Solar tower mirror cleaning device

Abstract

Solar Tower Mirror Cleaning Device. The invention relates to a device for cleaning solar tower mirrors to maximize the electrical production of these installations while minimizing human intervention and cleaning costs, and being installable on mirrors already in operation. It consists of guides (1) fixed to two ends of the mirror, guiding a cleaning liquid (3) between two reservoirs (2), one at each of the other two ends of the mirror. When the mirror is tilted, the liquid flows by gravity, and particles adhere to it by capillary action and are then separated from the liquid by a filter (4).The liquid can be guided by an articulated (7) guide system (6) to optimize cleaning, and the particles can be separated from the filter by temporarily opening the system via a sliding system (8) linked to a counterweight (9), and by adding a hinge (5) on the filter and a connecting bar (10) between the filter and the sliding system to allow its rotation. The device according to the invention is intended for cleaning the mirrors of solar towers. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1.

Description

Title of the invention: Device for cleaning mirrors of solar towers

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for cleaning the mirrors of solar towers and operates by the flow of a cleaning liquid by gravity.

[0002] The mirrors of solar towers are subject to deposits of fine particles that reduce the amount of reflected light and therefore the final electricity production of the entire installation. To remedy this problem, the mirrors are periodically washed with pressurized water and brushes. These cleanings cannot be too frequent due to their cost and the limitation of electricity production during cleaning. They also use a large quantity of water. Other systems exist but also require costly cleaning phases that limit electricity production and / or are systems with actuators, which are therefore energy-intensive, limiting the gains in reflectivity and production provided by cleaning, and are difficult to install on existing installations.

[0003] The device according to the invention overcomes these drawbacks. In a first characteristic, it comprises a closed system with a cleaning liquid that is moved by gravity between two reservoirs fixed to the ends of the mirror and guided by guides between the reservoirs. This liquid is thus moved without the use of an additional actuator, but by utilizing the movement of the mirror itself when it tilts. The particles bind to the liquid by capillary action and are thus removed from the surface of the mirror; they then pass through a filter to be separated from the liquid. This allows the cleaning system to be used at night when the solar tower is not producing electricity, also enabling frequent cleaning since no human intervention is required, without limiting electricity production, and minimizing the risk of evaporation.The simple installation of this system also allows for the retrofitting of existing solar tower installations without major modifications to the mirrors. To optimize particle recovery by the filter on each side, an articulated guide system can be added to force the cleaning fluid through the filter in the same direction, maximizing the amount of particles captured with each cleaning. A gravity-operated opening system, controlled by a counterweight, can be added to separate the particles from the filter and allow the device to operate without filter saturation for extended periods, thus reducing the frequency of filter changes or cleanings. This opening system modifies the reservoirs by adding a sliding opening connected to the counterweight; the filter is mounted on a pivot, allowing it to rotate, and is linked to the sliding mechanism. by a bar to be driven by the movement of the slide and to empty when the reservoir is opened.

[0004] The attached drawing illustrates the invention:

[0005] [Fig-1] represents the device of the invention.

[0006] With reference to this drawing, this device comprises two guides (1) fixed to two opposite ends of the mirror and two reservoirs (2), one at each of the other ends. A cleaning fluid (3) flows between the reservoirs by gravity and passes through a filter (4) in each reservoir, mounted on a joint (5) to allow it to pivot. A guide (6) mounted on a joint (7) ensures that the fluid always passes through the filters in the same direction. The reservoir has an opening via a slide (8) connected to a counterweight (9). This slide opening is rigidly connected to the filter by a bar (10). The movement of the counterweight causes the slide to move and the reservoir to open; the movement of the slide causes the filter to rotate, emptying the collected particles from the reservoir.

Claims

Demands

1. A solar tower mirror cleaning device characterized in that it has two reservoirs (2) fixed to the mirror at two opposite ends, guides (1), two filters (4) attached to the reservoirs and cleaning fluid (3) in this closed circuit.

2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that it has a liquid guidance system (6) articulated (7) so that the liquid always passes through the filter in the same direction.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the reservoirs contain a sliding opening (8) connected by a bar (10) to the filter, which has a hinge (5) allowing it to pivot. Counterweights (9) attached to the slides allow the reservoirs to be opened and the filters to be rotated to empty them.

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