DustIQ Soiling Monitoring System

DustIQ Soiling Monitoring System

DustIQ monitors the loss of light transmission caused by dust, sand, pollen, or any other particles on PV panels using Kipp & Zonen’s new and innovative Optical Soiling Measurement (OSM) technology. The DustIQ has no moving parts and it does not need sunlight to operate. Rather, it uses an internal light source to measures scattered and reflected light that is directly proportional to soiling accumulation on the surface of the DustIQ.

The DustIQ is unique because it does not require routine cleaning and mechanical maintenance, it is easily mounted directly in between framed PV modules on fixed and tracked sites, and is cleaned only when the modules are cleaned.

Module cleaning is most economically viable when the revenue losses and performance penalties caused by soiling exceed the operational costs of monitoring and cleaning. DustIQ provides the information for solar energy plant management systems so that you can decide exactly when and where to clean. The cost-effective price of the DustIQ makes it feasible to install a network of DustIQ units to monitor the variation in soiling over across an entire PV plant.

Specifications

Downloads

Instruction sheets

• DustIQ Firmware Instructions
• DustIQ_Instruction,Taring,CalibrationSheet_220520

Manuals

• DustIQ - Manual -Oct. 2024 - all models - V2410

Datasheets

• Datasheet - DustIQ Soiling Monitoring System

Technical info

• DustIQ Application Note - Data Reduction

Declarations

• Declaration of Conformity - DustIQ

STEP files

• DustIQ - 40 mm version - universal CAD drawing (STEP)
• DustIQ - 35 mm version - universal CAD drawing (STEP)

Brochures

• DustIQ - Brochure English V1905

Newsletters

• Newsletter 41 - July 2017
• Newsletter 44 - April 2018

Software

• Smart Explorer installer SX_2.2.2.29916

FAQ

• What is the periodic time to clean the DustIQ?

  • The DustIQ is never cleaned on its own. It is only cleaned when the actual PV modules are cleaned. Then it remains "in sync" with the real PV modules.

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• How should the DustIQ itself be cleaned?

  • The DustIQ is made of PV module material like the glass and aluminium. Thus, the same procedures as for cleaning the PV modules can be used.

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• What data filtering/filters should be applied to raw data measured by the DustIQ to make the measurements useful for soiling analysis and wash decision?

  • Remove all data when the weather station indicates rain (30 minutes before and 1 hr after) and when the dew point is close to or below the PV module temperature (dew). Or install a Modbus dew-rain sensor next to the DustIQ.
    
    

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• Is the DustIQ able to calculate loss when covered with dust different to the calibration dust sample?

  • The DustIQ works with dust it has been calibrated with. For the factory calibration it is Arizona Test Dust. For other dust types, the DustIQ can be calibrated locally, it cannot be calculated or "programmed".

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• Can the DustIQ be mounted horizontally rather than vertically for single roof panel arrays for commercial rooftop systems?

  • Yes, that is possible.

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• What is the calibration frequency with respect to the lifetime of the DustIQ?

  • It is needed only once to make sure the effect of your local dust is used to get the best measurements.

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• What is the calibration frequency of the DustIQ (mainly the LED)?

  • The DustIQ does not need recalibration for at least 5-10 years as it has extra internal sensors and compensation for any potential wear or drift.

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• Can the DustIQ be installed on the open end of a row of panels or does it have to be supported on both sides between two panels?

  • For long term installation the DustIQ needs mounting support. Either from two adjacent PV modules or its own support structure.

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• Is there a plan to offer a traceable temperature sensor for the DustIQ?

  • This is under investigation.

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• How and where to mount the DustIQ?

  • The DustIQ is installed next to or in between the actual PV modules.
    
    

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• What is the main difference between normal soiling station of other makes and DustIQ?

  • Normal 2-panel systems require daily cleaning of the clean reference cell or panel, they do not fit in between the real PV modules and they only work well on sunny, cloudless days around solar noon. The DustIQ works 24/7 as long as the DustIQ is free from rain or dew. It even works up-side-down for bifacial PV plants.

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• How does the DustIQ compare to the Atonometrics MARS sensor?

  • They both use optical soiling measurement. The MARS uses a camera and only works around sunset and with a clear sky. Thus, one measurement window per day. The DustIQ measures accurately 24x7 as long as the DustIQ itself is dry. Supposedly, the MARS does not need dust calibration, but no prove has been published.

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• Does DustIQ work independently or for all PV technologies, i.e. Bifacial PV?

  • It works for all silicon- based PV modules and also upside down for bifacial.

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• The DustIQ is obviously smaller than a solar panel. By saying "it has PV panel dimensions", what does that mean?

  • Its length (996 mm) is the most common width of PV modules as is its height (35mm). The aluminium frame and glass are PV module equivalent, too.

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• What if the soiling buildup does not look the same on the DustIQ collection area compared to other modules?

  • Theoretically, the DustIQ measurement could be different then. According to the experience our customers made, the results are still close enough.

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• Why can the reported soiling ratio differ between the two sensors of the DustIQ?

  • Analyses show that the bottom of PV modules often gets soiled more than the top part and so will the bottom DustIQ sensor. Resulting in higher reported transmission loss.

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• How fast can the DustIQ report data?

  • The DustIQ takes a measurement once per minute. It operates throughout the whole day. The measurements are reliable as long as the device is dry. Storing 24x7 measurements of every minute does not really make sense as soiling grows very slowly. A few measurement points per day are enough.

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• Can the DustIQ resist harsh conditions, for example in locations near the sea?

  • Yes. The DustIQ is made with glass and aluminium with PV standard quality. Thus the same procedures for using and cleaning the PV modules can be used.

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• Is there a way to identify the soiling rate on the glass dome of a pyranometer using the DustIQ?

  • There is no direct relationship between the soiling of the flat DustIQ and the round glass dome of a pyranometer. Also the influence of soiling on a round dome on solar radiation measurement changes from plus to minus over the day and with the angle of the sun. Currently, there is no better solution than regular cleaning of the dome.

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• Technically speaking, how does the DustIQ measure soiling according to IEC 61724?

  • "IEC 61724 specifies two methods to measure soiling that were available at that time:
    
    Method 1: max power and temperature of the soiled device
    
    Method 2: short-circuit current and temperature measurement
    
    The optical measurement that has been introduced with the release of the DustIQis equivalent to the short-circuit current method. Obviously it does not measure short-circuit current but the reflected light, that then is translated into transmission loss. The local dust calibration is done based on the step change of the short-circuit current of the built-in silicon panel."

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• Is the DustIQ useful for Polycrystalline or Thin-film modules?

  • Yes, it is. Although the Thin-film might react a little bit different, the relationship between sunlight lost due to soiling and energy loss remains the same.

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• What is the purpose of the temperature option when selecting the correct model of DustIQ?

  • The PV module temperature sensor (standard since 2019) can be connected to the second port on the DustIQ to measure the rear temperature of a nearby PV module. The IEC advises to take many temperature measurements to be able to take the PV module temperature into account in the Performance Ratio calculations.

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• How many DustIQs are needed relative to the installed PV plant power? (Number of sensors per 1 MW)

  • "The standard IEC61724-01 on monitoring gives recommendations. Due to copyright we cannot share the document. Table 1 in the document advises as follows:
    
    5MW 1 instrument
    40MW 2 instruments
    100MW 3 instruments
    200MW 4 instruments
    300MW 5 instruments
    500MW 6 instruments
    
    Please see below for a preview and ways to buy the document. https://webstore.ansi.org/Standards/IEC/IEC61724Eden2017

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• What is the maximum soiling measurement range of DustIQ?

  • The DustIQ can measure up to 50% soiling loss.

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• What is the significance of the solar cell on the DustIQ?

  • The silicon cell is only used once for the local dust calibration to correlate the step change in energy with the optical sensor measurement.

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• What is the accuracy of dust measurement by the DustIQ?

  • Transmission loss measurement accuracy: ± 10% of reading after local dust calibration (not including zero offset). Zero offset: < ± 1% when clean.

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Accessories

	Accessory	Description
	PMU485 Smart Setup Hub More information	The PMU485 is a power source and data connection between a Smart Kipp & Zonen device and a PC.	Add To Basket

Relevant news items

3/20/2020 DustIQ one of the Winners of the Iberdrola Challenge

8/6/2019 Solar modeling and monitoring granularity is increasing

7/18/2019 What poses the greatest environmental hazard for solar energy? Dust!

6/21/2019 Just released SmartExplorer 2.0.2.0

6/18/2019 Soiling measurement is included in IEC standard 61724-1

6/17/2019 DustIQ wins the Megawatt Jadeite Award at SNEC 2019, Shanghai

4/18/2019 Updated manual and software for DustIQ

12/31/2018 Soiling research at Green Energy Park with DustIQ

10/24/2018 6 views on the subject of soiling, looking back at SPI 2018

4/23/2018 Sahara dust at our headquarters in Delft

3/22/2018 The DustIQ arrives at the Green Energy Park

3/1/2018 Successful DustIQ test installation in Southern Spain

5/31/2017 Breakthrough: Novel Soiling Monitoring Solution for Solar Panels

Application examples

7/22/2019 Want to learn more about soiling? Download our free whitepaper

6/20/2019 DustIQ part of the photovoltaic system at the University of São Paulo

4/17/2019 If customers require soiling measurement, we will recommend DustIQ

4/17/2019 Challenges and opportunities of a semi-arid climate

4/17/2019 MET Dunai Solar Park monitored with two DustIQs