Waterproof treatment of photovoltaic panel columns

Can hydrophobic sol-gel based coating be used in photovoltaic system?

This study proposes the development and application of hydrophobic sol-gel based coating in the photovoltaic system. The aims include synthesizing a hydrophobic sol-gel based self-cleaning coating for solar panel and characterizing the hydrophobic sol-gel based self-cleaning coating.

Can hydrophobic coatings be used on PV solar cells?

The application of hydrophobic coatings on PV solar cells can be a cost-effective and alternative solution to reduce the efficiency losses from dust accumulation [4, 5, 6].

Why is hydrophobic coating better than uncoated PV panel?

The hydrophobic coating capable to remove the dust particles by using natural air only. The high speed-wind improves the self-cleaning process, later enhances the overall efficiency of coated PV panel. At the same time, its anti-reflection properties can reduce the temperature of the coated PV panel by 10°C as compared to the uncoated PV panel.

Why do photovoltaic panels need a self-cleaning coating?

The self-cleaning coating has attracted extensive attention in the photovoltaic industry and the scientific community because of its unique mechanism and high adaptability. Therefore, an efficient and stable self-cleaning coating is necessary to protect the cover glass on the photovoltaic panel. There are many self-cleaning phenomena in nature.

Why do photovoltaic panels need a transparent coating?

When sunlight shines on the photovoltaic panel, part of the visible light will be reflected, and the rest will be converted and utilized. Therefore, the transparency and anti-reflection of the self-cleaning coatings applied on photovoltaic modules cannot be ignored.

Which nanomaterial can be used for self-cleaning coating on solar PV panels?

Apart from SiO 2 nanomaterial, titanium dioxide (TiO 2) is another well-known nanomaterial that can be used for self-cleaning coating on solar PV panels as it possesses both hydrophilic and photocatalysis properties. The developed TiO 2 /silane coating possesses the WCA below 10°.