Flexible Thin Film Functionalized by Initiative Dust Removal and Anti-Fogging for Optical Device Applications

The deposition of dust and condensation of fog will block the scattering and transmission of light, thus affecting the performance of optical devices. In this work, flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foil functionalized by active dust removal and anti-fogging characteristics is realized which combines electrodynamic screen (EDS) and electro-heating devices. In lieu of traditional measurement methods of dust removal efficiency, the PSNR is employed to characterize the dust removal efficiency of the film for the first time. The results show that both dust removal and anti-fogging improve the image quality, in which the dust removal increases the PSNR from 28.1 dB to 34.2 dB and the anti-fogging function realizes a film temperature rise of 16.7 ∘C in 5 min, reaching a maximum of 41.3 ∘C. According to the high sensitivity of the PSNR, we propose a fully automatic CIS film-driven algorithm, and its feasibility has been demonstrated.

A review of dust accumulation on PV panels in the MENA and the Far East regions

This paper presents a comprehensive review regarding the published work related to the effect of dust on the performance of photovoltaic panels in the Middle East and North Africa region as well as the Far East region. The review thoroughly discusses the problem of dust accumulation on the surface of photovoltaic panels and the severity of the problem. Moreover, a survey of the most advanced cleaning techniques is presented, and their applicability is evaluated. There are plenty of techniques that have been used to remove the dust accumulated on the surface of PV panels, and these include manual and self-cleaning methods. However, it is concluded from the presented review that there is a strong need for developing new cleaning methods especially for the Middle East and North Africa region, which do not consume water and have low capital and operational costs with less human intervention, especially for hot, arid, and dusty regions.