Research Projects

Demand of sustainable electrical power is continuously increasing around the globe. Various alternatives have always been the subject matter of research that may provide renewable and pollutant free power output. Now the options for fossil foils such as wind and solar energy have been greatly focused, nevertheless the sustainable output is a big challenge. A promising renewable energy solution which is approachable to every human being is solar energy conversion into electrical energy through PV modules, however their conversion efficiency is upto about 24% as of current status. The majority of the solar energy overheats the PV module and degrades the solar cell’s efficiency with every degree rise in temperature. Maintaining a definite temperature range of PV surface by its incessant cooling can provide a reasonably good sustainable output. Out of many ways of cooling being suggested by numerous researchers the cooling method has still not incorporated in the ready to use PV module available in the market. The present proposal aims to develop a hybrid PV-TEG module cooled with nanofluid and to investigate the nanofluid’s potential to extract extra heat generated within the PV module via nanofluid’s tubes and Thermo-Electric Generators (TEG) thereby enhanced electrical output will be obtained. The various nanofluids such as SiO2, Al2O3, Fe3O4, etc. will be synthesised and tested to achieve the aim for which the configuration of nanofluid’s tube and dimensions will also be investigated. Because of nanofluid will be recirculated through the tube the proposed setup will be environment friendly and throughout operation TEG’s will deliver additional continuous electrical output.