COOLING OF PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) PANELS USING HONEY BEE WAX

Abstract

The invention is designed to improve the efficiency and life span of photovoltaic (PV) panels through the use of a special cooling system based upon honey bee wax. PV panels' efficiency is lost and lifespans are shortened by high operating temperatures. To solve this problem, the invention provides a layer of honey bee wax on the opposite side of the PV panel, which is sealed in an aluminum plate and such layer allows the PV panel to naturally tilt towards the sun, without the need to precalculate a certain angle in order to maximize energy generation. A natural material, with a melting point of 62°c to 65°c, honey bee wax is a way of accommodating a little extra heat, and causing a phase change from solid to liquid. But the aluminum plate not only encloses the wax, it’s also a heat dissipater, serving to improve thermal management by convection. When temperatures drop, the wax becomes solid and releases stored heat which keeps the PV panel at a maximum operating temperature. The invention provides a sustainable, ecofriendly, noninvasive cooling solution which reduces temperature fluctuations hence prolonging the panel’s efficiency and lifespan. This approach offers particularly useful applications for solar installations that operate in high temperature environments and offers a relatively low cost alternative to method of traditional cooling. The invention simplifies and calms solar energy systems that use natural materials, enabling more efficient and reliable systems

Specification

Description:Field of the invention
[001] The current invention pertains to a novel paradigm in cooling in the photovoltaic (PV) panels. Inasmuch as that is concerned, it has been said to pertain to honey bee wax utilization as a thermal control material which is applied to the backside of the PV panel and capped by an aluminum layer so as to improve the conductivity of the panel for cooling purposes.
Description of Related Art
[002] Solar Photo voltaic (PV) panels are generators that transform the natural light into electricity. But at the same time about 20-30% of energy incident on such panels is transformed into heat and the temperature of the panel rises. It is facts that the most unfavorable condition concerning the efficiency and recyclability of the PV panels is associated with a high operating temperature. Hence, proper cooling techniques are needed to reducing temperature of the PV panels to a reasonable level, and thereby enhance their power production.
[003] In this work, various cooling techniques have been reviewed and these include; coolant water, air conditioning, and phase change materials (PCMs). But, many of these techniques have problems such as: shortage of water, complicity of the equipment, high costs of maintenance. Hence, the system requires the development of a more efficient, simpler, and sustainable model.
[004] The present invention aims to cool PV panel through honeybee wax. The aspects related to the positive thermal properties of honey bee wax make the latter act as a thermal storage device. The invention involves using honey bee wax to coat the back of the PV panel and place an aluminum casing to form a cooling system that regulates the PV panel's temperature.
[005] With ever rising the requirement of solar power in sustainable energy solutions, maximizing the efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) panels have become a key to success. The heat that accumulates on PV panels is one of the biggest persistent challenges with panels. However, high temperatures affect the power output of PV panels, and thus lower their energy conversion efficiency as a whole. Consequently, development of innovative cooling techniques is required in the struggle to maximise the solar panels energy yield. On the backside of the PV panel, honey bee wax is coated and enclosed with an aluminum plate.
[006] While solar radiation PV panels absorb is not all converted into energy, they do perform this conversion. The resulting radiation is converted into heat that will increase the temperature of the PV panel. At high PV panel temperatures, their efficiency decreases due to increases in the electrical resistance of their components. Therefore, thermal management is key for achieving best performance.
[007] Water based cooling, air circulation and use of phase change materials (PCMs) have been considered for cooling. However, limitations exist for each one of these approaches. Water based cooling systems need a lot of water resources that make them inappropriate for an arid region. While simple, air cooling methods work less well under the most extreme conditions. However, use of PCMs involves some challenges such as cost, installation complexity, material limitations. For this reason, therefore, the need for an innovative, simple and environmentally friendly approach to address these challenges is required.
SUMMARY
[008] It based on the cooling system principle and the phase change, and heat dissipation. The PV panels absorb solar radiation during daylight hours. The honey bee wax layer on backside of the PV panel absorbs the extra heat (which cannot be converted into electrical energy). Honey bee wax retains such a high latent heat of fusion that substantial amounts of heat are transparent as it passes through a phase change from solid to liquid.
[009] The protective layer and the heat sink are the aluminum plate, which covers the honey bee wax. Even with the absorption of the heat, this heat is then further cooled away by the convection in the ambient environment and so we have an enhanced cooling effect. The invention mitigates loss in efficiency by reducing the panel's temperature at which it operates.
[0010] At night as the ambient temperature is felt to decrease the honey bee wax re solidifies, releasing back the stored heat into the environment. This melting cycle and solidifying helps regulate the temperature of the PV panel which keeps the panel's operating in the best possible conditions and extend the panel's life.
[0011] This invention applies well in solar power installations in areas with high solar radiation and hot climates. In residential, commercial, and large scale solar power plants, it can be used to improve the energy yield and efficiency of PV system. Additionally, this cooling can be added 'on the cheap' to existing installations, with little modification.
[0012] Honey bee wax offers a novel, ecofriendly and effective solution for the high temperatures in PV panels. The invention enables the use of the thermal properties of honey bee wax and the structural advantages of an aluminum plate to improve the performance of photovoltaic panels while maintaining compatibility with their electrical properties. However, it is an innovative approach that helps push solar energy technology toward a greener energy future for the entire world.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 Cross-sectional view of the photovoltaic panel with the honey bee wax layer and aluminum plate;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] The present invention applies a novel cooling system with honey bee wax as a natural thermal management medium to increase efficiency and life of photovoltaic (PV) panels.
[0015] In this detailed description, the different nuances of the invention is detailed, including the materials used, the construction method, the working principles and the significance of the utility of the system.
[0016] This invention uses Honey Bee Wax because of its distinctive thermal properties (relatively high latent heat of fusion and melting point). Honey bee wax has a melting range of from 62°C to 65°C and is able to take up a great deal of heat before undergoing rapid phase changes.
[0017] Its high ability to couple heat from PV panels and convert this heat into electricity make it the ideal candidate for managing heat buildup in PV panels when exposed to prolonged periods of sunlight.
[0018] The covering plate is chosen for aluminum as it possesses good thermal conductivity, lightweight nature and resistance to environmental factors. Besides enclosing the honey bee wax layer, the aluminum plate also serves as a material for dissipating heat by convection.
[0019] A fairly simple, yet effective thermal management principle is central to the cooling system. During daylight hours when the PV panel absorbs sunlight, the layer of honey bee wax on the PV panels backside is actually left to absorb the heat that the PV panel transfers through it.
[0020] When the temperature goes above the melting point of the wax, the wax is changed from solid to semi liquid and absorbed the excess heat. A major feature of the wax's high latent heat of fusion, which makes it capable of absorbing a large amount of thermal energy during melting.
[0021] FIG. 1 Cross-sectional view of the photovoltaic panel with the honey bee wax layer and aluminum plate;
[0022] The aluminum plate that encases the honey bee wax has a dual purpose. In the first place, it protects the wax layer from external factors like dust, moisture and physical harm. Secondly, it is a passive heat sink. Its high thermal conductivity allows aluminum to naturally dissipate the absorbed heat to surrounding air by natural convection to increase cooling effect.
[0023] This system has a special feature of cyclical thermal regulation. In the evening or at night, the ambient temperature drops, and the honey bee wax will solidify. During this phase the wax gives up the heat it accumulated during the day to the environment.
[0024] The cyclic melting and solidification process serves to moderate the temperature on the backside of the PV panel relative to the panel's surface temperature while limiting the development of excessive heat buildup on the panel's surface, which can lead to thermal stress on the panel components.
[0025] The setup of the invention is simple. First, they heat the honey bee wax to sort of a state that it can be spread evenly. Then, the entire thing is coated on the backside of the PV panel and the thickness is uniform.
[0026] The form of the panel affects the thickness of the wax layer on the panel, which depends on the specific cooling requirements. After the wax is installed, the aluminum plate is layed either by adhesive bonding process or by mechanical fasteners in place over the wax. The object in this instance is to design an airtight enclosure (aluminum plate) capable of allowing efficient heat transfer while also protecting the wax layer..
[0027] This invention is an innovative way to cool PV panels using honey bee wax and an aluminum enclosure. In addition to providing a much needed solution for temperature regulation, this solution also uses a simple design and sustainable materials.
[0028] The system reduces operating temperature of PV panels for improving the efficiency of energy conversion and prolonging the lifespan, thus presenting an alternative to the conventional cooling methods that is both effective and ecofriendly. For regions with high solar irradiance and temperature, this approach seems to offer great potential for widespread adoption in solar installation practices.
, Claims:1. I/We Claim: A method for cooling photovoltaic (PV) panels comprising:
i. Coating the backside of a photovoltaic panel with a layer of honey bee wax.
ii. Covering the honey bee wax layer with an aluminum plate to enclose and protect the wax.
2. I/We Claim: The method of claim 1, wherein the honey bee wax has a melting point between 62°C and 65°C, facilitating the absorption of excess heat from the PV panel.
3. I/We Claim: The method of claim 1, wherein the aluminum plate serves as a heat sink, dissipating heat through convection and providing structural support to the cooling assembly.
4. I/We Claim: The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the honey bee wax layer is adjustable based on the size of the PV panel and cooling requirements.
5. I/We Claim: A thermal management system for cooling photovoltaic panels, comprising:
i. A layer of honey bee wax applied on the backside of the photovoltaic panel.
ii. An aluminum plate enclosing the honey bee wax layer to form a cooling assembly.
6. I/We Claim: The system of claim 5, wherein the honey bee wax absorbs heat during the daytime and releases it during nighttime, thereby regulating the temperature of the PV panel.

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