Cleaning system for cleaning parabolic trough collector plants and cleaning method using said system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaning system for cleaning parabolic trough collector plants made up of cleaning vehicles with moving means, cleaning means, and operating means thereof. The cleaning vehicles are autonomous and independent of one another, and have navigation means guiding and steering the cleaning vehicle in its movement along the plant. The navigation means are made up of a relative navigation system with an inertial unit and distance sensors which measure the distance of the cleaning vehicle to the parabolic trough collector, and an absolute navigation system with a GPS positioning sub-system. A control system integrates and controls the cleaning means, operating means, moving means and navigation means of the cleaning vehicles.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001]The present invention belongs to the technical field of mechanised cleaning systems for cleaning large surfaces, specifically large reflective surfaces with a noticeable concave curvature, and more specifically to the mechanised cleaning of large parabolic trough collector plants.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Many systems and methods for the mechanised cleaning of large surfaces such as buildings, large windows, glass panels, monuments, and specifically heliostats, trackers and photovoltaic solar installations and large parabolic trough collector plants for heating the fluids flowing inside the pipes fixed to said parabolic trough collectors have emerged in the last few years. Articulated arms which apply pressurised water or brushing devices applied by articulated arms stand out among them. The more modern methods try to be as automated as possible for the purpose of reducing labour and human control to achieve the greatest efficiency possi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a method for cleaning parabolic trough collectors using small, light vehicles that minimize damage to the plants. The cleaning is done by autonomous vehicles that do not require operators, reducing costs. The method prevents damage to the collectors and pipes from impacts and ensures a high quality, safe cleaning.

Problems solved by technology

The characteristics of these collector plants are such that they make the cleaning the same a specific problem.

The cleaning of the mirrors is very delicate since they must be cleaned in an efficient manner but without damaging them by wear or breakage, which involves a precise control of the distance of the cleaning tool at all times with respect to the mirror, as well as a careful selection of the cleaning tool material if this is to be performed by contact.

The pipe is also very delicate since a breakage thereof would imply serious problems for the plant, since it renders a complete loop of collectors useless and needs the operation for emptying the fluid and repairing said pipe.

This implies that cleaning a complete plant requires a lot of time and the plant must also be cleaned with a determined frequency for maintaining the reflectivity of the mirrors, therefore if the cleaning system is not capable of covering the entire path in a determined time, more cleaning equipment is needed, implying a greater cost.

Likewise, in the rainy season the terrain can become muddy and under these circumstances the vehicle must avoid damaging the paths due to its weight as it passes.

If the cleaning system is not of high quality, the frequency of cleaning must be increased, which results in a greater number of equipment necessary for performing the cleaning and therefore a greater investment cost thereon.

If the cleaning equipment needs human operation of any type the costs of the plant increase due to the personnel cost throughout the service life of the plant.

Likewise heavy cleaning equipment damage the terrain of the plant, making the investment on machinery which repairs said terrain of the plant necessary or preventing its use in rainy seasons.

These systems have a series of problems, including the low cleaning quality, especially in the cleaning systems for cleaning exclusively with pressurised water, the frequency of cleaning must be increased and therefore the investment on equipment and labour.

Furthermore, since the intervention of at least one operator is needed the costs per cleaning operation increase.

The heavy vehicles damage the terrain of the plant, and the vehicles which longitudinally clean the collector while moving forward are more susceptible to being affected by the unevenness of the terrain and therefore are more susceptible to damaging the collectors.

Another problem is that the cleaning tools which clean as the vehicle moves and which have the shape of the collectors have to perform manoeuvres to overcome the supports of the tube as well as the supports of the collectors themselves and the joints between collectors.

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