This project aims to investigate and develop the use of atmospheric pressure plasma to clean and condition the surface of CSP mirrors, reducing or possibly even eliminating the need for water for cleaning purposes.
StudentSupervisorDr Chris Sansom Secondary supervisorDr Peter King |
Industrial sponsor |
Description
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) is a promising method of electricity generation with the potential to supply large quantities of power as the world moves away from fossil fuels to renewable energy soureces, however as they are situated in sunny and dry locations the mirrors are subject to soiling with sand and dust which siginificantly reduces efficiency. Current methods of cleaning use large amounts of water which is costly and raises ethical concerns in locations where water is already a scarce resource for local populations.