Numerical Study of Concentrating Photovoltaic System Cooling with a Heat Sink by Using Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials / CuO Nano Particles
نویسندگان
1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, I.R. IRAN
2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, I.R. IRAN
3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, I.R. IRAN
4 Department of Mechanical Engineering, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, I.R. IRAN
5 Department of Energy Engineering, Faculty of Advanced Technologies, Quchan University of Technology, Quchan, I.R. IRAN
doi
10.30492/ijcce.2025.2070285.7283چکیده
This study presents a detailed numerical investigation of a Concentrated PhotoVoltaic (CPV) cooling system integrated with two advanced phase-change materials: Nano‑Enhanced PCM (NEPCM) and microencapsulated PCM (MEPCM) containing CuO nanoparticles. The 2‑D transient simulations were performed using the enthalpy‑porosity technique to analyze heat transfer, melting dynamics, and electrical performance under identical operating conditions. Grid and time‑step independence tests ensured numerical reliability (maximum relative error < 0.51 %). The findings demonstrate that incorporating nanoparticles enhances thermal conductivity and melting rate compared with pure PCM. Between the two enhancement strategies, MEPCM exhibits markedly superior thermal and electrical performance. At CuO mass fractions of 3 wt.% and 5 wt.%, the MEPCM configuration reduces the PV cell temperature by approximately 20 °C, respectively, relative to NEPCM, while achieving a 0.61 % higher electrical efficiency. This improvement arises from the greater interfacial heat‑transfer area and the suppression of particle sedimentation within the MEPCM structure, which sustains stronger natural‑convection cells during melting. Overall, the study identifies MEPCM as a more efficient and stable advanced material for CPV thermal management compared with conventional NEPCM composites.
