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Parametric analysis of water-saturated porous clay structures as evaporative cooling of building integrated photovoltaic systems

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  • Ali, Mustafa Ghazali
  • Hassan, Hamdy
  • Nada, Sameh A.

Abstract

Passive cooling of photovoltaic systems has been demonstrated to enhance their electrical performance at cost-effective methods. Among passive mechanisms, evaporative cooling stands out, particularly when utilizing water-saturated porous structures. This study explores the parametric analysis of a porous clay structure as an evaporative cooler for building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. It examines key parameters such as water saturation levels and meteorological conditions, including wind velocity and relative humidity, assessing their influence on system's cooling performance. A numerical heat and mass transport model, along with the evaporation model based on energy balance principle were presented and solved for this purpose. Further, experimental evaluation of material variations was conducted utilizing hollow porous clay and traditional hollow red brick structures, concurrently validating the numerical model. The experimental results highlight significant improvements, with a 6 % reduction in peak PV temperature observed when using a porous clay structure compared to conventional red bricks. The parametric study further revealed a maximum 9.7 % reduction in peak PV temperature at higher water saturation levels. Notably, PV electrical efficiency and output power showed peak enhancements of 0.93 % and 1.6 %, respectively, when humidity levels were halved rather than doubled. Additionally, doubling wind velocity led to a 1.13 % decrease in indoor room temperature compared to halved velocity values, demonstrating the effectiveness of these parameters in optimizing building cooling and PV performance. Moreover, water evaporation rates reached a maximum of 6.07 L/h.m2 and a minimum of 2.4 L/h.m2 when the wind velocity and humidity values were doubled. Moreover, the system attained its highest water consumption rate of 10.19 L/h.m2 when wind velocity values were doubled. Hence, these findings offer essential insights, underscoring the considerable impact that different operational conditions have on the effectiveness of evaporative cooling systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Ali, Mustafa Ghazali & Hassan, Hamdy & Nada, Sameh A., 2025. "Parametric analysis of water-saturated porous clay structures as evaporative cooling of building integrated photovoltaic systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:320:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225011132
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135471
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    1. Jerry L. Holechek & Hatim M. E. Geli & Mohammed N. Sawalhah & Raul Valdez, 2022. "A Global Assessment: Can Renewable Energy Replace Fossil Fuels by 2050?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-22, April.
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