A solar PV panel works with maximum efficiency only when it is operated around its optimum operating point or maximum power point. Unfortunately, the performance of the solar cell is affected by several factors like sun direction, solar irradiance, dust accumulation, module temperature, as well as the load on the system. Dust deposition is one of the most prominent factors that influence the performance of solar panels. Because the solar panel is exposed to the atmosphere, dust will accumulate on its surface, reducing the quantity of sunlight reaching the solar cell and diminishing output. In the proposed work, a detailed investigation of the performance of solar PV modules is carried out under the tropical climatic condition of Chennai, India, where the presence of dust particles is very high. The data corresponding to four different dust samples of various densities at four solar irradiation levels of 220, 525, 702, and 905 W/m2 are collected, and performance analysis is carried out. Based on the analysis carried out, the maximum power loss is found to be 73.51%, 66.29%, 65.46%, and 61.42%, for coal, sand, brick powder, and chalk dust respectively. Hence, it can be said that coal dust contributes to the maximum power loss among all four dust samples. Due to heat dissipation produced by dust deposition, the performance of solar PV modules is degraded as the temperature rose.
Energy is necessary for economic growth and development. Society requires more electricity as a result of fast development and the desire to increase the economy. Renewable energy is attracting more attention from researchers because of the nonpolluting energy source in abundance range, increasing fossil fuel prices, and paying attention to increasing global climate change [
In order to improve the solar cell conversion efficiency, Today, there are many solar technologies that use new materials that go beyond traditional modules based on silicon wafers like Perovskite (MAPbI3-xClx)/GeTe [
The objectives of this research are to investigate the performance degradation of solar PV module output power influenced by dust deposition, in an experimental setup. To fulfill the objectives, calculated the impact of dust in test location under real-time conditions. The research provides relevant information that may help users in better system maintenance and enhanced power output.
The experimental work is conducted in an outdoor environment at R.M.K. Engineering College and the details are given in
Site | R.M.K. Engineering College, Chennai |
State | Tamil Nadu, India |
Latitude at the site | 13.358°N |
Longitude at the site | 80.141°E |
Inclination of panel | 21° (with respect to the horizontal surface) |
An experimental setup, consisting of the following equipment, is established to achieve the results for the analysis of dust falling on the solar PV module. Two similar 100 W polycrystalline PV modules Multimeter (MASTECH, MAS830L) Resistive load of 10 Ω Solar irradiation meter (SM-206) Dust samples
The outdoor test unit is mounted on top of the building. Therefore, the solar photovoltaic system is exposed to real atmospheric conditions. The major performance parameters, like solar irradiance (G in W/m2), ambient temperature (Tamp in °C), solar module backside temperature (Tmod in °C), solar panel output current (Im in Amps), solar panel output voltage (Vm in Volts), solar panel output power (Pm in Watts), open-circuit voltage (Voc in Volts), short circuit current (Isc in Amps) and efficiency (ƞ in %), are monitored by using various instruments mentioned above.
Electrical characteristics | Mechanical and thermal characteristics | ||
---|---|---|---|
Nominal maximum power (Pm) in Watts | 100 | Length × Width × Thickness (L × W × T) (mm) | 1150 × 675 × 35 |
Open circuit voltage (Voc) in Volts | 21.97 | Solar cells per module (units)/arrangement | 36/(9 * 4) |
Short circuit current (Isc) in Amps | 6.07 | Weight (kg) | 10.15 |
Voltage at maximum power (Vmp) in Volts | 17.46 | Temperature coefficient of current (Isc), α (%/°C) | 0.0681 |
Current at maximum power (Imp) in Amps | 5.73 | Temperature coefficient of voltage (Voc), ß (%/°C) | −0.2941 |
Module efficiency (%) | 12.88 | Temperature coefficient of power (Pm), γ (%/°C) | −0.3845 |
Instruments | Rating and range | Application |
---|---|---|
Solar power meter (SM–206) | Range: 1–3999 w/m2 (btu) | Solar irradiance/intensity measurement |
Resolution: 0.1 w/m2 | ||
Accuracy: ±5% of reading | ||
Operating temperature and humidity: 0. 25 s/time | ||
Size: 132 (L) × 60 (W) × 38 (H) MM | ||
Weight: approx. 150 g | ||
Multimeter (MASTECH, MAS830L) | DC voltage: 200 mV/2/20/200/1000 V ± 0.5% |
Solar panel output current and voltage measurement |
Rheostat load | Resistive loads with the adjustable node Resistance: 10 Ω |
Resistive load for current and voltage measurement of the solar panel |
DC ammeter (MECO SMP48) | DC current: 20 A |
Solar panel output current measurement |
DC voltmeter (MECO SMP96) | DC voltage: 200 V |
Solar panel output voltage measurement |
Canyearn (C01) infrared forehead thermometer | Measuring distance: 3–5 cm |
Solar panel temperature measurement |
Digital weighing machine (EKW-07i) | Capacity: 600 g |
Dust weight measurement |
In the current investigation, dust samples were collected from a variety of locations, including industrial estates, agricultural land, and others. The brick powder is frequently found on building sites, whereas coal powder is mostly found in coal-fired power plants, and chalk powder and sand are two basic kinds of dust found in schools, playgrounds, and other locations. The dust samples taken for experiments are shown in
For all four dust samples, the experiment is conducted under different solar irradiances on the same solar panel mentioned as B in
where G is the solar irradiance in W/m2, A is the solar panel surface area in m2, Im is solar panel output current in Amps, Vm is solar panel output voltage in Volts, Pm is solar panel output power in Watts. Solar PV module performance efficiency loss η
The weight of the glass plate is measured before dust deposition (Mcleaned) and after dust deposition (Msoiled). The glass plate’s area (A) is also measured. The following formula is used to compute the soil gravimetric density (SGD):
Results obtained from the experimental setup are analysis described in this section. The first portion explains the impacts of changes in weather conditions on the performance of the solar panel. In the second section, the impact of temperature and solar irradiance on the performance of solar PV modules is examined. The third and final part deals with the performance analysis of the PV module with dust deposition is explained.
The performance of solar photovoltaic systems is affected by the most important environmental factors such as solar irradiance and ambient temperature. Solar irradiance is defined as the amount of energy emitted by the sun per unit area. The amount of solar irradiance varies depending on the weather and the sun’s position in the sky. Because of the variations in the sun’s altitude, the position of the sun varies throughout the day [
The efficiency losses on the clean and dirty solar PV module owing to irradiance and temperature were examined in this investigation. At various solar irradiances, the influence of solar irradiance and temperature on Pm and efficiency yield is investigated which is tabulated in
Clean panel | Dirty panel with 52 g/m2 coal dust | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solar irradiance (G in W/m2) | Solar panel module temperature (Tmod in °C) | Solar panel output power (Pm in Watts) | Efficiency (ƞ in %) | Solar panel module temperature (Tmod in °C) | Solar panel output power (Pm in Watts) | Efficiency (ƞ in %) |
235 | 30.2 | 22.828 | 12.515 | 32.4 | 6.72 | 3.684 |
580 | 32.1 | 58.4302 | 12.978 | 34.5 | 30.59 | 6.795 |
710 | 35.1 | 72.904 | 13.228 | 37.2 | 34.41 | 6.243 |
760 | 35.2 | 78.694 | 13.339 | 37.8 | 36.19 | 6.134 |
1180 | 32.2 | 94.192 | 11.235 | 39.5 | 39.78 | 4.745 |
Clean panel | Dirty panel with 52 g/m2 coal dust | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solar irradiance (G in W/m2) | Solar panel module temperature (Tmod in °C) | Solar panel output power (Pm in Watts) | Efficiency (ƞ in %) | Solar panel module temperature (Tmod in °C) | Solar panel output power (Pm in Watts) | Efficiency (ƞ in %) |
1151 | 30.1 | 94.19 | 10.54% | 31.1 | 41.14 | 1151 |
1154 | 35.6 | 87.3 | 9.75% | 37.1 | 34.41 | 1154 |
1163 | 40.5 | 78.15 | 8.66% | 42.6 | 22.9 | 1163 |
1170 | 45.8 | 70 | 7.71% | 47.7 | 9.07 | 1170 |
The experimental analysis is carried out at four different solar irradiances 220, 525, 702, and 905 W/m2 conditions under clear skies, and the clean solar PV module’s performance is compared with dirty solar panel’s performance under the same solar irradiance and atmospheric condition. Dust of each category is applied on the dirty solar PV module (labeled as “B” in
Solar irradiance in W/m2 | Im in A | Vm in V | Pm in W |
---|---|---|---|
220 | 1.64 | 13.92 | 22.8288 |
525 | 3.94 | 14.83 | 58.43 |
702 | 5.33 | 13.07 | 69.6631 |
905 | 13.9 | 5.66 | 78.674 |
Solar irradiance in W/m2 | Coal powder | Sand | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gravimetric density in g/m2 | Im in A | Vm in V | Pm in W | ƞloss in % | Pdust/Pclean in % | Im in A | Vm in V | Pm in W | ƞloss in % | Pdust/Pclean in % | |
220 | 13 | 1.1 | 9.9 | 10.89 | 52.30 | 47.70 | 1.4 | 11.1 | 15.54 | 31.93 | 68.07 |
26 | 1.01 | 8.6 | 8.686 | 61.95 | 38.05 | 1.21 | 11.9 | 14.399 | 36.93 | 63.07 | |
39 | 0.97 | 7.1 | 6.887 | 69.83 | 30.17 | 1 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 61.01 | 38.99 | |
52 | 0.96 | 6.3 | 6.048 | 73.51 | 26.49 | 0.95 | 8.1 | 7.695 | 66.29 | 33.71 | |
525 | 13 | 3.1 | 12.5 | 38.75 | 33.68 | 66.32 | 3.3 | 12.9 | 42.57 | 27.14 | 72.86 |
26 | 2.98 | 11.9 | 35.46 | 39.31 | 60.69 | 3.02 | 12 | 36.24 | 37.98 | 62.02 | |
39 | 2.8 | 11.2 | 31.36 | 46.33 | 53.67 | 3 | 11.95 | 35.85 | 38.64 | 61.36 | |
52 | 2.3 | 11 | 25.30 | 56.70 | 43.30 | 2.7 | 11.9 | 32.13 | 45.01 | 54.99 | |
702 | 13 | 4.8 | 12.1 | 58.08 | 16.63 | 83.37 | 5.01 | 11.9 | 59.619 | 14.42 | 85.58 |
26 | 4.5 | 11.1 | 49.95 | 28.30 | 71.70 | 4.67 | 11.2 | 52.304 | 24.92 | 75.08 | |
39 | 4.1 | 10.3 | 42.23 | 39.38 | 60.62 | 4.12 | 10.9 | 44.908 | 35.54 | 64.46 | |
52 | 3.2 | 9.3 | 29.76 | 57.28 | 42.72 | 3.7 | 9.78 | 36.186 | 48.06 | 51.94 | |
905 | 13 | 12.2 | 5.2 | 63.44 | 19.36 | 80.64 | 13.25 | 5.34 | 70.755 | 10.07 | 89.93 |
26 | 11.02 | 5.01 | 55.2102 | 29.82 | 70.18 | 11.1 | 5.3 | 58.83 | 25.22 | 74.78 | |
39 | 10.2 | 4.2 | 42.84 | 45.55 | 54.45 | 10.4 | 4.62 | 48.048 | 38.93 | 61.07 | |
52 | 9.5 | 3.8 | 36.1 | 54.11 | 45.89 | 10 | 4.32 | 43.2 | 45.09 | 54.91 |
Solar irradiance in W/m2 | Chalk powder | Redbrick powder | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gravimetric density in g/m2 | Im in A | Vm in V | Pm in W | ƞloss in % | Pdust/Pclean in % | Im in A | Vm in V | Pm in W | ƞloss in % | Pdust/Pclean in % | |
220 | 13 | 1.5 | 12.02 | 18.03 | 21.02 | 78.98 | 1.45 | 11.18 | 16.211 | 28.99 | 71.01 |
26 | 1.43 | 12 | 17.16 | 24.83 | 75.17 | 1.32 | 12 | 15.84 | 30.61 | 69.39 | |
39 | 1 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 58.39 | 41.61 | 1 | 9.02 | 9.02 | 60.49 | 39.51 | |
52 | 0.97 | 9.2 | 8.924 | 60.91 | 39.09 | 0.95 | 8.3 | 7.885 | 65.46 | 34.54 | |
525 | 13 | 3.5 | 13.2 | 46.2 | 20.93 | 79.07 | 3.4 | 13.1 | 44.54 | 23.77 | 76.23 |
26 | 3.2 | 12.2 | 39.04 | 33.19 | 66.81 | 3.05 | 12.6 | 38.43 | 34.23 | 65.77 | |
39 | 2.6 | 10 | 26 | 55.50 | 44.50 | 3.02 | 12.5 | 37.75 | 35.39 | 64.61 | |
52 | 2.3 | 9.8 | 22.54 | 61.42 | 38.58 | 2.82 | 12.01 | 33.8682 | 42.04 | 57.96 | |
702 | 13 | 3.68 | 16.01 | 58.9168 | 15.43 | 84.57 | 5 | 12.6 | 63 | 9.56 | 90.44 |
26 | 3.33 | 15.23 | 50.7159 | 27.20 | 72.80 | 4.7 | 11.5 | 54.05 | 22.41 | 77.59 | |
39 | 2.78 | 15.91 | 44.2298 | 36.51 | 63.49 | 4.2 | 10.9 | 45.78 | 34.28 | 65.72 | |
52 | 2.71 | 15.18 | 41.1378 | 40.95 | 59.05 | 3.8 | 9.8 | 37.24 | 46.54 | 53.46 | |
905 | 13 | 4.70 | 14.90 | 70.01 | 11.01 | 88.99 | 12.56 | 5.36 | 67.3216 | 14.43 | 85.57 |
26 | 4.60 | 11.84 | 54.464 | 30.77 | 69.23 | 11.2 | 5.2 | 58.24 | 25.97 | 74.03 | |
39 | 4.30 | 11.08 | 47.65 | 39.43 | 60.57 | 10.4 | 4.6 | 47.84 | 39.19 | 60.81 | |
52 | 4.00 | 11.33 | 45.32 | 42.40 | 57.60 | 10.1 | 4.4 | 44.44 | 43.51 | 56.49 |
Data summarized in
Similarly for G = 525 W/m2 condition, maximum efficiency loss of 33.68%, 27.14%, 20.93%, and 23.77% occur for 26 g/m2 of different dust samples like coal, sand, chalk, and brick powder applied on solar panel, respectively. Among all solar irradiance and different dusted conditions, Coal dust samples provide more impact on solar panel efficiency due to their high absorptivity, small particle size, and high bonding density.
Throughout the world, the types of dust or pollution vary. The type and concentration of dust deposition on the solar panel are strongly linked to the location or surrounding environment. Pollutants present in urban and highly populated areas, such as automobile emissions, construction particulates, airborne particles from coal-fired power plants, fertilizer, windblown soil, and plant matter may be found in agricultural areas, whereas sand particles predominate in deserts. From the current investigation, it can observe that even though the same solar irradiance, environmental condition maintains in the solar panel due to the accumulation of different dust affecting the efficiency of the solar panels. Dust cleaning is necessary to improve the efficiency of the solar panel.
The impact of dust deposition is investigated with various solar irradiances of 220, 525, 702, and 905 W/m2 under various densities of dust samples in an outdoor experimental investigation of the 100 W solar PV module performance. The maximum efficiency loss of the solar PV module is found to be 73.51%, 66.29%, 65.46%, and 61.42%, respectively, for coal, sand, brick powder, and chalk dust; thus, coal dust is the most impacting dust sample among the four due to its maximum absorptivity and thus minimum transmissivity. It is also observed that the performance of the solar PV modules degraded when the temperature rose due to heat loss induced by dust accumulation. The ratio of maximum solar PV output power for the dirty module to the clean module is in the range of 26.49% to 90.44% for all dust types tested under different solar irradiances. Dust deposition reduces current output, resulting in a massive loss of electrical power and, as a result, a significant economic loss for photovoltaic electricity in large-scale solar power plants. From the results, it is recommended to choose an appropriate dust cleaning method based on dust sample deposition to improve the efficiency of the solar panel.
Solar irradiance in W/m2
Solar panel surface area in m2
Solar panel output current in Amps
Solar panel output voltage in Volts
Solar panel output power in Watts
Solar PV module performance efficiency loss
Solar PV module performance efficiency
Solar PV module performance efficiency under the clean condition
Solar PV module performance efficiency under the dusted condition
Open Circuit Voltage in Volts
Short Circuit Current in Amps
Temperature coefficient of Current (Isc) in %/°C
Temperature coefficient of Voltage (Voc) in %/°C
Temperature coefficient of Power (Pm) in %/°C
Solar PV module backside temperature in °C