Solar Panel Efficiency Booster in Summer Days

Author

P.N Gaurkar, Dhanshree Pote, Aman Dehankar, Yash Bele, Yash Yelgalwar, Sarthak Dongre


Abstract

 Photovoltaic (PV) modules lose a noticeable share of their output as their operating temperature climbs, and the loss is most severe in hot summer conditions. This paper presents the design and construction of a low-cost, temperature-controlled cooling system for a 20 W, 12 V polycrystalline PV panel. A copper pipe arrangement fixed to the rear of the panel carries circulating water, which is chilled by a thermoelectric (Peltier) module whose hot side is relieved by a heatsink and an exhaust fan. An ESP32 microcontroller reads a waterproof DS18B20 temperature sensor and, once the temperature reaches 35 °C, switches the pump and the Peltier module on through relays; they are switched off again when the temperature drops below this value. Panel voltage, current, temperature and cooling status are shown on a 16×2 I²C LCD, and a sensor-fault routine shuts the cooling hardware down safely if the temperature probe is lost. The paper explains the architecture and firmware logic and sets out a method for judging net power gain that counts the power drawn by the cooling hardware itself. Published studies suggest that cooling can raise PV output by several percent, but whether a small prototype achieves a net benefit depends on how much power its auxiliary loads consume, and that trade-off is discussed openly.



Keywords

photovoltaic cooling, solar panel efficiency, Peltier module, thermoelectric cooler, ESP32, DS18B20, water circulation, temperature control.



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References


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