Case: Solar panel coating project
- Post by: Tobias Larsson
- 25th April 2013
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We are a group of 5 students studying mechanical engineering at BTH since 2009. It all started with a course called Innovative product development and in addition to learn how to conduct a project theoretical we were also given the chance to do it for real.
Eager to do a full scale project we jumped on one of the suggested projects.
The project is about a different set of coating for photovoltaic solar panels. The coating claim to have a number of properties, one of them is to increase the efficiency output of the solar panel.
The project is then simple, examine the output of the four following
- A regular non coated panel
- A panel coated with plan B
- A panel coated with sparkling sun
- A panel coated with colored sparkling sun
In short plan B looks like a normal panel in the sense that it has a transparent coating. It claims to be more resilient towards mechanical impact as well as slightly reduce the temperature of the panel and in that way slightly increase the efficiency.
Sparkling sun on the other hand looks nothing like a normal panel. It’s entire surface sparkles and in addition to the properties of plan B it’s also said to increase the effectiveness of panels in steep angles towards the sun, that means panels either mounted horizontally or vertically.
For the last 7 months the group that now calls themselves “InnoMech” have been working on a concept for conducting these types of tests, making it possible to replicate them.
Parallel to this they have also designed and manufactured a construct that allows them to fasten the solar panels and test them in different angles to be as thorough as possible.
It’s been a long journey with quite a few bumps along the way but now, at last, we can spot the light at the end of the tunnel. The solar panels are currently gazing towards the sky at BTH and soon the measurements will begin and more information will follow shortly!
Best regards
Erik Petersson, Gustav Müller Lundgren, Philip Nilsson, Martin Nilsson Lind and Daniel Petersson
For more information on research collaboration with Product Development Research Lab: Tobias Larsson, tlr@bth.se, http://www.bth.se/pdrl.