Abstract:

This paper introduces an alternative procedure towards enabling photovoltaic (PV) solar panels to work more effectively, incorporating the use of water-cooling technology with Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) on the basis of Fuzzy Logic. Solar panels are quite sensitive to temperatures and hence their efficiency in converting energy reduces significantly as the temperature increases. To counter this, we have proposed a new water-cooling system where the water is pumped across the surfaces of the solar panels to cool off the unnecessary heat and ensure that the operating temperatures are in the appropriate range. This cooling system has a state of art Fuzzy Logic based maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controller which enhances optimal power extraction by the solar panels during changing weather conditions. The two variables of irradiance and temperature are only two occasions amongst a myriad of cases of complex and nonlinear problems which can be solved using the Fuzzy Logic MPPT algorithm. Regardless of what occurrences take place in the exterior environment, it tends to adapt the functioning point of the solar system in order to generate as much power as possible through the panels. Combining this management control system with water cooling, has two advantages, one is that it keeps the panels cool, which means efficiency reduction is minimized, secondly, it results in maximum power production through smart tracking