DEPLOYMENT IN DESERT REGIONS
CLEARING YOUR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM FROM SAND
A photovoltaic system has to withstand a lot. At any given time of year, and around the clock, it is exposed to all kinds of weather and atmospheric influences. Sunlight, rain and extreme temperature fluctuations – the photovoltaic modules have to be tough. There is also wind, dust or even (desert) sand. In this way, weather and wind combine to cause soiling that affects the solar modules. This has lasting consequences: This is because impurities essentially reduce the solar system’s yield. Therefore, any dirt found on PV systems must always be removed as quickly as possible before the sun is allowed to etch the soiling into the surface, thereby creating so-called “hot spots”.
Dirt or desert sand on solar systems –
running the risk of significant yield losses
Especially if the solar modules are visibly affected by dirt, dust or sand, you should always react quickly and have the sand removed from PV systems. Otherwise, you run the risk of significant yield losses. A mix of wet and dry cleaning is ideal here.
Important: Always remove sand from PV systems quickly
If sand is allowed to rest on PV systems, you should always carry out quick and effective cleaning measures. The following figures illustrate just how important it is to have sand removed from PV systems. If the sand found on PV systems is removed regularly, an average yield gain of roughly 15 per cent can be achieved. Based on a 100 kWp plant, this yields an additional amount of approx. 15,000 kWh per year. Regularly having the sand removed from PV systems is essential from an economic standpoint.
Freeing the solar system from desert sand: SunBrush Mobil makes this possible at any time
However, in order to remove desert sand quickly and effectively from solar systems without fail, you need a specific cleaning solution. With the SunBrush Mobil cleaning system, you will always be playing it safe. The system can be deployed anywhere, it is easy to install, it can be easily controlled and it reliably removes sand from PV systems. You can benefit from a hydraulically operated solar cleaning system that is controlled by a joystick. Cleaning is carried out directly on the modules.
Whether dry or wet cleaning: Sand on PV systems is consistently removed without fail
SunBrush Mobil is particularly effective due to its variability. For example, you can sweep away desert sand from the solar system using the integrated brush roller, or have the sand removed from PV systems using wet cleaning. Especially in the case of encrusted desert sand found on solar systems, wet cleaning ensures optimum results.
Effective dry cleaning
Dry cleaning is a cost-effective and resource-saving cleaning method. The spiral-shaped SunBrush Mobil brushes are extremely gentle on the surface. During a long-term test, the University of Ulm soiled solar power modules with quartz sand and cleaned them using the dry cleaning method in excess of a thousand times with the help of the SunBrush Mobil system. This corresponds to cleaning once a week over a period of 20 years. After more than a thousand cleaning cycles, no impairment of the glass surface or module performance could be detected.
Solar cleaning when removing sand and dust
Normally, photovoltaic systems are cleaned with cold water, in order to be able to use the high-yield hours of sunshine needed to produce electricity. But in desert regions, and in addition to the problem of the temperature difference between the plant itself and the water, there is also the issue of the close arrangement of PV module rows. This makes cleaning considerably more difficult and, in a worst-case scenario, even leads to damage to the system. The SunBrush Mobil solar cleaning system is ideal for this purpose, ensuring gentle and thorough cleaning.
Solar cleaning in the desert with SunBrush Mobil
In order to optimise the yield, the module rows in desert regions are often arranged closely together. This distancing (or cross bars) with tracker systems represent a problem for solar cleaning. SunBrush® mobil Rapid solar cleaning is the ideal solution for exactly this purpose. This is a compact cleaning machine that is installed on a mini-excavator. The SunBrush® mobil cleaning brush can also be mounted on standard tractors or other vehicles in a few minutes and is controlled by means of a joystick. With its simple operation, the flexibly adjustable brush can be moved in any direction to ensure the thorough removal of sand and dust.
The gentle and simultaneously thorough cleaning achieved with SunBrush® mobil has also been confirmed by numerous laboratory tests. The simulation of a dry cleaning operation over 20 years with the SunBrush® mobil cleaning system revealed no scratches or signs of wear in the glass surface of the PV modules.