Cleaning device and method for stubborn stains on a drone photovoltaic panel

Abstract

This invention discloses a device and method for cleaning stubborn stains on photovoltaic panels using a drone, comprising: a body; and a liquid storage tank disposed on the body. The liquid storage tank has an injection port and a breathing assembly installed on the injection port. The breathing assembly is used to prevent overflow and release pressure when the tank is full during flight or when stationary. This invention adopts a structure in which atomizing nozzles, brush assemblies, and scrapers are arranged sequentially along the working direction. This layout forms a multi-stage processing chain of "softening first, brushing then scraping": first, the hydrophobic layer of the stain is broken down and its adhesion is reduced by atomizing and wetting; then, the softened stain is broken down by rotating brushing; and finally, the stain is physically peeled off using a scraper. This continuous processing chain achieves graded removal of stubborn and water-soluble stains, overcoming the problem of incomplete cleaning caused by the single treatment stage in traditional cleaning methods, and significantly improving the feasibility and reliability of stubborn stain removal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of photovoltaic operation and maintenance cleaning technology, and in particular to a device and method for cleaning stubborn stains on photovoltaic panels using drones. Background Technology

[0002] Photovoltaic panels are exposed to the outdoors for a long time. In addition to floating dust, stubborn, water-soluble stains may appear on the surface of the panels. These stains usually adhere in the form of dots or clumps. Direct dry sweeping may result in incomplete removal or spread of the stains, affecting the cleaning effect and subsequent routine dust removal. On the other hand, cleaning operations based on drone platforms are subject to engineering constraints such as limited load, limited liquid carrying capacity, and changes in operating attitude. The cleaning liquid must be prevented from overflowing during flight and when the drone is stationary. At the same time, when pumping water out, it is necessary to prevent the formation of negative pressure in the storage tank, which would affect the stability of the water output. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides the following technical solution: A drone-based device for cleaning stubborn stains on photovoltaic panels includes: Organism; A liquid storage tank is installed on the body. The liquid storage tank has a liquid inlet and a breathing assembly installed on the liquid inlet. The breathing assembly is used to prevent overflow and depressurize when the tank is full during flight or when the tank is stationary, and to replenish air inside the liquid storage tank during the water discharge process to avoid the formation of negative pressure. A liquid supply assembly is mounted on the machine body and communicates with the liquid supply tank; The atomizing nozzle, connected to the liquid supply assembly, is used to atomize and spray the stained area to soften the stain. The brush assembly, located on the machine body, is used to rotate and scrub the stains softened by atomized spray to break them down. The scraper, which is mounted on the machine body via an electric push rod, can move between the working position and the standby position. It is used to scrape off stains by adhering to the photovoltaic panel after brushing and crushing. A visual inspection component, mounted on the machine body, is used to detect the cleanliness status; The atomizing nozzle, brush assembly, and scraper are arranged sequentially on the machine body along the working direction to achieve continuous treatment of stubborn stains in a single operation.

[0004] As an improvement to the above technical solution, the liquid supply assembly includes: A water pump, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the liquid storage tank; The distributor has its inlet connected to the outlet of the water pump and its outlet connected to the atomizing nozzle.

[0005] As an improvement to the above technical solution, the breathing assembly includes: The inner sleeve is threaded into the injection port; The valve seat is integrally formed and disposed inside the inner sleeve; Valve core one is movably disposed above the valve seat; Spring one is disposed between valve core one and the top of the inner wall of the inner sleeve; Valve core two is movably disposed below the valve seat; Spring 2 is disposed between valve core 2 and the bottom of the inner wall of the inner sleeve; The inner sleeve has multiple air channels at its bottom and multiple through holes on its side wall above the valve seat. Valve core one and valve seat cooperate to form sealing surface one, and the bottom of valve core one and valve core two cooperate to form sealing surface two. When the pressure inside the liquid storage tank changes, the displacement of valve core one or valve core two can achieve venting or depressurization.

[0006] As an improvement to the above technical solution, the valve core includes a cylindrical body with openings at both ends and an integrally formed sealing seat on the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body. The sealing seat can form a sealing surface with the valve seat to block the airflow channel between the upper and lower parts of the valve seat.

[0007] As an improvement to the above technical solution, the valve core two includes a guide post that is movably inserted into the cylinder body. A sealing seat two is fixedly sleeved on the circumferential surface of the guide post. The sealing seat two can form a sealing surface two with the bottom of the sealing seat one to close the bottom opening of the cylinder body.

[0008] As an improvement to the above technical solution, a cover is fixedly sleeved on the outside of the inner sleeve, and an airflow channel is provided between the inner wall of the cover and the outer wall of the inner sleeve.

[0009] As an improvement to the above technical solution, the brush assembly includes: A brush is mounted horizontally at the bottom of the machine body; A drive motor is mounted on the machine body, and its output shaft is connected to one end of the brush for driving the brush to rotate around its own axis.

[0010] A method for cleaning stubborn stains on photovoltaic panels, using the aforementioned drone-based photovoltaic panel stubborn stain cleaning device, includes the following steps: S1: Locate the stained area using a drone and control the drone to land near the stained area; S2: Activate the liquid supply component to soften the stained area by atomizing the spray nozzle; S3: Activate the brush assembly to rotate and scrub the softened stains, breaking them down. S4: Control the electric push rod to drive the scraper down to the working position, and scrape off the broken-up stains from the photovoltaic panel surface; S5: Inspect the condition of the board surface after scraping using a visual inspection device. If there are any residues, repeat steps S2-S5 until the cleaning standard is met.

[0011] The beneficial effects of this invention are: The system employs a structure in which atomizing nozzles, brush assemblies, and scrapers are arranged sequentially along the working direction. This layout forms a multi-stage treatment chain of "softening first, brushing then scraping": first, the hydrophobic layer of the stain is broken down and its adhesion is reduced by atomizing and wetting; then, the softened stain is broken down by rotating brushing; and finally, the stain is physically removed using a scraper. This continuous treatment chain enables the graded removal of stubborn and water-soluble stains, overcoming the problem of incomplete cleaning caused by the single treatment stage in traditional cleaning methods, and significantly improving the feasibility and reliability of removing stubborn stains. By installing a breathing component at the liquid injection port of the storage tank and utilizing the bidirectional linkage structure of valve core one and valve core two, the air pressure inside and outside the tank can be automatically balanced when the drone's flight attitude changes. When the pressure inside the tank is too high, it will automatically release pressure to prevent liquid from overflowing. When the water pump draws water and causes negative pressure inside the tank, it will automatically replenish air to ensure smooth liquid supply. Visual inspection devices are used to detect the cleanliness and trigger repeated cleaning, forming a closed-loop execution mode of "cleaning-detection-re-cleaning" to improve the verifiability of cleaning results. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the atomizing nozzle arrangement of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the normal state structure of the respiratory component of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the respiration assembly in the pressurization state of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the depressurization state structure of the breathing assembly of the present invention.

[0013] Reference numerals: 10. Body; 11. Liquid reservoir; 12. Breathing assembly; 121. Cover; 122. Inner sleeve; 123. Through hole; 124. Valve seat; 125. Valve core one; 1251. Sealing seat one; 1252. Cylinder; 126. Spring one; 127. Valve core two; 1271. Guide post; 1272. Sealing seat two; 128. Spring two; 13. Atomizing nozzle; 20. Brush assembly; 30. Scraper; 40. Visual inspection component. Detailed Implementation

[0014] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0015] A drone-based device for cleaning stubborn stains on photovoltaic panels includes: a body 10; A liquid storage tank 11 is disposed on the body 10. The liquid storage tank has an injection port and a breathing assembly 12 installed on the injection port. The breathing assembly 12 is used to prevent overflow and release pressure when the tank is full during flight or when the tank is stationary, and to replenish air inside the liquid storage tank 11 during the water discharge process to avoid the formation of negative pressure. A liquid supply assembly is disposed on the body 10 and communicates with the liquid supply tank 11; The atomizing nozzle 13 is connected to the liquid supply assembly and is used to atomize and spray the stained area to soften the stain. The brush assembly 20 is mounted on the body 10 and is used to perform a rotating brushing and breaking down of stains softened by atomized spray. The scraper 30 is mounted on the machine body 10 via an electric push rod and can move between the working position and the standby position. It is used to scrape off stains by adhering to the photovoltaic panel after brushing and crushing. A visual inspection component 40 is mounted on the body 10 and is used to detect the cleanliness status; The atomizing nozzle 13, brush assembly 20 and scraper 30 are arranged sequentially on the machine body 10 along the working direction to achieve continuous treatment of stubborn stains in a single operation.

[0016] Specifically, the location of the stain is determined by visual scanning using a drone. After the stain location is determined, the drone platform flies down to the vicinity of the corresponding stain location, aligning the atomizing nozzles 13 with the stain area. Considering landing positioning accuracy, two rows of atomizing nozzles 13 are set on the bottom of the drone body 10, with three to four nozzles 13 in each row to form a spray coverage. The liquid supply component pressurizes the cleaning liquid in the liquid storage tank 11 through the outlet and distributes it to the atomizing nozzles 13 for atomized spraying to soften the stain. For stains containing oily substances, detergent or other cleaning agents can be added to the liquid storage tank 11. After the detergent is atomized and softened, the brush assembly is activated to rotate and scrub the stains. After the brushes break them up, the last scraper 30 is moved from the standby position to the working position by the electric push rod, and fits tightly against the surface of the photovoltaic panel. As the drone moves forward, the scraper 30 scrapes away the wastewater, residual particles and debris after scrubbing, and pushes them away from the cleaning area, restoring the cleanliness and light transmittance of the photovoltaic panel surface. The cleaning status is detected by the visual inspection component 40. If there is any residue, the above "spray-brush-scrape" process is repeated until the preset cleaning standard is reached. The drone carrying the body 10 flies to the top of the target photovoltaic panel. During this process, the breathing component 12 in the liquid storage tank 11 works in real time. Regardless of whether the drone is climbing, diving or hovering, the breathing component can automatically adjust the air pressure balance inside and outside the tank to prevent the cleaning fluid from overflowing from the injection port due to air pressure changes or shaking, and to avoid excessive pressure inside the tank damaging the structure. At the same time, when the liquid supply component starts to draw the cleaning fluid, the breathing component 12 immediately replenishes the air into the tank to prevent negative pressure from forming inside the tank, which would cause the liquid supply to be interrupted or the flow to be unstable, and to ensure that the spray pressure is constant. The scraper 30 is made of polyurethane material, and the visual inspection component 40 includes at least a high-definition camera and a supplementary light to capture images of the cleaning area and compare them with the images before cleaning.

[0017] In one embodiment, the liquid supply assembly includes: A water pump, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the liquid storage tank 11; The distributor has its inlet connected to the outlet of the water pump and its outlet connected to the atomizing nozzle 13. When the water pump is started, its inlet draws cleaning fluid from the outlet at the bottom of the storage tank 11. The breathing component 12 simultaneously introduces air into the tank to eliminate the instantaneous negative pressure generated by the water pump, ensuring continuous and stable water flow and avoiding cavitation. The high-pressure water flow enters the distributor, which acts as a fluid hub to stabilize and equalize the water flow output by the water pump, and then accurately delivers it to the atomizing nozzle 13.

[0018] In one embodiment, the breathing assembly 12 includes: The inner sleeve 122 is threaded into the injection port; Valve seat 124 is integrally formed and disposed inside the inner sleeve 122; Valve core 125 is movably disposed above valve seat 124; Spring 126 is disposed between valve core 125 and the top of the inner wall of inner sleeve 122; Valve core 2 127 is movably disposed below the valve seat 124; Spring 128 is disposed between valve core 127 and the bottom of the inner wall of inner sleeve 122; The inner sleeve 122 has multiple air channels at its bottom and multiple through holes 123 on its side wall above the valve seat 124. The valve core 125 and the valve seat 124 cooperate to form a sealing surface 1, and the bottom of the valve core 125 and the valve core 127 cooperate to form a sealing surface 2. This allows for ventilation or depressurization through the displacement of the valve core 125 or the valve core 127 when the internal pressure of the liquid storage tank 11 changes. The valve core 125 includes a cylindrical body 1252 with openings at both ends and an integrally formed sealing seat 1251 disposed on the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body 1252. The sealing seat 1251 can form a sealing surface with the valve seat 124 to block the airflow channel between the upper and lower parts of the valve seat 124. The valve core 127 includes a guide post 1271 that is movably inserted into the cylinder. A sealing seat 1272 is fixedly sleeved on the circumferential surface of the guide post 1271. The sealing seat 1272 can form a sealing surface 2 with the bottom of the sealing seat 1251 to close the bottom opening of the cylinder 1252. Specifically, when the drone flies to the target point or adjusts its attitude, the internal pressure of the liquid tank 11 will fluctuate due to changes in altitude or liquid sloshing, and the breathing assembly 12 will respond automatically: Normal state (pressure balance): When the air pressure inside the liquid storage tank 11 is equal to the external atmospheric pressure, under the pre-tightening force of the spring 126, the sealing seat 1251 of the valve core 125 is pressed tightly against the valve seat 124 (sealing surface 1 is closed), blocking the airflow channel between the tank and the outside. At the same time, under the pre-tightening force of the spring 128, the sealing seat 1272 of the valve core 127 is pressed tightly against the bottom of the sealing seat 1251 of the valve core 125 (sealing surface 2 is closed), sealing the bottom opening of the cylinder 1252. The entire breathing assembly is in a closed state to prevent liquid from sloshing and overflowing. Overpressure inside the chamber (requires pressure release): refer to Figure 5 When the air pressure inside the tank exceeds the set threshold, the high-pressure gas acts on the bottom of valve core 127, pushing valve core 125 and valve core 127 upward together, compressing spring 126 and tension spring 128. At this time, sealing surface 1 (between sealing seat 1251 and valve seat 124) is opened, and the high-pressure gas inside the tank → air passage → space below valve seat 124 → through the opened sealing surface → space above valve seat 124 → through hole 123 → is discharged to the outside, preventing the cleaning fluid in the storage tank 11 from overflowing from the gap due to overpressure, thus achieving full tank overflow prevention and pressure relief. Negative pressure inside the chamber (requires air replenishment): refer to Figure 4When the water pump starts pumping water, causing the volume inside the tank to increase and the air pressure to decrease, the external atmospheric pressure is higher than the air pressure inside the tank. High-pressure gas enters from the opening at the top of the cylinder 1252, pushing the valve core 127 downward and compressing the spring 128. At this time, the sealing surface 12 (between the sealing seat 1272 and the bottom of the sealing seat 1251) is opened. The sealing seat 1251 and the valve seat 124 form the sealing surface 1. Fresh air from the outside → through hole 123 → opening at the top of the cylinder 1252 → through the opened sealing surface 12 → air passage → into the liquid storage tank 11, quickly replenishing air, eliminating negative pressure, and preventing insufficient water pump suction, flow pulsation or flow interruption caused by negative pressure, ensuring the continuous spray of the atomizing nozzle 13.

[0019] In one embodiment, a cover 121 is fixedly sleeved on the outside of the inner sleeve 122. An airflow channel is provided between the inner wall of the cover 121 and the outer wall of the inner sleeve 122. The cover 121 wraps around the outside of the inner sleeve 122, and the formed airflow channel serves as a "buffer corridor" for the outside air to enter and exit the breathing assembly. This effectively prevents the complex outdoor environment (wind, sand, rain, flying insects) from directly intruding into the mating surface, and significantly improves the service life of the breathing assembly.

[0020] In one embodiment, the brush assembly 20 includes: a brush, which is rotatably disposed at the bottom of the body 10 in a horizontal direction; and a drive motor, which is mounted on the body 10 and whose output shaft is connected to one end of the brush for driving the brush to rotate around its own axis. When the drive motor is started, the drive motor drives the brush to rotate, and the high-frequency friction between the bristles and the board surface breaks down and peels off stubborn stains, turning them into fine suspended particles or mud fragmentation treatment.

[0021] Example 2 A method for cleaning stubborn stains on photovoltaic panels, using the apparatus described in Example 1, includes the following steps: S1: Locate the stained area using a drone and control the drone to land near the stained area; S2: Activate the liquid supply component and use the atomizing nozzle 13 to atomize and soften the stained area; S3: Activate the brush assembly 20 to rotate and scrub the softened stains to break them up. S4: Control the electric push rod to drive the scraper 30 down to the working position, and scrape off the broken-up stains from the photovoltaic panel surface; S5: Inspect the condition of the board surface after scraping using visual inspection component 40. If there is any residue, repeat steps S2-S5 until the cleaning standard is met.

[0022] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it.

Claims

1. A device for cleaning stubborn stains on a UAV photovoltaic panel, characterized in that, include: Body (10); A liquid storage tank (11) is provided on the body (10). The liquid storage tank has an injection port and a breathing assembly (12) installed on the injection port. The breathing assembly (12) is used to prevent overflow and release pressure when the tank is in flight or stationary state, and to replenish air inside the liquid storage tank during the water discharge process to avoid forming negative pressure. A liquid supply assembly is disposed on the body (10) and communicates with the liquid supply tank (11); Atomizing nozzle (13) is connected to the liquid supply assembly and is used to atomize the stained area to soften the stain. The brush assembly (20) is set on the body (10) and is used to perform a rotating brushing and breaking down of stains softened by atomized spray. The scraper (30) is mounted on the machine body (10) via an electric push rod and can move between the working position and the standby position. It is used to scrape off stains after brushing and crushing the photovoltaic panel surface. A visual inspection component (40) is installed on the body (10) to detect the cleanliness status; The atomizing nozzle (13), brush assembly (20) and scraper (30) are arranged sequentially on the machine body (10) along the working direction to achieve continuous treatment of stubborn stains in a single operation.

2. The drone photovoltaic panel tough stain cleaning device of claim 1, wherein: The liquid supply assembly includes: A water pump, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the liquid storage tank (11); The distributor has its inlet connected to the outlet of the water pump and its outlet connected to the atomizing nozzle (13).

3. The drone photovoltaic panel tough stain cleaning device of claim 1, wherein: The breathing assembly (12) includes: The inner sleeve (122) is threaded into the injection port; The valve seat (124) is integrally formed and disposed inside the inner sleeve (122); Valve core 1 (125) is movably disposed above the valve seat (124); Spring 1 (126) is disposed between the valve core 1 (125) and the top of the inner wall of the inner sleeve (122); Valve core two (127) is movably disposed below the valve seat (124); Spring 2 (128) is disposed between valve core 2 (127) and the bottom of the inner wall of inner sleeve (122); The inner sleeve (122) has multiple air channels at its bottom and multiple through holes (123) on its side wall above the valve seat (124). The valve core (125) and the valve seat (124) cooperate to form a sealing surface. The bottom of the valve core (125) and the valve core (127) cooperate to form a sealing surface. When the pressure inside the liquid storage tank (11) changes, the displacement of the valve core (125) or the valve core (127) can achieve ventilation or depressurization.

4. The drone photovoltaic panel tough stain cleaning device of claim 3, wherein: The valve core (125) includes a cylindrical body (1252) with openings at both ends and a sealing seat (1251) integrally formed on the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body (1252). The sealing seat (1251) can form a sealing surface with the valve seat (124) to block the airflow passage between the upper and lower parts of the valve seat (124).

5. The drone photovoltaic panel tough stain cleaning device of claim 4, wherein: The valve core 2 (127) includes a guide post (1271) that is movably inserted into the cylinder. A sealing seat 2 (1272) is fixedly sleeved on the circumferential surface of the guide post (1271). The sealing seat 2 (1272) can form a sealing surface 2 with the bottom of the sealing seat 1 (1251) to close the bottom opening of the cylinder (1252).

6. The drone photovoltaic panel tough stain cleaning device of claim 1, wherein: The inner sleeve (122) is fixedly sleeved with a cover (121), and an airflow channel is provided between the inner wall of the cover (121) and the outer wall of the inner sleeve (122).

7. The drone PV panel tough stain cleaning device of claim 1, wherein: The brush assembly includes: A brush is mounted horizontally at the bottom of the machine body; A drive motor is mounted on the machine body, and its output shaft is connected to one end of the brush for driving the brush to rotate around its own axis.

8. A method for spot targeting cleaning of stubborn stains on photovoltaic panels using the device according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Locate the stained area using a drone and control the drone to land near the stained area; S2: Start the liquid supply assembly and use the atomizing nozzle (13) to atomize and soften the stained area; S3: Start the brush assembly (20) to rotate and scrub the softened stains to break them up. S4: Control the electric push rod to drive the scraper (30) down to the working position, and scrape off the broken stains from the photovoltaic panel surface; S5: Inspect the condition of the board surface after scraping using the visual inspection component (40). If there is any residue, repeat steps S2-S5 until the cleaning standard is met.

Images