A new PV soiling monitoring device for optimized cleaning strategy

Abstract

Solar PV technology is now widely exploited as a source of energy production. However, the PV panels are generally affected by a variety of factors that decrease the efficiency of the system especially those related to the dust deposition. Therefore, in this study, a new methodology to quantify the drop of transmittance of the glass on the surface of a PV panel was investigated. The basic of this method is using the Brewster angle to evaluate the intensity of the reflected ray from the surface of the glass in the presence of different amount of density of dust deposition. The results showed that the intensity of the reflected ray using Brewster angle decrease with the increase of the density of deposition on the surface of the glass sample. The experiment elucidated that this new method can be a significant methodology to quantify the effect of dust deposition and to optimize the cleaning on the solar PV plant.Solar PV technology is now widely exploited as a source of energy production. However, the PV panels are generally affected by a variety of factors that decrease the efficiency of the system especially those related to the dust deposition. Therefore, in this study, a new methodology to quantify the drop of transmittance of the glass on the surface of a PV panel was investigated. The basic of this method is using the Brewster angle to evaluate the intensity of the reflected ray from the surface of the glass in the presence of different amount of density of dust deposition. The results showed that the intensity of the reflected ray using Brewster angle decrease with the increase of the density of deposition on the surface of the glass sample. The experiment elucidated that this new method can be a significant methodology to quantify the effect of dust deposition and to optimize the cleaning on the solar PV plant.