Cleaning agents and techniques for concentrating solar collectors

Technical Report · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5385186· OSTI ID:5385186

Sheratte, M. B.

Tests were conducted to determine the nature of the soil which is irreversibly deposited on solar collectors during environmental exposure. Methods of removing this soil were investigated. The mechanism of attachment of the soil to the surface was determined as a potential aid to cleaning agent formulation. Reflector specimens were exposed at sites in Shenandoah, GA, Albuquerque, NM, and Daggett, CA. Three types of reflector surfaces were studied: second surface silvered glass, aluminized FEK 244 film on glass substrate, and RTV 670 on aluminum. Cleaning procedures were evaluated by microscopic examination of the solid surfaces before and after cleaning and by measurement of specular reflectance. The potential effectiveness of environmental cleaning agents, such as rain, frost and snow, is discussed.

• Research Organization: McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co.-West, Huntington Beach, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5385186
• Report Number(s): SAND-79-7052
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
ADHESION
ALUMINIUM
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CLEANING
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
COST
CSP
Concentrating Solar Power
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
FROST
GLASS
ICE
METALS
MIRRORS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RAIN
SILVER
SNOW
SOILS
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR REFLECTORS
SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE
SURFACE CLEANING
SURFACE FINISHING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS