A Novel Heatsink for Optimizing Photovoltaic Cell Performance With Passive Cooling Using Perforated Wave-Shaped Fins

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) systems convert solar energy into electricity with about 20% efficiency, while the remaining 80% dissipates as heat, reducing performance. Maintaining PV cells near 25 °C is crucial to avoid efficiency losses. This study explores a novel passive cooling design, photovoltaic perforated wavy-shape fins (PV-PWSFs), using ansys fluent simulations under solar irradiance (400–1000 W/m2) and airflow speeds (0.5–2.5 m/s). The PV-PWSFs system significantly reduced average PV temperatures, cooling them to 57.8 °C at 1000 W/m2, compared to 64.5 °C for photovoltaic perforated straight-shape fins (PV-PSSFs) and 83.3 °C without fins. At higher airflow speeds, the system achieved even lower temperatures, reaching 47.7 °C at 2.5 m/s. This cooling enhanced PV efficiency to 12.79% and boosted power output by 15.6% at 1000 W/m2. The wavy fins increased heat dissipation by enlarging the surface area and promoting turbulent airflow for improved convective cooling. Perforations facilitated better airflow distribution, reducing hotspots and ensuring uniform panel temperatures. Additionally, the study also analyzed the effects of fin wavelength and amplitude on performance. A wavelength of 10 cm and an amplitude of 1.5 cm provided optimal cooling by balancing heat transfer enhancement and flow resistance. These findings demonstrate that the PV-PWSF design effectively reduces operating temperatures, enhancing both the performance and lifespan of PV systems.