Soiling Sense — MEMS Vision Outdoor Soiling Detection

MSV9608 leverages Microsense Vision’s proprietary MEMS Vision optical sensing to provide outdoor-grade, high-illumination-resistant, low-power soiling detection for photovoltaic modules. Continuous measurements enable trigger-based cleaning, reducing O&M cost and energy loss while lowering LCOE.

Designed for harsh outdoor sunlight, high reflectance, dust/salt-mist conditions
Outputs integrate with SCADA/gateways; supports thresholds and alert-driven maintenance
Multi-point deployment reflects spatial variability; supports Soiling Ratio / IWSR analytics

Why Soiling Detection How It Works

Utility-scale PV plant with dust haze — MSV9608 Soiling Sense — Outdoor MEMS Vision module & PV field deployment

Why Soiling Detection Matters

In real sites, soiling (dust, pollen, salt, industrial residues) reduces irradiance reaching the cells and lowers MPP. Studies report 3–7% average annual energy loss across many locations, with 10–20% peak drops during severe events. Fixed-interval cleaning often leads to over-cleaning or late cleaning. Measurement-triggered strategies are essential to optimize revenue and O&M cost.

Energy loss vs. soiling accumulation — Soiling accumulation vs. energy loss

IWSR / soiling heat map — IWSR / Soiling map — seasonal & spatial variability

How It Works

MSV9608 uses MEMS Vision optical sensing and algorithms to estimate surface soiling on PV modules, outputting a Soiling Ratio (and optionally mapping to an IWSR-like indicator). The module supports periodic/ event reporting and threshold alerts for seamless integration with SCADA, data gateways, and cleaning policies.

Under-glass emitter/receiver measuring dust reflection energy — Under-glass active optical reflectometry — emitter projects through glass; dust on the outer surface reflects back to the receiver.

MSV9608 system architecture & data flow — System architecture — sensor node (emitter/receiver), MCU/algorithm, gateway, cloud analytics, SCADA integration.

Economics — Clean When It Pays

A measurement-triggered cleaning strategy reduces both cleaning frequency and energy loss. The workflow is simple: Measure the Soiling Ratio → Model (IWSR, energy price, cleaning cost) → Trigger when thresholds are met. The charts below compare annual outcomes for fixed-interval cleaning versus trigger-based cleaning.

Scheduled vs. trigger-based cleaning ROI chart — Scheduled vs Trigger-based — revenue & cost

Payback sensitivity / tornado plot — Payback sensitivity — soiling rate, cleaning cost, tariff

Deployment — Where to Place Sensors

Place sensors along windward/leeward edges, near boundary roads, and across zones with different tilt or cleaning groups. For large plants, multi-point deployment captures spatial variability, enabling Soiling Ratio maps and threshold-based cleaning policies.

Recommended sensor placement across PV arrays — Example layout — boundary roads, windward/leeward, array zones

Make Cleaning Data-Driven

Use MSV9608’s continuous measurements to enable trigger-based cleaning, reduce LCOE, and stabilize performance ratio and cash flow.