Experimental Effect of the Impact of Stagnant Water on Solar Modules
Boniface Onyemaechi Anyaka1, Mbunwe Muncho Josephine2, Uche Chinweoke Ogbuefi3, Prince Anthony Okoro4, Kenneth Chijioke Chike5

1B.O. Anyaka, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.
2M.J. Mbunwe, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State.
3U.C. Ogbuefi, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.
4P. A. Okoro, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.
5K. C. Chike, Department, University of Nigeria.
Manuscript received on December 16, 2019. | Revised Manuscript received on December 24, 2019. | Manuscript published on January 10, 2020. | PP: 2095-2100 | Volume-9 Issue-3, January 2020. | Retrieval Number: C8951019320/2020©BEIESP | DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.C8951.019320
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Abstract: In this research, an experimental study of the impact of stagnant water on solar modules is investigated. Two different experiments using two identical photovoltaic (PV) modules S1 and S2 were used for the study. In the first experiment, the PV module S1 was covered with stagnant water and the second PV module was unshielded with water. In the second experiment, the PV modules were swapped with S2 covered with stagnant water and S1 unshielded with water. The experiments were carried out under normal operating temperature of PV cells at the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka on latitude 6:52 degrees north, longitude 7:23 degrees. Results obtained from the first experiment show that the efficiency and power output of S1 PV module decreased by 9.3% and 8.0% respectively when compared with that of S2 PV module. In the case of output voltage and current, it was found that shielding of PV module S1 with stagnant water caused an increase in the output voltage by 1.93% and a decrease in the output current by 10.26%. In the second experiment, the efficiency and Output power of PV module S2 decreased by 9.21% and 8.18% respectively when compared with the unshielded PV module S1. In the case of voltage and current, it was found that shielding of PV module S2 with stagnant water caused an increase in the Output voltage by 1.63% and decrease in the output current by 10.91%. 
Keywords: Output Current, Voltage, PV Module, Renewable Energy, Solar Radiation.
Scope of the Article: Renewable Energy Technology