A detailed mathematical model and experimental validation for coupled thermal and electrical performance of a photovoltaic (PV) module

• Published in: Applied thermal engineering 2021-08, Vol.195, p.117224, Article 117224
• Main Authors: Yaman, Kaan, Arslan, Gökhan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ambient temperature; Circuits; Energy balance; Equivalent electrical circuit; Heat conductivity; Heat transfer; Mathematical models; Modules; Newton-Raphson method; Photovoltaic cells; Root-mean-square errors; Runge-Kutta method; Solar cells; Solar energy; Solar radiation; Studies; Summer; Temperature; Thermal analysis; Thermal resistance; Thermal resistance circuit; Weather; Wind speed; Winter
• ISSN: 1359-4311; 1873-5606
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2021.117224

[Display omitted] •Step-by-step development of a mathematical model for a PV module is presented.•The model is experimentally validated and compared with previous models.•The model reveals the thermal and electrical characteristics of a PV module.•The model provides a significant improvement in the prediction accuracy. Photovoltaic (PV) performance fluctuates greatly due to varying meteorological, physical, and operational conditions. Therefore, there is a need to develop accurate predictions without unjust simplification of how it will perform in real conditions. In this paper, a detailed mathematical model was developed to determine the thermal and electrical parameters of a PV module under transient conditions. The model simultaneously solved a thermal model based on thermal resistance circuit and an electrical model based on an equivalent electrical circuit. In order to evaluate the proposed model in a wider way, the experimental validation was made by taking into account different meteorological conditions. The root mean square error (RMSE) and mean bias error (MBE) values of the solar cell temperature for a winter day were 1.341 ℃ and 1.916%, respectively. For a summer day, these values were 1.296 ℃ and 0.855%, respectively. The RMSE and MBE values of the power output for a winter day were 5.094 W and −0.022%, respectively. For a summer day, these values were 3.913 W and −2.499%, respectively. Experimental validation showed that the errors in the proposed model were within an acceptable level. The model was then implemented to investigate the distribution of thermal resistance in the PV module. The results show that the radiative thermal resistance for the winter and summer days is 80.3% and 70.7% of the total thermal resistance, which includes conduction, convection, and radiation, respectively, while the conductive thermal resistance has a negligible effect on the total resistance. A long-term evaluation of the model was used to examine the highest temperatures and electrical power output that the PV module can reach in various weather conditions. According to the findings, the wind speed was not dominant in effecting the cell temperature compared to the solar radiation and ambient temperature. As the intensity of solar radiation got higher, less electrical power was produced than its capacity due to an increased cell temperature. Finally, it was compared with previous models in the relevant literature to investigate the effect of different approac