Solar Panel Cleaning Vehicle With Sensor-Guided Applicator Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for cleaning ground-mounted solar panels are inefficient, costly, and difficult to use, leading to reduced energy production due to soiling, especially in desert environments with limited rain, resulting in power production losses of up to 20%.
Innovation Solution
An automated system with a mobile vehicle equipped with an applicator apparatus and an automatic position system (APS) that includes sensors and a controller to maintain cleaning devices in the correct position and direction, allowing for efficient removal of dirt and debris from solar panels, reducing water and labor requirements, and incorporating a filtration system to recycle cleaning fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual cleaning methods are used for solar panels, then labor costs and operational complexity are high, but cleaning effectiveness and panel performance are reduced due to inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system is fully autonomous and self-operating. The mobile vehicle navigates automatically between solar panels using GPS and proximity sensors, the applicator apparatus adjusts its position and angle autonomously via the automatic position system, and the controller manages the entire cleaning process without human intervention. This self-service capability dramatically improves cleaning productivity while eliminating the need for manual labor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical cleaning operations with an automated system that uses electronic sensors (GPS, proximity sensors), automated control systems, and motorized positioning mechanisms. The mechanical system is substituted with an integrated electromechanical system that automatically navigates, positions, and executes cleaning tasks, improving efficiency while managing complexity through automation.
2Productivity
If solar panels are not cleaned regularly, then water and labor costs are reduced, but energy production is significantly reduced due to soiling losses of up to 20%
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a water recovery and recycling mechanism. The mobile vehicle collects soiled water and cleaning debris during the cleaning process, filters and recycles the water through a filtration system, and reuses it for subsequent cleaning operations. This discarding of contaminated water for recovery and reuse significantly reduces overall water consumption while maintaining high cleaning frequency to maximize energy production.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated cleaning system operates continuously along rows of solar panels, maintaining constant motion and cleaning coverage. The mobile vehicle systematically progresses through the array, ensuring uninterrupted cleaning action that maximizes energy production recovery. The continuous operation allows for frequent cleaning without the downtime associated with manual methods, optimizing the balance between water usage and energy production.
3Reliability
If conventional cleaning methods are used, then equipment cost is low, but cleaning precision and panel safety are compromised leading to potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic position system continuously monitors the position and orientation of the applicator apparatus relative to each solar panel using sensors and GPS data. This feedback loop allows the controller to make real-time adjustments to the applicator's position and angle, ensuring precise alignment with the panel surface. The feedback mechanism prevents excessive pressure or misalignment that could cause damage, while the automated nature of this monitoring and adjustment manages system complexity through integrated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The applicator apparatus is designed with dynamic positioning capabilities, allowing it to adjust its position, angle, and pressure in response to varying panel orientations and surface conditions. The mobile vehicle and applicator system can adapt their motion and contact forces dynamically during cleaning operations, enhancing panel safety by preventing static pressure points or rigid contact that could cause damage. This dynamic adaptability is managed through coordinated control of multiple system components.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for cleaning an array of solar panels. The system can include an applicator apparatus configured with a plurality of cleaning devices, and an automatic position system (APS) configured with the applicator apparatus. The APS can include a first and second sensor coupled to the applicator apparatus. A controller coupled to the first and second sensor devices can be configured to adjust a position of the applicator apparatus to maintain the plurality of cleaning devices in a direction facing a solar panel to facilitate a removal of an undesired material from the solar panel, while the applicator apparatus is moved from a first position to a second position. A mobile vehicle can be configured with the applicator apparatus to move along a row of the array of solar panels to perform the method for cleaning.