Fabrication and cost analysis of screen-printed electrodynamic shields for solar applications

Abstract

Electrodynamic Shields (EDS) have been targeted as a technology to help mitigate degradation of power output caused by dust deposition on various solar collectors. Though printed circuit board based EDS prototypes have shown promising dust removal efficiencies, an inexpensive method of transparent EDS fabrication must be realized before the EDS technology is adopted by the solar industry. Development of a screen-printing process is presented as a scalable, low-cost method of EDS fabrication. The process is established using a silver-based ink on borosilicate glass substrates and then adapted to incorporate transparent conductive PEDOT:PSS and ITO nanoparticle solutions. Successful EDS prototypes are characterized and integrated with photovoltaic cells and second surface mirrored substrates. Removal efficiencies of the screen-printed EDS are tested by measuring the restoration in specular reflection and transmission in integrated EDS-mirror and EDSPV modules after dust depositions. Finally, a cost analysis of the EDS screen-printing process is performed in order to predict the economic viability of the EDS technology when used in conjunction with solar collecting technologies.