Photovoltaic panel cleaning method, device and system
Through the integrated command center, sweeper and a variety of drones, fully automated cleaning operations are achieved, solving the problem of difficulty in cleaning photovoltaic panels in harsh environments, improving the cleaning efficiency and coverage range, and significantly improving the The cleaning effect of photovoltaic panels.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202411254388.8
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-09-09
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-10
AI Technical Summary
Photovoltaic panels are difficult to clean in harsh environments, with high mechanized cleaning costs, fast equipment aging, and fast stain accumulation. It is difficult for the existing technology to achieve efficient and automated cleaning operations.
A photovoltaic panel cleaning system integrating command center, sweeper and a variety of drones was designed. Through drones, images and data are collected in real time, stain distribution is identified, cleaning strategies are formulated, and fully automated cleaning operations are realized to support nighttime. Clean.
It improves the cleaning efficiency and coverage range, significantly improves the cleaning effect of photovoltaic panels, reduces the need for manual intervention, and optimizes the overall performance and effect of cleaning operations.
Smart Images

Figure CN119109404A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of photovoltaic panel equipment, and in particular to a photovoltaic panel cleaning method, device and system. Background Art
[0002] Photovoltaic energy is a renewable energy source. Photovoltaic cleaning is a key step to ensure the efficient operation of photovoltaic panels. During the use of photovoltaic panels, dust, bird droppings, fallen leaves and other stains will continue to accumulate on the surface of the photovoltaic panels. These stains block the photovoltaic panels, resulting in reduced power generation efficiency. Long-term accumulation of dirt may also cause the photovoltaic panels to be unable to dissipate heat, aggravating the aging of the device or even damage it.
[0003] Currently, there are two main methods for cleaning photovoltaic panels: manual cleaning and mechanized cleaning. Manual cleaning is more flexible and can be performed in complex terrains, but it is labor-intensive and has relatively low cleaning efficiency. Machine cleaning is efficient, and the operation process is accurately controlled, causing less damage to the equipment. However, the machine installation and maintenance costs are high, and the operation and maintenance of the equipment require highly qualified personnel. Mechanized cleaning in complex terrains also faces problems such as deployment difficulties.
[0004] The most important considerations for cleaning photovoltaic panels in photovoltaic power plants are cleaning costs, cleaning materials consumed for a single cleaning, cleaning time, equipment depreciation costs, labor costs, etc. The power generation and benefits of a photovoltaic power plant are limited, so the cost that can be invested in equipment cleaning is also very limited.
[0005] In summary, at present, the cleaning of photovoltaic panels mainly faces the following problems: Difficult deployment: In order to increase sunshine duration and improve land utilization, photovoltaic power stations are usually set up in remote areas with harsh environments. Typical areas include deserts, high-altitude areas, shallow seas, etc. The cost of mechanized cleaning in these places is high and the equipment ages quickly.
[0006] Stains accumulate quickly. Due to the harsh installation environment, accumulated dust and dirt can quickly re-cover the surface of the photovoltaic panels. To keep the photovoltaic panels in ideal working conditions, the surface of the photovoltaic panels needs to be cleaned regularly.
[0007] Affected by the environment, cleaning operations need to be avoided during the high temperatures at noon. The machines are prone to overheating, and there are certain risks in night operations. Therefore, cleaning operations are usually performed in the morning, evening or on cloudy days. Summary of the invention
[0008] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides a photovoltaic panel cleaning method, device and system to solve the problems raised in the above background technology.
[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: a photovoltaic panel cleaning system, the cleaning system is integrated in a box, the box is installed on a transportation vehicle, and is used for transportation and deployment between multiple photovoltaic fields. The photovoltaic panel cleaning system includes a command center, a cleaning machine, and a drone; The command center is used to command and dispatch the sweepers and drones, maintain daily maintenance of the sweepers and drones, process various data collected during the cleaning process, identify the distribution of stains and formulate cleaning strategies; The cleaning machine is used to clean the photovoltaic panels; The drones include command drones, relay drones, transport drones, rescue drones and inspection drones; The drone: The command machine is used for image acquisition, signal relay and data monitoring, and generates three-dimensional images based on the image acquisition data; Repeater, used to expand the signal radiation range, so that the cleaning area can be further expanded; A transporter, used to carry the sweeper and transport the sweeper to the photovoltaic panel; Rescue machines, used to transport faulty machines back to the command center, and to recharge and rescue machines with depleted battery energy through external discharge; Inspection aircraft, used to explore the flight path and verify the feasibility of the path, and simultaneously detect the location distribution, size specifications, and dirtiness of each photovoltaic panel; The system is available in both an integrated sweeper and drone setup and a split setup; In the integrated setup, the sweeper itself is integrated with the drone and cannot be separated; In the split setup, the sweeper and drone are installed in combination and can be quickly disassembled.
[0010] In both sweeper and drone settings, the work content of the drones in the system includes command, inspection, relay, rescue and transportation. The difference lies in the number of drones. The work content of the drones is deployed on different drones, or on the same drone based on the workflow.
[0011] To further optimize the technical solution, when the command aircraft is configured with more than two drones, one of them is set as a command mother aircraft. The command mother aircraft hovers at a high altitude above the photovoltaic power station during the entire cleaning operation to monitor the entire cleaning operation, including judging the stains on the photovoltaic panels and the cleaning operation. When flight abnormalities or cleaning abnormalities are monitored, an early warning prompt is issued to the command center.
[0012] A photovoltaic panel cleaning method is provided, which performs cleaning work on the photovoltaic panel based on the photovoltaic panel cleaning system, and includes the following processes: When the cleaning operation is carried out, the command vehicle equipped with the whole set of photovoltaic panel cleaning system is parked stably to determine the control signal range that the command center can radiate. When the maximum radiation range of the command center cannot cover the entire photovoltaic power station, the uncovered area is planned as the next stage of cleaning operation area. After the command center is moved again to cover the area, cleaning can be carried out; When starting the cleaning operation, the environmental conditions of the photovoltaic power station are first identified, and the command aircraft collects images of the area to be cleaned from a high altitude in the photovoltaic panel erection area. After the collected images are sent back to the command center, the first take-off operation is completed; After receiving the image data monitored by the command aircraft, the command center first determines the basic conditions of the area to be cleaned, including the number, specifications, orientation, and location of photovoltaic panels, as well as obstacles or no-fly zones in the area to be cleaned; By using infrared imaging or electroluminescence technology, the inspection machine can quantitatively analyze the distribution of stains on photovoltaic panels and verify the effective flight path, so as to determine the contamination of photovoltaic panels and the number and location of photovoltaic panels that need to be cleaned, and determine the type of stains based on the image characteristics, thermal imaging characteristics or spectral characteristics of the stain distribution; Develop a cleaning strategy, including the shortest flight path for drones, the type of cleaning agent for sweepers, the cleaning method and the cleaning sequence; Conduct coordinated dispatching of drones and sweepers, and design dispatching plans for drones carrying sweepers between different photovoltaic panels; After completing the entire cleaning process, the cleaned photovoltaic panels are monitored again by drones to evaluate the cleaning effect, and the cleaning effect data is fed back to the command center for iterative optimization of the algorithm.
[0013] To further optimize the technical solution, the coordinated dispatching of the drone and the sweeper includes the following contents: When the drone and the cleaning machine are fixedly installed, that is, one drone drives one cleaning machine to clean the photovoltaic panels, the drone needs to transport the cleaning machine back to the command center when the cleaning machine runs out of power, depending on the cleaning progress, power and cleaning agent of the cleaning machine; When the drone and the cleaning machine are installed separately, that is, one drone drives multiple cleaning machines to clean the photovoltaic panels, the command center takes into account the cleaning progress, power supply and cleaning agent consumption of multiple cleaning machines, and transports the drone across the photovoltaic panels, or between the photovoltaic panels and the command center; The command center will continuously correct the environmental conditions of the area to be cleaned through real-time data sent back from transport aircraft and sweepers, including the specific flight path, specific stains, types, and thickness of the photovoltaic panels.
[0014] To further optimize the technical solution, the photovoltaic panel cleaning method is based on nighttime dirt detection, nighttime positioning guidance and nighttime cleaning operations of photovoltaic panels. The inspection machine applies electroluminescence technology to apply a forward current to the components of the photovoltaic panel, so that the current acts on both sides of the PN junction. The electric energy excites the atoms in the ground state to the excited state. The atoms in the excited state are unstable and emit spontaneous radiation, generating electroluminescence. Each photovoltaic panel is equipped with an excitation power supply component, and the excitation power supply component is used to apply current to the components of the photovoltaic panel to make them emit light; The inspection machine also uses photoluminescence technology, using lasers of a specific wavelength to optically excite the photovoltaic panels. The excited photovoltaic panels produce a certain amount of excitation light, which is sensed and imaged by a highly sensitive camera to detect cracks, defects or dirty areas on the photovoltaic panels.
[0015] Further optimizing the technical solution, the excitation power supply assembly includes an exciter, an output power detection module and a beacon light; The exciter and output power detection module are designed on the photovoltaic panel output junction box, wherein the exciter provides current to the photovoltaic panel to stimulate it to emit light, and the output power detection module is used to detect the output power; The output power of the photovoltaic panel is detected regularly and a reference value is set. When the output power of the photovoltaic panel is lower than the reference value, the photovoltaic panel is judged to be seriously polluted, and the beacon light is turned on; When the beacon light is turned on, it radiates light of a specific wavelength band with a higher intensity. This light can be easily detected by the control aircraft in the air, thereby judging that the photovoltaic panel needs to be cleaned.
[0016] A photovoltaic panel cleaning device is characterized in that it is mounted on a cleaning machine based on the above-mentioned photovoltaic panel cleaning system and operates based on the above-mentioned photovoltaic panel cleaning method.
[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a photovoltaic panel cleaning method, device and system, which have the following beneficial effects: The photovoltaic panel cleaning method, device and system realizes fully automated cleaning operations by integrating a command center, a cleaning machine and multiple drones, improving cleaning efficiency and coverage. The system collects images and data in real time through drones, accurately identifies the distribution of stains, formulates targeted cleaning strategies and can perform nighttime cleaning operations, significantly improving the cleaning effect of photovoltaic panels, reducing the need for manual intervention, and optimizing the overall performance and effect of cleaning operations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drone in a photovoltaic panel cleaning system proposed by the present invention; Figure 2A schematic diagram of a process of cleaning a photovoltaic panel proposed by the present invention; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a cleaning area and a cleaning path of a photovoltaic panel cleaning device proposed by the present invention; Figure 4 Schematic diagram designed for photovoltaic panel circuit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] The following will be combined with the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Embodiment 1:
[0020] A photovoltaic panel cleaning system is integrated in a box, which is installed on a transportation vehicle for transportation and deployment between multiple photovoltaic fields. The photovoltaic panel cleaning system includes a command center, a cleaning machine and a drone.
[0021] The command center is used to command and dispatch the sweepers and drones, while maintaining daily maintenance of the sweepers and drones, processing various data collected during the cleaning process, identifying the distribution of stains and formulating cleaning strategies.
[0022] The cleaning machine is used for cleaning photovoltaic panels.
[0023] like Figure 1 As shown, the UAVs include command aircraft, relay aircraft, transport aircraft, rescue aircraft and inspection aircraft; The drone: The command machine is used for image acquisition, signal relay and data monitoring, and generates three-dimensional images based on the image acquisition data; Repeater, used to expand the signal radiation range, so that the cleaning area can be further expanded; A transporter, used to carry the sweeper and transport the sweeper to the photovoltaic panel; Rescue machines, used to transport faulty machines back to the command center, and to recharge and rescue machines with depleted battery energy through external discharge; The inspection machine is used to explore the flight path and verify the feasibility of the path, and simultaneously detect the location distribution, size specifications, and dirtiness of each photovoltaic panel.
[0024] The system is available in both an integrated sweeper and drone setup and a split setup; In the integrated setup, the sweeper itself is integrated with the drone and cannot be separated; In the split setup, the sweeper and drone are installed in combination and can be quickly disassembled.
[0025] In both sweeper and drone settings, the work content of the drones in the system includes command, inspection, relay, rescue and transportation. The difference lies in the number of drones. The work content of the drones is deployed on different drones, or on the same drone based on the workflow.
[0026] In this embodiment, when the command aircraft is configured with more than two drones, one of them is set as a command mother aircraft. The command mother aircraft hovers in the sky above the photovoltaic power station during the entire cleaning operation and monitors the entire cleaning operation, including judging the stains on the photovoltaic panels and the cleaning operation. When flight abnormalities or cleaning abnormalities are monitored, an early warning prompt is issued to the command center.
[0027] Among them, the command aircraft is the first drone to take off. Its role varies according to the progress of the cleaning, mainly image acquisition, signal relay and data monitoring. Under ideal conditions, the command mother aircraft will remain hovering or simply patrol over the cleaning area during the entire cleaning operation, continuously collecting data on the cleaning area, mainly image data, and can also collect data from multiple sensors by mounting different equipment.
[0028] After the command center collects image information of the area to be cleaned from multiple angles, it will generate a three-dimensional image based on the image collection and make a simple assessment of the distribution, quantity, and degree of dirtiness of the photovoltaic panels. The command center will identify obstacles in the collected images, including power lines, signal towers, energy storage battery compartments, etc., and mark these areas as obstacles, so that the transport aircraft can automatically bypass them during work.
[0029] During the first takeoff of the command aircraft, its main purpose is to determine the conditions of all photovoltaic panels in the radiation area, including the number of photovoltaic panels, tilt angle, panel orientation, and external environment conditions. These data can be obtained by collecting images and using image recognition algorithms. The relevant technology is highly mature and will not be elaborated here.
[0030] The inspection aircraft starts working after the command aircraft has collected preliminary images. Its main function is to explore a flyable path and verify the feasibility of the path. The system will plan a preliminary flyable path for the inspection aircraft to explore. The inspection aircraft is equipped with an inertial navigation module, which can record the movement trajectory of the inspection aircraft and determine the actual flight path based on it. While the inspection aircraft is exploring the flight path, it will also simultaneously detect the location distribution, size specifications, and dirtiness of each photovoltaic panel to assist the command center in making a reasonable cleaning strategy.
[0031] The repeater is a drone that takes off during cleaning and inspection operations. Its function is to expand the signal radiation range so that the cleaning area can be further expanded without having to move the command center frequently. The flight operations of each drone are carried out within the signal radiation range. If the working area exceeds the range that the signal can cover, the command center needs to be moved. The transfer of the command center position involves the change of the positioning reference of the entire system. When the command aircraft flies high into the sky, it needs to use the command center as a positioning reference. The command center is the positioning origin of the entire area to be cleaned. At this time, after determining the parking point of the command center, the command center will not move the vehicle again without special needs.
[0032] A transport aircraft is a drone that takes off during cleaning operations. Its main function is to transport the cleaning aircraft. It can also transport some signal transmission and collection equipment, and can also carry different sensors.
[0033] Transport aircraft, relay aircraft, inspection aircraft and command aircraft can all use drones of the same model and specifications. There is no substantial difference between them. That is, drones can be replaced with each other in these three categories by mounting different equipment and equipping different sensors. The same model of drone can be used in different cleaning stages and different division of labor. Only at least two drones are needed to complete a more complex automatic cleaning process. Embodiment 2:
[0034] A photovoltaic panel cleaning method is provided, which performs cleaning work on the photovoltaic panel based on the photovoltaic panel cleaning system described in the first embodiment, and includes the following processes: like Figure 2 As shown, when the cleaning operation is carried out, the command vehicle equipped with a complete set of photovoltaic panel cleaning system is parked stably to determine the control signal range that the command center can radiate. When the maximum radiation range of the command center cannot cover the entire photovoltaic power station, the uncovered area is planned as the next stage of cleaning operation area. After the command center is moved again to cover the area, cleaning can be carried out; When starting the cleaning operation, the environmental conditions of the photovoltaic power station are first identified, and the command aircraft collects images of the area to be cleaned from a high altitude in the photovoltaic panel erection area. After the collected images are sent back to the command center, the first take-off operation is completed; After receiving the image data monitored by the command aircraft, the command center first determines the basic conditions of the area to be cleaned, including the number, specifications, orientation, and location of photovoltaic panels, as well as obstacles or no-fly zones in the area to be cleaned; By using infrared imaging or electroluminescence technology, the inspection machine can quantitatively analyze the distribution of stains on photovoltaic panels and verify the effective flight path, so as to determine the contamination of photovoltaic panels and the number and location of photovoltaic panels that need to be cleaned, and determine the type of stains based on the image characteristics, thermal imaging characteristics or spectral characteristics of the stain distribution; Develop a cleaning strategy, including the shortest flight path for drones, the type of cleaning agent for sweepers, the cleaning method and the cleaning sequence; Conduct coordinated dispatching of drones and sweepers, and design dispatching plans for drones carrying sweepers between different photovoltaic panels; After completing the entire cleaning process, the cleaned photovoltaic panels are monitored again by drones to evaluate the cleaning effect, and the cleaning effect data is fed back to the command center for iterative optimization of the algorithm.
[0035] In this embodiment, the coordinated scheduling of the drone and the sweeper includes the following contents: When the drone and the cleaning machine are fixedly installed, that is, one drone drives one cleaning machine to clean the photovoltaic panels, the drone needs to transport the cleaning machine back to the command center when the cleaning machine runs out of power, depending on the cleaning progress, power and cleaning agent of the cleaning machine; When the drone and the cleaning machine are installed separately, that is, one drone drives multiple cleaning machines to clean the photovoltaic panels, the command center takes into account the cleaning progress, power supply and cleaning agent consumption of multiple cleaning machines, and transports the drone across the photovoltaic panels, or between the photovoltaic panels and the command center; The command center will continuously correct the environmental conditions of the area to be cleaned through real-time data sent back from transport aircraft and sweepers, including the specific flight path, specific stains, types, and thickness of the photovoltaic panels.
[0036] Cleaning photovoltaic panels at night is the most ideal cleaning solution, because the photovoltaic panels are not working at this time, and the ambient temperature is relatively low, so the equipment does not have to worry too much about heat dissipation, thus achieving a longer working life. However, the lighting conditions at night are poor, and drones have poor perception of the environment during flight operations, which is prone to collision risks. It is also difficult for cleaning machines to accurately identify and determine stains under unsatisfactory lighting conditions.
[0037] In the current photovoltaic panel cleaning scheme, if the photovoltaic panels are to be cleaned at night, the common method is to add night vision function to the image acquisition equipment on the aircraft, such as using infrared imaging, low-light multiplication technology, etc. These methods will increase the complexity of the system and also increase the cost of cleaning applications.
[0038] Similarly, due to poor lighting conditions, it is much more difficult to monitor the working conditions of cleaning equipment, cleaning conditions, and transportation equipment. Sweepers and drones will report their work progress themselves, but it is difficult to confirm from a third party whether the transmitted data is reliable. At least the command aircraft needs to be equipped with night vision equipment to monitor the working progress of each device.
[0039] Furthermore, the evaluation of the cleaning condition of photovoltaic panels has become more complicated. Since photovoltaic panels themselves have mirror reflection problems, it is not feasible to illuminate their surfaces with light to evaluate the degree of cleanliness. The reflected light spots will interfere with the detection results of the photovoltaic panels.
[0040] In this embodiment, the photovoltaic panel cleaning method is based on nighttime dirt detection, nighttime positioning guidance and nighttime cleaning operations of the photovoltaic panel. The inspection machine applies electroluminescence technology to apply a forward current to the components of the photovoltaic panel so that the current acts on both sides of the PN junction. The electric energy excites the atoms in the ground state to the excited state. The atoms in the excited state are unstable and emit spontaneous radiation, generating an electroluminescence phenomenon. Each photovoltaic panel is equipped with an excitation power supply component, which is used to apply current to the components of the photovoltaic panel to make it emit light.
[0041] The inspection machine also uses photoluminescence technology, using lasers of a specific wavelength to optically excite the photovoltaic panels. The excited photovoltaic panels produce a certain amount of excitation light, which is sensed and imaged by a highly sensitive camera to detect cracks, defects or dirty areas on the photovoltaic panels.
[0042] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the excitation power supply assembly includes an exciter, an output power detection module and a beacon light; The exciter and output power detection module are designed on the photovoltaic panel output junction box, wherein the exciter provides current to the photovoltaic panel to stimulate it to emit light, and the output power detection module is used to detect the output power; The output power of the photovoltaic panel is detected regularly and a reference value is set. When the output power of the photovoltaic panel is lower than the reference value, the photovoltaic panel is judged to be seriously polluted, and the beacon light is turned on; When the beacon light is turned on, it radiates light of a specific wavelength band with a higher intensity. This light can be easily detected by the control aircraft in the air, thereby judging that the photovoltaic panel needs to be cleaned.
[0043] Furthermore, when the sweeper is cleaning the photovoltaic panel, it does not need additional lighting tools, and can locate the stains by simply judging the position distribution of the shadow part on the photovoltaic panel. Since the photovoltaic panel itself is stimulated to emit light, the shadow part on the photovoltaic panel is the position where the light source cannot be normally collected because it is blocked by the stain. After the sweeper finishes cleaning the photovoltaic panel, it can also use the light emission of the photovoltaic panel to determine whether it has been thoroughly cleaned.
[0044] A photovoltaic panel cleaning device is provided, which is mounted on a cleaning machine in the photovoltaic panel cleaning system described in the first embodiment and is operated based on the photovoltaic panel cleaning method described in the second embodiment.
[0045] The process of cleaning the photovoltaic panels is actually the process of blowing away the accumulated dust and stains on the photovoltaic panels from top to bottom. For the cleaning device, the effective cleaning area can be simplified to the air outlet position of the lower edge enclosure. At this position, the surface of the photovoltaic panels can be double-brushed by the airflow blowing and the cleaning soft brush.
[0046] The cleaning device hovers over the surface of the photovoltaic panel, and the photovoltaic panel in the area covered by the enclosure can be cleaned to a certain extent by the air flow of the propeller. However, the most effective cleaning is at the air gap at the outlet of the cleaning device. The area is as follows Figure 3 shown.
[0047] by Figure 3 The effective cleaning area shown is the judgment area, and the cleaning path of the cleaning device is set, that is, according to the height of the effective cleaning area, as the row height of the cleaning device, the cleaning device sweeps the photovoltaic panel row by row, and sweeps from top to bottom to ensure that the effective cleaning area can cover the entire photovoltaic panel surface. In this way, the dust can be driven by the airflow to move down row by row until it moves to the bottom of the photovoltaic panel and falls to the ground.
[0048] This cleaning process can be repeated multiple times until the desired cleanliness is achieved. For the cleaning device, it only needs to fly along the predetermined path again to complete the cleaning. No additional flying tools or cleaning agents are required to complete the basic cleaning of the photovoltaic panels.
[0049] In this embodiment, when the cleaning machine and the drone are integrated, a drone cleaning robot is formed, and a command inspection machine is set: It can perform all-round scanning and coordinate positioning of the photovoltaic panels of the photovoltaic station, and transmit the images and coordinates back to the command center; Able to scan and analyze the contamination of photovoltaic panels in photovoltaic stations; Able to be remotely controlled through the command center, and the image information is clear and smooth; Able to locate and interconnect with the drone cleaning robot; It can receive one-click instructions from the command center to return home, stop accurately, and charge itself.
[0050] When the drone cleaning robot is in use: Able to receive instructions from the command center and execute them to fly to the designated area to perform cleaning operations; It can receive the command center's one-key return precise landing and parking function, and transmit abnormal function alarms back to the command center, as well as rescue signals and positioning; It can scan and identify the photovoltaic panel conditions (number of large integrated photovoltaic panels, tilt angle of photovoltaic panels, degree of stains) in the designated area where the command is executed, automatically plan the cleaning path and starting point coordinates, and safely land at the starting point coordinate position to start cleaning; After completing the cleaning task of a large integrated photovoltaic panel, it can take off and land on its own according to the previously planned cleaning path to the cleaning starting point of the next large integrated photovoltaic panel to carry out the cleaning operation of the next photovoltaic panel; After completing the task, the aircraft will return to the command center apron by itself; Power management function: When the power is close to the redundant power, it will take off and fly back to the command center apron by itself, and recharge itself at the precise parking point (or replace the battery manually). After being fully charged, it will fly back to the original cleaning point coordinates to continue the cleaning operation; Dry cleaning function (high-pressure air blowing, dirt identification and precise spraying of cleaning liquid, brush, ultrasonic wave, etc.); Steadily land on the photovoltaic panel (40 cm height) with strong blowing function (blowing away the surface dust and facilitating the crawler grip of the integrated machine); The crawler grip is stable and the working tilt angle can reach 40 degrees; All-day autonomous operation function (night operation lighting and recognition, photovoltaic panel boundary recognition, autonomous steering and line change, dirt cleaning level switching, equipment component replacement reminder, etc.) Waterproof and dustproof function to prevent water and dust from entering the machine and affecting the operation of the device; Contact fast charging function, or battery replacement function.
[0051] In this embodiment, when the sweeper and the drone are set up separately: Command inspection machine: It can perform all-round scanning and coordinate positioning of the photovoltaic panels of the photovoltaic station, and transmit the images and coordinates back to the command center; Able to scan and analyze the contamination of photovoltaic panels in photovoltaic stations; Able to be remotely controlled through the command center, and the image information is clear and smooth; Able to locate and interconnect with the drone cleaning robot; It can receive one-click instructions from the command center to return home, stop accurately, and charge itself.
[0052] Carrier: Able to receive instructions from the command center and execute them to fly to the designated location (the command center plans the location by itself); It can receive instructions from the command center and execute the instructions to go to the location of the cleaning robot that issued the required instructions. It can accurately, simply and quickly hook the cleaning robot and carry the cleaning robot to the cleaning starting point of the next large integrated photovoltaic panel according to the cleaning path. It can also safely place the cleaning robot at the coordinate position of the cleaning starting point to clean the next photovoltaic panel. It can receive the command center's one-key return precise landing and parking function, and transmit abnormal function alarms back to the command center, as well as rescue signals and positioning; Able to communicate information and accurately locate with the cleaning robot; After completing the mission, the helicopter will return to the command center to park and charge. Power management function: When the redundant power is approaching, the aircraft will take off and fly back to the command center apron by itself, and recharge itself at the precise parking point (or replace the battery manually). After being fully charged, it will continue to execute the unfinished tasks issued by the command center; Support all-weather operation function It can be remotely controlled through the command center, and the image information is clear and smooth; It can realize the simple and fast hook function with the cleaning robot, and the external hook weight is 20% greater than the weight of the cleaning robot; Capable of night operation.
[0053] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: The photovoltaic panel cleaning method, device and system realizes fully automated cleaning operations by integrating a command center, a cleaning machine and multiple drones, improving cleaning efficiency and coverage. The system collects images and data in real time through drones, accurately identifies the distribution of stains, formulates targeted cleaning strategies and can perform nighttime cleaning operations, significantly improving the cleaning effect of photovoltaic panels, reducing the need for manual intervention, and optimizing the overall performance and effect of cleaning operations.
[0054] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.
[0055] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A photovoltaic panel cleaning system, characterized in that: The cleaning system is integrated in a box, which is installed on a transport vehicle for transportation and deployment between multiple photovoltaic fields. The photovoltaic panel cleaning system includes a command center, a cleaning machine and a drone; The command center is used to command and dispatch the sweepers and drones, maintain daily maintenance of the sweepers and drones, process various data collected during the cleaning process, identify the distribution of stains and formulate cleaning strategies; The cleaning machine is used to clean the photovoltaic panels; The drones include command drones, relay drones, transport drones, rescue drones and inspection drones; The drone: The command machine is used for image acquisition, signal relay and data monitoring, and generates three-dimensional images based on the image acquisition data; Repeater, used to expand the signal radiation range, so that the cleaning area can be further expanded; A transporter, used to carry the sweeper and transport the sweeper to the photovoltaic panel; Rescue machines, used to transport faulty machines back to the command center, and to recharge and rescue machines with depleted battery energy through external discharge; Inspection aircraft, used to explore the flight path and verify the feasibility of the path, and simultaneously detect the location distribution, size specifications, and dirtiness of each photovoltaic panel; The system is available in both an integrated sweeper and drone setup and a split setup; In the integrated setup, the sweeper itself is integrated with the drone and cannot be separated; In the split setup, the sweeper and drone are installed together and can be quickly disassembled; In both sweeper and drone settings, the work content of the drones in the system includes command, inspection, relay, rescue and transportation. The difference lies in the number of drones. The work content of the drones is deployed on different drones, or on the same drone based on the workflow.
2. A photovoltaic panel cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the command aircraft is configured with more than two drones, one of them is set as a command mother aircraft. The command mother aircraft hovers in the sky above the photovoltaic power station during the entire cleaning operation and monitors the entire cleaning operation, including judging the stains on the photovoltaic panels and the cleaning operation. When flight abnormalities or cleaning abnormalities are monitored, an early warning prompt is issued to the command center.
3. A photovoltaic panel cleaning method, based on the photovoltaic panel cleaning system described in any one of claims 1-2, to clean the photovoltaic panel, characterized in that: The following processes are included: When the cleaning operation is carried out, the command vehicle equipped with the whole set of photovoltaic panel cleaning system is parked stably to determine the control signal range that the command center can radiate. When the maximum radiation range of the command center cannot cover the entire photovoltaic power station, the uncovered area is planned as the next stage of cleaning operation area. After the command center is moved again to cover the area, cleaning can be carried out; When starting the cleaning operation, the environmental conditions of the photovoltaic power station are first identified, and the command aircraft collects images of the area to be cleaned from a high altitude in the photovoltaic panel erection area. After the collected images are sent back to the command center, the first take-off operation is completed; After receiving the image data monitored by the command aircraft, the command center first determines the basic conditions of the area to be cleaned, including the number, specifications, orientation, and location of photovoltaic panels, as well as obstacles or no-fly zones in the area to be cleaned; By using infrared imaging or electroluminescence technology, the inspection machine can quantitatively analyze the distribution of stains on photovoltaic panels and verify the effective flight path, so as to determine the contamination of photovoltaic panels and the number and location of photovoltaic panels that need to be cleaned, and determine the type of stains based on the image characteristics, thermal imaging characteristics or spectral characteristics of the stain distribution; Develop a cleaning strategy, including the shortest flight path for drones, the type of cleaning agent for sweepers, the cleaning method and the cleaning sequence; Conduct coordinated dispatching of drones and sweepers, and design dispatching plans for drones carrying sweepers between different photovoltaic panels; After completing the entire cleaning process, the cleaned photovoltaic panels are monitored again by drones to evaluate the cleaning effect, and the cleaning effect data is fed back to the command center for iterative optimization of the algorithm.
4. A photovoltaic panel cleaning method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The coordinated dispatching of the drone and the sweeper includes the following contents: When the drone and the cleaning machine are fixedly installed, that is, one drone drives one cleaning machine to clean the photovoltaic panels, the drone needs to transport the cleaning machine back to the command center when the cleaning machine runs out of power, depending on the cleaning progress, power and cleaning agent of the cleaning machine; When the drone and the cleaning machine are installed separately, that is, one drone drives multiple cleaning machines to clean the photovoltaic panels, the command center takes into account the cleaning progress, power supply and cleaning agent consumption of multiple cleaning machines, and transports the drone across the photovoltaic panels, or between the photovoltaic panels and the command center; The command center will continuously correct the environmental conditions of the area to be cleaned through real-time data sent back from transport aircraft and sweepers, including the specific flight path, specific stains, types, and thickness of the photovoltaic panels.
5. A photovoltaic panel cleaning method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The photovoltaic panel cleaning method is based on nighttime dirt detection, nighttime positioning guidance and nighttime cleaning operations of photovoltaic panels. The inspection machine applies electroluminescence technology to apply a forward current to the components of the photovoltaic panel so that the current acts on both sides of the PN junction. The electric energy excites the atoms in the ground state to the excited state. The atoms in the excited state are unstable and emit spontaneous radiation, generating an electroluminescence phenomenon. Each photovoltaic panel is equipped with an excitation power supply component, and the excitation power supply component is used to apply current to the components of the photovoltaic panel to make them emit light; The inspection machine also uses photoluminescence technology, using lasers of a specific wavelength to optically excite the photovoltaic panels. The excited photovoltaic panels produce a certain amount of excitation light, which is sensed and imaged by a highly sensitive camera to detect cracks, defects or dirty areas on the photovoltaic panels.
6. A photovoltaic panel cleaning method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The excitation power supply assembly includes an exciter, an output power detection module and a beacon light; The exciter and output power detection module are designed on the photovoltaic panel output junction box, wherein the exciter provides current to the photovoltaic panel to stimulate it to emit light, and the output power detection module is used to detect the output power; The output power of the photovoltaic panel is detected regularly and a reference value is set. When the output power of the photovoltaic panel is lower than the reference value, the photovoltaic panel is judged to be seriously polluted, and the beacon light is turned on; When the beacon light is turned on, it radiates light of a specific wavelength band with a higher intensity. This light can be easily detected by the control aircraft in the air, thereby judging that the photovoltaic panel needs to be cleaned.
7. A photovoltaic panel cleaning device, characterized in that: The cleaning machine is installed in the photovoltaic panel cleaning system according to claim 1, and is operated based on the photovoltaic panel cleaning method according to any one of claims 3-6.
