Accumulation of dust can substantially decrease efficiency and even damage solar cells. Previous research suggests that one feasible method of dust removal is high voltage wave electric curtain, which is also confirmed by our work. This project aims to investigate the movement pattern of dust particles under traveling wave electric curtain condition and subsequent optimization of the parameters of wave electric curtain. Firstly, the property of earth dust particles is studied, including particle size distribution, charges, ionization and polarization, and especially the electronic characteristics which are the basis to study the movement rule of dust particles. Secondly, distinct element method and boundary element method are employed to build the moving model of dust particles, charged or uncharged, under the forces of electrostatic, dielectric electrophoresis, resistance and charges. As a result, the movement pattern of the dust particles in the earth's atmosphere environment and corresponding removal mechanism are revealed. Furthermore, numerical simulation and orthogonal experiment are conducted to investigate the relationship between the dust removal efficiency and the parameters of electric curtain, including electrical power parameters (waveform, voltage and frequency), mechanical parameters (electrode width, gap, thin film thickness) and etc. The mathematical model of the dust removal efficiency and the optimization method for electric curtain design are established by using multivariate function optimization methods. The research may provide theoretical basis for the development of self clean techniques for large solar cells and other photoelectric instrument systems under the weather of western China.