ISSN 2079-6226: Proceedings of the 2012 Mechanical Engineering Conference on Sustainable Research and Innovation, Volume 4, 3rd-4th May

2012

Effect of sand erosion of glass surface on

performances of photovoltaic module
Kotaro Tagawa, Akifumi Kutani, and Piao Qinglin

 output of photovoltaic (PV) system was affected by dust

Abstract— Recently, photovoltaic (PV) systems are installed in accumulation on the surfaces of PV modules in dusty
the arid land region of the world. The degradation of performance of environment. The degradation of performance of PV module is
PV system is caused by sand dust accumulation and sand erosion on
caused by sand dust accumulation and sand erosion on the glass
the glass surface of the PV modules. It is necessary for maintain and
life cycle of PV module to prevent the degradation of PV module in surface of the panel. It is very important for maintain and life
sand dust environment. In this study, the effects of sand erosion on cycle of PV module to prevent the degradation of PV module in
surface roughness and the transmittance of the glass sample simulated sand dust environment.
the surface of PV module were investigated. Moreover, the The previous studies have been reported about the effect of
experiment on the degradation of performance of PV module has been dust accumulation on the performance of PV module and solar
performed. collectors [1-5]. On the other hand, there are a few reports
about the effect of sand erosion on the performance of PV
Keywords—photovoltaic module, sand erosion, surface module. Bouaouadja, N et al examined the effects of the
damage damage of glass surface on the efficiency of solar panel by the
experiments focused on sandblasting duration [6]. But, the
I. INTRODUCTION more experimental data is required about the effect of sand

T HE world population has been increasing rapidly and

reached 7 billion. It is perceived that the food and water
erosion on the performance of PV module for several factors in
order to develop the PV module technology for sand dust
environment.
shortages will be expanded globally under the current food
production system if the world population continues to This study aims to estimate the damage of the glass surface
increase. Furthermore, the energy consumption will increase, by simulating the dust storm and to make clear the effects of the
which will cause short of energy resources. These issues are characteristic of glass surface damaged by sand erosion on the
closely related each other and are serious extremely in arid land performance of PV module.
including developing country. The installation of renewable
energy plays an important role to solve these issues.
II. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
There exist abundant renewable energies, such as solar
and wind energy, and vast unused land in the arid region. For In this study, a few experiments were carried out to
example, small-scale solar and wind power generations have investigate the effects of sand erosion on the performance of
such characteristics that they can generate electricity at places photovoltaic cell. Firstly, sand erosion tests used by
where it is needed to be consumed, thus they can be used as sandblasting were carried out to investigate the damage on the
independent electric source in remote areas with no electric glass surface. And then, the surface roughness and
power cable. It is very useful for electrification of farm, transmittance of the damaged glass surface were measured.
pumping water, supply of irrigation water, etc. Moreover, Secondary, the damaged glass was actually placed on the
large-scale solar and wind power generations have been surface of a photovoltaic cell, and the amount of power
introduced to supply electricity to the urban area in the arid generated by the photovoltaic cell was measured.
regions. A schematic diagram of experimental apparatus for sand
However, the sand storm and dust accumulation are erosion tests was shown in Fig. 1. This test was carried out by
common phenomena in arid land. It has been reported power using the sand blasting. The soda lime glass was used as the test
sample. The glass samples with dimension (200mm x 200mm
x 5mm) were placed with tilt angle θ (°) 200 mm apart from the
K. Tagawa, Department of Regional Environment, Faculty of Regional outlet of nozzle. The sand was supplied in the blasting air by a
Sciences, Tottori University (corresponding author to provide phone & fax:
+81-857-31-5138; e-mail: [email protected]). blower and blasted to glass sample from the outlet of nozzle.
A. Kutani, Master course, Graduate school of Regional Sciences, Tottori The shapes of sand particles used for the sand erosion tests
University were shown in Fig. 2. The sand came from the sand dune along
Q. Piao Master course, Graduate school of Regional Sciences, Tottori
University (e-mail: [email protected]). seacoast located in the Arid Land Research Center, Tottori

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ISSN 2079-6226: Proceedings of the 2012 Mechanical Engineering Conference on Sustainable Research and Innovation, Volume 4, 3rd-4th May 2012

University, Japan. Sand particles were irregular and their sizes The arithmetical mean roughness Ra was measured and the
were 100µm to 500µm. The velocity of blasting air was set at average value of 15 points was derived about each sample.
35.1 m/s and the sand particles were feed at 0.74g/s. The Schematic diagram of the experimental setup for measuring
erosion time t was set 670, 1400, 2050 and 2650s. The tilt angle the transmittance was illustrated in Fig.3. A probe of
θ was spectrometer (Ocean Optics, USB2000+ Miniature Fiber Optic
Spectrometer) was placed below the glass sample. The
wavelength of the light from the lamp was measured and found
to be about 350nm – 1050nm. The intensity of light
transmitted through the glass sample was measured before and
after sand erosion test. And then, transmittance of the damaged
glass sample was calculated from the measured intensity of
light.
Moreover, the power output of the photovoltaic cell was
measured for the case of a simulated condition of the glass
surface of the photovoltaic cell damaged by colliding sand
Fig.1 Schematic diagram of experimental apparatus for sand particles. A glass sample with a damaged surface was placed on
erosion tests the photovoltaic cell. Then, the light from a lamp was
irradiated and the current and voltage of the cell were measured.
The intensity of the light was adjusted to 1kW/m2 in this
experiment. The surface temperature of the photovoltaic cell
was 27℃±4℃.

III. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

The photographs of typical damage on the glass surface by
sand erosion were shown in Fig.4. The variation of arithmetical
roughness Ra with erosion time t is shown in Fig. 5. The
damage expanded toward the upper of the sample widely in
Fig.4. The sand particle jumped up to upper part of the glass
Fig.2 Shape of sand particle used for the erosion test sample after first collision with the surface because the sample
was set with tilt angle and the height of nozzle outlet was
positioned at the height corresponding to the lower part of the
sample. The damage made clear as erosion time became longer.
The arithmetical mean roughness became larger as the erosion
time

Fig.3 Experimental setup for measuring the transmittance Fig. 4 Photograph of the glass sample after sand erosion
( tilt angle θ = 30° )

changed from 20° to 50°.

After the sand erosion tests, the surface roughness of the
glass sample was measured at 15 points on the surface by the
surface measuring machine (MITUTOYO Surftest SJ-400).

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ISSN 2079-6226: Proceedings of the 2012 Mechanical Engineering Conference on Sustainable Research and Innovation, Volume 4, 3rd-4th May 2012

The reduction ratio of output from photovoltaic cell with

damaged surface of the glass is shown in Fig.7. The output
from photovoltaic cell reduces largely with increase of the tilt
angle and the arithmetic mean roughness of the glass surface
damaged by sand erosion.

IV. CONCLUSIONS
In this study, the effects of sand erosion on surface
roughness and the transmittance of the glass sample simulated
the surface of PV module were investigated. Moreover, the
experiment on the degradation of performance of PV module
has been performed.
From the experimental results, the damage on glass surface
Fig. 5 Variation of arithmetic roughness Ra with erosion time t by sand erosion was shown by surface roughness. Also, the
degradation of transmittance of the damaged glass surface and

Fig.7 The reduction ratio of output from photovoltaic cell

with damaged surface of the glass

the performance of photovoltaic cell with damaged surface by

sand erosion quantitatively.

REFFERENCE
Fig. 6 Transmittance of the glass sample with or without
sand erosion at each wavelength [1] M. S. El-Shobokshy and F. M. Hussein, “Effect of dust with different
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sample were 40° and 50° were shown in Fig.6. The (2003), pp.421-431
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