Abstract
Accumulation of dust (also known as soiling) on the surface of solar panels decreases the amount of sunlight reaching the solar cells underneath and thus the efficiency of the solar panel is severely impacted. To harness their designed capacity to its fullest, they need to be cleaned periodically, usually with water. The Middle East region is a very suitable region for harvesting solar energy due to abundance of sunlight, but there is also a profusion of sand and dust. Due to water scarcity in this area, cleaning becomes difficult, challenging and subsequently costly. Here, a novel four-stage automated 'dry cleaning' method is reported for solar panels. The proposed cleaning process is carried out in four stages with no involvement of liquids. The cleaning process involves compressed air spray, followed by cleaning through a foam roller and a polywool synthetic duster. An electronically controlled mechanical assembly holds the rollers and guides them along the solar panels. A set of servo motors and a stepper motor is installed on the assembly to rotate and guide the cleaning structure. The system is very useful for small and large installations alike, especially in dry areas where there is little or no rain throughout the year.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of 2015 IEEE International Renewable and Sustainable Energy Conference, IRSEC 2015 |
| Publisher | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781467378949 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 18 Apr 2016 |
| Event | IEEE International Renewable and Sustainable Energy Conference, IRSEC 2015 - Marrakech, Morocco Duration: 10 Dec 2015 → 13 Dec 2015 |
Other
| Other | IEEE International Renewable and Sustainable Energy Conference, IRSEC 2015 |
|---|---|
| Country | Morocco |
| City | Marrakech |
| Period | 10/12/15 → 13/12/15 |
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Keywords
- autonomous dry cleaning
- dust effects
- mechanical design
- solar panels
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Cite this
Novel dry cleaning machine for photovoltaic and solar panels. / Aly, Shahzada Pamir; Gandhidasan, Palanichamy; Barth, Nicolas; Ahzi, Said.
Proceedings of 2015 IEEE International Renewable and Sustainable Energy Conference, IRSEC 2015. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2016. 7455112.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
}
TY - GEN
T1 - Novel dry cleaning machine for photovoltaic and solar panels
AU - Aly, Shahzada Pamir
AU - Gandhidasan, Palanichamy
AU - Barth, Nicolas
AU - Ahzi, Said
PY - 2016/4/18
Y1 - 2016/4/18
N2 - Accumulation of dust (also known as soiling) on the surface of solar panels decreases the amount of sunlight reaching the solar cells underneath and thus the efficiency of the solar panel is severely impacted. To harness their designed capacity to its fullest, they need to be cleaned periodically, usually with water. The Middle East region is a very suitable region for harvesting solar energy due to abundance of sunlight, but there is also a profusion of sand and dust. Due to water scarcity in this area, cleaning becomes difficult, challenging and subsequently costly. Here, a novel four-stage automated 'dry cleaning' method is reported for solar panels. The proposed cleaning process is carried out in four stages with no involvement of liquids. The cleaning process involves compressed air spray, followed by cleaning through a foam roller and a polywool synthetic duster. An electronically controlled mechanical assembly holds the rollers and guides them along the solar panels. A set of servo motors and a stepper motor is installed on the assembly to rotate and guide the cleaning structure. The system is very useful for small and large installations alike, especially in dry areas where there is little or no rain throughout the year.
AB - Accumulation of dust (also known as soiling) on the surface of solar panels decreases the amount of sunlight reaching the solar cells underneath and thus the efficiency of the solar panel is severely impacted. To harness their designed capacity to its fullest, they need to be cleaned periodically, usually with water. The Middle East region is a very suitable region for harvesting solar energy due to abundance of sunlight, but there is also a profusion of sand and dust. Due to water scarcity in this area, cleaning becomes difficult, challenging and subsequently costly. Here, a novel four-stage automated 'dry cleaning' method is reported for solar panels. The proposed cleaning process is carried out in four stages with no involvement of liquids. The cleaning process involves compressed air spray, followed by cleaning through a foam roller and a polywool synthetic duster. An electronically controlled mechanical assembly holds the rollers and guides them along the solar panels. A set of servo motors and a stepper motor is installed on the assembly to rotate and guide the cleaning structure. The system is very useful for small and large installations alike, especially in dry areas where there is little or no rain throughout the year.
KW - autonomous dry cleaning
KW - dust effects
KW - mechanical design
KW - solar panels
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U2 - 10.1109/IRSEC.2015.7455112
DO - 10.1109/IRSEC.2015.7455112
M3 - Conference contribution
SN - 9781467378949
BT - Proceedings of 2015 IEEE International Renewable and Sustainable Energy Conference, IRSEC 2015
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
ER -