In this study, performance of a 250 Wp (watt peak) polycrystalline solar cell module was tested by controlling the module temperature with 50 mm thickness Rubitherm RT42 phase change material (PCM) attached at the back of the solar cell module. Solar energy absorbed by the module as heat was transferred to the PCM which was melted when the temperature was higher than its melting point thus the module temperature was reduced and the generated power was increased than that from the normal unit. The enthalpy method was also used to estimate the PCM and the solar cell module temperatures. The generated electrical power from the solar cell module could be evaluated with the module temperature, the solar radiation incidence on the solar cell module and the ambient temperature. It could be found that the simulated results agreed quite well with the experimental data. Under the weather data of Chiang Mai, Thailand for the unit with the PCM, the maximum solar cell module temperature could be decreased from around 73 °C to be 64 °C and the annual average generated electrical energy could be increased 4.3 % compared to that without the PCM.

在这项研究中，通过使用50 mm厚度的Rubitherm RT42相变材料（PCM）附着在太阳能电池模块的背面来控制模块温度来测试250 Wp（瓦特峰值）的多晶太阳能电池模块的性能。当热量高于其熔点时，由模块吸收的太阳能随热量传递到PCM，该PCM熔化，因此模块温度降低了，发电量也比正常装置增加了。焓法还用于估计PCM和太阳能电池模块的温度。可以利用模块温度，太阳能电池模块上的太阳辐射入射量和环境温度来评估太阳能电池模块产生的电能。可以发现，仿真结果与实验数据吻合得很好。根据泰国清迈的PCM组件天气数据，最高太阳能电池模块温度可以从73°C降至64°C，年平均发电量比上一年增加4.3％没有PCM。