Abstract Number: 786 Working Group: Control and Mitigation Technology
Abstract A largely neglected aspect necessary to prevent energy losses of solar panels is efficient and cost-effective mitigation of dust soiling. A potential solution is an electrodynamic dust shield (EDS) to transport dust off panels via electrodynamic waves generated by electrodes on panel surfaces. Accordingly, the objectives of this research were to determine the effects of EDS design and operating parameters, as well as dust particle size, on cleaning efficiency, and to establish EDS optimization. With a standing square wave, inclined EDS, and 20-micron diameter particles, simulation results showed the optimal distance between electrodes was 14 mm, which resulted from a balance between increasing pitch that aided dust transport off the panel and concomitant decreasing electric field strength that hindered transport. Optimal voltage was 2.8 kVp-p, while particles remained adhered to the surface at low voltages but at high voltages were often repelled and attracted by the same electrode because they remained airborne during the next phase change. To optimize waveform with 20-micron diameter particles and with conditions closely matching an inclined experimental EDS with 7-mm pitch, 6-kVp-p voltage, similar results were obtained with square, sine, and triangular waveforms. Most particles adhered to the surface with ~10% cleaned for all waveforms; only a few particles had large enough charge and were close enough to electrodes to experience a Coulomb force large enough to lift particles against adhesion and gravity. Hence, with respect to implementation, the square waveform was deemed optimal. Overall, under various conditions, such as horizontal or inclined EDS, traveling or standing wave, low or high particle adhesion, and presence of single or multiple sizes of particles (10 to 200 micron diameter), 10-micron diameter particles were the most difficult to clean, often traveling slightly in the direction opposite to larger particles.