Experimental investigation for enhancing PV module energy performance using phase change material

The aim of this study is to enhance the energy performance of PV modules in the Ghardaia region of Algeria by using an additive PCM (CaCl2 center dot 6H(2)O). The experimental configuration is set up to provide efficient cooling by reducing the operating temperature of the PV module's rear surface. The PV module operating temperature, output power, and electrical efficiency for both cases with PCM and without PCM have been plotted and analyzed. In the experiments, it was found that using phase change materials improves the energy performance and output power of PV modules by reducing their operating temperature. In comparison to the PV-PCM module without PCM, the average operating temperature is reduced by up to 20 degrees C. Besides, PV modules with PCM have an average power of 46.11% higher than PV modules without PCM. The electrical efficiency of PV module with PCM is on average 6% higher than the configuration without PCM.