Panel maintenance system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dust accumulation on solar and thermal collector panels significantly reduces their efficiency, necessitating frequent cleaning to maintain performance, which is impractical and costly, especially in dusty environments.
Innovation Solution
A panel maintenance system featuring a frame with a track that engages a panel maintenance assembly equipped with blades or sweepers to remove foreign matter, and a fluid delivery system to clean the panels, controlled by sensors to optimize cleaning based on panel transmissivity and reflectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual cleaning is performed frequently to maintain panel efficiency, then panel performance is improved, but labor cost and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The panel maintenance assembly enables self-cleaning of the panels by integrating cleaning mechanisms directly onto the panel structure. The assembly includes blades, sweepers, and fluid delivery systems that automatically remove foreign matter from the panel surfaces without requiring external manual intervention, thus maintaining efficiency while eliminating cleaning time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The maintenance assembly performs preliminary cleaning actions by continuously or periodically removing foreign matter before it significantly degrades panel efficiency. Sensors detect the accumulation of dust and trigger cleaning operations in advance, preventing performance degradation rather than correcting it after the fact.
2Productivity
If automated maintenance assembly is installed, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The panel maintenance assembly is designed as a multi-functional unit that combines several cleaning mechanisms (blades, sweepers, fluid delivery systems) into a single integrated structure. This universal assembly can handle multiple types of foreign matter (dust, debris, contaminants) using different cleaning methods, thereby improving cleaning efficiency without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges multiple cleaning functions and components into a single integrated maintenance assembly that attaches to the panel frame. By combining blades, sweepers, fluid reservoirs, pumps, and sensors into one unified structure, the system achieves high cleaning productivity while minimizing the number of separate systems required.
3Reliability
If blades and sweepers are used to remove foreign matter, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but mechanical contact may damage the panel surface
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces fluid (water or cleaning solution) as an intermediary between the mechanical cleaning elements (blades, sweepers) and the panel surface. The fluid acts as a lubricant and protective medium that reduces direct mechanical contact and friction, allowing effective removal of foreign matter while preventing damage to the delicate panel surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state and properties of the cleaning interface by applying fluid. This transforms the cleaning process from direct solid-to-solid contact to a fluid-mediated process, altering friction coefficients and contact pressures to achieve effective cleaning without surface damage.
4Productivity
If fluid delivery system is added for panel cleaning, then cleaning capability is improved, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid delivery system is designed to apply cleaning fluid locally and precisely where foreign matter accumulates on the panel surface, rather than uniformly across the entire panel. Sensors detect specific areas requiring cleaning, and the fluid delivery mechanism targets those locations, thereby improving cleaning capability while minimizing overall water consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies fluid only partially and only when necessary, based on sensor detection of foreign matter accumulation. Rather than continuously wetting the entire panel surface, the fluid delivery system activates only in specific locations and only when cleaning is required, reducing water consumption while maintaining effective cleaning capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Generally, a panel maintenance system including a panel maintenance assembly configured to move over a plurality of panel modules. Specifically, a panel module including a first frame including a first plurality of frame members joined to enclose a first panel. The first plurality of frame members including a first frame inner side configured to capture the first panel within the first frame and a first frame outer side configured to provide a first track axially extending between first and second ends of at least one of the first plurality of frame members. The first track configured to engage a drive element of a panel maintenance assembly which operates to move the panel maintenance assembly over the first panel. The panel maintenance assembly bears one or more components which function to maintain the first panel.