Experimental evaluation of dust composition impact on photovoltaic performance in Iraq

Abstract

ABSTRACTPhotovoltaic cells are profoundly affected by the weather conditions of their erection area, and the most important of these influencing conditions is dust. This study focused on assessing the harmful effects of dust deposition on the performance of a photoelectric module operating in the weather conditions of the city of Baghdad-Iraq. The accumulated dust was collected for two months, and its components were studied. Also, the effect of the main three elements on the PV module performance was examined separately, and it was compared to naturally accumulated dust. Ascending blocks of; particulate particles (PM), calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and soil were used and the effect of each of them was evaluated on the PV module performance. The accumulation of dust causes a significant decrease in the performance of the PV module. The components of accumulated dust also play an essential role in determining the rate of reduction in the generated energy. Dust deposition increases the surface temperature of the photoelectric, which in turn increases the loss of generated energy. The study examined several types of locally available PV cleaning materials to evaluate the best ones. Cleaning the PV module by sodium solution reduced the generated energy loss when the module is contaminated with natural dust and PM, but its effect is limited on soil and CaCO3. For CaCO3 and soil, high-pressure water should be used, wiping the surface of the PV with a cloth or brush to prevent these substances from sticking to the surface of the PV.