A Polarimetry-based Field-deployable Non-interruptive Mirror Soiling Detection Method

Fuente: arXiv
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Hauptverfasser: Tian, Mo, Rafique, Md Zubair Ebne, Chidambaranathan, Kolappan, Brost, Randy, Small, Daniel, Novick, David, Yellowhair, Julius, Yao, Yu
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Tian, Mo
Rafique, Md Zubair Ebne
Chidambaranathan, Kolappan
Brost, Randy
Small, Daniel
Novick, David
Yellowhair, Julius
Yao, Yu
author_facet Tian, Mo
Rafique, Md Zubair Ebne
Chidambaranathan, Kolappan
Brost, Randy
Small, Daniel
Novick, David
Yellowhair, Julius
Yao, Yu
contents The soiling level of heliostat mirrors in Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) fields is one of the key factors that significantly influences optical efficiency. State-of-the-art methods of monitoring heliostats soiling levels still face various challenges, including slow speed, labor-intensive operations, resolution and accuracy constraints or interruptions to solar field operations. We present a rapid, cost-effective, and non-intrusive method for mirror soiling detection based on polarimetric imaging, referred to as Polarimetric Imaging-based Mirror Soiling (PIMS). The compact PIMS device is designed for integration with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), enabling rapid, large-area assessments of heliostat mirrors for efficient soiling detection. Our method utilizes the correlation between the Degree of Linear Polarization (DoLP) and surface soiling level based on Mie scattering theory and Monte Carlo simulations. Field deployment of the PIMS method requires minimal device installation, and its UAV-based operation allows for soiling detection without interrupting plant activities. The PIMS method holds the potential for mirror soiling detection across various concentrated solar power (CSP) plants and can be further adapted for other types of solar fields, such as parabolic trough systems.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2501_01643
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A Polarimetry-based Field-deployable Non-interruptive Mirror Soiling Detection Method
Tian, Mo
Rafique, Md Zubair Ebne
Chidambaranathan, Kolappan
Brost, Randy
Small, Daniel
Novick, David
Yellowhair, Julius
Yao, Yu
Applied Physics
Optics
The soiling level of heliostat mirrors in Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) fields is one of the key factors that significantly influences optical efficiency. State-of-the-art methods of monitoring heliostats soiling levels still face various challenges, including slow speed, labor-intensive operations, resolution and accuracy constraints or interruptions to solar field operations. We present a rapid, cost-effective, and non-intrusive method for mirror soiling detection based on polarimetric imaging, referred to as Polarimetric Imaging-based Mirror Soiling (PIMS). The compact PIMS device is designed for integration with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), enabling rapid, large-area assessments of heliostat mirrors for efficient soiling detection. Our method utilizes the correlation between the Degree of Linear Polarization (DoLP) and surface soiling level based on Mie scattering theory and Monte Carlo simulations. Field deployment of the PIMS method requires minimal device installation, and its UAV-based operation allows for soiling detection without interrupting plant activities. The PIMS method holds the potential for mirror soiling detection across various concentrated solar power (CSP) plants and can be further adapted for other types of solar fields, such as parabolic trough systems.
title A Polarimetry-based Field-deployable Non-interruptive Mirror Soiling Detection Method
topic Applied Physics
Optics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.01643