathered with and without the cooling module and then compared with each other with added ambient temperature. It was found that the PCM cooled down the panels during similar weather conditions where the outside temperature and the amount of clouds where approximately the same, and it was also found that PCM technologies needs to be more optimised in terms of its material use, the amount of material, and its arrangement for it to be used in PV-panels. An economical calculation was made and it was found that it wasn't economically viable as it takes 14 years for the PV-panel with cooling to pay for itself while it takes 13 years for the PV-panel with cooling to pay for itself. These results are then discussed in comparison to other systems and earlier work done.