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Self-Cleaning Solar Mirror Coatings: From the Laboratory Scale to Prototype Field Tests
- Source :
- Applied Sciences, Vol 14, Iss 15, p 6669 (2024)
- Publication Year :
- 2024
- Publisher :
- MDPI AG, 2024.
-
Abstract
- In this study, a low-cost, scalable and robust process is proposed as an innovative method for coating solar mirrors with a self-cleaning, transparent in the full solar range and versatile material based on auxetic aluminum nitrides, previously obtained at the laboratory scale. This work presents the scaling-up of the fabrication process from the laboratory to prototypal scale and the preliminary results of outdoor self-cleaning solar mirror field tests in the demonstrative concentrating solar power (CSP) plant ENEASHIP located in Casaccia (Rome) ENEA Research Center. Prototypes with a size of 50 × 40 cm have shown stability in external conditions: no coating degradation occurred during the test campaign. Their washing restores the initial reflectance affected by soiling and the self-cleaning performance allows for the utilization of a reduced quantity of water for cleaning operations with respect to the uncoated glass of back surface mirrors. A similar self-cleaning AlN coating could be utilized on other solar components affected by soiling, such as the glass envelopes in heat-collecting elements, PV panels and other parts where a self-cleaning performance combined with an optical one is required.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20763417
- Volume :
- 14
- Issue :
- 15
- Database :
- Directory of Open Access Journals
- Journal :
- Applied Sciences
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsdoj.073e6dd7ba19407eb1da1e80ab540106
- Document Type :
- article
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3390/app14156669