Cleaning innovative daylighting systems: Review and suggested methods

Innovative daylighting systems (IDS) are used to deliver daylight into windowless spaces and building cores. Cleaning the exposed surfaces is essential for maintaining their efficiency because the accumulation of dirt inhibits their effectiveness. However, a review of the literature has indicated that this issue has not received the attention it deserves. This study reviews the cleaning methods currently used for solar devices and conventional daylighting systems. It also presents the technologies that can currently be employed to produce an IDS cleaning system, and suggests six cleaning mechanisms and 12 cleaning systems that suit different types of IDS in various operating circumstances. These include air-blowing, water-jetting, dragging-contact, rotary-contact and certain aid treatments. Air-cleaning and washing with water can both be used to restore functionality. Wiping and scrubbing are effective for increasing efficiency. Further productivity can be obtained by drying solar collectors after they have been washed. The systems suggested herein can be developed using already available technologies in order to achieve the ultimate in IDS efficiency restoration. However, before this can be done, the economic, environmental and operational aspects, in addition to potential levels of efficacy and applicability, must be assessed.