With the gradual reduction of fossil fuels, it is essential to find alternative renewable sources of energy. It is important to take advantage of substitutes that are less expensive and more efficient in energy production. Photovoltaic concentrators (CPVs) are effective methods through which solar energy can be maximized resulting in more conversion into electrical power. V-trough concentrators are the simplest types of low-CPV in terms of design as it is limited to the use of two plane mirrors with a flat photovoltaic (PV) plate. A consequence of concentrating more solar radiation on a PV panel is an increase in its temperature that may decrease its efficiency. In this work, the thermal profile of the PV plate in a V-trough system will be determined when this system is placed in different geographical locations in Saudi Arabia. The simulation is conducted using COMSOL Multiphysics software with a ray optics package integrated with a heat transfer routine. The 21st of June was chosen to conduct the simulation as it coincides with the summer solstice. The employment of wind as a cooling method for V-troughs was investigated in this work. It was found that with the increase in wind speed, the PV panel temperature dropped significantly below its optimum operating temperature. However, due to the mirrors’ attachment to the PV panel, the temperature distribution on the surface of the panel was nonuniform. The temperature gradient on the PV surface was reduced with the increase of wind speed but not significantly. Reducing the size of the mirrors resulted in a partial coverage of solar radiation on the PV surface which helped in reducing the temperature gradient but did not eliminate it. This work can assist in testing numerous cooling models to optimize the use of V-troughs and increase its efficiency especially in locations having high ambient temperatures.

中文翻译：

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低聚光器光伏的热剖面：COMSOL 仿真

随着化石燃料的逐渐减少，寻找替代的可再生能源至关重要。重要的是要利用在能源生产中成本更低、效率更高的替代品。光伏聚光器 (CPV) 是一种有效的方法，通过它可以最大限度地利用太阳能，从而将更多的能量转化为电能。V 型槽聚光器在设计方面是最简单的低 CPV 类型，因为它仅限于使用两个平面镜和一个平面光伏 (PV) 板。将更多的太阳辐射集中在 PV 面板上的结果是其温度升高，这可能会降低其效率。在这项工作中，当该系统放置在沙特阿拉伯的不同地理位置时，将确定 V 型槽系统中光伏板的热分布。仿真是使用 COMSOL Multiphysics 软件进行的，该软件具有集成了传热例程的射线光学包。选择 6 月 21 日进行模拟，因为它恰逢夏至。在这项工作中研究了使用风作为 V 型槽的冷却方法。结果发现，随着风速的增加，光伏面板温度明显下降到其最佳工作温度以下。然而，由于镜子附着在光伏面板上，面板表面的温度分布不均匀。光伏表面的温度梯度随着风速的增加而减小，但不显着。减小反射镜的尺寸导致太阳能辐射部分覆盖在 PV 表面上，这有助于降低温度梯度，但并没有消除它。这项工作有助于测试多种冷却模型，以优化 V 型槽的使用并提高其效率，尤其是在环境温度较高的地方。