Study of Dust Particles Draging in Photovoltaic Modules Using Continuous Air Jets: A CFD Analysis

Pedro Freire de Carvalho Paes Cardoso, Turan Dias Oliveira, Paulo Roberto Freitas Neves, Juliana de Oliveira Cordeiro, Luzia Aparecida Tofaneli, and Alex Álisson Bandeira Santos

Centro Universitário SENAI COMATEC, Brazil

Abstract: The use of photovoltaic solar energy systems grows considerably throughout the world. Accompanying this development, many researches have been developed in order to increase the performance of the modules or create subterfuges to alleviate the losses of their income due to environmental factors. Researches show that photovoltaic (PV) modules are considerably affected by the existence of dust and its deposition on the surfaces of the modules, leading to the reduction of system efficiency. This work aims to develop a study, using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), on the use of air jets to promote the drag of dust particles, removing them from the surface. The model was developed using an Eulerian analysis, based on physical parameters, in order to discover the velocity of the air to promote the drag of the dust. Through the use of the ANSYS CFX 17.1 software, it was possible to carry out the assembly and simulation of the model and acquire important data for the continuation of the study. The results obtained showed the flow profile of airborne dust particles as well as the percentage of dust present on the surface of the modules in the stipulated time interval.

Key words: photovoltaic, dust, CFD, air