Optimization of wind-powered dust removal parameters for photovoltaics solar panel
The dust accumulation is an undesirable phenomenon in a solar plant environment. The procedure for removing dust using traditional techniques is capital and labour intensive. Additionally, most of the cleaning techniques consumed power from energy produced by the solar system. Therefore, the aim...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2019
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/77752/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/77752/1/FK%202019%2051%20ir.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848858328967413760 |
|---|---|
| author | Attia, Osam Hassan |
| author_facet | Attia, Osam Hassan |
| author_sort | Attia, Osam Hassan |
| building | UPM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The dust accumulation is an undesirable phenomenon in a solar plant environment.
The procedure for removing dust using traditional techniques is capital and labour
intensive. Additionally, most of the cleaning techniques consumed power from energy
produced by the solar system. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop a wind
powered dust removal technique from the solar panel. This was done by transforming
wind energy into mechanical energy as a new approach to sustainability via
mechanical vibrator. The mechanical vibrator is attached to the panel and will produce
a harmonic excitation force to overcome the adhesion force of dust onto solar panel
surface.
In this study, five levels of vibration forces were acquired through pre-experiment by
varying the wind speed, while the range of the other working independent parameters
such as dust quantity, dust size, wind speed and tilt angle of the solar panel were
adopted from the previous studies. To determine how each of the parameters affects
the dust removal index (DRI), a screening process was conducted using Plackett-
Burman design (PBD) in Minitab with 12 runs each for the system with and without
vortex generator. In response surface methodology (RSM) experiment, 50 runs were
done for the optimizations of the working parameters with respect to DRI. The
selection process was generally followed by statistical analysis known as Analysis of
variance (ANOVA). Response Surface methodology (RSM) is an optimization
method, which has been applied to optimization problems and provided a
mathematical model for the DRI. Another model was built using another optimization
technique called particle swarm optimization (PSO) and was used to verify the RSM
model with modified code in MATLAB software.
The proof of concept experiment clearly shows that with an increase in wind speed
the vibrating force increases accordingly. Also, according to the screening process
with PBD, the studied parameters have been arranged in order of their effect either
high or low based on the assessment criteria outlined in PBD with and without vortex
generators. The arrangement of the parameters based on their effect on DRI without
VGs from high to low is different from the arrangement with VGs; this indicated that
VGs have asignifacant effect on parameters. The incorporation of the vortex generator,
the levels and behaviour of the parameters were changed and the mean value of DRI
increased from 0.50 to 0.58. Analysis for the optimization of the working parameters
reveals that RSM-DRI model revealed high significant performance with CoV and SD
value of 4.51% and 0.0448 respectively. While PSO-DRI model has CoV and SD
value of 4.55% and 0.0445 respectively. Therefore, RSM model helps a designer to
select the most suitable site for the solar plant provided that the tilt angle is within the
range of 15° to 35°. In conclusion, the use of wind energy via mechanical vibrator for
dust removal has an efficiency of 91% when compared with a demonstrative electric
vibrator for cleaning the same quantity of dust from the solar panel. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T12:11:42Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | upm-77752 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T12:11:42Z |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | upm-777522022-01-24T03:11:02Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/77752/ Optimization of wind-powered dust removal parameters for photovoltaics solar panel Attia, Osam Hassan The dust accumulation is an undesirable phenomenon in a solar plant environment. The procedure for removing dust using traditional techniques is capital and labour intensive. Additionally, most of the cleaning techniques consumed power from energy produced by the solar system. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop a wind powered dust removal technique from the solar panel. This was done by transforming wind energy into mechanical energy as a new approach to sustainability via mechanical vibrator. The mechanical vibrator is attached to the panel and will produce a harmonic excitation force to overcome the adhesion force of dust onto solar panel surface. In this study, five levels of vibration forces were acquired through pre-experiment by varying the wind speed, while the range of the other working independent parameters such as dust quantity, dust size, wind speed and tilt angle of the solar panel were adopted from the previous studies. To determine how each of the parameters affects the dust removal index (DRI), a screening process was conducted using Plackett- Burman design (PBD) in Minitab with 12 runs each for the system with and without vortex generator. In response surface methodology (RSM) experiment, 50 runs were done for the optimizations of the working parameters with respect to DRI. The selection process was generally followed by statistical analysis known as Analysis of variance (ANOVA). Response Surface methodology (RSM) is an optimization method, which has been applied to optimization problems and provided a mathematical model for the DRI. Another model was built using another optimization technique called particle swarm optimization (PSO) and was used to verify the RSM model with modified code in MATLAB software. The proof of concept experiment clearly shows that with an increase in wind speed the vibrating force increases accordingly. Also, according to the screening process with PBD, the studied parameters have been arranged in order of their effect either high or low based on the assessment criteria outlined in PBD with and without vortex generators. The arrangement of the parameters based on their effect on DRI without VGs from high to low is different from the arrangement with VGs; this indicated that VGs have asignifacant effect on parameters. The incorporation of the vortex generator, the levels and behaviour of the parameters were changed and the mean value of DRI increased from 0.50 to 0.58. Analysis for the optimization of the working parameters reveals that RSM-DRI model revealed high significant performance with CoV and SD value of 4.51% and 0.0448 respectively. While PSO-DRI model has CoV and SD value of 4.55% and 0.0445 respectively. Therefore, RSM model helps a designer to select the most suitable site for the solar plant provided that the tilt angle is within the range of 15° to 35°. In conclusion, the use of wind energy via mechanical vibrator for dust removal has an efficiency of 91% when compared with a demonstrative electric vibrator for cleaning the same quantity of dust from the solar panel. 2019-01 Thesis NonPeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/77752/1/FK%202019%2051%20ir.pdf Attia, Osam Hassan (2019) Optimization of wind-powered dust removal parameters for photovoltaics solar panel. Doctoral thesis, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Photovoltaic power generation |
| spellingShingle | Photovoltaic power generation Attia, Osam Hassan Optimization of wind-powered dust removal parameters for photovoltaics solar panel |
| title | Optimization of wind-powered dust removal parameters for photovoltaics solar panel |
| title_full | Optimization of wind-powered dust removal parameters for photovoltaics solar panel |
| title_fullStr | Optimization of wind-powered dust removal parameters for photovoltaics solar panel |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimization of wind-powered dust removal parameters for photovoltaics solar panel |
| title_short | Optimization of wind-powered dust removal parameters for photovoltaics solar panel |
| title_sort | optimization of wind-powered dust removal parameters for photovoltaics solar panel |
| topic | Photovoltaic power generation |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/77752/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/77752/1/FK%202019%2051%20ir.pdf |