Comparative Experimental Study of PCM and Zeolite-Based Passive Cooling for Enhancing Second Generation Solar Panel Performance in Hot-Arid Climates

Authors

• Mohammed Dakhil Abbas, Department of Reconstruction and Projects, College of Engineering, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad 10045, Iraq
• Tawfeeq K. Al-Hamdi, Department of Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad 10045, Iraq
• Mohammed Ali Abdulrehman, Department of Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad 10045, IraqFollow
• Shah Rizal Kasim, School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 14300, Malaysia
• Ahmed Subhi Abbas, College of Engineering, Almustafa University, Baghdad 10045, Iraq
• Ali M. Flayyih, College of Engineering, Almustafa University, Baghdad 10045, Iraq
• Tawfeeq W. Mohammed, Department of Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad 10045, Iraq

Abstract

Operating at high temperatures is one of the key factors affecting the performance of photovoltaic systems. In hot-arid climates, the temperature is typically extremely high. In this study, the experimental performance of two passive cooling systems, phase change materials (PCMs) and zeolite X13-CaCl₂, was comparatively assessed to improve the performance of cadmium telluride photovoltaic panels under the same real operating conditions in Baghdad, Iraq. An improvement of approximately 8.5% in electrical conversion efficiency (i.e., the percentage increase compared to the reference system and not the actual value) was achieved, with a decrease in temperature of approximately 12 °C being recorded from the use of PCM. On the other hand, the temperature decreased by 15 °C in the case of zeolites, with an improvement in the relative efficiency of approximately 10.2% compared to the reference system. In addition, there was an improvement of approximately 23.8% in energy production when the PCM was used. However, there was a greater improvement of approximately 33.1% in energy production when the zeolite system was used. The results of the zeolite system were better than those of the PCM system because the zeolite system had a higher thermal storage capability owing to its porous nature. The phase change only occurs in the range of certain temperatures in the PCM system.

Recommended Citation

Abbas, Mohammed Dakhil; Al-Hamdi, Tawfeeq K.; Abdulrehman, Mohammed Ali; Kasim, Shah Rizal; Abbas, Ahmed Subhi; Flayyih, Ali M.; and Mohammed, Tawfeeq W. (2026) "Comparative Experimental Study of PCM and Zeolite-Based Passive Cooling for Enhancing Second Generation Solar Panel Performance in Hot-Arid Climates," Al-Bahir: Vol. 9: Iss. 2, Article 3.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.55810/2313-0083.1142

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