The effect of atmospheric dust accumulation on the performance of the hybrid solar collector in the semi-arid regions of Iraq

Abstract

Solar systems are erected on the rooftops of buildings and in the open to face the sun and get the maximum amount of solar energy, as is the case with PVT systems, which makes them subject to external weather conditions that vary from place to place. Weather conditions like as wind speed, temperature, and sun radiation have an impact on the operation of all solar systems. Weather conditions have a favorable or negative impact on system performance. Whereas the wind increases the ventilation of the cells and lowers their temperature, which is reflected in their performance as they increase their productivity, on the other hand, the wind raises dust and transports it from remote areas, accumulating it on the roofs, including the destinations of the solar collectors, expressing one of the most serious problems in desert and semi-arid areas. Dust is one of the most serious issues in nations with desert and arid climates, since dust buildup on surfaces absorbing solar radiation generates an insulating layer of solar radiation, lowering the effectiveness of solar systems in general. and, in particular, photovoltaic/thermal systems. Iraq features extensive desert basins as well as a semi-arid climate with dusty weather for many months of the year. Two experimental units of double-pass PV/T collectors, one with a porous media and the other without, were designed and built to examine the influence of dust on the performance of hybrid solar collectors in terms of thermal and electrical characteristics. In the presence of dust, the daily electricity efficiency was (5.93 %) (2.41 %). When compared to the clean solar collector, the thermal efficiency of the accumulated dust collector dropped by (28.2 %), and the overall efficiency of the collected dust collector decreased by (31.7 %). The temperatures of the air leaving the collector are also important. As a result, if I want to maintain adequate performance, I need to clean these collectors after two weeks.