Sandstorm Erosion Simulation on Solar Mirrors and Comparison with Field Data

Abstract

Solar reflectors for concentrating solar power applications can be subject to performance losses due to their permanent exposure to the environment. In this work the risk of erosion due to sandstorms is evaluated. Aluminum and glass reflector samples were exposed in Missour and Zagora (Morocco) and measurements of the wind velocity and the particle concentration were carried out. Both measured quantities were connected to the single particle momentum distribution SPMD. This novel parameter is shown to be adequate to describe the erosion characteristics of outdoor sites and laboratory setups. Its deduction will be explained and it will be applied to both outdoor sites and two accelerated erosion simulation setups, a sand trickling device -named soil pipe- and a closed loop wind channel with particle injection. Furthermore different erosion failure modes are described and explained by the use of the SPMD