Physical Electronics Dept.

You are invited to attend a lecture by:

Malay Mazumder, Mark Horenstein and Jeremy Stark

Department of electrical and Computer Engineering

Boston University

on the subject:

Harvesting Renewable Energy from Deserts with Self-Cleaning Solar Collectors

Abstract-The direct solar energy conversion in Gigawatt (GW) scales by photovoltaic, and photothermal processes is of global importance for meeting energy needs from renewable sources. Deserts in the world can meet the global energy need completely. However, dust depositions on solar panels and solar concentrators cause efficiency loss from 10 to 30% requiring manual cleaning with water. Such a cleaning process is expensive for large-scale installations where water is scarce. Transparent electrodynamic screens (EDS), consisting of rows of transparent parallel electrodes embedded within a transparent dielectric film can be used for dust removal for their application as self-cleaning solar collectors. When the electrodes are activated by phased voltage, the dust particles on the surface of the film become electrostatically charged and are removed by the travelling wave generated by the applied electric field. Over 90% of deposited dust is removed within two minutes, using a very small fraction of the energy derived from the solar plants. No water or mechanical movement is involved. A brief analysis of the electrodynamic removal mechanisms, involving the electrostatic and dielectrophoretic forces produced by the activation of the electrodes, that prevail over the dust adhesion forces would be presented. The work is being performed as a collaborative effort between Boston University, Tel Aviv University and the Arava Institute of Environmental Science under a US-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) Project.