First Advisor

Raúl Bayoán Cal

Date of Publication

Spring 6-10-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.) in Mechanical Engineering

Department

Mechanical Engineering

Language

English

Subjects

Photovoltaic power systems, Solar energy, Heat -- Transmission, Turbulence

DOI

10.15760/etd.6992

Physical Description

1 online resource (xii, 72 pages)

Abstract

Large scale solar farms supply an increasing amount of the worlds electricity supply. However, in order to reach cost parity with fossil fuels, further reductions are necessary. Towards this end, photovoltaic (PV) panel cooling becomes increasingly important; high temperatures both decrease efficiency and panel lifetime. To better understand, characterize, and exploit the natural convective cooling of utility scale solar farms, a model solar farm was created. Using both thermal measurements and particle image velocimetry to characterize heat transfer and velocity fields, wind tunnel experiments were conducted using the model solar farm. Three parameters were examined for their effect on heat transfer and the flow field: Reynolds number, inflow turbulence intensity (TI), and PV inclination angles. Results show that increasing inflow turbulence improved both upper and lower surface heat transfer by 7%, and lower surface increases on order of 100% were demonstrated in both the flow field and heat transfer with changes in angle inclination. Results suggest that significant farm level temperature reductions are possible.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/29591

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