Cooling performance of an acrylic serpentine with a rectangular cross section

• Main Author: Nobrega, Glauco Tapijara Vallicelli
• Publication Date: 2022
• Other Authors: Barbosa, F.M., Soares, Filipe de Almeida da Silva, Ralha, R., Souza, Reinaldo Rodrigues de, Ribeiro, J.E., Moita, Ana S., Lima, Rui A.
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/10198/26286
• topic: Cooling performance; Research Subject Categories::TECHNOLOGY::Electrical engineering, electronics and photonics::Photonics

In recent years, photovoltaic panels have been established as one of the main sources of electricity considered to be clean. Its efficiency and lifetime are greatly influenced by the operating temperature. Active cooling using cylindrical copper serpentines is one of the most common methods for many systems. However, due to the cylindrical geometry of the tubes, the contact with the plate is a point and its area tends to be zero. In this way, serpentines that provide a bigger contact area between the heat removal system and the solar panel board are desired. Serpentines manufactured by machining acrylic plates in CNC milling machines allow the construction of a channel with a rectangular cross-section with a considerable area of contact between the channel and the plate. The obtained results show that there was a significant improvement in the heat exchange between the plate and the thermofluid when the acrylic serpentine with a rectangular section was used.