Comparative analysis and modification of the existing PV system to enhance power generation efficiency using single- and dual-mirror reflectors and spray cooling

Abstract

Recent energy demands have resulted in a significant increase in carbon dioxide emissions, and the way forward is to shift to renewable energy resources. Solar photovoltaic is one of the renewable energies with a promising future. A photovoltaic system with a single- and dual-mirror reflector has been devised to boost the efficiency of electricity generation. The current research has been conducted at NIT Kurukshetra (29.94⁰N, 76.82⁰E); a water spray recirculation system has also been developed to regulate panel surface temperature induced by enhanced irradiance. The investigation entails conducting experiments in March and April 2022 with dual-reflector and single-reflector settings and comparing them to a standard set-up. A dual-mirror reflector with intermittent cooling increasing the average power generation efficiency by 14.83% compared to a single-mirror reflector system. The average electrical efficiency also increased by 8.04% between these two settings. In addition, an economic analysis of the two systems has been conducted.

KEYWORDS:

• Renewable energy
• solar energy
• single-mirror reflector
• dual-mirror reflector
• temperature-controlled spray cooling

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [A.S], upon reasonable request.