Dimensionamento de um trocador de calor para um painel fotovoltaico

Abstract

This document consists in the development of an heat exchanger using natural air con- vection, which aims to cool a photovoltaic panel, granting a suitable operational tem- perature. The heat transfer literature established the mathematical relation among the evolved variables, approaching the model as a chip heat sink, through analytical inspec- tion, estimating 80 mm as initial value for fin length, which one was sketched in CAD software. To validate the calculations, a prototype was built to the experimental test (done). As last procedure, improvements to the heat exchanger is suggested, bringing the most interesting construction parameters, which are: fin length, convection coefficient and fin material. The analytical results shows that the use of heat exchanger reduces by 12ºC the temperature of panel, while the prototype test indicates an high barrier to the heat exchange at the contact heat exchanger/panel base, compromising a suitable cooling; meanwhile, the improvements points to an even bigger reduction on the panel temperature, by the use of forced convection and application of aluminum or cooper as fin material.