Experimental assessment of aluminum heat sink geometries on temperature mitigation and power output in PV panels under natural convection

Ahmadi, Radin; Sarreshtehdari, Ali

doi:10.22044/rera.2025.16795.1464

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mechanical Engineering Department, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran.

10.22044/rera.2025.16795.1464

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) panels experience efficiency losses from elevated operating temperatures, particularly in high-insolation regions where overheating reduces power output and module lifespan. This issue is exacerbated in arid climates like Iran, where abundant solar resources coincide with extreme heat, emphasizing the need for cost-effective passive cooling. Prior research focuses on active cooling or wind-assisted methods, overlooking natural convection under stagnant conditions and the use of commercially available materials. To address these gaps, this study evaluates the thermal and electrical benefits of repurposing industrial aluminum profiles as heat sinks for PV panels, offering a sustainable solution using off-the-shelf components without custom fabrication. Experiments used a controlled laboratory setup with a monocrystalline PV panel under 1000 W/m² irradiation and zero wind speed. Three aluminum profiles, varying in mass and geometry, were attached to the panel's rear and compared to an uncooled reference. Measurements included time-dependent surface temperatures, power outputs and thermal imaging, with uncertainty analysis for reliability. Findings indicated time-dependent effects: during the initial heating phase (0-30 minutes), heat sinks reduced temperatures (up to 2.56°C for the heaviest model) and increased power (up to 1.65%). In the stabilization phase (30-60 minutes), temperatures exceeded the reference (by 0.25-1.57°C), causing slight power drops (0.67-1.24%). Heavier profiles delayed stabilization but risked hot air entrapment. These time-dependent effects underscore the potential of aluminum heat sinks for modest PV performance improvements in zero-wind conditions, albeit with trade-offs in long-term stability. These findings emphasize the importance of geometry selection for enhancing natural convection efficiency in stagnant-air PV applications.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Photovoltaic Systems

References

[1] A. M. Bukar, A. Almerbati, S. Z. Shuja, and S. M. Zubair, “Enhancing solar PV panel performance through active and passive cooling techniques: A comprehensive review,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 216, pp. 115611, 2025/07/01/, 2025.

[2] R. Salehi, A. Jahanbakhshi, J. B. Ooi, A. Rohani, and M. R. Golzarian, “Study on the performance of solar cells cooled with heatsink and nanofluid added with aluminum nanoparticle,” International Journal of Thermofluids, vol. 20, pp. 100445, 2023/11/01/, 2023.

[3] R. Chandel, S. S. Chandel, and A. Khosla, “Modelling and experimental investigation of cooling of field-operating PV panels using thermoelectric devices for enhanced power generation by industrial solar plants,” Next Energy, vol. 5, pp. 100162, 2024/10/01/, 2024.

[4] E. Chan-Dzib, J. G. Carrillo, A. Bassam, L. D. Patino Lopez, A. J. Cetina-Quiñones, and M. Flota-Bañuelos, “Hybrid thermal CFD-quadrupole simulation method for estimating the cooling performance of a PV panel under natural weather conditions,” International Journal of Thermal Sciences, vol. 210, pp. 109576, 2025/04/01/, 2025.

[5] M. S. Tahir, X. Dong, M. M. Khan, and I. U. Rehman, “Thermal management of photovoltaic systems: a comprehensive review of cooling strategies,” Solar Energy, vol. 299, pp. 113811, 2025/10/01/, 2025.

[6] I. O. Harmailil, S. M. Sultan, A. Fudholi, M. Mohammad, and C. P. Tso, “A new cooling method for photovoltaic module using U-shape aluminum fins and circular copper tubes: An indoor experiment and economic study,” Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, vol. 72, pp. 106396, 2025/08/01/, 2025.

[7] S. N. Razali, A. Ibrahim, A. Fazlizan, M. F. Fauzan, R. K. Ajeel, E. Zairah Ahmad, W. E. Ewe, and H. A. Kazem, “Performance enhancement of photovoltaic modules with passive cooling multidirectional tapered fin heat sinks (MTFHS),” Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, vol. 50, pp. 103400, 2023/10/01/, 2023.

[8] I. O. Harmailil, S. M. Sultan, C. P. Tso, A. Fudholi, M. Mohammad, and A. Ibrahim, “A review on recent photovoltaic module cooling techniques: Types and assessment methods,” Results in Engineering, vol. 22, pp. 102225, 2024/06/01/, 2024.

[9] H. A. Kazem, A. A. Al-Waeli, M. T. Chaichan, K. Sopian, A.-A. Ahmed, and W. I. Wan Nor Roslam, “Enhancement of photovoltaic module performance using passive cooling (Fins): A comprehensive review,” Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, vol. 49, pp. 103316, 2023/09/01/, 2023.

[10] Q. Peng, D. Li, X. Sun, J. Li, Y. Zhou, and L. Zeng, “Experimental and numerical investigation on photovoltaic/thermal characteristics of an integrated PV/T-PCM system with metal fin and heat exchange pipe,” Renewable Energy, vol. 239, pp. 122113, 2025/02/01/, 2025.

[11] M. E. Hadi Attia, A. Khelifa, A. E. Kabeel, M. Fayed, W. M. El-Maghlany, and N. A. Moharram, “A novel PVT system integrated with semicircular fins: CFD-based analysis of heat dissipation and energy efficiency,” Applied Thermal Engineering, vol. 279, pp. 127551, 2025/11/15/, 2025.

[12] D. Değirmenci, E. Çubuk, İ. Tarı, and Ö. Selimoğlu, “Cooling optimization for concentrating photovoltaic modules: A study of convective and radiative cooling with a focus on plate fin applications,” Renewable Energy, vol. 247, pp. 122953, 2025/07/01/, 2025.

[13] H. Abdulla, A. Sleptchenko, and A. Nayfeh, “Photovoltaic systems operation and maintenance: A review and future directions,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 195, pp. 114342, 2024/05/01/, 2024.

[14] M. A. Akrouch, K. Chahine, J. Faraj, F. Hachem, C. Castelain, and M. Khaled, “Advancements in cooling techniques for enhanced efficiency of solar photovoltaic panels: A detailed comprehensive review and innovative classification,” Energy and Built Environment, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 248–276, 2025/04/01/, 2025.

[15] A. M. Oni, A. S. M. Mohsin, M. M. Rahman, and M. B. Hossain Bhuian, “A comprehensive evaluation of solar cell technologies, associated loss mechanisms, and efficiency enhancement strategies for photovoltaic cells,” Energy Reports, vol. 11, pp. 3345–3366, 2024/06/01/, 2024.

[16] H. Luqman Azeez, A. Ibrahim, B. Omer Ahmed, A. H. A. Al-Waeli, M. Jaber, and M. Aqil Afham Rahmat, “Energy and exergy analysis of a novel collector design in a photovoltaic thermal system: An experimental study,” Applied Thermal Engineering, vol. 256, pp. 124125, 2024/11/01/, 2024.

[17] H. A. Refaey, M. A. Alharthi, S. Bendoukha, S. G. Khan, M. Emam, and M. A. Abdelrahman, “An experimental investigation on passive cooling of a triple-junction solar cell at high concentrations using various straight-finned heat sink configurations,” Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, vol. 51, pp. 103626, 2023/11/01/, 2023.

[18] H. B. Adedayo, K. Sopian, A. H. D. K. Rasangika, and O. I. Alonge, “Probing thermal dynamics in multi-layer solar photovoltaic modules: Unveiling hotspots and advancing innovative cooling strategies,” Solar Energy, vol. 293, pp. 113470, 2025/06/01/, 2025.

[19] M. A. Tashkandi, A. Basem, H. A. Z. Al-bonsrulah, L. Kolsi, M. S. Albdeiri, L. Ben Said, and A. M. Hussin, “Numerical assessment of solar panel with utilizing ferrofluid flow within wavy duct equipped with V-shaped fins,” Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, vol. 66, pp. 105800, 2025/02/01/, 2025.

[20] A. Ataman, and N. Arslanoğlu, “Investigation of the cooling effect of wind on rooftop PV power plants,” Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, vol. 63, pp. 105295, 2024/11/01/, 2024.

[21] J. G. Hernandez-Perez, J. G. Carrillo, A. Bassam, M. Flota-Banuelos, and L. D. Patino-Lopez, “Thermal performance of a discontinuous finned heatsink profile for PV passive cooling,” Applied Thermal Engineering, vol. 184, pp. 116238, 2021/02/05/, 2021.

[22] A. D. Tuncer, E. Y. Gürbüz, İ. Şahinkesen, A. Georgiev, and A. Keçebaş, “Passive cooling of photovoltaic panels with latent heat storage unit: Analyzing the effects of using fins and iron nanoparticles on the performance, economy and environmental impact,” Energy, vol. 288, pp. 129860, 2024/02/01/, 2024.

[23] K. T. Alao, S. I. U. H. Gilani, K. Sopian, T. O. Alao, and Z. Aslam, “A comprehensive review of radiative cooling technologies and their integration with Photovoltaic (PV) systems: Challenges, opportunities, and future directions,” Solar Energy, vol. 292, pp. 113445, 2025/05/15/, 2025.

[24] L. Lou, Z. Kang, H. Zhang, P. Wang, and J. Fan, “Nano-capillary aluminum finned heat sink for ultra-efficient evaporative cooling,” Materials Today Physics, vol. 36, pp. 101175, 2023/08/01/, 2023.

[25] A. A. Jasim, A. Fazlizan, H. L. Azeez, A. Ibrahim, R. Almaawi, and K. Sopian, “Enhancing PV module performance through a novel fin heat sink design: A numerical and experimental study,” Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, vol. 74, pp. 106842, 2025/10/01/, 2025.

[26] Z. Zhou, A. Gentle, M. Mohsenzadeh, Y. Jiang, M. Keevers, and M. Green, “Long-term outdoor testing of vortex generators for passive PV module cooling,” Solar Energy, vol. 275, pp. 112610, 2024/06/01/, 2024.

Renewable Energy Research and Applications

Experimental assessment of aluminum heat sink geometries on temperature mitigation and power output in PV panels under natural convection

References

References

Volume 7, Issue 1
January 2026
Pages 49-62

Experimental assessment of aluminum heat sink geometries on temperature mitigation and power output in PV panels under natural convection

References

References

Volume 7, Issue 1January 2026Pages 49-62

Volume 7, Issue 1
January 2026
Pages 49-62