Aug 26 2010
A recent research report presented at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) has announced the possibility of utilizing an auto- cleaning coating over the surface of the solar cells based on the know-how formulated for space mission to Mars.
This comes as a relief for large- scale solar power installations all over the world that suffer the problem of dust accumulation over the solar panels and reducing the power production capability. The problem was acute with installations that are set at high solar density and dusty desert locations such as Middle East, Australia, and India. Also, the scarcity of water availability in such areas increased the problem of cleaning the solar panels.
Malay K. Mazumdar, a Ph.D. holder from Boston University and the study- leader of the group, currently working with NASA has invented the self- cleaning technology for cleaning the solar panels that are used in Lunar and Mars exploratory missions along with a group of his colleagues. He explained that the accumulation of dust- layer even to one seventh of an ounce level per square yard of a solar panel will reduce the power conversion rate of the panel by 40%
According to him this technology involves fixing a transparent and electrically responsive material over the glass or plastic surface of the solar panels utilizing a sensor to monitor the dust accumulation level on the surface. On reaching a preset level of dust accumulation, the dust sensors will energize the particles and induce a dust driving wave all over the surface of the solar panel to raise the accumulated dust to remove them from the panel and its edges. The process removes almost 90% of the dust accumulated over the panels within two minutes by utilizing a small amount of electric power generated by the panels.
Source: http://portal.acs.org/