Cooling Approaches for Silicon Based Photovoltaic Panels by Implementation of Phase Change Materials: An Overview

This work presents a comprehensive review of research related to the integration of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) into passive cooling systems for photovoltaic (PV) panels published in the last three years. The use of PCM technology in this application aims to address the challenge of excess heat accumulation during peak sunlight hours, thereby ensuring consistent operating temperatures for PV panels. Through the analysis of recent studies, an insight into the most commonly used PCMs and their thermal properties was obtained. Furthermore, a comprehensive list of passive cooling techniques for PV panels with PCM was compiled. These techniques include the use of single PCM, dual PCM setups, PCM integrated with fins, PCM augmented with additives, PCM combined with both additives and fin configurations, as well as other methods such as combining PCM with radiative cooling (RC) and thermosyphons. One notable achievement was a temperature reduction of 17.93% and an increase in output power of 13.93% achieved with a latent heat storage unit (LHSU) integrating 6 fins and paraffin.