DESIGN AND TESTING OF THERMOSIPHON-COOLED FLOATING PV SYSTEM

• Main Author: Divanto, Ameirza
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik (Rekayasa, enjinering dan kegiatan berkaitan)
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/39852
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

One of the problems found in solar farm installation is the needs of appropriate area so no object may interfere the sunlight to reach the solar cell. The other problem found in solar farm is the temperature elevation on solar cell due to exposure to high intensity of sunrays in prolonged time that may cause the solar cell efficiency reduction. The problem may be solved by producing a PV (photovoltaic) system that able to be floated in water area and equipped with cooling system. Thermosiphon effect is used to reduce the PV temperature because the cooling system with thermosiphon effect requires no external energy source so the net energy output from PV will not be reduced. The floating PV system design process starts with task clarification to formulate the design requirement and objectives, and then continued to determination of floating structure function and subfunction. To make the product able to fulfil the determined function and subfunction of the system, the process then continued to design concept embodiment and putting the design into technical drawing. The process continues to manufacture and assembly until the PV and the thermosiphon cooling system is installed into the floating structure. There are two floating PV system structures produced, both differs in the presence of cooling system. The testing of floating PV systems to evaluate the floating capacity of the structure and PV performance starts after the manufacture and assembly process is finished. From the floating test results, both PV floating structure able to be floated above water surface with -1,24° inclination for uncooled floating PV system and -2,78° inclination for thermosiphon-cooled floating PV system. From PV performance test results, thermosiphon-cooled PV power increased by 4,35% between ground and floating test, bigger than uncooled PV performance increment with the percentage of 1,90%, and the efficiency of thermosiphon-cooled PV increased by 8,32 % between ground and floating test, bigger than uncooled PV performance increment with the percentage of 6,54%