a b s t r a c tThere is a great potential for solar power utilization in the Eastern part of Saudi Arabia by employing solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. Dust accumulation on the surface of solar PV modules, mirrors, reflectors and other solar collectors is of great concern due to occasional to frequent dust storm in the gulf region. The performances of such devices are significantly affected by dust accumulation. This paper presents the result of a study on the effect of dust accumulation on the power output of solar PV modules in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. The study indicates that power decrease by as much as 50% can be experienced for solar PV modules that are left unclean for a period of over six months. Solar tracker improves power output and helps reduce dust accumulation effect by 50% at off-peak time.

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Multiaxial monotonic and cyclic behaviors of ZK60‐T5 magnesium extrusion are investigated. Strain‐controlled tests were performed at standard laboratory condition with fully reversed straining. Twinning‐detwinning deformation plays an important role in the cyclic axial behavior for tests that were performed under strain amplitudes higher than 0.4%. However, the hysteresis loop for the 0.4% was found symmetric and no sign of twinning‐detwinning deformation was observed. On the contrary, the cyclic shear behavior was found to be similar to conventional alloys and no significant asymmetric or twinning‐detwinning deformations were observed. The multiaxial fatigue tests suggest that multiaxiality and nonproportionality are not detrimental to fatigue life. Three multiaxial fatigue damage models were used: Smith‐Watson‐Topper, Fatemi‐Socie, and Jahed‐Varvani. While Fatemi‐Socie and Jahed‐Varvani models show comparable estimation, Smith‐Watson‐Topper overestimates shear and nonproportional lives.

The development of nanoclay-epoxy nanocomposite material requires a suitable blending process to be employed. Amongst blending techniques, sonication has been one of the promising means for polymer-clay nanocomposite fabrication. In this study, epoxy-clay nanocomposites with 2, 4 and 5% clay loadings were fabricated using different sonication periods ranging from 5 to 60 minutes. The effect of sonication time and clay loading on the nanocomposite structure was investigated using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Micropscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). Differential Scanning Calorimetry analysis indicated that while clay loading reduced the glass transition temperature (Tg), sonication time did not alter Tg significantly. Upon examining the structure of the resulting nanocomposites both exfoliation and intercalation structures were present, yet, neither structure was fully achieved; evident by the XRD patterns. Nonetheless, the predominant structures for most of the nanocomposites were intercalation. Intergallery spacing of the nanocomposites were enhanced with increased sonication time mainly at 2%wt loading; whereas further increase in nano-clay loading resulted in a reduction of the d-spacing. SEM analysis showed that clay agglomerates were present in the nanocomposites irrespective of the sonication time. However, the analysis revealed that dispersion of clay was better in the nanocomposite fabricated at higher sonication time. From the EDS analysis, the different sites in the nanocomposites’ microstructure were identified which were then correlated with the observation made in the fractographic analysis.

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