Characteristics of oil impregnated hydrophobic glass surfaces in relation to self-cleaning of environmental dust particles

2017 ◽  
Vol 171 ◽  
pp. 8-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aditia Rifai ◽  
Numan Abu-Dheir ◽  
Mazen Khaled ◽  
Nasser Al-Aqeeli ◽  
Bekir Sami Yilbas
Keyword(s):  
Dust Particles ◽  
Self Cleaning ◽  
Glass Surfaces

Development of Transparent Electrodynamic Screens on Ultrathin Flexible Glass Film Substrates for Retrofitting Solar Panels and Mirrors for Self-Cleaning Function

MRS Advances ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (15) ◽  
pp. 1003-1012 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. K. Mazumder ◽  
J. W. Stark ◽  
C. Heiling ◽  
M. Liu ◽  
A. Bernard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Transmission Efficiency ◽  
Silver Nanowire ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Glass Film ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Solar Panels ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Adhesive Film ◽  
Self Cleaning

ABSTRACTDevelopment of transparent electrodynamic screens (EDS) printed on ultrathin flexible glass film substrates for retrofitting on solar panels and solar mirrors to perform self cleaning function is reviewed. Large-scale solar plants are generally installed in semi-arid and desert areas where dust layers build up on solar collectors causes major energy-yield loss. Maintaining designed plant capacities requires more than 90% reflectivity for CSP mirrors and 90% transmission efficiency for PV modules; solar collectors must therefore be cleaned at a frequency depending on the rate of dust deposition. Scarcity of water in these regions requires a cleaning method that drastically reduces or eliminates water and the associated labor costs for high efficiency operation of large-scale solar plants. An EDS film consists of rows of interdigitated, transparent conducting parallel electrodes embedded within a flexible ultrathin glass film and an optically clear adhesive film used for retrofitting the film on the surface of solar collectors. When phased voltage pulses activate the electrodes, the dust particles are first electrostatically charged, then repelled and removed from the surface of the solar collectors by Coulomb force, restoring transmission efficiency greater than 90%. The electrodes of EDS are either made from silver nanowire or another conductive transparent material printed on a highly transparent, ultrathin (100-μm thick), flexible borosilicate glass film. Applications of different conducting transparent electrodes and methods of printing are reviewed for optimizing self-cleaning function of solar panels and mirrors.

scholarly journals Environmental dust removal from inclined hydrophobic glass surface: avalanche influence on dynamics of dust particles

RSC Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (59) ◽  
pp. 33775-33785 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bekir Sami Yilbas ◽  
Abdullah Al-Sharafi ◽  
Haider Ali ◽  
Nasser Al-Aqeeli ◽  
Hussain Al-Qahtani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glass Surface ◽  
Dust Removal ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Transparent Glass ◽  
Optically Transparent ◽  
Glass Surfaces

The removal of environmental dust particles from optically transparent glass surfaces is considered, and the dynamics of the dust particles on the inclined hydrophobic glass surface is examined.

scholarly journals An active self-cleaning surface system for photovoltaic modules using anisotropic ratchet conveyors and mechanical vibration

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Di Sun ◽  
Karl F. Böhringer
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Vibration ◽  
Surface Cleaning ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Solar Module ◽  
Free Process ◽  
Droplet Transport ◽  
Custom Made ◽  
Surface System ◽  
Self Cleaning

Abstract The purpose of this work is to develop an active self-cleaning system that removes contaminants from a solar module surface by means of an automatic, water-saving, and labor-free process. The output efficiency of a solar module can be degraded over time by dust accumulation on top of the cover glass, which is often referred to as “soiling”. This paper focuses on creating an active self-cleaning surface system using a combination of microsized features and mechanical vibration. The features, which are termed anisotropic ratchet conveyors (ARCs), consist of hydrophilic curved rungs on a hydrophobic background. Two different ARC systems have been designed and fabricated with self-assembled monolayer (SAM) silane and fluoropolymer thin film (Cytop). Fabrication processes were established to fabricate these two systems, including patterning Cytop without degrading the original Cytop hydrophobicity. Water droplet transport characteristics, including anisotropic driving force, droplet resonance mode, cleaning mechanisms, and system power consumption, were studied with the help of a high-speed camera and custom-made test benches. The droplet can be transported on the ARC surface at a speed of 27 mm/s and can clean a variety of dust particles, either water-soluble or insoluble. Optical transmission was measured to show that Cytop can improve transmittance by 2.5~3.5% across the entire visible wavelength range. Real-time demonstrations of droplet transport and surface cleaning were performed, in which the solar modules achieved a 23 percentage-point gain after cleaning.

scholarly journals Water droplet on inclined dusty hydrophobic surface: influence of droplet volume on environmental dust particles removal

RSC Advances ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 3582-3596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghassan Abdelmagid ◽  
Bekir Sami Yilbas ◽  
Abdullah Al-Sharafi ◽  
H. Al-Qahtani ◽  
Nasser Al-Aqeeli
Keyword(s):  
Water Droplet ◽  
Hydrophobic Surface ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Droplet Volume ◽  
Self Cleaning

A water droplet's behavior on an inclined hydrophobic surface in the presence of environmental dust particles is considered and the droplet's dynamics are analyzed pertinent to self-cleaning applications.

scholarly journals Silicone oil impregnated nano silica modified glass surface and influence of environmental dust particles on optical transmittance

RSC Advances ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (47) ◽  
pp. 29762-29771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bekir Sami Yilbas ◽  
Muhammad Rizwan Yousaf ◽  
Abdullah Al-Sharafi ◽  
Haider Ali ◽  
Fahad Al-Sulaiman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glass Surface ◽  
Silicone Oil ◽  
Optical Transmittance ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Nano Silica ◽  
Self Cleaning

The behavior of environmental dust particles on a silicone oil impregnated glass surface is examined in relation to optical transparent surfaces for self-cleaning applications.

Development and Evaluation of Prototype Transparent Electrodynamic Screen (EDS) Integrated Solar Collectors for Automated Dust Removal

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
John N. Hudelson ◽  
Jeremy Stark ◽  
Hannah Gibson ◽  
Fang Hao ◽  
Zhongkai Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Specular Reflection ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Test Chamber ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Laboratory Evaluation ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Solar Panels ◽  
Dust Deposition ◽  
Self Cleaning

The integration of transparent electro-dynamic screen (EDS) on the front surface of solar mirrors and glass cover plates of photovoltaic panels has a strong potential to significantly reduce the frequency of water-based cleaning needed to mitigate losses from dust depositions present in arid regions. The objective of our research was to develop and evaluate prototype transparent EDS-integrated mirrors and solar panels for their self-cleaning functions, with an aim to keep the collectors clean at a low cost without water or manual labor. This paper focuses on the design, fabrication, and laboratory evaluation of a prototype EDS integrated second surface mirrors and solar panels. The EDS consists of a set of parallel transparent electrodes screen-printed on the optical surface and embedded in a thin transparent dielectric film. By applying three-phase, low current, low frequency high voltage-pulses to the electrodes, electro-dynamic repulsion forces and a traveling wave are created for removing dust particles from the surface of the collectors. Design and construction of an environmental test chamber to simulate different atmospheric conditions of semi-arid and arid areas with respect to temperature, RH, and dust deposition conditions are briefly described. A non-contact specular reflectometer was designed, constructed and calibrated for measuring specular reflection efficiency of the mirrors. Laboratory evaluation of the performance of the EDS-integrated collectors was completed using humidity controlled environment test chamber where the prototype mirrors and panels were examined for their self-cleaning action. In each experiment, the solar collectors were loaded with dust until the specular reflectance of the test mirror or the short circuit current of the panel showed a significant decrease. The EDS was then operated for one minute and the relative output was recorded. The results show that the specular reflectivity of EDS mirrors and the short circuit current of the EDS panels can be restored by more than 90% of the values measured under the clean conditions.

scholarly journals Avalanche effect for chemically modified dust mitigation from surfaces

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johnny Ebaika Adukwu ◽  
Bekir Sami Yilbas ◽  
Almaz Jalilov ◽  
Hussain Al-Qahtani ◽  
Ahmet Z. Sahin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glass Surface ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Solution Treatment ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Optical Transmittance ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Avalanche Effect ◽  
Fluorine Compounds ◽  
Glass Surfaces

AbstractCost effective dust mitigation from surfaces is one of the challenges in various sectors. The reduction of dust adhesion on surfaces plays a vital role for dust mitigation from surfaces under the gravitational influence. Creating an avalanche effect on dusty surfaces improves the dust mitigation rate and provides an effective cleaning process. Hence, solution treatment of dust by low concentration hydrofluoric acid is considered towards reducing dust adhesion on glass surfaces. To increase the rate of dust mitigation, the avalanche influence is created by the higher density and larger size particles (5300 kg/m3 and ~ 50 µm) than the average size dust particles (2800 kg/m3 and 1.2 µm) via locating them in the top region of the dusty glass surfaces. Mitigation velocity of the dust particles is evaluated using a high-speed recording system and the tracker program. Findings revealed that solution treatment (curing) of the dust particles results in the formation of fluorine compounds, such as CaF2 and MgF2, on dust surfaces, which suppress dust adhesion on surfaces. OSHA Globally Harmonized System lists the fluorine compounds formed as environmentally non-harmful. Avalanche's influence results in dust mitigation at a smaller tilt angle of the glass surface (~ 52°) than that of the case with none-avalanche influence (63°). Area cleaned on the glass surface, via dust mitigation, is larger as the avalanche is introduced, which becomes more apparent for the solution treated dust particles. Dust mitigation under avalanche influence improves optical transmittance of the dusty glass samples by a factor of 98%.

scholarly journals Performance Enhancement of Self-Cleaning Hydrophobic Nanocoated Photovoltaic Panels in a Dusty Environment

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (20) ◽  
pp. 6800
Author(s):  
Emran Aljdaeh ◽  
Innocent Kamwa ◽  
Waleed Hammad ◽  
Mohammed I. Abuashour ◽  
Tha’er Sweidan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Hydrophobic Surface ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Sio2 Nanoparticles ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Pv Panel ◽  
Pv Module ◽  
Pv Modules ◽  
Self Cleaning

The efficiency of a photovoltaic (PV) panels drops significantly in dusty environments. The variation in temperature could have a substantial impact on PV panel cells, which could further lead to high deterioration and eventually permanent damage to the PV material in the presence of dust. To resolve this issue, in this work a novel hydrophobic silicon dioxide (SiO2)-based nanoparticle coating is proposed for the PV panel, to shrink the surface stress developed between the water and the coated facet. Two identical PV modules were installed to conduct comparable experimental tests simultaneously. The first module is coated by the SiO2 nanoparticles, and the second is uncoated and used as a reference. To maintain coherency, the experiments are done in the same environmental conditions, cleaning the PV modules at regular intervals. Results reveal that the accumulated energy generated during this period of study was comprehensively enhanced. Moreover, the self-cleaning property of the hydrophobic surface of the coated panel allowed water droplets to slide smoothly down the PV module surface, carrying dust particles. Useful recommendations are made at the end to enhance the performance of PV panels in dusty environments.

Non-UV Driven Self-Cleaning and Anti-Fogging Glasses Prepared by Ultrasonic Nebulization of TiO2 Hydrosol

2012 ◽  
Vol 549 ◽  
pp. 674-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Jing Shi ◽  
En Long Yang
Keyword(s):  
Polyethylene Glycol ◽  
Film Thickness ◽  
Calcination Temperature ◽  
Pore Formation ◽  
Ultrasonic Nebulization ◽  
Optimal Value ◽  
Self Cleaning ◽  
Glass Surfaces

Highly transparent glasses coated with TiO2 hydrosol and polyethylene glycol (PEG) have been successfully fabricated via ultrasonic nebulization technique. Experimental evidences have indicated that the obtained glass surfaces show excellent non-UV activated superhydrophilic wetting and antifogging performance. These properties are significantly affected by calcination temperature and the optimal value is 600 oC. In this paper, the effect of film thickness and the role of PEG in facilitating the pore formation and interacting with TiO2 are also discussed.

scholarly journals Efficiently texturing hierarchical superhydrophobic fluoride-free translucent films by AACVD with excellent durability and self-cleaning ability

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (36) ◽  
pp. 17633-17641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuhui Li ◽  
Kristopher Page ◽  
Sanjayan Sathasivam ◽  
Frances Heale ◽  
Guanjie He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Vapour Deposition ◽  
Vapour Deposition ◽  
Chemical Vapour ◽  
Deposition Technique ◽  
Structured Surfaces ◽  
Superhydrophobic Coatings ◽  
Chemical Vapour Deposition Technique ◽  
One Step ◽  
Self Cleaning ◽  
Glass Surfaces

Robust fluoride-free translucent superhydrophobic coatings were constructed on glass surfaces via one-step aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition technique. There are 9 bounce cycles observed on such hierarchically structured surfaces, which exhibited excellent self-cleaning ability.

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