MUMBAI, India, May 1 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202611023981 A) filed by Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, on Feb. 27, for 'a method, an optical sensor strip, and a system for self-shading differential detection of dust accumulation on photovoltaic panels.'
Inventor(s) include Dr S. C. Tiwari; Amit Kumar; and Shubham Tyagi.
The application for the patent was published on May 1, under issue no. 18/2026.
According to the abstract released by the Intellectual Property India: "The present invention relates to a passive optical system and method for early detection of dust accumulation on photovoltaic panels and autonomous cleaning control. The system employs a self-shading differential optical sensing architecture comprising a dual-path embedded optical fiber strip configured to capture reference ambient light and panel-exposed light affected by dust-induced self-shading. Differential optical attenuation between the two paths is analyzed to identify persistent dust accumulation prior to measurable electrical power degradation. Temporal hysteresis and predictive dust trend analysis are applied to distinguish dust-related attenuation from transient irradiance variations and to estimate future soiling severity. Upon exceeding predefined criteria, the system generates an autonomous cleaning trigger for manual or automated maintenance. The sensing device operates passively using ambient light energy or an integrated micro-solar source, eliminating the need for external illumination or power wiring. The invention enables distributed, low-cost, and energy-efficient dust monitoring across photovoltaic arrays, thereby optimizing cleaning schedules, reducing water consumption, extending panel lifespan, and maximizing long-term energy yield."
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
