Cleanliness Maintenance for an Amonix Lens System

The Amonix system is a high concentration PV system that utilizes Fresnel lenses to focus the sun’s rays on PV cells. This paper deals with issues related to the cleanliness of the lenses, the impact on performance, and the methods that can be used to clean the lenses. Issues addressed in the paper include the estimation of air-borne dirt accumulation with time. Data found in the course of our study were compared to data given in the literature about loss of transmissivity with acrylic soiling. These data were then modified to account for the two-axis tracking used for the Amonix unit, compared to the fixed orientation of the test. The effects of the loss of transmissivity were used to estimate decreases of the power produced. Costs of cleaning were compared to the lost revenue due to the decrease in sunlight reaching the cell. It is shown that rain is a good cleaning agent for the lenses. Barring precipitation, though, cleaning once a month is recommended.