Jet-propelled photovoltaic panel cleaning unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The utility model discloses a jet-propelled photovoltaic panel cleaning unmanned aerial vehicle which comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle body and further comprises an air storage device, a photovoltaic panel cleaning device and a control device. The air compressor is installed on the unmanned aerial vehicle body and connected with the air storage device through a pipeline so as to store generated high-pressure air into the air storage device; the air injection device is installed on the unmanned aerial vehicle body and connected with the air storage device through a pipeline so as to inject the high-pressure air stored in the air storage device out. According to the jet-propelled photovoltaic panel cleaning unmanned aerial vehicle, water is replaced by air to serve as a cleaning medium, the medium is easy to obtain, limitation of water taking and water transporting is avoided, and the jet-propelled photovoltaic panel cleaning unmanned aerial vehicle is flexible and wide in application and high in efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of cleaning device technology, and in particular to a jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone. Background Technology

[0002] With the growing global demand for clean energy, photovoltaic power generation has been widely adopted as a sustainable energy solution.

[0003] However, during long-term operation, photovoltaic panels accumulate dust, bird droppings, sand, and other contaminants on their surfaces, reducing power generation efficiency and impacting the economic benefits of photovoltaic power plants. Traditional cleaning methods rely on manual labor, but these methods suffer from low efficiency, high costs, and significant safety risks, making them unsuitable for the operation and maintenance needs of large-scale photovoltaic power plants. The emergence of drone-based photovoltaic panel cleaning technology offers a new solution to these problems.

[0004] In the current field of photovoltaic panel cleaning, drones are playing an increasingly important role. Currently, the mainstream cleaning method used by photovoltaic panel cleaning drones is water spraying. Specialized water spraying devices propel water onto the surface of the photovoltaic panels, using the impact of the water flow and subsequent rinsing effect to remove accumulated dust, bird droppings, sand, and other dirt. However, water spraying has certain water consumption requirements, making water availability a key factor limiting its application. On the one hand, photovoltaic panels are widely used in sunny locations, which largely overlap with water-scarce areas often facing severe droughts and extremely scarce water resources. On the other hand, water spraying is limited by the weight of the water carried, requiring frequent trips to retrieve more. Based on these objective factors, existing solutions relying on water spraying to clean photovoltaic panel surfaces are clearly constrained by water retrieval and transportation, significantly impacting their application and efficiency. This has forced the industry to actively explore alternative solutions for photovoltaic panel cleaning. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the above shortcomings, this utility model provides a jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone, which solves the problems of existing photovoltaic panel cleaning drones that rely on water spraying to clean the surface dirt of photovoltaic panels, resulting in limited application and low efficiency due to water intake and transportation limitations.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone includes a drone body and also includes:

[0008] An air storage device is installed on the drone body;

[0009] An air compressor is installed on the UAV body and connected to the air storage device through pipelines to store the generated high-pressure air in the air storage device;

[0010] A jetting device is mounted on the UAV body and connected to the air storage device via a pipeline to eject the high-pressure air stored in the air storage device.

[0011] Furthermore, the jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone also includes an air blowing device mounted on the drone body, the air blowing device including a ducted fan.

[0012] Furthermore, the air storage device includes a fixed bracket, an air storage tank, an inlet valve, and an outlet valve. The fixed bracket is fixedly installed on the UAV body, and the air storage tank is fixedly installed on the fixed bracket. The air storage tank has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet valve is installed at the inlet of the air storage tank and connected to the air compressor through a pipeline. The outlet valve is installed at the outlet of the air storage tank and connected to the jetting device through a pipeline.

[0013] Furthermore, the intake valve and the exhaust valve are electrically controlled valves.

[0014] Furthermore, the jetting device includes a spray gun and a nozzle. The spray gun is mounted on the drone body and connected to the exhaust valve via a pipeline, and the nozzle is mounted on the spray gun.

[0015] Furthermore, the jet device also includes a motor, a motor housing, a flexible air hose, a short rod, and a long rod. The motor housing is fixedly mounted on the UAV body. The motor is installed inside the motor housing, and its output shaft extends out of the motor housing. One end of the short rod is connected to the output shaft of the motor, and the other end is rotatably connected to one end of the long rod. The other end of the long rod is rotatably connected to the spray gun. The spray gun is rotatably mounted on the side of the motor housing. The flexible air hose connects the spray gun and the air outlet valve.

[0016] Furthermore, the spray gun has a plurality of circular holes along its length, and the end of the long rod connected to the spray gun has a protrusion that matches the circular holes, and the protrusion of the long rod can be inserted into one of the circular holes.

[0017] Furthermore, the air blowing device also includes a servo motor, a large arm motor, a large arm, a small arm motor, and a small arm. The servo motor is mounted on the UAV body, the large arm motor is mounted on the servo motor to be driven to rotate by the servo motor, one end of the large arm is connected to the large arm motor to be driven to rotate by the large arm motor, the small arm motor is mounted on the other end of the large arm, one end of the small arm is connected to the small arm motor to be driven to rotate by the small arm motor, and the ducted fan is mounted on the other end of the small arm.

[0018] Furthermore, the jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone also includes a tethered power supply, which is electrically connected to the drone body to supply power to the drone body and its electrical components.

[0019] Furthermore, the UAV body is equipped with landing gear, and the landing gear is equipped with a mounting plate, on which the air storage device, air compressor and jet device are mounted.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0021] This utility model is a jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone that uses air instead of water as the cleaning medium. The medium is easy to obtain, there are no restrictions on water collection and transportation, and it is flexible, widely applicable and highly efficient.

[0022] It can achieve cleaning by jetting and / or blowing air, and can select the cleaning method according to different types of dirt, reducing energy consumption while ensuring cleaning efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone of this utility model from one perspective.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of the jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone of this utility model from another perspective;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone of this utility model (tethered power supply not shown);

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the gas storage device in this utility model;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the jet device in this utility model;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the air blowing device in this utility model.

[0030] The markings shown in the diagram are as follows: 10-UAV body; 11-Landing gear; 12-Mounting plate; 13-Flight control board; 20-Air storage device; 21-Fixed bracket; 22-Air tank; 23-Intake valve; 24-Outtake valve; 30-Air compressor; 40-Jet device; 41-Spray gun; 42-Nozzle; 43-Motor box; 44-Soft air hose; 45-Short rod; 46-Long rod; 47-Round hole; 48-Solenoid valve; 50-Air blowing device; 51-Ducted fan; 52-Servo motor; 53-Arm motor; 54-Arm; 55-Forearm motor; 56-Forearm; 57-Base; 60-Tethered power supply. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0032] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0033] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of this utility model described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0034] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6A preferred embodiment of this utility model provides a jet-type photovoltaic panel cleaning drone, which includes a drone body 10, an air storage device 20, an air compressor 30, a jet device 40, and an air blowing device 50.

[0035] The drone body 10 is an octocopter drone, which can improve stable flight and has a certain carrying capacity to carry the air storage device 20, air compressor 30, jet device 40 and blowing device 50 on it to a certain position, such as above the photovoltaic panel, so as to facilitate the cleaning of the photovoltaic panel.

[0036] The UAV body 10 has a landing gear 11 at its bottom, and a mounting plate 12 is mounted on the landing gear 11. The air storage device 20, air compressor 30, and jet device 40 are mounted on the mounting plate 12. The UAV body 10 has a flight control board 13 at its top, which serves as the control system.

[0037] The air storage device 20 is installed on the UAV body 10. For example, the air storage device 20 includes a fixed bracket 21, an air tank 22, an inlet valve 23, and an outlet valve 24. The fixed bracket 21 is fixedly installed on the mounting plate 12 of the UAV body 10. The air tank 22 is fixedly installed on the fixed bracket 21 and is used to temporarily store high-pressure air. The air tank 22 has an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet of the air tank 22 is one, which is opened in the middle of the bottom of the air tank 22. The air outlet of the air tank 22 is two, which are opened at the top two ends of the air tank 22. There is one inlet valve 23, which is installed at the air inlet of the air tank 22 and connected to the air compressor 30 through a pipeline. There are two outlet valves 24, which are installed one-to-one at the two outlets of the air tank 22 and connected to the jet device 40 through a pipeline. The intake valve 23 and the exhaust valve 24 are preferably electrically controlled valves, specifically solenoid valves, which are electrically connected to the flight control board 13 and controlled to open and close by the flight control board 13.

[0038] An air compressor 30 is mounted on the mounting plate 12 of the UAV body 10 and connected to the air storage device 20 via pipelines to store the generated high-pressure air in the air storage device 20. In this exemplary embodiment, a small air compressor 30 is selected to reduce weight. The high-pressure air generated by the air compressor 30 is stored in the air storage tank 22 after passing through the air inlet valve 23. When in use, it is output to the jet device 40 through the air outlet valve 24.

[0039] The jet device 40 is installed on the drone body 10 and connected to the air storage device 20 through a pipeline to eject the high-pressure air stored in the air storage device 20, thereby cleaning the photovoltaic panel through the ejected high-pressure gas.

[0040] Preferably, the jetting device 40 includes a spray gun 41 and a nozzle 42. The spray gun 41 is mounted on the drone body 10 and connected to the exhaust valve 24 via a pipeline. The nozzle 42 is mounted on the spray gun 41. When the exhaust valve 24 is open, high-pressure air enters the spray gun 41 from the air tank 22 and is ejected from the nozzle 42 at the end of the spray gun 41, thereby achieving the cleaning of the photovoltaic panel using high-pressure gas. In this exemplary embodiment, there are two exhaust valves 24, and correspondingly, there are two spray guns 41. Each exhaust valve 24 corresponds to one spray gun 41, that is, each exhaust valve 24 is connected to one spray gun 41 via a pipeline. By setting multiple spray guns 41, a larger airflow and a wider cleaning range can be achieved, thereby improving cleaning efficiency. It is understandable that, when multiple spray guns 41 are used for cleaning, only the corresponding air outlet valve 24 can be opened to allow only that corresponding spray gun 41 to spray air for cleaning. Spray guns 41 with their air outlet valves 24 closed can be left uncleaned, meaning that all or some of the spray guns 41 can be used for cleaning. In a preferred embodiment, the pipes connecting the multiple spray guns 41 to their corresponding air outlet valves 24 are simultaneously connected to a solenoid valve 48, which is then connected to each spray gun 41. The solenoid valve 48 provides overall control; for example, when the solenoid valve 48 is closed, high-pressure air cannot enter the spray gun 41; when the solenoid valve 48 is open, high-pressure air can enter the spray gun 41. The solenoid valve 48 is electrically connected to the flight control board 13 and its opening and closing are controlled by the flight control board 13.

[0041] It is also understandable that in some other embodiments, when multiple spray guns 41 are provided, a single air outlet valve 24 can be shared. In this case, the air outlet valve 24 can be provided with a main pipe, and then connected to each spray gun 41 through branch pipes.

[0042] Preferably, the jet device 40 further includes a motor, a motor housing 43, a flexible air hose 44, a short rod 45, and a long rod 46. The motor housing 43 is fixedly mounted on the mounting plate 12 of the UAV body 10. The motor is installed inside the motor housing 43, and its output shaft extends out of the motor housing 43. In this exemplary embodiment, the motor is a dual-axis motor with two output shafts, which pass through opposite sides of the motor housing 43. One end of the short rod 45 is connected to the output shaft of the motor, and the other end is rotatably connected to one end of the long rod 46. The other end of the long rod 46 is rotatably connected to the spray gun 41. The spray gun 41 is rotatably mounted on the side of the motor housing 43. The flexible air hose 44 connects the spray gun 41 and the air outlet valve 24. That is, the pipeline between the spray gun 41 and the air outlet valve 24 uses a flexible air hose 44, which has a certain degree of flexibility. There are two spray guns 41, and correspondingly, there are two short rods 45 and two long rods 46. One spray gun 41 corresponds to one short rod 45 and one long rod 46. During implementation, the motor inside the motor housing 43 drives its output shaft to rotate, which in turn drives the short rod 45 to rotate, thereby driving the long rod 46 to move and causing the spray gun 41 to oscillate back and forth, thus achieving a wider cleaning range. The motor is electrically connected to the flight control board 13 and is controlled by the flight control board 13 to start and stop.

[0043] The spray gun 41 has multiple round holes 47 along its length. The end of the long rod 46 connected to the spray gun 41 has a protrusion that matches the round holes 47. The protrusion of the long rod 46 can be inserted into one of the round holes 47. By matching the protrusion of the long rod 46 into different round holes 47, the range of reciprocating swing of the spray gun 41 can be adjusted to achieve different cleaning ranges.

[0044] An air blowing device 50 is installed on the drone body 10. The air blowing device 50 includes a ducted fan 51, which is electrically connected to the flight control board 13 and controlled by the flight control board 13 to start and stop. When there are some easily cleanable debris such as dust on the surface of the photovoltaic panel, it is only necessary to start the ducted fan 51 to clean the dust and other easily cleanable debris, without having to use the air jet device 40. The air jet device 40 is mainly used to clean stubborn stains such as bird droppings. By selecting different cleaning methods for different situations, cleaning efficiency can be ensured while reducing the use of high-pressure air in the air tank 22, thus avoiding waste of high-pressure air in the air tank 22.

[0045] The air blowing device 50 also includes a servo motor 52, a boom motor 53, a boom 54, a forearm motor 55, and a forearm 56. The servo motor 52 is mounted on the UAV body 10 via a base 57. The boom motor 53 is mounted on the servo motor 52 and driven to rotate by the servo motor 52. One end of the boom 54 is connected to the boom motor 53 and driven to rotate by the boom motor 53. The forearm motor 55 is mounted on the other end of the boom 54. One end of the forearm 56 is connected to the forearm motor 55 and driven to rotate by the forearm motor 55. The ducted fan 51 is mounted on the other end of the forearm 56. The servo motor 52, boom motor 53, and forearm motor 55 are electrically connected to the flight control board 13 and are controlled to start and stop by the flight control board 13. By adjusting the rotation angle of the servo motor 52, boom motor 53, and forearm motor 55, the attitude of the ducted fan 51 can be changed to adapt to photovoltaic panels at different installation angles, or air can be blown onto the photovoltaic panels at different angles. By controlling the airflow of the ducted fan 51, different levels of dust accumulation can be cleaned.

[0046] In this exemplary embodiment, there are two air blowing devices 50, located on opposite sides of the drone body 10.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, the jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone also includes a tethered power supply 60, which is electrically connected to the drone body 10 to supply power to the drone body 10 and its electrical components. The power supply from the tethered power supply 60 ensures the endurance of the drone body 10 and its electrical components.

[0048] The following is an exemplary implementation of the jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone of this utility model: The tethered power supply 60 is electrically connected to the drone body 10 to power the drone body 10 and its electrical components, ensuring the endurance of the drone body 10 and its electrical components. When the drone body 10 flies to a position above the photovoltaic panel to be cleaned, the cleaning method can be selected according to the type of dirt. For example, when cleaning easily cleanable dirt and debris such as dust, only the ducted fan 51 can be activated to blow away the dust and other easily cleanable dirt and debris. When the ducted fan 51 is running, the airflow of the ducted fan 51 and the rotation angle of the servo motor 52, the boom motor 53, and the forearm motor 55 can be adjusted, thereby achieving the desired cleaning effect. The fan 51 can blow air onto the photovoltaic panel at different angles by changing its angle and position. When cleaning stubborn stains such as bird droppings, the air outlet valve 24 can be opened to allow the high-pressure air in the air storage tank 22 to be sprayed out from the nozzle 42 of the spray gun 41. The high-pressure air sprayed out can be used to clean stubborn stains such as bird droppings. When cleaning with the spray gun 41, the motor can be started to drive the short rod 45 and the long rod 46 to drive the spray gun 41 to swing back and forth to achieve a larger cleaning range. Of course, the air jet device 40 and the air blowing device 50 can also be used together to clean. The air compressor 30 stores the generated high-pressure air in the air storage tank 22 of the air storage device 20 for later use.

[0049] This utility model relates to a jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone, which achieves cleaning by jetting and / or blowing air, using air instead of water as the cleaning medium. The medium is easy to obtain, and there are no restrictions on water collection and transportation. It is flexible in application, highly efficient, and particularly suitable for use in areas with scarce water resources.

[0050] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone, comprising a drone body (10), characterized in that, It also includes: An air storage device (20) is installed on the UAV body (10); An air compressor (30) is installed on the UAV body (10) and connected to the air storage device (20) through a pipeline to store the generated high-pressure air in the air storage device (20); A jet device (40) is mounted on the UAV body (10) and connected to the air storage device (20) via a pipeline to jet out the high-pressure air stored in the air storage device (20).

2. The jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an air blowing device (50) mounted on the drone body (10), the air blowing device (50) including a ducted fan (51).

3. The jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air storage device (20) includes a fixed bracket (21), an air storage tank (22), an air inlet valve (23), and an air outlet valve (24). The fixed bracket (21) is fixedly installed on the UAV body (10), and the air storage tank (22) is fixedly installed on the fixed bracket (21). The air storage tank (22) has an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet valve (23) is installed at the air inlet of the air storage tank (22) and connected to the air compressor (30) through a pipeline. The air outlet valve (24) is installed at the air outlet of the air storage tank (22) and connected to the jet device (40) through a pipeline.

4. The jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone according to claim 3, characterized in that, The intake valve (23) and the exhaust valve (24) are electrically controlled valves.

5. The jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone according to claim 3, characterized in that, The jetting device (40) includes a spray gun (41) and a nozzle (42). The spray gun (41) is mounted on the UAV body (10) and connected to the exhaust valve (24) through a pipeline. The nozzle (42) is mounted on the spray gun (41).

6. The jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone according to claim 5, characterized in that, The jet device (40) also includes a motor, a motor housing (43), a flexible air hose (44), a short rod (45), and a long rod (46). The motor housing (43) is fixedly installed on the UAV body (10). The motor is installed inside the motor housing (43), and its output shaft extends out of the motor housing (43). One end of the short rod (45) is connected to the output shaft of the motor, and the other end is rotatably connected to one end of the long rod (46). The other end of the long rod (46) is rotatably connected to the spray gun (41). The spray gun (41) is rotatably installed on the side of the motor housing (43). The flexible air hose (44) connects the spray gun (41) and the air outlet valve (24).

7. The jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone according to claim 6, characterized in that, The spray gun (41) has a plurality of round holes (47) along its length direction. The end of the long rod (46) connected to the spray gun (41) has a protrusion that matches the round holes (47), and the protrusion of the long rod (46) can be inserted into one of the round holes (47).

8. The jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air blowing device (50) also includes a servo motor (52), a large arm motor (53), a large arm (54), a small arm motor (55), and a small arm (56). The servo motor (52) is mounted on the UAV body (10). The large arm motor (53) is mounted on the servo motor (52) and driven to rotate by the servo motor (52). One end of the large arm (54) is connected to the large arm motor (53) and driven to rotate by the large arm motor (53). The small arm motor (55) is mounted on the other end of the large arm (54). One end of the small arm (56) is connected to the small arm motor (55) and driven to rotate by the small arm motor (55). The ducted fan (51) is mounted on the other end of the small arm (56).

9. The jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a tethered power supply (60), which is electrically connected to the UAV body (10) to supply power to the UAV body (10) and its electrical components.

10. The jet-powered photovoltaic panel cleaning drone according to claim 1, characterized in that, The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) body (10) is provided with landing gear (11), and the landing gear (11) is provided with mounting plate (12). The air storage device (20), air compressor (30) and jet device (40) are mounted on the mounting plate (12).

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