Experimental investigation of a new solar panels cleaning system using ionic wind produced by corona discharge.

This paper aims to study a new solar panels cleaning device based on the ionic wind produced by corona discharge plasma. The device comprises a high-voltage electrode composed of a series of parallel sharp needles and a grounded frame electrode. The system is moved using two driven wheels fixed at its extremities, and is placed at a few millimetres above the solar panel surface at. The cleaning operation is done by moving the dust particles from the surface using the ionic wind coming out through a 5 mm-width opening located at the bottom of the device. The study was carried out by measuring the wind velocity and the cleaning efficiency as a function of the device movement speed and the applied voltage level. The results obtained using Algerian Sahara sand dust allowed to obtain an ionic wind velocity of about 2 m/s and a cleaning efficiency that reaches 95% with a consumed power of about 20 W. • A new cleaning device of solar panels was developed and investigated. • The technique is based on the ionic wind produced by corona discharge plasma. • The device is provided with two driven wheels moving along the panel. • The ionic wind is capable of removing 95% of the sand particles in one passage. • The power consumed is about twenty watts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]