PV Temperature Prediction Incorporating the Effect of Humidity and Cooling Due to Seawater Flow and Evaporation on Modules Simulating Floating PV Conditions

Socrates Kaplanis (), Eleni Kaplani and John K. Kaldellis
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Socrates Kaplanis: Laboratory of Soft Energy Applications and Environmental Protection, University of West Attica, 12201 Athens, Greece
Eleni Kaplani: School of Engineering, Faculty of Science, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
John K. Kaldellis: Laboratory of Soft Energy Applications and Environmental Protection, University of West Attica, 12201 Athens, Greece

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 12, 1-19

Abstract: The temperature prediction for floating PV (FPV) must account for the effect of humidity. In this work, PV temperature prediction for steady-state T pv and transient conditions T pv (t) incorporates the effect of humidity and cooling due to seawater (s.w.) splashing and evaporation on PV modules. The proposed formulas take as main inputs the in-plane solar irradiance , wind speed, ambient temperature, relative humidity (RH), and s.w. temperature. The transient effects of s.w. splashing and the evaporation of the s.w. layer from the module are theoretically described considering the layer’s thickness using Navier–Stokes equations. T pv and T pv (t) measurements were taken before and after s.w. splashing on c-Si modules at the seashore and inland. PV temperature predictions compared to measured values showed very good agreement. The 55% RH at the seashore versus 45% inland caused the T pv to decrease by 18%. The T pv (t) at the end of the s.w. flow of 50–75 mL/s/m on the module at the seashore was 35–51% lower than the T pv inland. This T pv (t) profile depends on the s.w. splashing, lasts for about 1 min, and is attributed to higher convection, water cooling, and evaporation on the modules. The PV efficiency at FPV conditions was estimated to be 4–11.5% higher compared to inland.

Keywords: seawater PV cooling; evaporation cooling; humidity enhanced convection; PV temperature profiles; FPV (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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