Numerical simulation of PV cooling by using single turn pulsating heat pipe

Electrical efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) modules depends on their working temperature. Effective cooling is required in order to achieve higher performance. Pulsating heat pipes (PHPs) are compact heat transfer devices with high effective thermal performance due to the two-phase heat transfer mechanism. Since the lower temperature of PV modules leads to higher electricity generation and better efficiency, PHPs can be applied for PV cooling. In this work, the PV cooling by applying a single turn PHP is numerically investigated. In addition, a copper fin with the same dimensions as the PHP for cooling the PV panel is simulated to compare the performance of the PHP with a solid metal like copper. Results indicated that PHPs are an appropriate option for PV cooling and has the capability to increase PV modules efficiency. It was found that a PV panel using the PHP may have approximately 18% enhancement in electrical power generated compared with that without any cooling system.