Advanced Computational Modelling of Photovoltaic Module Cooling for Improved Temperature and Efficiency Profiles
Bekbolatova Z. Grigoryev D. Minazhova S. Bekbayev A. Dauletkhanova A. Sarsenbayev Y.
December 2025Engineered Science Publisher
Engineered Science
2025#38
Thermal loading remains one of the key constraints limiting photovoltaic (PV) performance, particularly under high-irradiance conditions that elevate module temperatures far above ambient. This study presents a unified multiphysics framework for analyzing a crystalline silicon PV module subjected to three cooling strategies: natural air convection, forced air cooling and water cooling. A fully coupled 3D conjugate heat-transfer model was developed in COMSOL Multiphysics, with efficiency evaluated using a Python-based performance algorithm. Results indicate that natural ventilation reduces surface temperature by 3 - 6°C, air cooling by 8 - 12°C and water-based cooling by 14 - 20°C at 1000W / m² irradiance. In the presence of moderate wind, water-based cooling benefits further from evaporative heat transfer, suppressing module temperatures to near-ambient or sub-ambient levels and yielding absolute efficiency gains of 2 - 3. Overall, the findings provide a physics-consistent comparison of cooling strategies and highlight hybrid evaporative cooling as a promising pathway for enhancing PV performance in hot, high-irradiance environments.
Heat transfer , Natural convection , Panel temperature , Photovoltaic panel cooling , Water spray cooling
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Department of Power Engineering, Satbayev University, 22 Satbayev Avenue, Almaty, 050000, Kazakhstan
Department of Power Engineering
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026