Experimental Assessment and Modeling of a Floating Photovoltaic Module with Heat Bridges

Photovoltaic (PV) modules convert part of solar radiation into electrical energy. Another fraction of the incident energy causes an increase of the PV module operating temperature, leading to an electrical performance reduction. In the present paper is proposed the passive cooling of a floating PV (FPV) module using 5 fixed heat bridges to reduce the operating temperature and increase the energy conversion efficiency. The modeling developed for a FPV module operating temperature with heat bridges predicts the cooling capacity of the plant. The proposed model is nonlinear algebraic and equations require iterative numerical solution. Experimental tests allowed to compare thermal and electrical behavior of a FPV module and a rooftop (conventional) PV module, both in Fortaleza, Brazil. The FPV module temperature was 3.2C lower than the conventional module temperature, on average. The model developed for FPV module with heat bridges may predict its operating temperature with error around 5%. According to the measurements, the FPV module productivity was 26.1% higher than conventional PV module productivity, on average. Thus, the modeling developed is in condition to predict the thermal behavior and prove the effectiveness of passive cooling.