Smart Solar Panel Project: Modelling of the Self-Cleaning Strategy by Piezoelectric Patches

Photovoltaic solar panels play a crucial role in energy generation in space. The Smart Solar Panel (SSP) project targets increasing the performance of such technology, developing PV (photovoltaic) panels with sun-tracking and selfcleaning capabilities for dusty applications. In this work, a numerical model to simulate the interaction between the piezoelectric patch and the panel is developed, allowing for the retrieval of the acceleration field generated at the panel’s surface; then, a methodology to rank different configurations in terms of number, position and actuation characteristics of the actuators is introduced, enabling the identification of the optimal configuration to be adopted for the cleaning, keeping fixed the energetic input into the system.