Experimental thermal–electrical performance comparison of active thermoelectric and passive perforated aluminum cooling for photovoltaic modules under tropical outdoor conditions
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Photovoltaic (PV) modules operating in tropical regions often experience high operating temperatures that degrade voltage output and reduce overall energy conversion efficiency, making effective thermal management essential for maintaining stable electrical performance under high solar irradiance. Although various active and passive cooling techniques have been proposed, most previous studies evaluate these approaches separately, while direct experimental comparisons under identical outdoor conditions remain limited. This study experimentally compares the thermal and electrical performance of a 50 Wp polycrystalline photovoltaic module equipped with active thermoelectric cooling (TEC) and passive perforated aluminum plate cooling under uniform tropical conditions. Three identical 50 Wp PV panels were tested outdoors in Palembang, Indonesia, using three configurations: an actively cooled panel employing a TEC module with a heat sink fan, a passively cooled panel using a perforated aluminum plate, and an uncooled panel as a reference. Solar irradiance, panel surface temperature, voltage, and current at the maximum power point were recorded hourly over a 14-day period using an Arduino-based data acquisition system. The results show that the TEC-cooled panel consistently maintained the lowest operating temperature and achieved the highest electrical performance, reaching a maximum output power of 34.24 W and a peak efficiency of 23.45% at an irradiance of 882.06 W/m². The passive cooling system also improved performance compared to the uncooled panel, delivering a maximum output power of 26.95 W and an efficiency of 18.46%, while the uncooled panel produced 21.56 W with an efficiency of 14.76%. This work provides a direct experimental comparison of active and passive cooling strategies for small-capacity polycrystalline PV modules under real tropical outdoor conditions and offers practical insights for selecting suitable cooling methods for small-scale photovoltaic installations while considering performance enhancement, energy consumption, and implementation feasibility.
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7170164122