Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University holds a master’s thesis defense on enhancing the performance of photovoltaic panels and increasing the production of solar distillers.

The Technical Engineering College in Najaf, part of Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, discussed a master’s thesis titled “Augmenting the Performance of Photovoltaic Solar Panels and the Productivity of Solar Still.”

The thesis was presented by student Aba Al-Fadl Zain Al-Abideen from the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technologies, specializing in Mechanical Engineering/Thermal Systems. The research aims to enhance the efficiency of photovoltaic panels by reducing their operating temperature, utilizing the heat generated from the panels within the solar still to increase productivity, and minimizing the installation area of the hybrid system.

The researcher concluded that the electrical efficiency of the cooled photovoltaic panel improved by 9.83% compared to the non-cooled panel. Additionally, the power output of the cooled panel increased by 5.8% relative to the non-cooled one. The modified solar still showed an average productivity increase of 12.16% compared to the conventional still.