Investigating the effects of ambient temperature on photoelectric unit operation

Abstract

In this paper, effects of low and high ambient temperatures on the operation of a photoelectric unit are investigated. The research methodology consisted in determination of the energy efficiency of a photoelectric unit across a wide range of ambient temperatures, providing graphical interpretations and describing the procedure of field observations. Regularities in determining the average statistical indicators of energy efficiency rise and drop in a photoelectric unit were applied for a particular range of ambient temperatures. These studies were undertaken during the winter of 2021 in the Materials Science Laboratory of V.P. Larionov Institute of Physical-Technical Problems of the North, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, using a fixed climate chamber. Reference parameters were obtained for changes in the photoelectric unit generating capacity (within -60ºC to +60ºC), which can be applied in modeling operational processes and engineering calculations of operating conditions of solar power plants. It was found that, at the same illumination and ambient temperature values, a photoelectric panel generates the maximum energy at -60ºC and minimal energy at +60 ºC, with the specific power drop for this temperature range being 19%. A significant drop in the specific power of the photoelectric unit was achieved at +30 ºC and higher due to the increased internal resistance of the unit. For temperatures below -40ºC, the specific power of the analyzed unit increased insignificantly due to the decreased internal resistance of the unit. The obtained values of the generating capacity of a photoelectric unit within a wide range of ambient temperatures can be used in developing a procedure for evaluating the effects of ambient temperature and its various ranges on the operation of photoelectric units, as well as for a more accurate determination of the solar generation energy potential under certain climate conditions. In future studies, field observations are planned to identify the nature of the effect of two and more climatic factors on the operation of a photoelectric unit.