Design and Optimization of a Forced-Air Cooling System for a Compact Medium Voltage Solar Photovoltaic Inverter

This study describes designing and optimizing a forced-air cooling system for a compact, medium-voltage solar PV inverter. As solar energy adoption increases, enhancing inverter performance is crucial for maximizing the efficiency and reliability of renewable energy systems. Power loss, ambient temperature, and inlet air velocity are considered while designing the inverter thermal profile. Airflow modeling optimizes inverter enclosure heat and temperature dispersion using CFD models. The research evaluates heat sink, fan, and cooling component materials to increase heat transfer. The compact medium-voltage inverter's forced air-cooling technology is carefully integrated to retain its form and footprint. This study also considers the broader impact of effective thermal management on the overall efficiency and longevity of renewable energy grids, highlighting the potential to improve these systems' performance significantly. Finally, our study creates lightweight, energy-efficient, resilient forced-air cooling systems for medium-voltage solar PV inverters. The findings could guide engineers and researchers in developing and optimizing thermal management solutions for a wide range of renewable energy power electronics systems, contributing to the ongoing advancement of sustainable energy technologies.