A bibliometric and performance evaluation of nano-PCM-integrated photovoltaic panels: Energy, exergy, environmental and sustainability perspectives

One of the major problems regarding PV panels is the decline in power output and efficiency whilst exposed to temperatures surpassing their operating temperature. In order to preclude such undesirable situation, it is imperative to cool PV panels and provide a uniform distribution of surface temperatures during the implementation of the cooling method. Thermal management can be achieved at the surface temperatures of PV panels by utilizing phase change materials (PCMs). In this study, along with PCM, the potential of enhancing output parameters by decreasing the surface temperature of PV panels with the addition of nanoparticles (Al2O3) at different concentrations (0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.15% w/v) to PCM (RT35) is examined. The study compared five systems: a reference PV panel (PV), PV panel cooled with PCM without nanoparticles (PVPCM-0), and PV panels with PCM containing different concentrations of nanoparticles (PVPCM-0.05, PVPCM-0.1, and PVPCM-0.15). Among the five different systems, the PV panel containing 0.15% w/v nanoparticles (referred to as PVPCM-0.15) demonstrated the most effective cooling capability. Moreover, the PVPCM-0.15 system provided the highest performance with a 19.49% increase in panel power output. PV systems have average energy and exergy efficiency values of 9.06% and 3.79% for PV panel, 9.60% and 5.15% for PVPCM-0, 9.70% and 5.12% for PVPCM-0.05, 10.28% and 6.01% for PVPCM-0.1, and 10.44% and 7.29% for PVPCM-0.15. Upon analyzing the sustainability metrics, it was determined that the PVPCM-0.15 system was more energy and environmentally sustainable than the others.