Increasing the efficiency of eco-friendly solar cells by converting wind energy into high-voltage electricity

A analysis group led by Professor Lee Ju-hyuck of DGIST within the Division of Power Science & Engineering has efficiently developed an power harvesting machine that enhances photo voltaic power effectivity by eradicating and stopping floor contamination on photo voltaic cells.

The machine, developed via joint analysis with Dr. Seung Wan-chul of the Samsung Electronics Mechatronics & Manufacturing Know-how Middle, converts frictional drive into electrical power utilizing a friction electrification energy generator and applies it to an electrodynamic display screen to forestall and take away contamination on the floor of solar cellsthus persistently sustaining their solar energy era effectivity.

Photo voltaic cells are being acknowledged as a sustainable power supply, however they demand common upkeep because of the potential decline in energy production attributable to floor contamination of the panels. Historically, human labor has been required to spray high-pressure water to wash mud from solar panels.

Nevertheless, using human staff in extreme environments comparable to deserts, mountainous areas, and even outer area is impractical. Due to this fact, analysis on an unmanned expertise to forestall and take away floor contamination from photo voltaic panels has been ongoing.

Analysis has been underway on the utilization of an electrodynamic display screen expertise that displaces particles via the era of excessive voltage within the type of alternating present on electrodes in a particular sample. Nevertheless, this expertise incurs a loss in solar energy era because of the want for alternating present and excessive voltage.

To beat this limitation, the analysis group innovated an power harvesting expertise that reuses consumed or discarded power as electrodynamic display screen expertise. The group developed a friction electrification energy generator that generates high-voltage power from wind rotation.

To check its applicability, the researchers analyzed the connection between wind speed and output primarily based on adjustments in voltage output with respect to the machine’s rotation velocity. The outcomes confirmed that quick rotation as a result of excessive wind velocity generated high voltage (as much as 2,300 V). Additional, the photo voltaic cells’ output was restored by at the least 90% when floor contamination was eliminated utilizing the self-generating electrodynamic display screen fabricated with the developed machine.

Dr. Lee said, “This research enabled us to develop the technology to prevent and remove surface contamination on solar cells by converting wind energy found in nature into electrical energy. We will continue researching further technological advancements to explore ways to maximize the efficiency of solar energy, which is a key future eco-friendly energy source.”

The research is published within the journal Nano Power.

Offered by
DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Know-how)