TAGRA 2025

This study experimentally investigates the performance of a finned thermoelectric cooling structure designed to mitigate power losses in photovoltaic (PV) panels caused by temperature rise, as well as the effect of forced airflow applied to enhance heat dissipation from its hot side. Under standard test conditions, PV panels generate maximum power at a cell temperature of 25 °C, and any increase beyond this value leads to power degradation. Accordingly, the effects of the finned thermoelectric cooling system on panel temperature and power output were evaluated over 18-minute test periods. The results indicate that cooling provided by the thermoelectric module and fins can only delay the onset of power loss, while the addition of forced airflow over the fins offers a limited further improvement by enhancing heat rejection. Nevertheless, the overall cooling capacity remained insufficient to fully counteract the thermal load on the PV panel, and the power loss could not be completely prevented. These findings demonstrate that thermoelectric-based cooling alone is inadequate for PV applications and highlight the need for further optimization of fin geometry and airflow conditions.