DustIQ Soiling Monitoring System for Solar PV | Kipp & Zonen
Product Number: 386915Overview
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.
Unique measuring principle
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.
Clean your modules when it is most economically viable
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
Technical Attributes
| Accuracy | Transmission loss: ±0.1 of reading ±1% (after local dust calibration) |
| Cable | No cable |
| Casing IP Rating | IP65 |
| Daisy-chain Capability | Three instruments max. in one chain. Only the last device can have the PV panel temperature sensor attached. |
| Digital outputs | RS485 Modbus RTU |
| Dimensions (free text) | 39 x 6 19/64 x 1 3/8 in (990 x 160 x 35 mm) |
| Interface | 2-wire RS-485 RTU using Modbus |
| Material enclosures | Aluminum, anodized |
| Maximum Voltage | The maximum differential between either of the Modbus® RS-485 lines (yellow and grey) and the power ground / RS-485 common line (black) is 70 VDC. |
| Measurement Range EU | Back of module temperature sensor: -4 to +212 °F, ±1.8 °F (-20 to +100 °C, ±1 °C) |
| Operating temp range 1 | -4 to +140 °F (-20 to +60 °C) |
| Output Values | Soiling Ratio (SR) 100 to 50% and Transmission Loss (TL) 0 to 50% |
| Outputs | Percentage of sunlight that is blocked or scattered in such a way that it does not reach the actual solar cells 0 to 50% |
| Power Consumption | ˂ 2.5 W |
| Power supply | 12 to 30 VDC, 70 to 200 mA; |
| Standard storage temperature | -4 to +176 ˚F (-20 to +80 °C) |
| Tilt X and Y-axis | -180° to 180° ; ±1° |