This paper presents an experimental study of cooling photovoltaic (PV) panels using evaporative cooling. Underground (geothermal energy) water used to extract heat from it during cooling and cleaning of PV panels. An experimental test rig was constructed and tested under hot and dusty climate conditions in Baghdad. An active cooling system was used with auxiliary an underground water tank to provide cold water as a coolant over both PV surfaces to reduce its temperature. The cellulose pad has been arranged on the back surface and sprays cooling on the front side. Two identical PV panels modules used: without cooling and evaporative water cooling. The experiments are comprised of four cases: Case (I): backside cooling, Case (II): front and back cooling (pump supply water every 35 minutes), Case (III): cooling both sides using Arduino controller. Water cooling pump operation depending on the panel temperatures (temperature sensors were installed on the front of the panel), Case (IV): Repeating case III with different water flow rates. Experimental results showed that the average reduction in module temperatures was 4, 8,12.2 and 12.6 ⁰C respectively by Case (I), (II), (III) and (IV) with respect to a non-cooling module. Using evaporative water cooling achieved a total improvement of 1.74%, 2.8%, 15.8%, and 16% in the conversion efficiency of the panel by the Case (I), (II), (III) and (IV) respectively when compared to a non-cooling module.
The performance of a solar assisted desiccant cooling system for a meeting-hall located in the College of Engineering/University of Baghdad was evaluated theoretically. The system was composed of four components; a solar air heater, a desiccant dehumidifier, a heat exchanger and an evaporative cooler. A computer simulation was developed by using MATLAB to assess the effect of various design and operating conditions on the performance of the system and its components. The actual weather data on recommended days were used to assess the load variation and the system performance during those days. The radiant time series method (RTS) was used to evaluate the hourly variation of the cooling load. Four operation modes were employed for perform
... Show MoreTurbidity is a visual property of water that expresses the amount of suspended substances in the water. Its presence in quantities more significant than the permissible limit makes the water undrinkable and reduces the effectiveness of disinfectants in treating pathogens. On this basis, turbidity is used as a basic indicator for measuring water quality. This study aims to evaluate the removal efficiency of AL- Muthanna WTP. Water turbidity was used as a basic parameter in the evaluation, using performance improvement evaluation and data from previous years (2016 to 2020). The average raw water turbidity was 26.7 NTU, with a minimum of 14 NTU, with a maximum of 48 NTU. Water turbidity value for 95% of settling daily reading data was
... Show MoreTurbidity is a visual property of water that expresses the amount of suspended substances in the water. Its presence in quantities more significant than the permissible limit makes the water undrinkable and reduces the effectiveness of disinfectants in treating pathogens. On this basis, turbidity is used as a basic indicator for measuring water quality. This study aims to evaluate the removal efficiency of AL- Muthanna WTP. Water turbidity was used as a basic parameter in the evaluation, using performance improvement evaluation and data from previous years (2016 to 2020). The average raw water turbidity was 26.7 NTU, with a minimum of 14 NTU, with a maximum of 48 NTU. Water turbidity value for 95% of settling daily readi
... Show MoreWhen a vehicle is left parked in the sun for an extended period, the gathered heat causes damage to several interiors within the cabin and causes discomfort for people and animals left inside the car. In the present work, the effect of the orientation of a parked white minibus on temperature distribution and cooling load calculation is studied experimentally in an open environment. Two different cases were studied facing south and facing east. For several hours, the temperature inside the car cabin had been monitored and measured at five separate locations. The cooling load calculations are carried out based on the experimental measurements. The results show that the overheating of parked cars always happens as a result
... Show MoreThermal performance of closed wet cooling tower has been investigated experimentally and theoretically
in this work. The theoretical model based on heat and mass transfer equations and heat and mass transfer balance equations which are established for steady state case. A new small indirect cooling tower was used for conducting experiments. The cooling capacity of cooling tower is 1 kW for an inlet water temperature of 38oC, a water mass velocity 2.3 kg/m2.s and an air wet bulb temperature of 26oC. This study investigates the relationship between saturation efficiency, cooling capacity and coefficient of performance of closed wet cooling tower versus different operating parameters such wet-bulb temperature, variable air-spray water fl
In the coming decade, a substantial rise in energy consumption within the buildings sector is predicted to lead to a 30% increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The choice of materials for building envelopes significantly influences the overall energy demand of HVAC systems, which contribute significantly to electricity usage. To enhance compatibility between grey clay and straw, a suggested approach involves using a composite material comprising rice water and grey clay, enriched with a high proportion of rice straw and soaked in rice water. This environmentally friendly technique yields a green construction material capable of reducing energy consumption in HVAC systems by up to 35.6% over a 24-h period. The potential energy savings of this
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