A simple control unit for temperature dependent forced water cooling in solar CPV/T collector

Due to the escalating fossil fuel price due to its decreasing reserve, world is concentrating renewable energy resources. Solar photovoltaics converts incident solar radiation directly into electricity. From the incident radiation, 80% of radiation is absorbed by the PV. A part of it is used for electricity generation and the rest is converted to heat. In this condition cooling of PV panel is necessary for maintaining the PV performance and life period. Passive cooling techniques result in non-uniform cell temperatures. Forced cooling can solve the problem up to a limit. Serpentine tube type water cooling method is employed to the bottom of a PV panel having concentrating mirrors. Altogether it becomes a CPV/T. By sensing the surface temperature, a pump is proposed for circulating water in the present system. Temperature limit is set to 50, above which the pump operates for a duration of set time. Within that time temperature goes below the limit and thus the operating temperature of PV can be maintained with in specified limits.