Efficiency Evaluation of Cleaning a Photovoltaic Panel Surface from Snow and Ice by Supplying Electrical Energy to Its Outputs

Alim Arifov, Eskender Bekirov, Marlen Asanov

Abstract


Energy generated by a photovoltaic panel directly depends on the amount of solar radiation falling on its surface. In the winter season, perhaps the main factor that affects a panel operation is the soiling of snow and ice on its surface. It decreases a panel’s efficiency and reduces the reliability and durability of its work. The authors reviewed the existing methods that are used to clean panels surface. Noted the great interest and attention paid by researchers to the considered problem. The authors analyzed a panel cleaning method based on the supply of electric power to its outputs. A number of experiments, both indoor and outdoor, were carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the method. In the indoor experiment, the panels were pre-cooled. In the outdoor experiment, the panel was pre-coated with ice and dry snow. The methodology used in the experiments is to change the magnitude of the current supplied to the panel outputs and fix the power spent on heating, the heating time, and the maximum temperature of the panel surface. The results of the outdoor experiment showed that a panel with about 50% of its surface covered by melted snow and ice could generate electricity at the same time as it releases heat to completely clean its surface. The energy spent for cleaning the photovoltaic panel surface is 30% less than the amount of energy generated by the panel after it has been cleaned.

Keywords


photovoltaic panel; snow and ice removal; heating method; reverse current; outdoor experiment

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References


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DOI (PDF): https://doi.org/10.20508/ijrer.v13i4.14080.g8824

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