Performance restoration of dusty photovoltaic modules using electrodynamic screen

Abstract

Dust accumulation on optical surfaces of solar collectors is been known to cause significant losses in energy yield. The most commonly-practiced methods of cleaning solar collectors use water-based agents. This paper, however, addresses the mitigation of soiling losses on a photovoltaic cell using the electrodynamic screen (EDS) in a laboratory environment. A model for the EDS model with two stacked layers of transparent dielectric coatings is developed using finite element analysis (FEA) software, and the behavior of the electric field on the EDS surface is thoroughly examined. For the reported experiments, an EDS sample has been integrated into a PV cell for dust mitigation. Experimental results show the restoration of the short-circuit current (Isc) to more than 90% of the pre-dust value after 10 trials using standard test dust and EDS cleaning. The tests were conducted in an environmentally-controlled chamber at various applied voltages and inclination angles. In some cases, dust coagulations were observed after several cleaning cycles. To evaluate the performance of the EDS in dust-particle removal, we have studied the particle size distribution on the EDS surface after each dust deposition and cleaning cycle using a custom-built dust-deposition analyzer.