Comprehensive Review of Dust Properties and Their Influence on Photovoltaic Systems: Electrical, Optical, Thermal Models and Experimentation Techniques

Abstract

As conventional energy sources decrease and worldwide power demand grows, the appeal of photovoltaic (PV) systems as sustainable and ecofriendly energy sources has grown. PV system installation is influenced by geographical location, orientation, and inclination angle. Despite its success, weather conditions such as dust substantially influences PV module performance. This study provides a comprehensive review of the existing literature on the impact of dust characteristics on PV systems from three distinct perspectives. Firstly, the study looks at the dust properties in different categories: optical, thermal, physical, and chemical, highlighting their significant impact on the performance of PV systems. Secondly, the research reviews various approaches and equipment used to evaluate dust’s impact on PV, emphasizing the need for reliable instruments to measure its effects accurately. Finally, the study looks at modeling and predicting the influence of dust on PV systems, considering the parameters that affect electrical, optical, and thermal behavior. The review draws attention to the need for further research into dust’s properties, including thermal conductivity and emissivity. This analysis highlights the need for further research to develop a scientific correlation to predict the thermal behavior of PV in dusty environments. This paper identifies areas for further research to develop more efficient and effective methods for analyzing this influence and improving PV efficiency and lifespan.

Overview of Factors Affecting Dust Deposition on Photovoltaic Cells and Cleaning Methods

“…They consist of absorption, light transmission, reflection, and emission. The optical properties of dust depend on the size, shape, refractive index, and chemical composition of the particles [22].…”

“…From [5] [22] [23], the absorption properties of dust reduce the amount of light reaching the surface of the module, which reduces the amount of electricity produced. By absorbing sunlight, dust also absorbs heat [24], which affects the production rate and can damage the module [22]. The absorption properties of dust depend on the amount of dust, chemical composition [25] [26] morphology and size of dust particles.…”

The Impact of Dust Deposition on PV Panels’ Efficiency and Mitigation Solutions: Review Article

“…[103][104][105]. As a result, dust deposition affects power generation performance differently [106][107][108]. The quality of the dust varies according to its geographical location worldwide.…”

Air-Breathing Silicon PV Module Enabled by Internal Microfluidic Channels for Direct Cooling Application: A Validated Design Concept

“…However, the majority of the single junction Si-PV modules available in the market achieve a light harvesting efficiency (LHE) of ∼16–22% in the field which is far away from the claimed efficiency of 25–27% for these modules . The loss in efficiency at the module level is mainly attributed to the optical, − thermal, , and electrical losses, , among which the thermal loss is the major one. As PV modules are usually installed in regions with high solar irradiance, this significantly increases the operating temperature of the solar cells and hence reduces the power generation from PV modules.…”