Enhanced thermal management of solar PV panels using magnetic nanofluid with external magnetic swirl generator

Abstract

The cooling the solar panels is crucial, as it can greatly enhance the output of the PV system. This paper presents a numerical investigation of solar PV panel cooling using rectangular wavy cooling channel with a 2 % volume fraction of Fe3O4 nanofluid two magnet positions and inclination angles ranging from 0 to 90°. The novelty of this work stems from its exploration of the combined effects of inclination angle, magnetic field, and wavy channel on heat transfer and thermal-hydraulic performance. While previous researchers have individually investigated these factors, their combined influence has not been extensively explored. This study fills a gap in the existing literature by providing insights into the synergistic effects of these parameters, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the system behavior. Results indicate that Fe3O4 nanoparticles increase the Nusselt number by up to 35 %, but also increase the friction factor; consequently, the thermal-hydraulic factor, which reaches a maximum of 1.22, was used as a comprehensive evaluation metric. The research reveals the optimal operating conditions for Fe3O4 nanofluids in wavy channels. These findings contribute to the development of more effective thermal management systems, especially for applications involving inclined orientations and wavy channels for use in cooling of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells.